Raw Bassists-Who Are Your Cats???
Big_Stacks
"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Hey,That previous Funkadelic "S/T" thread made me go listen to it (and "Free Your Mind, Your Ass Will Follow") last night. I gotta say, I was really feelin' Billy "Bass" Nelson's work. His playing is far from technically superior, but fit in nice with the sound of the band. Another one, off the head, is Marshall Jones work on "First Impressions" (flat the whole LP, but it fit somehow). Another guy I'll big up is Louie Spears, for his performance on the "Free Speech" LP by Eddie Harris. Who are some bass players whose raw style ya'll felt on an LP(s)?Peace,Big Stacks from Kakalak
Comments
on a bass side note, I hear primus for the first time the other day and i never knew people dug so much on slap bass junk. maybe dude is musically tallented but i cant get past the cheesy sound of it.
Keep in mind, we're talking about those raw bass-playin' cats, not viruoso, technically superior cats ala Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Miroslav Vitous, etc. I'm referring to those gut-bucket, not-so-perfect cats that get in where they fit in when playing the bass on the LP. That's why I named the guys that I did. Keep addin' on, I'm curious.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
"New York Girl" and "Helen Butte/Mr. Freedom X" from Davis's "On the Corner."
"Looking up to You"
on his own."Goin' Places," however...
EDIT: Sorry, that would be Michaeal Wycoff. Whoever's putting in work on the bass on that song is so necessary, though!
Well, no one else is gonna mention Eddie Shaw, so I will right now (he's the short one).
A sidebar, but related: The new Dyke & The Blazers comp (BGP's We Got More Soul) has some of the best remastered sound I've ever heard on a comp. Almost SACD-like. Arlester Christian's bass is nice and clear and almost as raw as his voice on tracks like You Are My Sunshine. It's like he's alive again and standing next to you in your living room. Highly recommended, especially for cats that have everthing Dyke.
Is this James Jamerson? Dude was nuttin' nice. Hey, who played bass on those Brunswick sweet soul LPs? Was it Eldee Young (RIP)? If so, I'll add him to my list. That bassline on Barbara Acklin's "Please Sunrise" is
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Yup, she played on songs of experience. She is one of favorites too, I went as far as to buy the same bass she uses so I could sound like her...
To add to the thread I would put the bassist from boscoe. I was blown away by some of the bass on that record, really different funky bass on there.
Phil Morrison
Aston "Family Man" Barrett
jaco
ron carter
billy cox
Marcus Miller
Yeah, Steve definitely comes grimy with his. I disagree with Marcus Miller, 'Nard, Michael Henderson, and Jaco as they are too sharp to be considered . That's why I've yet to mention Louis Johnson and Stanley Clarke, as these guys are too technically skilled. I'm talking about grimy bassists that aren't so "technically sound," but contribute well to the music (ala Billy "Bass" Nelson). Dude can't fuck with any of the cats I named above, but he did his thang with Funkadelic cause his rawness fit their groove.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
That bassline in "Take Me" is
Yes.
Paul Spencer Denman
Brick:
Regi Hargis Hickman (vocals / guitar / bass)
Ray Ransom (lead vocals / bass / keyboards / percussion)
John McVie of Fleetwood Mac
John Entwhistle of the Who
Jack Bruce of Cream (great voice too!)
Noel Redding
Bill Wyman of the stones
^^^The guy who we think of as the MGs bassist.
Lewie Steinberg was the bassist on the 1st 2 lps. I don't know if he was also a session bassist at the time. No idea what happened to him. Any way those 2 cats were raw, on point, and bringing it on all those Stax singles. Best I know they were the only 2 bass players in the Stax studio, though I am sure that Cropper or Jones could have picked up the bass and played it if those cats were out of the room.
Leroy Hodges played bass on the Hi sides; Al Green, Ann Pebbels, Syl Johnson...
I'll leave jazz guys out since I can't think of any I would call raw.
Since I'm not a big fan or rock music not many of those guys are coming to mind. I do think that Paul's bass playing is instrumentally one of the best things about the Beatles. (The best thing about the Beatles is their song writing, thinks I. The second best thing about the Beatles is the production, me thinks.)
Not to criticize anyone's choices, but as a non-rock fan, I have not found the intrigue with Noel Reddings bass playing. I love those first 2 studio lps, but when I try to concentrate on the drums or bass I don't find much to like.
3rd Stone From The Sun?