I have been inspired by so many bassists over the years and many of them are not household names. This page will present a bassist deserving wider recognition every week so stay tuned!
JUAN ALDERETTE W/THE MARS VOLTA-FRANCES THE MULE-https://youtu.be/VUBQLnEGHNk
RONNIE BAKER W/HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES-https://youtu.be/A6Zb3T18Jms
MAX BENNETT W/TOM SCOTT-ROCK ISLAND ROCKET-https://youtu.be/hrMdaHWbYhw
JIMMY BLANTON W/DUKE ELLINGTON-SOPHISTICATED LADY-https://youtu.be/2q0zm61WRMI
MARK CLARKE W/TEMPEST-UP AND ON-https://youtu.be/cayw1YNvRPk
HUGH CURRIE W/MOE KOFFMAN-FLUTE SALAD-https://youtu.be/oEDk8Z2aBvo
JOHN DEACON W/QUEEN-ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST-https://youtu.be/uFNK-9A2VRo
BARRY DEAN W/BRIAN AUGER-HAPPINESS IS JUST AROUND THE BEND-https://youtu.be/aW40REAxLEc
LUCILLE DIXON W/THE INTERNATIONAL SWEETHEARTS OF RHYTHM-https://youtu.be/gcefP2Bbg1Y
BERNARD EDWARDS W/CHIC-GOOD TIMES-https://youtu.be/51r5f5OdIY0
GORDON EDWARDS W/STUFF-DO YOU WANT SOME OF THIS?-https://youtu.be/NuZBtFMD6vM
ANDY FRASER W/FREE-I’M A MOVER-https://youtu.be/bqJQHZu1Dg0
TONY GARNIER W/TOM WAITS-CLAP HANDS-https://youtu.be/krjxyEme5vM
MELVIN GIBBS W/RONALD SHANNON JACKSON-MANDANCE-https://youtu.be/wuMFAXEtymc
KIM GORDON W/SONIC YOUTH-MILDRED PIERCE-https://youtu.be/3-jp4hk7VIU
MICHAEL HENDERSON W/MILES DAVIS-ON THE CORNER-https://youtu.be/AIqXprCArdo
COLIN HODGKINSON W/BACK DOOR-SLIVADIV-https://youtu.be/iXFl2mtkS30
FRED HOPKINS W/NEW AIR-SIR SIMPLETON-https://youtu.be/8vM16lI3ihU
HUGH HOPPER W/SOFT MACHINE-SLIGHTLY ALL THE TIME-https://youtu.be/4RwLgA9U_3I
PAUL JACKSON W/HERBIE HANCOCK-VEIN MELTER-https://youtu.be/mZy7v_-ss74
PERCY JONES W/BRAND X-UNORTHODOX BEHAVIOUR-https://youtu.be/tHRtMgcBXp0
MICK KARN W/JAPAN-GENTLEMEN TAKE POLAROIDS-https://youtu.be/Yf9JA-IHwvo
GARY KING W/JIMMY OWNES-EXERCISE-https://youtu.be/h-VnWBz84bc
RICK LAIRD W/THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA-AWAKENING-https://youtu.be/hLm5Qn6qklA
RONNIE LANE W/THE FACES-STAY WIH ME-https://youtu.be/f514cAZucCg
BILL LASWELL W/MATERIAL–MEMORY SERVES-https://youtu.be/EyTtylQZ848
SARA LEE W/THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN-DISLOCATED-https://youtu.be/PtJy6gk0Sxc
PHIL LESHIN W/BUDDY RICH-THE CINCH-https://youtu.be/yS8fxd9mu0A
TONY LEVIN W/JOAN ARMATRADING-I LOVE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME NAMES-https://youtu.be/JriKRzJjzGY
GRAHAM MABY W/JOE JACKSON-STEPPIN OUT-https://youtu.be/PJwt2dxx9yg
LOTHAR MEID W/AMON DUUL II-CHASMIN:THE MARILYN MONROE MEMORIAL CHURCH-https://youtu.be/W2s0NrmbRbk
COLIN MOULDING W/XTC-MAKING LANS FOR NIGEL-https://youtu.be/yp-WJXOb2V4
DEE MURRAY W/ELTON JOHN-ROCKET MAN-https://youtu.be/btvqt083DKI
JACK NEAL W/GENE VINCENT-BE BOP A LULA-https://youtu.be/O4_5593-skQ
PATRICK O’HEARN W/FRANK ZAPPA-SHUT UP AND PLAY YOUR GUITAR-https://youtu.be/jvB5dQHvRSc
GENE PERLA W/ELVIN JONES-FOR ALL THOSE OTHER TIMES-https://youtu.be/xuYGkqFmnN4
PRAKASH JOHN W/LOU REED-WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT-https://youtu.be/zpxMr6J3UHM
JOHN RANSOME W/GOOD GOD-GOOD GOD-https://youtu.be/OSQxcFF4HXs
DEXTER REDDING W/THE REDDINGS-THE AWAKENING-https://youtu.be/SFNkiYkf_Zk
BILLY RICH W/JOHN MCLAUGHLIN-MARBLEShttps://youtu.be/l0wnc-eBRbg
GREG RIDLEY W/HUMBLE PIE-LIVE AT THE FILLMORE-https://youtu.be/BJ_miYQY4Xk
CURLY RUSSELL W/BUD POWELL-UN POCO LOCO-https://youtu.be/zrUuyTymA_A
MARK SANDMAN W/MORPHINE-ALL WRONG-https://youtu.be/2Wt53rfogAg
MEL SCHACHER W/GRAND FUNK RAILROAD-T.N.U.C-https://youtu.be/A12GettHK6Y
SLAM STEWART-I’M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE-https://youtu.be/xU8tXc_L9e0
JAMALADEEN TACUMA W/ORNETTE COLEMAN-HOME GROWN-https://youtu.be/fQwMcvLgALk
BRUCE THOMAS W/ELVIS COSTELLO-PUMP IT UP-https://youtu.be/3Y71iDvCYXA
MIROSLAV VITOUS W/JOE ZAWINUL-DR HONORIS CAUSA-https://youtu.be/Slpd3j5NJXI
EBERHARD WEBER-THE COLOURS OF CHLOE-https://youtu.be/AB7nYAivGpQ
JOHN WETTON W/KING CRIMSON-LARKS TONQUE IN ASPIC PT 2-https://youtu.be/mbwWK6rJT6s
I first became aware of Fred Hopkins on a live trio recording of his band Air “Live at Montreal International Jazz Festival.” I was immediately taken by his deep dark sound and how he was so adept at creating beautiful lines. I believe that when we open our ears to all styles of music we grow as musicians. I find avant garde music, both classical and jazz challenge our ears and our conceptions of what is music and more importantly, what is sound.
Years ago I was at Tower Records and picked up “The Awakening” by a group called the Redding’s.
Now the Reddings were an American band founded by Otis Redding's sons Dexter (bass and vocals) and Otis III(guitar) together with cousin Mark Lockett (drums, keys, and lead vocal)
I was very impressed with the record and very impressed with Dexter. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t the only one impressed! Les Claypool recorded and has been known to play the title tune “The Awakening” quite a bit.
I have always loved all styles of music. I would go into periods where I would like one genre and listen to as many players in that realm as possible and then move on to another area. One of the genres I was studying and enjoying was Progressive Rock. Groups like Genesis (with Peter Gabriel), Gentle Giant, Van Der Graf Generator an d on and on. I came across Japan right after the release of “Gentleman Take Polaroids” and was a Ken by the unique bass lines coming from Mick Karn.
I was hanging out at producer Giorgio Gomelsky’s place in Chelsea one night and I ran into a bass player who had just arrived from Detroit. His name was Bill Laswell. His credentials as a producer and bassist are well known and he continues to cross the envelope and enter new territory with each recording Whether it be jazz, funk, skronk, dub, you name it, Bill seems to be on the cutting edge all of the time.
In 1975 in NY, so many musicians were making a great living freelancing, working in the studios and playing live. One of those musicians who was in the thick of it and continues to be in the thick of it is Will Lee...Uncle Will.
In 1974 an extraordinary record came out. “The Colours of Chloe” by bassist Eberhard Weber. ECM Records, which was only a couple of years old had released 41 records prior to this release and over their short time frame created a sound unto itself not unlike what Blue Note Records had done in the 50’s and 60’s.
Starting with the upright bass, he later began to experiment with electro-acoustic bass design and also began working with delay, reverb and looping.
An important voice you must hear!
I started hearing about a fusion band from England featuring Phil Collins on drums and this really incredible and unique bassist, Percy Jones. I sought out their first LP “Unorthodox Behaviour” and was seriously impressed. Both this LP and Jacobs first LP came out around the same time and to have two unique voices on the fretless bass at the same time was just great.
When I was just starting out in NY I would go to this club on the Upper West Side called Mikell’s. This is where I received some of the most important education I ever got. Sitting in front of me was one of the greatest group of studio musicians ever assembled. You had:
Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale-guitar
Richard Tee-piano
Steve Gadd and Chris Parker-drums
And one of my mentors even though he and I have never met; Gordon Edwards on bass.
That band changed my life! I would sit there and listen to how the bass and two sets of drums would interact. Gordon would be so in the pocket I would go home after the show and practice, practice, practice!
It always amazed me how Gordon’s bass was pretty beat up until you got to the 7th fret and it was cleaner the higher you went. That didn’t mean he would not go high it just meant that he knew where to put it for the sake of the groove.
It taught me a lot and to this day I can put on the first Stuff record and marvel at the abilities that this band possessed.
One last thing, their pianist, Richard Tee had the most incredible left hand. I learned a lot about bass playing from him too!
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