Best Bass Players

a reply to: peter vlar

I'm not a big Mingus fan, but the talent just oozed out of him. Jazz instrumentalists are so much better than rockers that they make a joke of most of the steroid-pumped jocks being celebrated as musicians on this thread.

John Entwistle was one of those who combined virtuosity with musical sensitivity, no questions. He's my favourite bassist, though I wouldn't say he (or anyone else) was the best. Still, anyone who could make up a bassline like the one below and turn a four-chord rock song into something transcendent is, well... bordering on genius.

And to the folk telling me my mind is closed and I don't know what I'm talking about: I've probably played with more bassists than you've listened to. The last thing you want in a band is four strings with an ego.

a reply to: Astyanax

LOL , i doubt it .
Definitily not ...

a reply to: Astyanax

Just as I said: showing off. It isn't music. It's athletics.

Technically anyone getting up on stage to display their talent is "Showing off". Are you saying that Victor Wooten, Flea and the others aren't musicians?

Here are a couple of examples of what I consider raw talent

A young Jack Cassidy. Just listen to him weave notes around Jorma's guitar playing.


Here is Victor Wooten sitting in with one of my favorite bands. Now the thing here is that this isn't his band. As far as I know, Wooten never played with them before. Rehearsal? The Mule doesn't do that. Athletics?

originally posted by: Astyanax
a reply to: peter vlar

I'm not a big Mingus fan, but the talent just oozed out of him. Jazz instrumentalists are so much better than rockers that they make a joke of most of the steroid-pumped jocks being celebrated as musicians on this thread.

John Entwistle was one of those who combined virtuosity with musical sensitivity, no questions. He's my favourite bassist, though I wouldn't say he (or anyone else) was the best. Still, anyone who could make up a bassline like the one below and turn a four-chord rock song into something transcendent is, well... bordering on genius.

And to the folk telling me my mind is closed and I don't know what I'm talking about: I've probably played with more bassists than you've listened to. The last thing you want in a band is four strings with an ego.

I can definitely agree with you on all of the above. While Mingus was absolutely a monster with an upright in his hands, I'm even more impressed with his ability to compose and arrange the music the way he did. He was light years ahead of anyone else in that era of Jazz as far as being a true composer.

Entwistle- I just can't sing enough praise about what he did for the instrument, he was to bass what Bonham was to drums in the 70's

He and Mingus are both massive influences on my own playing. Some of the songs off of Entwistle's solo albums, just amazing and honestly better than a lot of Townsend songs written for The Who

a reply to: NthOther

john paul jones for the win!!
there is a youtube video of ramble on isolated bass track.
it's beautiful. Jonesy was and is an awesome musician!

a reply to: peter vlar

I didn't realize Tony Levin played with King Crimson. I saw him several times with Peter Gabriel. And yes, he certainly belongs on the list.

a reply to: ZetaRediculian

Thanks for the videos. Casady was an innovative bassist in his time, though that time is rather long ago now. I wasn't especially impressed with that clip, but that's probably because I find Jorma Kaukonnen's playing accomplished but tedious. The Gov't Mule clip was just a two-chord funk jam, not requiring any great skill or coordination — and these guys are veterans, who can jam two chords in their sleep. The bass solo was a typical example of the kind of thing that gives improvisational music a bad name in certain quarters. I'll tell you who was impressive in that clip: the drummer. He's really hot. Warren Haynes is good when he's playing songs — beautiful voice, very accomplished guitar playing, but he and his friend Derek Trucks were both much better in the Allman Brothers, where they had great material to work with, than in their own bands, where their songwriting skills often let them down.

Technically anyone getting up on stage to display their talent is "Showing off".

True.

Are you saying that Victor Wooten, Flea and the others aren't musicians?

I name no names, but speaking in general: when they're playing music, they are. When they're blasting my eardrums with content-free flurries of notes, they're just indulging in the aural equivalent of what the Victorians used to call self-pollution. In public. And sometimes, in Mr. Flea's case, stark naked.

People who are impressed by that kind of thing... well, never mind. We were all teenagers once.

a reply to: Astyanax

People who are impressed by that kind of thing... well, never mind. We were all teenagers once.

Well you are quite opinionated. Jack Cassidy and Jorma are in their 70s and still playing and playing rather well. Are they popular now? Nope but they they are still playing with passion and are very active. So I don't understand the "in his time" comment. In fact I find the idea of putting down what other people enjoy in music far worse than the "self indulgence" you are so critical of. So flea played with a sock on his Johnson. People are allowed to enjoy music in any form they wish without being called a teenager or put down in other ways. Maybe it makes you feel better? It certainly doesn't make the folks you mentioned any better. So there really is no need for it.

How many bass players could get up and perform on the spot like Wooten did? Its a big internet. Where is Paul McCartney's clip? So find something that I can enjoy without having to attend Julliard first. Come on, I'm easily impressed so it should be easy.

Not one of the world's greatest bassist imo, but i still love it... gone but not forgetten

a reply to: ZetaRediculian

They are still playing with passion and are very active. So I don't understand the "in his time" comment.

Chuck Berry is pretty active, too, but no-one would pretend that it's still 'his time'. All artists go through an arc of creativity; they do their best work when they're young, ambitious and hungry. The torch passes; it passed from Casady and Kaukonen to others a long time ago.

I find the idea of putting down what other people enjoy in music far worse than the "self indulgence" you are so critical of.

Well, that's an opinion too. You're welcome to express it, whether I care for it or not.

People are aloud to enjoy music in any form they wish without being called a teenager or put down in other ways.

They most certainly are not. Have you heard of something called freedom of speech? People are allowed play what they like, and other people are allowed to say what they like about it.

How many bass players could get up and perform on the spot like Wooten did?

Seriously? Their numbers are legion. In jazz and other forms of improvisatory music (including rock), it's part of the basic skill set.

Where is Paul McCartney's clip? So find something that I can enjoy without having to attend Julliard first. Come on, I'm easily impressed so it should be easy.

Such a wealth of examples to choose from. I thought about posting Eight Days A Week, or Michelle, or Rain, or Paperback Writer, or Taxman, or Getting Better, or Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, or Lovely Rita, or While My Guitar Gently Weeps, or Something (whose 'guitar solo' is really a guitar/bass duet), or Come Together (one of the greatest bass lines every written by anyone, period), or Sun King or Dear Prudence (and that's just his work with the Beatles), but in the end I think these two will just have to do. One for melody, precision and compositional beauty, and the other for the same, as well as the stuff the steroid boys like to impress naive fans with.

Recorded 1968

Recorded 1969

originally posted by: ZetaRediculian
a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

No love for Roger Waters yet?

one of these days.

I'm going to cut you into little pieces!

a reply to: Astyanax

Seriously? Their numbers are legion. In jazz and other forms of improvisatory music (including rock), it's part of the basic skill set.

Seriously, post some links and videos. Show me what you are talking about. Like I said, I am easily impressed.

The torch passes; it passed from Casady and Kaukonen to others a long time ago.

you don't get it. They are active in the sense that the are still passing the torch. They are not some band that decided to get back together and play songs exactly like they played them 30 or 40 years ago. They are still innovating. Go see them and then tell me the same thing.

i know the Beatles music pretty well. they were the innovators of the shtick that you are so critical of.

All studio. Good songs some good bass lines. And? they were surpassed long ago. Not everyone is impressed by their bubblegum sound.

a reply to: Astyanax

recorded 2010 live (this century, this decade)

originally posted by: Astyanax

I'm not a big Mingus fan, but the talent just oozed out of him. Jazz instrumentalists are so much better than rockers that they make a joke of most of the steroid-pumped jocks being celebrated as musicians on this thread.

Technical prowess has never been, and will never be more important than writing a catchy line. A talented musician does not a virtuoso make. What's the point in writing something no one wants to listen to?

And to the folk telling me my mind is closed and I don't know what I'm talking about: I've probably played with more bassists than you've listened to. The last thing you want in a band is four strings with an ego.

If the musician is any good, he usually has a gigantic ego. That's been my experience, anyway. Ego management among the members of a group (a talented one) is probably the hardest thing about staying together (drugs and women aside).

That's just the way it is. Drummers are the worst, though.

a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

That's a great video. The coolest thing about visiting Pompeii was the Amphitheater where they filmed this.

Nothing gets me more pumped than swallowing a handful of steroids and cranking up One of These Days

a reply to: RomaSempre
Well now were even because I totally forgot he did a stint with Peter Gabriel. That must've been one hell of a show!
King Crimson is playing in my town in a few weeks with Tony back on bass and Chapman Stick so I'm pretty stoked to see that.

Allen Woody

RISING LOW documents what happened when 25 bass players as diverse as John Entwistle (The Who) and Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone) came together to record with Gov't Mule, a power trio fronted by guitarist Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band). The trio suffered a devastating loss when their bassist, Allen Woody, died in August 2000. Knowing that no single person could fill this void, the band decided to feature a different bass player on each song of their new recording project, The Deep End.
Warren's friend Mike Gordon, filmmaker (Outside Out) and bassist for the band Phish, was invited to document the recording sessions. As a featured guest on the album, Mike offers an inside perspective on this historic summit of bass players.

Through interviews and "experiments," Mike goes beyond the story of Allen Woody to explore why musicians rise to the top of their field, and the role of groove and deep vibration in bass playing. With many of world's greatest bass players gathered to record with Gov't Mule, Mike had an intimate setting in which to address these themes.


25 Of The Greatest Bass Players Explore The Deep End:

Allen Woody
Alphonso Johnson
Bootsy Collins
Billy Cox
Chris Squire
Chris Wood
Dave Schools
Flea
George Porter Jr.
Jack Bruce
Jack Casady
Joey Arkenstat
John Entwistle Terry Graham
Les Claypool
Meshell Ndegeocello
Mike Gordon
Mike Watt
Oteil Burbridge
Phil Lesh
Rocco Prestia
Roger Glover
Stefan Lessard
Tony Levin
Willie Weeks

What about Phil Lynot of Thin Lizzy fame? Or John Deacon of Queen?

a reply to: ZetaRediculian

I love that video !!
I have to save that for future ref, thank you so much !
I have heard of Electric Hot Tuna but never really heard much of there stuff, Will def listen to more so thank you for making me aware .

And you are spot on with your other posts too Zeta , Some people just dont get it and they never will, I feel sorry for them because they will never be as good as someone who takes the time to appreciate different styles and modes, its quite a self defeating and limiting way to be but to each thier own .

Any other Electric Hot Tuna stuff you would recommend ? Would love to hear more , i think its important as a muso to constantly try to expand ones musical horizons. Theres nothing worse then a muso stuck in their own little bubble and i think part of what makes some of the bassists you listed so great is that they had a vast variety of influences from classical to jazz to punk and everything in between .

Most of my fav bassists have allready been listen in this awesome thread so im going to throw the late Paul Gray (RIP)
into the mix , he had some amazingly beefy lines and some of his stuff litterally growled .




-Omega

Reply to: NthOther

You're agreeing with me, actually. And of course you're right about ego. But there's a time and a place for selfishness, and on stage is never that time or place. A bass player, in particular, is a supporting act, not a soloist. There are exceptions, but they usually prove the rule.

*

Reply to: Zeta Rediculian

I know the Beatles music pretty well. Not everyone is impressed by their bubblegum sound.

'Their bubblegum sound,' eh? That just about says it all.

The prosecution rests, M'lud.