What's the pinnacle, in your view?

[Funky Dunky]

Much as I often roll my eyes at quests for the greatest this, that or the other - purely as a study in open-mindedness and learning, I ask you this:

What represents bass Nirvana, to your ears? The line to end all lines, or solos, or riffs? What's the part that, every time you hear it, makes you think "It don't get much better than this"? Or the piece of bass-playing genius that first truly dropped your jaw, be it for feel, technique, musicality or whatever?

[blue]

Now that I think about it "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" always gets me.

Blue

[MisterT]

I'd love to come out with something obscure and complex but for me it boils down to Bernard Edwards' line from Good Times.

[Dad3353]

Most of Jack Casady's work; special mention for 'Bless Its Pointed Little Head' and his contribution to 'Blows Against The Empire'. Regularly fine with Hot Tuna too, although in a different vein.

[grumpyguts]

Do I do, For Once In My Life and the intro to Get the Funk Out - that tone.

[Harlequin74]

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1476766861' post='3156996']
I'd love to come out with something obscure and complex but for me it boils down to Bernard Edwards' line from Good Times.
[/quote]

Yes thats a great line! As is Greatest Dancer and We are Family!

Mine would be songs from when i was in my bass infancy in the 80's although you could fill a book with the wonderful technical skill of Wooten , King, etc etc.....

So its :

Japan(Mick Kahn) methods of swing
Or
Jaco Pastorius, from the Michel Colombier album, where he linked up with Herbie Hancock, Larry Graham etc......

[spectoremg]

A part I never tire of and which always grabs my heart is Jaco's from the live version of Hejira, particularly at the 'white flags of winter chimneys...' line.

[lowdown]

Just love Anthony Jackson on the Michel Camilo track 'Not Yet' (New York Band).
Jaw dropping moment for sure.

[Lord Sausage]

It's a cliche but the chorus lines in come on come over by jaco. When I first heard it, it opened a new world of playing to me. Plus it's funky as hell.

[miles'tone]

Bass nirvana, to me, depends on whatever else is going on in the music at the time, and how intelligently the bassist has chosen his/her notes. It could be the simplest thing that shows that they're listening to and playing off their musical surroundings, making the music better.
We're all capable of reaching bass nirvana if we listen and think wisely.


If we're talking about the pinnacle of 'Olympic' bass playing, then Jaco's playing on 'Havona' with Weather Report is perfection to me.

[christhammer666]

when Jordan rudess' keyboards break out in the middle of dream theaters octavarium.gets me feeling euthoric everytime

[Skol303]

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1476766861' post='3156996']
I'd love to come out with something obscure and complex but for me it boils down to Bernard Edwards' line from Good Times.
[/quote]

Amen to that.

[FuNkShUi]

Early Jamiroquai stuff is what got me into bass playing.
Saying that i think "Too Young To Die" is the track i heard and thought, "I want to be able to do that"
"Scam" is brilliant.
So is "Runaway" but that was released a little later .

[Barking Spiders]

A coupla tracks by Shriekback - All Lined Up and My Spine Is The Bassline - when the elastic crunching bass lines first come in.
I Get High On You by Sly Stone -the dominant bassline that drives the whole tune
The Rats Rally segment from Down In The Sewer by The Stranglers, the galloping bass

[fretmeister]

I'm not answering.

Mainly because by 10am I will have changed my mind.

[casapete]

Any Motown classic tunes really, but for me it's either the Four Tops "I'm in a different world" or
the Jackson 5's "I want you back".
These are just today's choices though........

[TransistorBassMan]

Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

[Coilte]

To each their own, but I was never much into the bass as a solo instrument. No doubt there are great artists doing this. For me, while it may not be "nirvana," I have always loved Peter Cetera's playing on the early (first four) CHICAGO albums, especially their first one, "Chicago Transit Authority". His playing was influential in me taking up the bass, and today I often listen to and admire his playing on these albums.

Edited October 18, 2016 by Coilte

[ambient]

The pinnacle ?

Probably something my Michael Manring, Adhan maybe.

[ambient]

For 'normal' playing it'd be Anthony Jackson. His playing on everything is amazing, but there's one Hiromi album that's particularly good, and his sound is brilliant on it, need to look up the name of it though.

[MrCrane]

Jack Casady on Hot Tuna's Candyman
or Danny Thompson on John Martyn's Solid Air

[Luulox]

The first song I can remember taking notice of the bass was war pigs by black sabbath. I still love Geezer's tone from the early albums.

[lowdown]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1476782332' post='3157115']
For 'normal' playing it'd be Anthony Jackson. His playing on everything is amazing [/quote]

He does have a habit of taking your breath away. Superb, I never tire of listening to him.
Even after all these years, I still hear things from him that will floor me.

[grayn]

For me it's got to be Chris Squire, particularly on Close To The Edge.

Driving, counter-melodic, with a wonderful tone and just plain brilliant.

[molan]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1476765276' post='3156994']
Now that I think about it "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" always gets me.

Blue
[/quote]

The first or the second version?

Personally I think the second