Precision Virtuosos

[paul_5]

Matt Freeman fron "Rancid"?

[media]http://youtu.be/RsgWs4sNHwM[/media]

NSFW

I'd definitely agree with Billy Sheehan being considered a 'virtuoso'. Like it or not, it's an impressive technique.

[bottomfeed]

Percy Jones in the early Brand X days.....

[andyonbass]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1337421379' post='1659603']
Heh, was hoping someone would mention him (Colin Hodgkinson), I couldn't think of his name. Virtuoso indeed! Would love to see him play.
[/quote]

[media]http://youtu.be/mavu1RvKJAM[/media]


[media]http://youtu.be/NFKxnj5PMvU[/media]

Edited May 19, 2012 by andyonbass

[BottomE]

The Willie Weeks solo you mentioned earlier is on a Donny Hathaway track called "Everything is Everything". Drummer should get a shout on this too. Good call.

[risingson]

It's hard to pin the term to anyone in particular as the P-Bass seems to have been long associated with the 'fundamental' bass player. However, my votes would go to James Jamerson (obviously), Pino Palladino, Freddie Washington, Paul Jackson, Willie Weeks, probably John Deacon too. There are probably quite a few more.

[steve-bbb]

just stumbled across this - fantastic P tone - Adrian Belew Power Trio

[url="http://blip.tv/abpt/the-adrian-belew-power-trio-at-rockpalast-1814965"]http://blip.tv/abpt/...kpalast-1814965[/url]

Edited May 20, 2012 by steve-bbb

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1337431168' post='1659813']
I think it means 'awfy good'.
[/quote]

from Wiki, so it must be right, "...an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_arts"]fine arts[/url], at [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing"]singing[/url] or playing a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_instrument"]musical instrument[/url]."

In this case I would go for soloing types. Not the groove, there are plenty of those we celebrate all the time, the unusual ones who solo on a Precision.

[xilddx]

I can never understand why Scott Thunes and Tom Fowler almost never get a mention on BC. Both true virtuosos, and both play precisions with a pick on most of Zappa's recordings.

Tom Fowler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEZwa1Funh0

Scott Thunes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idwLUdqamp4&feature=fvst

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1337429284' post='1659769']
Although I'm unsure what 'vistuosity' is.
[/quote]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1337431168' post='1659813']
I think it means 'awfy good'.
[/quote]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1337442258' post='1660104']
from Wiki, so it must be right, "...an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_arts"]fine arts[/url], at [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing"]singing[/url] or playing a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_instrument"]musical instrument[/url]."
[/quote]
You found 'vistuosity' on Wiki? No wonder people think it's unreliable.

[urb]

Kai Eckhardt gets my vote - he's a smoking hot slapper/finger style player - metric modulation master - amazing composer etc;

OK so this has a Jazz pickup on it but it's still pretty happening, it's a 4 string with 19 frets, and a Split P pup...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nJ_ehaLRRc[/media]

And yes this is a Jazz bass - but hey still cool

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSThhOKXU-c[/media]

[steve-soar]

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1337451833' post='1660369']
Kai Eckhardt gets my vote - he's a smoking hot slapper/finger style player - metric modulation master - amazing composer etc;

OK so this has a Jazz pickup on it but it's still pretty happening, it's a 4 string with 19 frets, and a Split P pup...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nJ_ehaLRRc[/media]

And yes this is a Jazz bass - but hey still cool

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSThhOKXU-c[/media]
[/quote]Kai is a gorgeous player. His feel is stunning.

[Lozz196]

Bruce Foxton, JJ Burnell, Bruce Thomas, John Deacon, all used a Precision with great melodies and feeling. Glen Matlock as well, though you need to listen to the very early Sex Pistols recordings to hear how his melodies worked in the songs, as NMTB was all Steve Jones`s root-notes.

[urb]

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1337438345' post='1660023']
It's hard to pin the term to anyone in particular as the P-Bass seems to have been long associated with the 'fundamental' bass player. However, my votes would go to James Jamerson (obviously), Pino Palladino, Freddie Washington, Paul Jackson, Willie Weeks, probably John Deacon too. There are probably quite a few more.
[/quote]

My gawd, Pino is it on P Bass.., saw his gig at Ronnie's last year - truly incredible and all done on two four string P basses with flatwounds...

[Hutton]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1337451110' post='1660344']
You found 'vistuosity' on Wiki? No wonder people think it's unreliable.
[/quote]

I really should be banned from Basschat for commiting the hideous crime of typing too fast, not checking my spelling, and then having the audacity to post up. Can there be a worse crime?

[risingson]

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1337455729' post='1660446']
My gawd, Pino is it on P Bass.., saw his gig at Ronnie's last year - truly incredible and all done on two four string P basses with flatwounds...
[/quote]

Ahh super jealous of that, I wanted to go and see him but I couldn't justify the train journey! What kind of stuff did they end up playing?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1337456565' post='1660469']
I really should be banned from Basschat for commiting the hideous crime of typing too fast, not checking my spelling, and then having the audacity to post up. Can there be a worse crime?
[/quote]
If people got banned for that then we'd all be banned.

[paul_5]

Can't believe I missed James Jamerson. Badness.

[urb]

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1337456624' post='1660470']
Ahh super jealous of that, I wanted to go and see him but I couldn't justify the train journey! What kind of stuff did they end up playing?
[/quote]

Basically they played everything - from Marley to Fela, Tony Williams to D'Angelo... I wrote a review of it which goes into all the stuff here:

http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/news-mainmenu-139/68-2011/12075-jazz-breaking-news-pino-palladino-and-chris-dave-invoke-the-spirit-of-fela-marley-and-dangelo-at-ronnie-scotts-

It really was amazing - the Afrobeat stuff was off the chart...

[Adrenochrome]

Quite a few of these clips are Jazz basses, or a P with a J pup...

[Happy Jack]

Sorry to get all soggy and hard to light, but as a fully-converted Precision fan-boy I really do struggle with some of the stuff being put forward.

I have a particular problem with Hodgkinson's solo blues. He's a superb player, completely out of sight of anywhere I'll ever reach, and I have nothing but respect for the man. But the fact that someone as gifted as him is capable of playing a Precision bass like an acoustic guitar does not make it a good idea.

To my ears, the tone he gets in those clips (or, more accurately, the noise) is utterly dire. As a 2-minute novelty item on YouTube it's quite amusing. But if I'd paid to go to a gig and found myself confronted by an evening of that, I'd be gone within ten minutes.

[Hutton]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1337513161' post='1661095']
Sorry to get all soggy and hard to light, but as a fully-converted Precision fan-boy I really do struggle with some of the stuff being put forward.

I have a particular problem with Hodgkinson's solo blues. He's a superb player, completely out of sight of anywhere I'll ever reach, and I have nothing but respect for the man. But the fact that someone as gifted as him is capable of playing a Precision bass like an acoustic guitar does not make it a good idea.

To my ears, the tone he gets in those clips (or, more accurately, the noise) is utterly dire. As a 2-minute novelty item on YouTube it's quite amusing. But if I'd paid to go to a gig and found myself confronted by an evening of that, I'd be gone within ten minutes.
[/quote]

Couldn't have put it better myself. I didn't even get to the end of the clips.

[OliverBlackman]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1337442258' post='1660104']
from Wiki, so it must be right, "...an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_arts"]fine arts[/url], at [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing"]singing[/url] or playing a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_instrument"]musical instrument[/url]."

In this case I would go for soloing types. Not the groove, there are plenty of those we celebrate all the time, the unusual ones who solo on a Precision.
[/quote]

I would say holding a groove is a technical ability. And a lot of the guys mentioned; Pino, Jamerson and George Porter Jr can do it to an outstanding level

[4 Strings]

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1337515516' post='1661134']
I would say holding a groove is a technical ability. And a lot of the guys mentioned; Pino, Jamerson and George Porter Jr can do it to an outstanding level
[/quote]

Absolutely, as mentioned, we're all very jealous of these people and Precision basses are such a good tool for this. It was acknowledging this but noticing that few bass players use it for virtuoso type performances (such the Jaco/Miller/Clarke/Manring type examples given).

[Cairobill]

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/12/02/jeff-andrews-live-bass-solo-with-the-mike-stern-band-2/

A jeff andrews solo. I like this guys style. It's got j pickups, but to my ears sounds thicker than a j. Apart from the pups it's a p;)

Edited May 20, 2012 by Cairobill

[OliverBlackman]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1337535716' post='1661567']
Absolutely, as mentioned, we're all very jealous of these people and Precision basses are such a good tool for this. It was acknowledging this but noticing that few bass players use it for virtuoso type performances (such the Jaco/Miller/Clarke/Manring type examples given).
[/quote]

I think the reason may be that the precision has always been described as the "classic" bass tone. All these guys have tried to achieve their own sound, and have looked for basses with more tonal options.