Your top 5 session bassists

[OliverBlackman]

13 minutes ago, Rib13Bass said:

👍

+

Louis Johnson

David Hungate

Marcus Miller

 

I wasn’t sure about MM. Is he better known for his own stuff or as a sideman?

[miles'tone]

Great thread! It's reminded me of many players that I always meant to check out...

 

My fave is Carol Kaye. 

Mostly because my earliest exposure to great music was watching TV as a little kid in the 70s, and of course learning years later that most of it was being pumped along by her Royal Funkiness, Ms. Kaye. 

 

One for the pot:

 

Chris Chaney.

[Doddy]

34 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

I wasn’t sure about MM. Is he better known for his own stuff or as a sideman?

He's probably better known for his own stuff now, but his discography as a NY session player is huge.

[pete.young]

Chuck Rainey, Abe Laboriel, Anthony Jackson, Marcus Miller, Will Lee have all been mentioned in this thread already.

 

That's not my top 5, that's just the bassists who played on Nightfly !

 

I'd have to find room for Nathan East, who to leave out? Tough call.

[lowdown]

42 minutes ago, pete.young said:

 

 

I'd have to find room for Nathan East, who to leave out? Tough call.

 

Haha, I had the same problem, so I left him out in favour of Neil Stubenhaus.

Everyone knows about Nathan's work but, Neil's work goes under the radar a bit for some reason (Probably because he was mainly a true, studio session hermit at his peak).

So I thought I would give him a mention.

 

Neil Stubenhaus - Wikipedia

 

 

 

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Doddy said:

He's probably better known for his own stuff now, but his discography as a NY session player is huge.

Yep massive. But the criteria was “Our go-to gurus, those unsung heroes of the bass world that lurk in the background either on rekkid or on stage?” He isn’t exactly lurking in the background like Pino does.

[Rib13Bass]

44 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep massive. But the criteria was “Our go-to gurus, those unsung heroes of the bass world that lurk in the background either on rekkid or on stage?” He isn’t exactly lurking in the background like Pino does.

 

I dont think Pino lurks in the background either (or no more or less than Marcus does in any given situation). Both are popular names with the general bass community but how about to the average non-musician music listener?.....I guess perception will play a big role in this thread

Edited September 10, 2022 by Rib13Bass

[lee650]

I love this thread,But only 5!!!!

So difficult. Pretty much all my favourite players are the session guys, so here's my top 5

 

Abraham Laboriel

Will Lee

Marcus Miller

Anthony Jackson

Louis Johnson

 

Tip of the iceberg though, so many beautiful players.

Edited September 10, 2022 by lee650

[AndyTravis]

Pino Palladino - I actively seek out his work

Nathan East

Leland Sklar

Bob Babbitt

Tony Levin

 

There are loads. But all of the above make me watch.

 

Steve Lewinson - love his playing 

Lee Pomeroy

 

I could just list them all, full of admiration - wished I’d pushed harder at my dream of being a session bass player.

 

Managed a couple of low level release things and a bit of TV, but had kids and gave up.

 

 

[ern500evo]

I’d have to include Bobby Vega, fantastic player 

[Grassie]

3 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep massive. But the criteria was “Our go-to gurus, those unsung heroes of the bass world that lurk in the background either on rekkid or on stage?” He isn’t exactly lurking in the background like Pino does.

I would put Marcus down as a session guy. Yes he fronts his own thing, but as mentioned earlier, his early work in the NY scene is massive. And he still does sessions. 😊

[Grassie]

1 hour ago, lee650 said:

I love this thread,But only 5!!!!

So difficult. Pretty much all my favourite players are the session guys, so here's my top 5

 

Abraham Laboriel

Will Lee

Marcus Miller

Anthony Jackson

Louis Johnson

 

Tip of the iceberg though, so many beautiful players.

Having read through everyone’s contributions, and seen a load of names that have made me go “oh yeah!” I’m tempted to make it a top ten… 😁

[msb]

Tim Drummond. 

[peteb]

11 hours ago, Bolo said:

Billy Sheehan needs to be mentioned 

 

'm not sure that I would necessarily include King Billy! Sure, he plays lots of sessions but he gets called to be 'Billy Sheehan' rather than to do whatever is needed to create a track ala Sean Hurley or a Guy Pratt, etc. 

 

I would add Alan Spenner to the above list, along with Michael Rhodes, Clive Chaman, Stanley Sheldon, Carmine Rojas and possibly a pre Zep John Paul Jones... 

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by peteb

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, ern500evo said:

I’d have to include Bobby Vega, fantastic player 

Absolutely - if you could PM me some recommendations that would be ace; I’m just in awe of his solo playing 

[Mykesbass]

Having heard John Martyn, Solid Air on the radio this afternoon, I think Danny Thompson might be vying for a place on my earlier list.

[casapete]

All of my favourites have been mentioned , but how about a shout out for

these guys?

All great players on some fantastic recordings.

 

Herbie Flowers

Mo Foster

Russ Stableford

Alan Spenner

Klaus Voorman

 

 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by casapete

[casapete]

2 minutes ago, casapete said:

 

 

 

 

 

Duplicate post.

Edited September 11, 2022 by casapete

[lowdown]

44 minutes ago, casapete said:

All of my favourites have been mentioned , but how about a shout out for

these guys?

All great players on some fantastic recordings.

 

Herbie Flowers

Mo Foster

Russ Stableford

Alan Spenner

Klaus Voorman

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oddly enough, I was thinking about some of the UK session players from the 60's & 70's yesterday.

Dave Richmond was another Bassist who was very much used on TV/Film/Jingles and albums on a regular basis.

Quite a character as well....

 

[ezbass]

23 hours ago, steve-bbb said:

Fmflwtfaf none of you fkrs have mentioned anthony jackson yet 😳

I suppose that’s the mark of the session player, easily overlooked. But yeah, he’s a monster, much like Nathan East, who I forgot too.

 

Here’s a player we’ve overlooked so far - Bob Glaub.

Edited September 11, 2022 by ezbass

[lowdown]

10 minutes ago, ezbass said:

 

Here’s a player we’ve overlooked so far - Bob Glaub.

 

Cor blimey, guv...Yeah..! How was he overlooked.

Well, he's not now.

👍

 

[Barking Spiders]

Most of the players i like have been in bands with some guesting on other people's albums. Does that count as a session player? In which case I'd say Derek Forbes, Michael Dempsey.

For players that have done a lot of guesting/session/sidemen work, it's easy for me. Marcus Miller, Louis Johnson and Tony Levin

[Doddy]

1 hour ago, lowdown said:

 

 

Oddly enough, I was thinking about some of the UK session players from the 60's & 70's yesterday.

Dave Richmond was another Bassist who was very much used on TV/Film/Jingles and albums on a regular basis.

Quite a character as well....

 

 

If we are talking English players we have to mention Paul Westwood, who was doing everything in the 80's/90's. Great player and great guy too.

[Piers_Williamson]

Norman Watt Roy (didn't he play 'Relax'), and if you wanted to get esoteric Chas Hodges

[lowdown]

2 hours ago, Doddy said:

If we are talking English players we have to mention Paul Westwood, who was doing everything in the 80's/90's. Great player and great guy too.

 

Yes, he was a regular in a lot of the TV Orchestras back then.

A terrific player and very likeable chap.

Back in the 90's, there was a particular TV turn I worked for and PW depped for me a couple of times.

 

Les Hurdle was another top UK session Bassist;

Donna Summer - "I Feel Love" and "On the Radio are a couple of his Bass lines from a varied session CV from back then.

I believe he was also Tomsk (The Wombles...).

 

He now lives up some hillside near LA as a media composer.

A few months back he turned up at the VI Control forum, where I asked if he had been a Womble in his past life. He owned up () and then mentioned a couple of his session exploits.

Les Hurdle | VI-CONTROL