Underrated Bass Players

[Lenny B]

Whoever played bass on "America" by Simon & Garfunkel - what a fantastic melodic line going on there.

Whoever played bass on the soundtrack to the film version of "Hair" - as fast and groovy as anything!

Billy Gould (FNM) - I'd forgotten how much I learnt by playing along with "The Real Thing"

[paul, the]

Bakithi Kumalo


Playing along to Graceland yesterday, I was soon reminded that he is one of the best bassists in existence.


Top picks from Graceland:


Diamonds on the soles of her shoes:

[url="http://www.square-kun.com/files/songs/Paul%20Simon/05%20Diamonds%20On%20The%20Soles%20Of%20Her%20Shoes.mp3"]http://www.square-kun.com/files/songs/Paul...Her%20Shoes.mp3[/url]


Under African Skies:

[url="http://www.square-kun.com/files/songs/Paul%20Simon/07%20Under%20African%20Skies.mp3"]http://www.square-kun.com/files/songs/Paul...can%20Skies.mp3[/url]



The Graceland record:

[url="http://www.square-kun.com/files/songs/Paul%20Simon/?C=S;O=A"]http://www.square-kun.com/files/songs/Paul%20Simon/?C=S;O=A[/url]

[nick]

Just been listening to some old Suede stuff.
Forgot about Mat Osman - some really tasteful bass runs.

[Kiwi]

Dood - has to be the most under rated metal player in the country. I'd give my left nipple to see him face off John Myung.

[paul, the]

Aston Barrett

Edited August 12, 2007 by paul, the

[Basszilla]

I wouldn't say they were underrated as such but I quite like both bass players from Alice In Chains. Mike Inez and Mike Starr. Actually they're sh*t hot. That's a band I like to frequently revisit from the 'grunge' era.

Caught Jerry Cantrell's show in Newport TJs the other year and fair play they were awesome.

[paul, the]

Bootsy Collins for his playing with The Houseguests, the SINGLE GREATEST funk band to ever have existed.



This is the equilibrium of FUNK. It's in between the uptight slavery of the JBs and the over-the-top cheese-funk of George Clinton. It's simple, raw, honest funk with astonishing bass lines and excellent tone.

Perfection, just ahead of The Meters.


Oh!, looky here, I've found a clip:


[url="http://www.last.fm/music/Houseguests"]http://www.last.fm/music/Houseguests[/url]

Edited August 12, 2007 by paul, the

[OutToPlayJazz]

+1 for John 'Rhino' Edwards... Again, not just his Quo stuff, but for his impressive pedigree before joining the band as a session player in '86.

One of my current favourites is Jefferson Airplane's Jack Casady. Very understated player, but beautifully melodic. Have a look/listen to the flash movie of him playing on the front page of his website. www.jackcasady.com ??

Edited August 12, 2007 by OutToPlayJazz

[dtbass]

I don't know about underrated, more shadowed by Brain May and Freddie, but for me, it's John Deacon from Queen.

[guzzibass]

Andy Fraser whilst with Free - he was way ahead of anyone.

[paul, the]

[quote name='guzzibass' post='44621' date='Aug 12 2007, 09:55 PM']Andy Fraser whilst with Free - he was way ahead of anyone.[/quote]

Oh yes! Mr. Big, you better watch out!

--

Jeffrey Hammond Hammond.

[micahbell]

Rocco Prestia of Tower of Power. Man that guy is funky.

Now, Victor Wooten is not underrated because anybody who hears him can't deny how awesome he is, but the name is virtually unknown unless you are a musician.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='Painless' post='23313' date='Jun 26 2007, 12:01 AM']How about Mark Bedford (Bedders) from Madness?[/quote]
Good call, some of his stuff is really clever. If you've got a spare hour, try learning the line to "It Must Be Love". It's really clever with tons of feel. I love playing that one live.

Also would offer up Andrew Levy from the Brand New Heavies. Check out the band's "Brother Sister" album for great examples of how to play in the pocket.

[99ster]

[quote name='paul, the' post='44417' date='Aug 12 2007, 12:55 PM']Bootsy Collins for his playing with The Houseguests, the SINGLE GREATEST funk band to ever have existed.
This is the equilibrium of FUNK. It's in between the uptight slavery of the JBs and the over-the-top cheese-funk of George Clinton. It's simple, raw, honest funk with astonishing bass lines and excellent tone.

Perfection, just ahead of The Meters.
Oh!, looky here, I've found a clip:
[url="http://www.last.fm/music/Houseguests"]http://www.last.fm/music/Houseguests[/url][/quote]


Love that track!
Did they ever do an LP?? Is it available on CD??

[rhino]

How about:
Gordon Edwards - Atlantic sessions, Steve Gadd Band.,

Joseph "Lucky" Scott - Curtis Mayfield



Rhino

[Scoop]

By tomorrow this will probably be completely redundant and I'll have thought of three other blokes but, for now, it's:

Norman Watt Roy
dUg Pinnick
Jimmy Haslip

[rhino]

Tab Martin of The Peddlers,

Louis Satterfield - Booker T & The MG's


Rhino.

[chris_b]

[quote name='rhino' post='44745' date='Aug 13 2007, 11:18 AM']Louis Satterfield - Booker T & The MG's[/quote]
I think you mean Lewis Steinberg. He and Al Jackson left the Willie Mitchell band in 1962 and formed the MG's with Booket T and Steve Cropper. It is Lewis playing on Green Onions.

[paul, the]

[quote name='99ster' post='44701' date='Aug 13 2007, 08:47 AM']Love that track!
Did they ever do an LP?? Is it available on CD??[/quote]


'Did they ever do an LP??'


How many kidneys you gots?


You can hear the full track on Funk Drops Vol.1


One of the best buys ever for me.

It also has "Soul Machine" by The Meters, one of my top 5 Funk tracks.




Glad you gave it a listen - more should do so if they know what's good for them!


That's it, forced funk people.

[Wil]

Damn, this guy is good:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf4AdYZtWj8&NR=1"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf4AdYZtWj8&NR=1[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov8MuN8y5fg&mode=related&search="]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov8MuN8y5fg...ted&search=[/url]

[gilmour]

What ????

Duff is a terrible player, an insult to Bassists everywhere

If memory serves me right he was a guitar player who couldn't get a gig as a guitarist so started to play bass.

Thas hardly does our beloved bottom end justice



[quote name='The Funk' post='6606' date='May 25 2007, 04:05 PM']Duff is good. Nice lines.[/quote]

[gilmour]

thought i'd throw in ..

George Porter Junior from The Meters - some of those lines defined what we call funk playing these days.

[paul, the]

[quote name='gilmour' post='45150' date='Aug 14 2007, 09:32 AM']thought i'd throw in ..

George Porter Junior from The Meters - some of those lines defined what we call funk playing these days.[/quote]

Excellent taste.

[grosa]

Hansi Baumgartner form psycore,not my kind of music but his fretless line on medication was really good,heard some other stuff thats nice too

[Maark]

Adam Duce, Jon Miller, Jeanne Sagan, Paul Pomanko, William Murderface, Chris Wolstenholme... they get my vote.