Inspired by Tim Jones' hi-jack attempt and Minky's brave rebuffing of thread drift over in the Riffs thread, I started thinking about my favourite bassistys/bass moments. And even though I'm not a huge fan of list threads, I thought I'd kick it off with a few thoughts:

Cheese mentioned Bernie Edwards of Chic. This man weas a giant, who could make every part of you move like this, or underpin and make interesting the most basic and repetetive overlays until they want to explode - like this. I could pick dozens of great moments from this man.

In a very different style, but with the same sort of ability to support and drive on is Phil Lesh. This excerpt from The Eleven perfectly sums (for me anyway) up the way he could keep the developmental noodling together and then spring it forward into something more dynamic.

Apart from having the voice of an angel, I couldn't not include something by Richard Sinclair. I'll often listen to this bit of Winter Wine as much for the bass line as the wonderful organ solo that winds it's way through and above it.

Then there are the lines that stick in the mind as well as flambee guitar solos do. This one from Jack Bruce Never Tell Your Mother She's Out Of Tune is an almost unique bass sound. Or how about this one from that much underrated bassist, Ronnie Lane? Steve York had a great bass sound and some superb lines, shown off here and here for Manfred Mann's Chapter Three and earlier with East Of Eden. That bit reminded me both of where he stole it from but also another great bassist, Carol Kaye. This supreme bit of hippie kitsch from 1967 (The Zodiac - Cosmic Sounds) features the second recorded appearance of a Moog (played by Paul Beaver) with Carol underneath (so to speak).

Finally, there's this classic piece of Boris...

nick.lees at btinternet.com

I suppose mention must be made of John Paul Jones who's support, with Bonham, of Page and Plant was near perfect. And of course Tony Levin (Paul SImon, Peter Gabrial King Crimson et al) is a modern master. What ever happened to John Wetton?

For Jazz virtuosity I take my hat off to Vincent Charbonnier who can truly make the double bass sing. But I suppose Charlie Haden deserves a place here.

Oh and my mate Steve Lawson who is the current whizz kid of solo bass performance.

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

Five off the top of my head: Wobble's bass at the start of PiL's "Public Image"; "Porno Base" on 23 Skidoo's 7 Songs; Charles Mingus on "Horus Decubitus"; Charlie Haden on Ornette's "Ramblin" from Change of the Century (including a riff later lifted by Ian Dury & The Blockheads for "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll"); and Jimmy Garrison's 15 minute solo at the start of the version of "My Favourite Things" on Coltrane's Live in Japan.

-- Ian

Hmmm OK [puts on half moon specs and lights pipe]. Of course there is a difference between a bass line and, as Mr Lees would put it a bass moment.

The former, clearly is related to its six string brethren in the sense that it is a repeated phrase, somewhere between one and eight bars long. A bass moment, on the other hand, is any where the listener feels suddently moved by low frequency emotion.

I second many of the thoughts expressed here, but would also liketo suggest:

The superlative (and tricky to play) "Hit me with your Rythmn Stick", featuring lovely sixteenth note warblings by that bloke whose name I always forget.

The beginning of "Close to the Edit" by the Art of Noise. Maybe a synth, but it's still a bass moment.

the cadenza from Rautavaara's "Angel of Dusk"; which is basically (fnar!) a concerto for double bass and orchestra

The intro to Chic's "Everybody Dance"

Marcus Miller's low down nastiness on Miles' "Ursula"

The first four bars of Pastorius' "Portrait of Tracy" where you wonder what the hell kind of instrument the bloke is playing.

Tim

Bass moment? Then it has to be Jeff Berlin's opening of Hell's Bells on One of a kind by Bill Bruford. One of those thrilling tumble of notes that shouldn't be coming from a Bass at all.

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

Tom,

Yup to Jones, and of course Chris Squire (you'll all have to imagine/play air bass to Starship Trooper or whatever at this point). King Crimson....who are they again Tom?


Ian,

Didn't know about the Ian Dury bass thing. Fascinating - I'd love to hear it in it's original form. Wobble's magic, as is Bill Laswell.
They're all why Linn developed the Isobarik!

nick.lees at btinternet.com

quote:

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Originally posted by Nick Lees:
And even though I'm not a huge fan of list threads, I thought I'd kick it off....

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Oh yeah? You want me to list them?
Great thread!

Try Free's Fire & Water.
Fab.

quote:

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Originally posted by Tim Jones:
the cadenza from Rautavaara's "Angel of Dusk";

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Another one I'd like to hear, though it sounds worryingly like a Hobbs-Mallyon moment...

nick.lees at btinternet.com

Riffs, lines, or moments... not sure which these are. Just favorites.

"Eminence Front" Who
"If Ya Want Me To Stay" Sly Stone

There are loads more, but these always make me wish the rest of the instruments weren't there to get in the way.

"You can call me Al" by Paul Simon. There's a 2 second bass riff towards the end of the song, which most DJ's annoyingly seem to fade out on! I remember hearing a theory that in fact the riff is actually "played backwards" on the song - ie recorded then inserted in reverse into the recording.

Steve D

and I have to thank Dave J for introducing me to the wonderful Gov't Mule album THe Deep End with a different bassist on each track. Excellent stuff.

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

Good start to Disc 2 of Marsalis Septet's In This House, On This Morning.

Dave Meros plays good Wah, Fuzz and Fretless for Spock's Beard.

I'll get me coat moment: Trevor Horn got some good results out of ABC.

Everyone stop pissing around and get Zappas Sleep Dirt, preferably on record.

Ocean is the Ultimate Solution is going to rock your world.

Also I have just got Tortoises Millions now living, this is hardly ground breaking bass technique but bloody hells its intoxicating.

Yes's live album, Yes Shows should be bought for Paralles opening bass line on the first track, turn that little fooker up.

I love bass me.

Other Bass tracks of note:
Rob Wassermans Trio album, the last track.
50 50 Zappa

Richard Sinclair eh? Hatfield and the North. "Didn't Matter Anyway" - classic

My own fave - Colin Hodgkinson

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/9932/chodg_b.htm

quote:

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:
and I have to thank Dave J for introducing me to the wonderful Gov't Mule album http://www.activesbl.plus.com/details/22316.html with a different bassist on each track. Excellent stuff.

Tom
http://www.activesbl.plus.com/RecordIndex.htm

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No he didn't. I did!

nick.lees at btinternet.com

Rasher reminded me of Mr Big by Free with Andy Fraser's bass soloing alongside Paul Kossoff's guitar.

I also love Danny Thompson's double bass. The most recent recording I have with him on is Richard Thompson's Old Kit Bag.

I forgot to mention Percy Jones. Seriously talented fretless bass player. Check out Another Green World by Eno for some definitive fretless playing.

and hand in hand goes John Giblin.

Did I mention Mike Mannring & Steve Lawson. Check out Steve playing Shizzle. Awesome.

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

Not really just Bass Moments and for the Jazz fans everything these guys do (or did)

Ray Brown
Charlie Mingus
Christian McBride

More modern
Brian Bromberg - Several tracks on his "Jaco" but in particular "Teen Town" which goes really low.
Jaco P himself
Stanley Clark - try "All Blues" with Billy Cobham for starters

Oh, and Marcus Miller - in particular on "Burning down the house" on M2, Again a great test for isobariks

Geoff

"Just trying to make a NAIM for myself"

quote:

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Originally posted by Nick Lees:
No he didn't. I did!

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Whoops, well thank you. Excellent album even if SJ still thinks it sounds like Thunder

Tom
Actively enjoying it all