Whose sound just blows your mind?

Here are some of my favorites:

Steuart Liebig
Mick Karn
Anthony Jackson
Jaco
JohnPaul Jones
Mark King
Larry Graham, Jr.
Tom Kennedy

Percy Jones gets points, too, 'cause he's so easily recognizble.

how about you cats and why?

from the lows,

Stew

One man, many great tones: Tony Levin.

Baghiti Khumalo (of Paul Simon fame) - Best fretless tone I can imagine.
Les Claypool - some may argue, but I actually really dig his overly midrangy tone.
Reed Mathis - Just cause he does so much weird stuff with his effects. Its neat to see someone pull something different out of an old standard bass.
Taylor Propp (Meteorite) - His Ken Smith sounds so nice hehe

Just a few hehe...

:cool:
Pino Palladino-fretless MM, or P-bass-flats.
Jack Bruce farty gibson-Cream
Jonas Hellborg ABG-The Word-
Steve Swallow-metal pick- 5-string-High C.

great nominations. I don't know Reed Mathis and Taylor Propp, though. are there samples of their playing online?

Sure, actually Stew, Ill send you a PM, since the link Im giving isnt for the general public (as I have a lot of copyrighted material on there that I dont want made available).

I'll go ahead and add one more...

Aaron Bellamy on Alan Evans' (drummer for Soulive) album, Let It Ride, has a really sweet tone. Deffinantly an album worth picking up if you dig the funk and jazz jam type stuff.

Some of my personal favs:

Juan Nelson (my new "main homie")
"Buddah"
Louis Johnson
Terrance Parker (Fred Hammond's bassist)

Ahh I forgot "the Man" Juan Nelson, good call :)

Check the "Who the hell is..." thread if you havent yet. I posted some live stuff in there you might be interested in.

The bassplayer from Graceland by Paul Simon, superb tone.

The bassplayer from Graceland by Paul Simon, superb tone.

See my first post hehe - Baghiti Khumalo (don't feel bad, with a name like that I can never remember it and always have to look it up before posting hehe.)

Great thread Stew!

for me...

Tyrone Brown (on the live Grover Washington Jr disc)
George Porter Jr, any day, any time
Lucky Scott (on Curtis Mayfield's "Curtis Live!")

Tony Levin
Anthony Jackson

Many more....

Matt Garrison, Victor Wooten, Anthony Jackson, Mike Pope...hmmm I see a trend. ;)

Ahh I forgot "the Man" Juan Nelson, good call :)

Check the "Who the hell is..." thread if you havent yet. I posted some live stuff in there you might be interested in.

A TERRIFIC thread!!!!!... I would have never heard about Juan if it wasn't for Juneau's update. Y'all should really check this guy out!!! :hyper: :hyper: :hyper:

Off the top of my head, I love John Patitucci's tone (with his old Smith BT6C) on his first self-titled record. Probably my all time favorite sound.

Additionally, I like Jimmy Haslip's tone (Red Heat...think that was the MTD), Avishai Cohen's wicked 70's jazz bass sound on "Lyla", and some I probably forgot...Gary Wills, Ed Friedland's piccolo bass, etc.

Not a big Victor Wooten guy but he's got a pretty sweet tone too!

Sure, actually Stew, Ill send you a PM, since the link Im giving isnt for the general public (as I have a lot of copyrighted material on there that I dont want made available)...
looking forward to it, man!

thanks for all the replies, cats! I'm really into the names I don't know yet: new stuff to check out!

:D

Chuck Rainey

For me today, it's:

Doug Pinnick of King's X.
Percy Jones
Mick Karn
Billy Sheehan
Steve Swallow
Anthony Jackson
John Taylor
Geddy Lee

Aaron Bellamy on Alan Evans' (drummer for Soulive) album, Let It Ride, has a really sweet tone. Deffinantly an album worth picking up if you dig the funk and jazz jam type stuff.

w00t!!!!

yo Juneau, Are you talking about this cat?
http://theboardofeducation.net/images/aaron2_med.jpg

Never realized he had made it big...That is completely news to me! I used to jam with him (he dbls on gtr, killer player) when I was living in Boston. His older brother Luke is a badass drummer, very much like Alan Evans... Except a scary looking cat when he plays.

The oldest brother Joe went to UMASS with me long long ago....


Man, it's a small world.

Well the pic doesn't work, and 2ndly I have no idea what he looks like, but he sounds damn good hehe.

And I don't know about how "big" they are, as no one I know even knows who Im talking about hehe, but he's big with me anyhow lol :)

Im a big soulive fan, and got Alan's album as soon as it came out and actually like his solo stuff just as well or better than soulive hehe.

EDIT - Looks like he is one and the same: http://aaronbellamy.com/page/a1.html

... Im a big soulive fan...
then you probably know Sam Kininger who plays sax for Soulive sometimes. he came out with us on the last Brotherhood of Groove tour and we got to hang a ton. the bass playing on his album is awesome, both tonally and in terms of the groove playing. real funk!

from them lows,

Stew

I sure do know him, in fact I have a DVD of Soulive playing with Reggie Watts that he appears in :)
I'll have to look into getting his album!

Well the pic doesn't work, and 2ndly I have no idea what he looks like, but he sounds damn good hehe.

And I don't know about how "big" they are, as no one I know even knows who Im talking about hehe, but he's big with me anyhow lol :)

Im a big soulive fan, and got Alan's album as soon as it came out and actually like his solo stuff just as well or better than soulive hehe.


I just checked... yup, it's him. Small world.

Yeah I shouldn't have said "big", I should have said "oppt'y to have played with/recorded with"... :D

I'm heading up to beantown towards the end of the month, I hope to bump into Aaron and Luke... Now there will be some catching up to do!






back to this thread:
These cat have tone for days:
AJ
Garrison
'Duck' Dunn
Pino
Bruce Gertz
Charlie Wooton
Fima Ephron

HAHA, hey Stew, check this out:

"Projects:
Sam Kininger.
Bellamy is, currently, the full time bassist for Jazz/funk outfit the Sam Kininger band. A high energy instrumental group touring on a national level and is presently recording a new album which will feature Aaron on Bass."

Same bass player from Alan Evans that I mentioned and J-raj and I are talking about. It sure is a small world lol.

man... that's some crazy sh!t!!!

Sorry to be freaking out about it, but in the mid 90's we all were just pretty interchangable in different groups/jam sessions/gigs (y'all know the drill)... Aaron was always simple, solid and groovin! Him and his brother Luke used to kick arse like nobody bizness! Even when Aaron was on Gtr! I would sit in on bass on a few of their gigs.

(wanna hear about small world?)
I used to see Sam and Kraz with Lettuce weekly back in the day, Deitch from Sco and AWB was also in that group (Stew knows). I actually lived (briefly, till a girl kicked my butt out) in the apt right under Krazno's g-f Ekene (sp?), when I was living in Somerville.

(even smaller and a tad bit ironic?)
Once Soulive got up and running, the one cat that Alan Evans used to remind me of 'playing-wise' was Aaron's brother Luke Bellamy(talk about friggin irony!)...

Too funny 3 of us know Aaron, but all from different contexts. You used to hang with him, I know him from Alan Evans album and Stew knows him from Sam Kininger's album. I guess we all agree he has a good tone lol.

Anyone who plays a 50's jazz..... amazing sounding basses

Anthony Tidd has my favorite tone. Deep, punchy lows, mids with some growl, and clear highs.

Anyone who plays a 50's jazz..... amazing sounding basses

The Jazz wasn't around in the 50's. :D



My faves lately are:

Dan Rathbun - STGM
Nick Oliveri - QOTSA, Mondo Generator
Drew Roulette - Dredg
Martin Mendez - Opeth
JPJ's Alembic tone - Zep
Jeremy Wood - Authority Zero
Juan Alderete - Mars Volta
Eric Gould - Particle
Dan Maines - Clutch
John Wetton - early King Crimson

John Wetton - early King Crimson

...or Roxy.

Rob DeLeo - STP
"Duck" Dunn
Jaco
Nathan East. Specifically on his work with Clapton. So deep and powerful.

...or Roxy.

Never listened to Roxy Music, my experience with him is the album Starless.

Fima Ephron...last seen (at least by me) playing a Fender Mustang bass.
Look, anyone can cop a decent tone with those boutique &/or hot-rodded basses.


(That was for you, J-Raj).
;)

Never listened to Roxy Music, my experience with him is the album Starless.

Hopefully, you have forgotten Wetton's stint in Asia...here's your reminder. ;)

How 'bout U.K.?

Geddy Lee - circa Exit Stage Left
Stefan Lessard
Meshell Ndegeocello
Duck Dunn

:hyper:

+1!

See, I'm not that unkind.

Fima Ephron...last seen (at least by me) playing a Fender Mustang bass.
Look, anyone can cop a decent tone with those boutique &/or hot-rodded basses.


(That was for you, J-Raj).
;)

Thanks man...
:bassist:

cheers, jimk

also have to rate:

chris squire (unmistakeable tone)
stuart zender
mike fremole (anyone heard of him? he plays DB with Eden Atwood, made my heart shiver live)
tony kanal

btw - i got a +1 finally!!!!

Too funny 3 of us know Aaron, but all from different contexts. You used to hang with him, I know him from Alan Evans album and Stew knows him from Sam Kininger's album. I guess we all agree he has a good tone lol.
wacky indeed! I'm wondering if that's who Sam's bringing to town when he comes for JazzFest?

from them lows,

Stew

Chris Squire and Jimmy Haslip for sure!!!

Not to start a flame war, but I can't think of anyone who has really sweet tone that plays a P-Bass. They all sound like P's to me.

Oh, and Ray Brown.

Chris Squire and Jimmy Haslip for sure!!!

Not to start a flame war, but I can't think of anyone who has really sweet tone that plays a P-Bass. They all sound like P's to me.

Oh, and Ray Brown.

I think Rocco Prestia has a pretty killer P-tone that fits his style perfectly.

Oteil Burbridge
Juan Nelson
Probably my two favorite bass sounds right there.
I've always had a bit of a liking for P-Nut's sound, as well.

Chris Squire and Jimmy Haslip for sure!!!

Not to start a flame war, but I can't think of anyone who has really sweet tone that plays a P-Bass. They all sound like P's to me.

Oh, and Ray Brown.

Juan Alderete
George Porter Jr
Geezer Butler, P basses among many others
John Entwistle
Nick Oliveri
Paul Simonon

the one, the only James Jamerson :D

I think Rocco Prestia has a pretty killer P-tone that fits his style perfectly.

you're right...his tone is great.
fender p's: 1
everything else: 90900990900900

The sounds I love these days are a mix of Matt Garrison, (the more you listen to him the more you hear; his technique and tone are incredible, not to mention his musicianship), as isTom Kennedy's stuff, and my most recent favourite is Anthony Tidd - this guy just kills on the low end - his lines are clean and very deep musicially - in terms pf meter and timing he's got a huge pocket - if you haven't checked out Quite Sane yet Tidd basically does everything apart from play drums and rap...it's good stuff.

JPJ
Geezer
Claypool
Juan Nelson
Stu Hamm (love tenacity of genes tone)
Some Wooten
Geddy
Sheehan
Dirk Lance (awesome poppy tone)
Scott Owen (The Living End, uses an upright in a punk esque band from Aus, runs through 20 Ampeg 10's..)

A few more, but they're the main ones.

Not to start a flame war, but I can't think of anyone who has really sweet tone that plays a P-Bass. They all sound like P's to me.
Oh, and Ray Brown.

Funny you mention P-basses & Ray Brown.
IIRC, Brown played a sunburst P-bass on the old '70s Merv Griffin Show...& he sounded great!
;)

BTW, you think Jamerson & Rainey sound alike on their P-basses?
Then again, a P-bass is supposed to sound fairly fundamental & consistent.

... my most recent favourite is Anthony Tidd...
I'll have to check him out. thanks for the recommendation, urb!
:D

Marcus Miller
JPJ
Dirk Lance
Flea
Timmy C

Chris Squire and Jimmy Haslip for sure!!!

Not to start a flame war, but I can't think of anyone who has really sweet tone that plays a P-Bass. They all sound like P's to me.

Oh, and Ray Brown.

Chris Wood has the best P-bass tone I've heard hehe.

eventhough many have said this earlier... and I think that I might have, but I just borrowed Calle 54 last night and AJ with Michel Camilo is just killin'!!

I can never get over his facial expressions though... like the jack dejohnette of bass. :D

I'll add that I'm really fond of the sound Jimmy Haslip and Roberto Vally had in the 80's.

even though it was just the Music Man sound (which I love desperately), Nick Beggs and Gary Grainger killed me, too.

:bassist:

Ray Brown and John Clayton for DB. Although I don't really love it, Christian McBride has a VERY distinctive voice on DB. I love his BG tone though.

For BG: Marcus Miller, Jaco, Stefan Lessard (Warwick days, not the Flea basses), Tim C., Victor, and Dirk Lance when he was with Incubus. That, and I really, really like my tone ;).

Here are a few I like

Andrew Gouche
Maurice Fitzgerald
Fred Hammond
Wooten
Stephen Lessard
Juan Nelson
Nathan East

Check out...
Stan Clarke's Alembic on "Silly Putty"
Glen Hughes' Rick on "You Fool No One" (live version on Deep Purple's "Made In Europe" - the best tone ever?)
Any Percy Jones (especially on a Wal bass)
Loads of Flea's stuff with RHCPs

and the slap prize....

Mark King on "Children Say" (12" mix)

Well well well

I agree with the above post

Shouldn't your favorite tone be YOUR tone? If it's not, what the hell are you doing???


As far as other bassists' tone.. I love:

Carles Benavent
Tom Kennedy
John Patitucci
Rocco Prestia

Thought of another! PAUL JACKSON :)

Carles Benavent


OMG! that cat is smokin!

OMG! that cat is smokin!

Damn straight man! Carles is so badass it isn't even funny. Yes he mostly does flamenco style stuff, with Paco and Chick.. OK great, but have you heard him, just jamming on his own doing rock / blues? Amazing!!!

yeah he is real scary good!

I really wished he was with Paco during the tour last year...Paco had a younger cat (this an alder Drozd)with him that was pretty good, but no Carles.

... Shouldn't your favorite tone be YOUR tone? If it's not, what the hell are you doing???
man, I think that tone is an evolution. listen to Mick Karn's stuff now then compare it with his sound on "Adolescent Sex". I would love for my tone to be my favorite but I still haven't quite captured the sound in my head...

from the striving lows,

Stew

I didn't see Tom Kennedy's name anywhere. Great tone!!

I didn't see Tom Kennedy's name anywhere. Great tone!!


umm... post #55 ^

....

As far as other bassists' tone.. I love:

Carles Benavent
Tom Kennedy
John Patitucci
Rocco Prestia

Kennedy has only been mentioned about a dozen times already.
Geez.

;)

***PUNCH IN***
J-Raj beat me to the punch.
Kennedy has been mentioned a few times(unless I've been seeing things).

how about fima ephron, I haven't seen anyone vote for him. :D




:hiding:

I didn't see Tom Kennedy's name anywhere. Great tone!!
oh, he's been mentioned a couple of times, Sanch. check the first page again...

from the lows,

Stew

***PUNCH IN***
J-Raj beat me to the punch.


punch-in's make me a great studio player! :D


he he he... oh darn. :hmm:

how about fima ephron, I haven't seen anyone vote for him. :D




:hiding:

Me, either. :p
BTW, what's the deal with that Mustang bass?
A loaner since they were in France?

Me, either. :p
BTW, what's the deal with that Mustang bass?
A loaner since they were in France?

not sure, but given the fact that he is playing through a (2) 4x10 mixed stack that comprise of Trace and SWR.... I'm assuming that the studio-rentals artist-relations gopher is looking for a new job/gig for offering that kind of backline mis-match... So, your guess is as good as mine.

That Mustang has some mean punchy punch, so it might not have been an accident... I personally couldn't phathom playing anything smaller than 34".

I just joined up.. not sure how this all works but ill give it a go!!

tones:
Rocco with the p bass
Meshell on everything
Paul Jackson - so much soul on the p!
marcus miller
will lee - phat tone in the pocket
pino on the p bass
jaco of course
larry graham - sly and the family stone "thank you for taking me to africa"
duck dunn
jerry jermont on king curtis live at the filmore!
bass on sugerhill gang rapper's delight - was that doug wimbish???
jpj playing his early jbass with led zep

yeah a big support for paul jackon here. check out thrust the 2nd album from the head hunters. a big influence. also "god made me funky from a later album.

I'd never ever think of playing with a tone like this, but Greg Lake just sounds so cool to me. :)

Hey Stew, be sure and let me know what you think of Reed Mathis and Taylor Propp when you get time to listen to em :)

Hey Stew, be sure and let me know what you think of Reed Mathis and Taylor Propp when you get time to listen to em :)
oh, I started listening last night and am deeply digging all the ear candy so far. I'll post some more in-depth (sorry, that was an unintentional pun) thoughts soon...

from the grateful lows,

Stew

yeah he is real scary good!

I really wished he was with Paco during the tour last year...Paco had a younger cat (this an alder Drozd)with him that was pretty good, but no Carles.

:( This is probably because Carles was playing with Chick. :cool:

:( This is probably because Carles was playing with Chick. :cool:
must have been around that time.

what albums can I find more Carles on? His tone really is amazing as well.

must have been around that time.

what albums can I find more Carles on? His tone really is amazing as well.

Just found this on Allmusic
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781EDE4EAC7120C9932B50C1B164FE06CC46 F49A04254475D4BA25458C047AAF5FFA8481F2A13CCE28E583 50E85910D2C3F154FCDC63713987EAA56A3A3B5B6675&sql=10:3uq7g4aztv6z

I'm sure he plays a lot in Spain, but I'm not sure how many records he's played on. I can just say he's played for Paco for years, and now Chick's newest (back from the dead, actually) Touchstone band.