OK, I know everyone out there knows of at least one or two recordings that have inspiring bass on them, but are relatively obscure.. "your little secret", if you will. I'll go first: a friend of mine turned me on to the box set of tunes from "Schoolhouse Rock". Remember that stuff from Saturday mornings in the 70's? "A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing", "I'm Just A Bill", etc.. I was blown away by the bass playing.. some of the funkiest walking lines I've heard! Anyone else got one?

[This message has been edited by Dave Siff (edited May 23, 2000).]

Bought a copy of TV theme songs compilation a number of years ago.
Remember the theme from "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids"? I have used that bassline countless times in funk tunes and it always works!!
It's easy---but it just has that "quality" about it!

here are a few that fit the bill for me. not necessarily 'unknown', but definitely underappreciated, in my opinion:

Groove Collective Groove Collective
Brand New Heavies BrotherSister
James Taylor Quartet In the Hand of the Inevitable
Chic Everybody Dance
Jean-Luc Ponty Enigmatic Ocean
Jean-Luc Ponty Cosmic Messenger

Ok...This one's way out.
I've sometimes used the bass riff from the intro song of the 1994 soccer computer game 'Sensible World Of Soccer' while jamming with one of my bands. They love it and I must say, it's a pretty funky riff. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/cool.gif

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Never trust a man who doesn't drink - Winston Churchill

Check out the Simpsons' CD "Songs in the Key of Springfield". It's not just fun music, it's got great bass playing too. Also, there was a double CD with by David Letterman's TV band called "Paul Shaffer and the Party Boys of Rock n' Roll", with some really good grooves, courtesy of Will Lee. It's sort of a concept album in which the Band is playing a Party (sort of like the Beach Boys' Party! album), with Cameos from John Lovitz, Phil Spector (who asks Paul if he has enough echo) and of course, Dave himself.

Will C. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/cool.gif

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You can't hold no groove if you ain't got no pocket!

Not an unknown tune at all, but I have plagiarized the basic motive of EarthWind&Fire's "That's The Way Of the World) into more ballads than I could ever count.

ONYX- I've gotta treat for you. Download and let me know what ya think!
http://www.creighton.edu/~pfinn/greazymeal/TV_Theme_Medley.mp3

As for my tastes...oh boy, too many to start typing. However, I was born about 15 too late, I LOVE basically all the R&B/Disco tunes from the 70s.

bow wow wow. their drummer _rocked_ totally, in fact a few of the malcolm mclaren bands of the early 80's had kickin drummers - adam and the ants had some killer dual drum parts too, lots of tribal sounding tom parts. i listen more to drums than to bass on most popular music/rock, or at least as much, and these bands were some of my favorites growing up, as far as pop music went.

one bow wow wow song in particular, "do ya wanna hold me", the bass and the drums are really rocking. and that chick in the mohawk - wowza, i loved her for the longest time. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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john

"Bad Muttluk, No Anuses!!" - our own lil'biski

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> i listen more to drums than to bass on most popular music/rock, or at least as much, and these bands were some of my favorites growing up, as far as pop music went.

[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
kinda finny. as a drummer i always listened to guitars and vox more than anything. but now that i am learning the bass, i am realizing how many bass lines I know in my head when i toy around with cover tunes.


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Sean

My website (http://www.geocities.com/metalhead70)

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&gt;ONYX- I've gotta treat for you. Download and let me know what ya think!

I love it! Especially the Sanford and Son tune. My sons band has played around with the tune (at my suggestion) but to date, they do not actually perform it. Great bass line. Very nicely done, IMO.

Glad you enjoyed. As with most of my recordings, I nice sub on your PC will definately brighten your listening pleasure.

Themes from Grease, Barney Miller, and the Brady Bunch!

I don't know who played on the first two, but hadn't ever heard of Carol Kaye until I read that she was the one who played the Brady Bunch theme.

Slightly off topic but you guys might want to check out the bass playing on the orignal Jesus Christ Superstar record (not the movie). I brought this up on another forum 'cause I had heard 'What's the Buzz' quite by accident and was blown out by how good the bassplayer was.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by pedro:
Slightly off topic but you guys might want to check out the bass playing on the orignal Jesus Christ Superstar record (not the movie). I brought this up on another forum 'cause I had heard 'What's the Buzz' quite by accident and was blown out by how good the bassplayer was.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, I've heard that! It's pretty awesome. Another good one along that line is the "Hair" soundtrack. Freakin' OUTRAGEOUS playing. I believe it's Wilbur "Bad" Bascomb on bass. Your jaw will drop, guaranteed.

We yapped about JC SUPERSTAR in the past; I think Jerry(Byers)came up with Alan Spenner(Roxy Music)as the bassist on the soundtrack. Spenner's definitely a Jamerson-man, huh?

There are some nice stuff on the Grease soundtrack too, although not quite as good, IMO.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave Siff:
OK, I know everyone out there knows of at least one or two recordings that have inspiring bass on them, but are relatively obscure.. "your little secret", if you will. I'll go first: a friend of mine turned me on to the box set of tunes from "Schoolhouse Rock". Remember that stuff from Saturday mornings in the 70's? "A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing", "I'm Just A Bill", etc.. I was blown away by the bass playing.. some of the funkiest walking lines I've heard! Anyone else got one?

[This message has been edited by Dave Siff (edited May 23, 2000).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Dave,
I think those shool house rock things were written by Ben Tucker, a crusty old jazz player in savannah GA. Is he the bass player on those songs too? Just wondering because he's a pretty cool upright player, but i've never heard him play electric.
word up, chelsea

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Why am I Mr. Sparkle??

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ChelseaC:
[QUOTE]Dave,
I think those shool house rock things were written by Ben Tucker, a crusty old jazz player in savannah GA. Is he the bass player on those songs too? Just wondering because he's a pretty cool upright player, but i've never heard him play electric.
word up, chelsea

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Gee, Chelsea, I don't know.. I'm only about 4 hours from Savannah, is he still alive? Maybe I'll look him up!

Dave, Ben is still around, but he recently sold the club he owned where he used to play every weekend. i'm not sure if he's playing somewhere else now. You shold check him out if you get the chance though, he's bad.


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Why am I Mr. Sparkle??

There is some great stuff on movie sound tracks. Just one example is Axel F by Harold Faltermeyer from the Beverly Hills Cop movie.

meatpuppets- maidens milk, live it totally rocks, the bass is amazing

Any of you guys have young kids?

The VeggieTales cds are outstanding...I can't believe how much I find myself listening to these and marvelling at the scoring, writing, and musicianship...

"Larry Boy" is one of the hippest, raved up, old school Motown meets Tower of Power tunes I've ever heard.

Get down wich yer bad selves, kiddies!

-GM

I think those shool house rock things were written by Ben Tucker, a crusty old jazz player in savannah GA. Is he the bass player on those songs too? Just wondering because he's a pretty cool upright player, but i've never heard him play electric.
word up, chelsea------------------
Why am I Mr. Sparkle??

Sorry to go dredging, but the recent threads on Israel Crosby and Brian Torff vis a vis good bass players who you don't hear about made me go and search BEN TUCKER's name and this came up.

Not to unduly bust your bubble, the Schoolhouse Rock things were written by Bob Dorough not Ben Tucker.
Ben still gets royalties for his contribution to the minor blues COMIN' HOME BABY as recorded by Herbie Mann and many others.

And is still gigging around Savannah and Hilton Head....