I just called up my teacher to start taking lessons again. I mentioned to him I had just bought STANDING IN THE SHADOWS... the James Jamerson book. And he was like, "Who's he?"

Okay, before you tell me not to take lessons from him....let me tell you he is a musician. Not a bassist. In fact, he never plays bass on a gig. He's a guitarist first. But he seems to plays bass very well, but he also plays guitar and many other instruments. That is why I go to him so I can switch back and forth from guitar to bass. He spent three years studying at Berkeley and is a music teacher in a school.

But isn't that something? He's been giving lessons for 30 years and never heard of James Jamerson.

Who? ;)

Is knowing who James Jamerson is a qualification for teaching?

just clowning...

If the guy went to Berklee and he is a great musician then i dont see how it could hurt. Musicianship is just as important as learning to play triplets and double thump, if not more important.

As a bassist, it's better that YOU know who Jamerson is, better still if you can emulate his groove-ability within the other stuff you may pick up along the way! :)

This man should be shot.

this man has brought me shame for being a Rhode Island citizin, or however the hell you spell it

Originally posted by jazzbo
This man should be shot.

That's letting him off easy...

Man... He is only the most popular bass player around... (well, he's played more hits than anyone, right?)

for shame..

Good Lawd! Even I know the name of James Jamerson.

Way back when, people only knew Jamerson as 'the guy who plays for Motown/Tamla".
So, I'm curious-
...has your teacher ever heard of Motown?
Or Stax or Muscle Shoals?

Is he into R&B at all?!

Originally posted by PortraitofTracy
He is only the most popular bass player around... (well, he's played more hits than anyone, right?)

Uh, that would be Carol Kaye, right?


:eek:

Originally posted by jazzbo
This man should be shot.

LOL! :D

Well, you have a point there. Hell, I know who Jamerson is.

Hey - recently I came across this chap who didn't know who Ray Brown was - strange old world eh?

;>

- Wil

Has he heard of Fieldy? :D

Originally posted by Wil Davis
Hey - recently I came across this chap who didn't know who Ray Brown was - strange old world eh?


I don't know who Ray Brown is. I only recently heard the name of Jamerson and a few others whose names are mentioned here a lot. Does it mean I don't play well? Does it mean I'd be a poor teacher?

Bill-
I dunno.

Maybe it's me...
If I were teaching saxophone, I would make sure I was up on Lester, Bird, Sonny, Wayne, 'Trane, Ornette, etc.

Trumpet?
Louis, Diz, Fats, Clifford, Miles, etc

Etc...

There's a lot to learn form the early pioneers; they've already figured out the 'hard' stuff for us. ;)

BTW, I see you're a Berry Oakley fan? Thought I read somewhere he was into Jamerson...

...and you're band is called Manhatten Project?
There was a Jazz/Fusion band by that name about 10 years ago or so(I have their one disc; Stanley Clarke was the bassist)... ;)

Originally posted by JimK
There was a Jazz/Fusion band by that name about 10 years ago or so(I have their one disc; Stanley Clarke was the bassist)... ;)

I dunno Jim, they must've printed at least 2 copies 'cause I've got one too! :)

Originally posted by JimK
Bill-
I dunno.

Maybe it's me...
If I were teaching saxophone, I would make sure I was up on Lester, Bird, Sonny, Wayne, 'Trane, Ornette, etc.

Trumpet?
Louis, Diz, Fats, Clifford, Miles, etc

Etc...
I hear ya. I just think it doesn't mean a guy's a zero if he hasn't heard of someone.


There's a lot to learn form the early pioneers; they've already figured out the 'hard' stuff for us. ;)
I agree.


BTW, I see you're a Berry Oakley fan? Thought I read somewhere he was into Jamerson...
I don't doubt it. And so maybe I have indirectly, unknowingly learned from the guy. Probably many others as well. I've just never thought it was all that important to learn the names of everybody's playing I've liked and learned from.


...and you're band is called Manhatten Project? There was a Jazz/Fusion band by that name about 10 years ago or so(I have their one disc; Stanley Clarke was the bassist)... ;)
Damn. One of the guitar players did some research to see if the name was in use. He didn't find anything but I guess he didn't look hard enough. It fits us as we practice in a town called Manhattan. We were going to do up a logo with a mushroom cloud and everything...

Bill-
I did a search at www.allmusic.com & Tower Records & CD Now...
I didn't see The Manhatten Project's disc anywhere.
So, I pulled it outta my rack-
Here's the personnel:
Wayne Shorter-Sax
Michel Petrucciani-Piano
Stanley Clarke-Bass
Lenny White-Drums
Gil Goldstein & Pete Levin-Keyboards

It was released in 1990 on Blue Note Records.
I had totally forgotten about Wayne Shorter playing on this project. Looking at the tunes...damn, there's "Dania", the swingin' Jaco tune that his Word Of Mouth band typically opened their shows with...
Hmmm, listening to it now-
It's a blistering ACOUSTIC version(Clarke is ripping it up!); Shorter sounds great...I coud live without some of the synths(that is, the schmaltzy strings. The chording is sat) ;)
Damn, I'm psyched! X-Man check it out!