ALPHONSO JOHNSON BACK IN THE DAY!!!

bottomzone · #1 08-26-2010, 06:40 PM

Check out Alphonso Johnson in a 1976 concert with some other pretty decent musicians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg86d...eature=related

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

Honk'n_down-low · #2 08-26-2010, 06:45 PM

Those guys are OK

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottomzone

Check out Alphonso Johnson in a 1976 concert with some other pretty decent musicians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg86d...eature=related

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

markjazzbassist · #3 08-26-2010, 08:28 PM

love it man. alphonso is a monster

JimK · #4 08-27-2010, 04:29 AM

Cool...the Cobham-Duke Band.
Brings back memories...I was diggin' these guys just as I was about to start my 1st year of college.

This is the group AJ left Weather Report to join.

Hoover · #5 08-27-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honk'n_down-low

Those guys are OK

Can't argue w/ that! But fwiw, I always thought The Cobham-Duke Band was the poster child for why throwing a bunch of excellent musicians together doesn't automatically guarantee excellent music...the tunes they played just didn't live up to the high standards that pervaded most of their prior work imho, and so this project wound up having a very last-minute slapped-together half-assed vibe to my ear. Were it not for their stunning chops and skanky grooves, these videos from Montreaux would be the very first hits when you Googled "Why did fusion start to suck by the mid-1970s?"

But any opportunity to see/hear Alphonso Johnson is okay in my book.

narud · #6 08-27-2010, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

these videos from Montreaux would be the very first hits when you Googled "Why did fusion start to suck by the mid-1970s?"

in the most respectful way i can say say this, youre trippin'

i think this lineup was the best cohham lineup. ive got this video along with a bunch of other boots from this tour and i think the versions of the tunes they do are all better than whats on billy,george,and alphonso's solo albums. particularly when they play "thats what she said" from i love the blues, she heard my cry.

Hoover · #7 08-27-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by narud

:i think the versions of the tunes they do are all better than whats on billy,george,and alphonso's solo albums.

That would be "Damning with faint praise", no?

jerry · #8 08-27-2010, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottomzone

Check out Alphonso Johnson in a 1976 concert with some other pretty decent musicians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg86d...eature=related

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

I always wondered what pedal he steps on at about 5:23 of the solo, he used that on his solo from Blues March off of the Montreux Summit album the same year.

I think I answered my own question, maybe just the bridge pickup after all.......doh.....

Jazzomaniac · #9 08-28-2010, 11:34 AM

Did Alphsono solo like this before he saw and heard Jaco?
I know that he was a badass groove-player before Jaco really became famous,
but didn't know he could solo so well that early. Anyway, amazing musicians
and excellent footage! Thanks for posting

bottomzone · #10 08-28-2010, 12:45 PM

Taking nothing away from Jaco, but Alphonso has been his own player as far as fretless is concerned. Remember, he played fretless with Weather Report before Jaco came along. If someone were to create a blindfold test with recordings of Alphonso and Jaco, very few listeners would have trouble determining whose playing bass on each track. IMHO, Alphonso, in addition to Ralphe Armstrong, are very underrated for there virtuosity.

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

Jazzomaniac · #11 08-28-2010, 12:51 PM

Ok

Do know approximately what year Alphonso started playing fretless?
And although he had his own style, I'm pretty sure he picked up a thing or
two from seeing and hearing Jaco play. But then again, who didn't?
(To some extent).

jerry · #12 08-28-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzomaniac

Ok

Do know approximately what year Alphonso started playing fretless?
And although he had his own style, I'm pretty sure he picked up a thing or
two from seeing and hearing Jaco play. But then again, who didn't?
(To some extent).

I'm pretty sure he plays fretless on the first Catalyst album that came out around 1972. Those Catalyst albums are great!

zombywoof5050 · #13 08-28-2010, 01:39 PM

Love it.
What bass is he playing in the video?

Jazzomaniac · #14 08-29-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

I'm pretty sure he plays fretless on the first Catalyst album that came out around 1972. Those Catalyst albums are great!

Thanks for the info, I'm not that familiar with his output before Weather Report.
I'll listen to the projects he was involved in before he joined them.

JAUQO III-X · #15 08-29-2010, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzomaniac

Ok

Do know approximately what year Alphonso started playing fretless?
And although he had his own style,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzomaniac

I'm pretty sure he picked up a thing or
two from seeing and hearing Jaco play. But then again, who didn't?
(To some extent).

I doubt it. Even to this day Alphonso has his own distinctive voice.

Just like Mick Karn, Ralph Armstrong,Fernando Saunders or Percy Jones.

Plus Alphonso brings some of his upright background/concept to his electric playing.

Every bass player who plays fretless does not bite from Jaco.

Here's a great example of Alphonso's fretless artistry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbF5RXj0vgM

And here he is in the late 90's playing the same fretless.

No Jaco there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHIGf...eature=related

The fretless that Alphonso is playing was made for him by luthier Charles Lobue.

http://www.lobueguitars.com/bio/alphonso_johnson.asp

Dragan · #16 08-29-2010, 09:37 AM

yup, those guys are pretty decent
haha! scofield,duke,cobham...a legends actually...anyway plus 1 that their MUSIC leaves me cold and bored. i like Return...Headhunters,Weather and such,but this wasnt anything special,beside great skill.

jmarcus2 · #17 08-29-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottomzone

Taking nothing away from Jaco, but Alphonso has been his own player as far as fretless is concerned. Remember, he played fretless with Weather Report before Jaco came along. If someone were to create a blindfold test with recordings of Alphonso and Jaco, very few listeners would have trouble determining whose playing bass on each track. IMHO, Alphonso, in addition to Ralphe Armstrong, are very underrated for there virtuosity.

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

+1
Always preferred Alphonso to Jaco (my taste)

Also
Alex Blake

oldfretless · #18 08-29-2010, 10:07 AM

I think he used a P before the Lebue, because I bought one in 76 because of him, and I never heard of Jaco until Black market. He was a monster. Dig those North drums!

narud · #19 08-29-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

That would be "Damning with faint praise", no?

HA! i guess so. ill be honest and say those guys' solo albums havent broke too much into my steady rotations of the 10 or so fusion recordings ive been spinning for the last 25 years

narud · #20 08-29-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottomzone

If someone were to create a blindfold test with recordings of Alphonso and Jaco, very few listeners would have trouble determining whose playing bass on each track.
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

except for those who still argue that jaco played everything on black market because hes in the band picture on the back cover