"Blue Note plays Stevie Wonder" - Bass Guitar Superstar Heaven!!!

[Bruce Lindfield]

I picked up this 2004 compilation album today on CD and looking through the listings - it is like a "who's who" of electric bass!!

So - first track is "I Wish" with Chuck Rainey !! - who plays on other tracks as well.

Second up is Will Lee, next is Abe Laboriel - other tracks have Stanley Clarke, Anthony Jackson - as well as a loads of other great instrumentalists like Charlie Hunter on 8-string guitar!!

It's a bit "smooth" in places, but always funky and all the tunes are written by Stevie from his best periods - no soppy stuff or naff tunes!!


It's surely a must-have for BGers - to get all those players' styles compared on one Cd?

[wulf]

Do you mean this one?

Wulf

[Bruce Lindfield]

Yeah - I think that review was a bit unfair - it depends what you expect - it's not really in the Blue Note Jazz tradition - but what struck me was how many great electric bass players there were on one album!!

Stanley Clarke plays some nice stuff, the Abe Laborial groove on "Boogie on.." is awesome and the Martino/Hunter duet is interesting - and the rest is good time party music - pretty funky - but maybe one only for bass guitar conoisseurs ...?

As they say : "The musicianship more often than not is stellar, but nothing is groundbreaking"

But does it have to be....?

[DWBass]

Abe Laborial, Jr. plays bass too?? Or is that a typo? I thought he was a drummer? It's definitely a who's who of bassists. Only thing is, it's just a compilation of tunes that were already done and compiled for this release. Those are not new recordings that I know of (I could be wrong). I have some of those tunes and lots of other renditions.

[Farley]

Originally Posted by DWBass

Abe Laborial, Jr. plays bass too?? Or is that a typo? I thought he was a drummer? It's definitely a who's who of bassists. Only thing is, it's just a compilation of tunes that were already done and compiled for this release. Those are not new recordings that I know of (I could be wrong). I have some of those tunes and lots of other renditions.

I think Allmusic has a typo there.




I'll have to check out this recording!

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by DWBass

Only thing is, it's just a compilation of tunes that were already done and compiled for this release. Those are not new recordings that I know of (I could be wrong). I have some of those tunes and lots of other renditions.

Well it is a budget price and I didnt have any of these recordings before - I'd never even heard of Najee!!

But as you say, if it's probably only worth buying, if it's all new to you.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I'd never even heard of Najee!!

He's the link between Kenny Gorelick & Boney James.

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by JimK

He's the link between Kenny Gorelick & Boney James.

Yeah, I believe he and George Howard expanded on that smooth jazz sax thingy after Kenny G broke loose!

[willgroove2]

having worked with najee,i can tell you that in a lot of way's kenny g was fallowing him not the other way around,najee (and the late george howard)were protoge's of the late grover washington jr who was making funkey but smooth jazz record's in the 70's.imo kenny g (and clive davis)took that concept,removed the funk and made a mint

[Bruce Lindfield]

It's the funky bass lines that are the main interest for me - so that's like throwing out the baby with the bathwater!!

[willgroove2]

i feel you brother,but it's funny i have gigged and recorded with a bunch of "smooth jazz" over the years who in the most part wouldn't have had deal's if it wasn't for kenny g's selling like 10 million unit's plus he did/still does have vail johnson,who's a great bassist playing with him so maybe he's not all bad

[narud]

i make no apologies for liking g dog's playing on jeff lorber's wizard island

[Bruce Lindfield]

I listened to this again over the weekend and it's not really that good an album - mainly some nice grooves - but what fascinates me, is how all these great bass players are attracted to this kind of music...

So what is it you think, are all of us bass players seduced by funk - no matter how "lite" the musical content may be?

Or were these guys all doing it just for the money?

[heath_the_great]

whens stevie gonna release a new album ..i might have to get that, herbie hancock, charlie hunter, stanley...its all too much to resist ...but knowing my luck ill have to pay $50 to get it imported here

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by heath_the_great

when's stevie gonna release a new album

More to the point - when is he going to release one, with some great funky grooves - rather than more drippy ballads!!??

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

More to the point - when is he going to release one, with some great funky grooves - rather than more drippy ballads!!??

From what I've heard-
...this one is supposed to be a throwback to the Talking Book/Innervisons era.
We'll see.

As for your early comment-
IMO, studio musicians/bassists will play 'anything'...if that means putting their stamp on something 'lightweight', so be it. They gotta eat, right?

[heath_the_great]

hey ill play anything...even if it comes down to Britney Spears' baby one more time..shudder..but if i ever get to record anything on blue note..then bring it on..ill play my cherie amore, living for the city...especially pastime paradise ...my mates were gabba flastered when i showed them that then when realised that coolio used it for gangsta's paradise...btw, saw the weird al video collection dvd the otherday, love the film clip to ahmish paradise

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by JimK

From what I've heard-
...this one is supposed to be a throwback to the Talking Book/Innervisons era.
We'll see.

As for your early comment-
IMO, studio musicians/bassists will play 'anything'...if that means putting their stamp on something 'lightweight', so be it. They gotta eat, right?

It would indeed be great to have a new Stevie album like that!!


I was thinking more along the lines that maybe great BG players just love playing grooves and don't necessarily worry about the other "content"...?

I must say I tend to be like that - so, if I'm at a club and hear a great bass groove, it just makes me feel good and want to dance, even if the music doesn't bear up to further scrutiny, when listening "in the cold light of day" ..

[gfab333]

Talkbass is certainly a great place for tips on buying CDs and DVDs. I bought this CD after reading this thread last weekend, and the CD has been playing in my SUV ever since. Beside great bass and drum grooves, I was also really taken by the tasty guitar solo on "it's a shame". overall the entire CD is very good.

[Howard K]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I picked up this 2004 compilation album today on CD and looking through the listings - it is like a "who's who" of electric bass!!

SOLD!

So what is it you think, are all of us bass players seduced by funk - no matter how "lite" the musical content may be?

Yep, I genuinely think that is the case! Funk music is entilrey about pocket and groove. Playing a tight funk groove feels good in the same way as it makes you want to dance. It's wholly satisfying in an almost primal way... you just cant help but enjoy it!

I had a random jam with two rather technically proficient guitarists recently... the drummer was a rock solid player, he had a really powerful sense of groove... in one track when the guitars gave me a bit of a solo spot, I just played quarter note roots with the drums cause it felt so goddam good! That deep, tight-in-the-pocket feeling is like nothing else and funk is the music that captures it most readily (e.g. swing is just as great a feeling, but is harder to achieve), in my opinion...

waffle over