Favorite Bass Solo(s)

[alexssandro]

I was wondering what everyone's favorite bass solos are? A solo that you listened to over and over in amazement. (I know it's really hard to narrow it down!)

I like Jaco's solo on "Havona." In terms of melody, composition, and feeling, I think it's amazing. It sings.

I also remember hearing Victor Wooten's solo on "Monkey See" (on Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) and I couldn't believe what I heard!!! Some serious up & down slapping that Victor's famous for. I remember that I couldn't even comprehend what Victor was doing physically, let alone the notes!

[Dave Siff]

Willie Weeks' solo on "Everything Is Everything" from the Donny Hathaway Live album is awesome. Funky as hell. And the best part about it is, it's within the reach of most of us mortals.
My other favorite bass solo is.. don't laugh.. there's a song called "No One Knows" on Green Day's "Kerplunk" album. The song opens with a bass solo of about 45 seconds or so. It ain't punk.. compositionally, it's gorgeous. Check it out.

[Bruce Lindfield]

I must say that I like a lot of Stanley Clarke's electric bass solos - even "Vertu" had some really nice melodic bass solos. So it seems a shame that he's giving up electric bass and selling all his bass guitars.

[in_exile]

I have to throw in my two cents here. "Tommy the Cat" live from Suck on This by Primus. OR off "Highball with Devil" by Les Claypool and the Holy Mackeral song #9. It is a three and a half minute solo.

-MCE

[Ted]

I agree with your opinion of Jaco's solo on "Havona", it sounds fresh (to me) every time I listen to it. Another fretless soloist who really blows me away is Gary Willis. Check out "Self Defense" and "The Necessary Blonde". As far as slapping goes, I really like Marcus Miller's solo in "Run for Cover".

[~Loxley~]

Hmm... I guess I'd say Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) by Cliff Burton.

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[Acacia]

i don't care for soling bassists personally. but the bass run that dave ellefson does on megadeth's 'rattlehead' is impressive. or the intro riff to axehammer's 'princess'. and especially sacred rite's 'wing's of pegasus'

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[Homer_J]

Chris Squires' "Fish" at the end of Long Distance Runaround from Fragile, and Muzz Skillings solo in the song Broken Hearts from the Living Colour album Vivid.

[pedro]

Dave ~

Is Willie Weeks the same W.W. that played on a Junior Wells record I have? If it is, please, please tell me more 'cause he's fantastic.

[pedro]

Jaco's solo on Joni Mitchell's Shadows and Light video still works for me, as does about a half dozen other Jaco solo's I have of him. It may be passe for the more jaded hree but 'Teen Town' still works for me.

In it's day, Enwhistle's solo on 'My Generation' certainly shock my world when I first heard it.

Michael Manrings performance of 'Sugar'on the Bass Day 98 video is pretty fantastic, IMO.

[pedro]

>Pedro -- to be honest with you I don't know, but it probably is, I doubt there's more than one Willie Weeks. Anyway, if you haven't heard that solo he does on "Everything is Everything", you must! That Donny Hathaway Live album is kinda hard to find, took me almost a year.. it's an import. I think it's from 1971 or so. W.W. was heavily influenced by Jamerson, but he definitely had his own thing going on. I learned most of that solo over the course of a couple of days, but there are some parts I still can't get, and of course the hardest thing to nail is not the actual notes but the VIBE! It's just too cool. Willie Weeks also contributed to "Standing in the Shadows of Motown."

Dave,

On the Junior Wells record I have, Willie sounds much more like Jerry Jemmott to me than Jamerson. He's fabulous. I'll have to look around for the Don Hathaway record but do yourself and find the Junior Wells record 'Everybody's Gettin Some'. I think you'll like it.

[gweimer]

Actually, I have a couple, and one of them is from a band that I'm not a big fan of.
When I heard Paul Goddard's (Atlanta Rhythm Section) solo on "Another Man's Woman", I was completely blown away.
Another one is the opening strains of "Handy" from Martin Turner of Wishbone Ash

[Dave Siff]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by pedro:
Dave ~

Is Willie Weeks the same W.W. that played on a Junior Wells record I have? If it is, please, please tell me more 'cause he's fantastic.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Pedro -- to be honest with you I don't know, but it probably is, I doubt there's more than one Willie Weeks. Anyway, if you haven't heard that solo he does on "Everything is Everything", you must! That Donny Hathaway Live album is kinda hard to find, took me almost a year.. it's an import. I think it's from 1971 or so. W.W. was heavily influenced by Jamerson, but he definitely had his own thing going on. I learned most of that solo over the course of a couple of days, but there are some parts I still can't get, and of course the hardest thing to nail is not the actual notes but the VIBE! It's just too cool. Willie Weeks also contributed to "Standing in the Shadows of Motown."

[Doug]

What no Sheehan??! That's what he was known for, was soloing. I guess I was spoiled watching him all those years here in Buffalo, playing for Talas. My former band even opened up for those guys back in the early 80's.

[Dave Siff]

Yeah Doug, NV43345 is pretty awesome!

[Doug]

Here's a little tidbit of useless info.. Did ya know it spells Sheehan backwards?

[Dave Siff]

I think you mean upside down. I just wrote it out, flipped it over and VOILA! Thanks for the tip, Doug.
True story: eight years ago, I was doing a cable-TV access show with a friend of mine, it was about two steps above "Wayne's World." Anyway, we got to interview quite a few big-time musicians. Mr. Big came through town and we did a shoot with them. We met their road manager beforehand, and he said he had just found out that "To Be With You" had hit #1, but the band didn't know yet. He said "Why don't you guys tell them?" So, we did! They were flabbergasted! It was pretty cool. I got to meet Billy and ask him a few bass-related questions. Later, we shot some footage of the show, and MTV wound up buying it off us for $250.

[KB]

I would have to say Victor Wooten's solo in "Sinister Minister" (especially if you have ever seen it live, which I have twice).

-KB

[RAM]

If you can catch Entwistle's solos on 5:15 from any of the recent Who live albums or Shakin' All Over from his solo live effort, those will pretty much answer this question.

Also, I really like Havona. Jeff Berlin did a really awesome number while playing with Kazumi Watanabe. I don't even know this guy's name, but on Yanni's "Live at the Acropolis"-4th song I think...that bass solo is INTENSE!!! Geddy Lee has taken so many solos, but the two of his that I think are pretty cool are in La Villa Strangiato and Show Don't Tell...this last one is so syncopated I can't help but appreciate it's rythmic interplay!

[embellisher]

The aforementioned Teen Town by Jaco is basically one long solo, and it still does it for me.. also, anything by Jamerson is basically one long solo..

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