Favorite Recordings Featuring Joe Osborn?

[jimriz]

I was asked by a fellow bassist, 10 years younger than me, who Joe Osborn was. He was under the impression that he was a builder/designer for Lakland! I told him he was a session player who's played on tons of stuff. But when asked what lines he was known for, I 'fessed up and told him I only know of his work with the Carpenters. So I thought I'd pose that question here, what are some of his more notable basslines? Thanks, Jim

[Blackbird]

"California Dreamin'" - The Mamas and the Papas
"Bridge over Troubled Water"
"The Sounds Of Silence" - Simon & Garfunkel

Most of S & G's early stuff, as a matter of fact.

[Rob W]

I love a lot of his work on some of the early '70's Neil Diamond albums such as Tap Root Manuscript, Stones and Moods. He didn't play on every song, but he's on most of them. I think "I Am, I Said" is one of Joe's - nothing fancy there, but killer tone. "Done Too Soon" is another great one.

From other artists, "Aquarius" is a huge classic. "Windy" by the Association is another great line. "Ventura Highway" by America...

There are so many

[JimK]

Rob????
Where have you been...padding you post totals over at the KISS Forum?

[Rob W]

Originally Posted by JimK

Rob????
Where have you been...padding you post totals over at the KISS Forum?

I don't know...just got out of the habit of coming here I guess. Thanks for asking. It's nice to be missed. I noticed my "Tull Bassists" thread has grown substantially since I was last around. Even Glenn Cornick showed up! I'm glad I said some nice things about him. BTW, I think the KISS board has been dead for some time, unless it's moved somewhere I don't know about.

Anyway, Joe Osborn is the man.

One more obscure JO tune - Neil Diamond's "Porcupine Pie" from the Moods album. Weird and silly lyrics, but the playing on it is great. The intro has a killer JO fill. I also love Joe's vibe on Diamond's cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" on the Touching Me Touching You album.

[gfab333]

Joe played on a zillion pop hits in the 60s and 70s. I liked the work he did on the 5th Dimensions hits, nice tasty synchopated lines with glissandos / slides. His signature tone of dead flatwounds played with a pick was always evident on the recordings that he did.

There used to be a Joe Osborn website on the Net, but I just did a search and it doesn't seem to be out there anymore. It had a sound clip which spliced together all of his signature bass lines for top 40 hits into one mp3 file. it was very cool.

For your old farts out there who remember the 1960s song "Wendy", I think he's responsible for that cool signature bassline as well.