Maxwell's "Somethin' Somethin'": Bassline of the 90s

scatman · #1 02-22-2005, 10:51 AM

Period!

Discuss......

DWBass · #2 02-22-2005, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scatman

Period!

Discuss......

+1 Freaky bassline fo' sho!! I can't recall the cat's name who played it but he was solid for sure. I remember seeing Maxwell and the band on MTV or VH1 in a sorta unplugged setting years ago when he was hot! I recall the band being extremely tight as Maxwell was doing 'James Brown' like starts and stops with them.

peteroberts · #3 02-22-2005, 01:59 PM

that's a great one, and the entire 'Urban Hang Suite' has cool bass.

Also, there's some Brand New Heavies stuff that would qualify; I think the bass line on 'Dream Come True' (the single version) and 'Put the Funk Back In It' are funky!

Stingraymund · #4 02-22-2005, 02:13 PM

I think it was played by Paul S. Denman (Sade), no? A good deal of Sade's band was involved in Urban Hang Suite..

My favorite funky line of the '90s was Jamiroquai's "When You Gonna Learn?" I was a big-time Acid Jazz fanatic a decade ago.

DWBass · #5 02-22-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingraymund

I think it was played by Paul S. Denman (Sade), no? A good deal of Sade's band was involved in Urban Hang Suite..

My favorite funky line of the '90s was Jamiroquai's "When You Gonna Learn?" I was a big-time Acid Jazz fanatic a decade ago.

Hmmm....gonna have to check that one. Paul is truly funky but I don't think he played that slap bass line on that tune. According to the credits, it was one of these guys: Mike Neal, Gary Foote or Jonathan Maron.

Stingraymund · #6 02-22-2005, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Hmmm....gonna have to check that one. Paul is truly funky but I don't think he played that slap bass line on that tune. According to the credits, it was one of these guys: Mike Neal, Gary Foote or Jonathan Maron.

Interesting. I know for sure it's not Maron then - I'm familiar with his playing. He's a straight-on fingerstyle player and is known to occasionally pump his bass through an envelope filter. He's the bassist for the NYC-based acid jazz band Groove Collective.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #7 02-22-2005, 08:18 PM

One of my favorite slap lines ever. The only song on the album with a better bassline is on "Dancewitme." All the songs are great though-that's one of my favorite albums.

DWBass · #8 02-23-2005, 05:41 AM

In addition, Paul has no credits on the cd. Mathewman(sp) is credited as producer though.

fountain boy · #9 02-23-2005, 05:51 AM

Mike Neal is the bassist on the Maxwell Unplugged program that aired on MTV in 1996 or so. He's played in a very popular Go-Go band (In the Washington DC area, Rare Essence) in the late 80's and very early 90's.

You'll bring back some good memories with this performance.

gruuv · #10 02-23-2005, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

One of my favorite slap lines ever. The only song on the album with a better bassline is on "Dancewitme." All the songs are great though-that's one of my favorite albums.

With much love to the owner of my old Elrick fretless, I've got to say the "Ascension" bassline is better, IMHO... although that track is awesome too. I gotta give this album a listen again, it's been a long time. Gene Lake plays drums on it too; he bears mentioning, even on a bass board (he can play some bass too)!

DWBass · #11 02-23-2005, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruuv

With much love to the owner of my old Elrick fretless, I've got to say the "Ascension" bassline is better, IMHO... although that track is awesome too. I gotta give this album a listen again, it's been a long time. Gene Lake plays drums on it too; he bears mentioning, even on a bass board (he can play some bass too)!

Yep, Gene Lake is a badass for sure. Another one of those multi-instrumentalists!

**Edited

gruuv · #12 02-23-2005, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Yep, Gene Lake is a badass for sure. Another one of those multi-instrumentalists! I believe he's also Earl Klugh's drummer, IIRC.

Really? All I've known him from is his work with Me'Shell, Steve Coleman, and this Maxwell CD. . . I'd love to check him out on whatever I can though, his style is second to none, and his chops ain't too bad neither. . .

DWBass · #13 02-23-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruuv

Really? All I've known him from is his work with Me'Shell, Steve Coleman, and this Maxwell CD. . . I'd love to check him out on whatever I can though, his style is second to none, and his chops ain't too bad neither. . .

My bad, I'm thinking of Gene Dunlap! Never mind!

peteroberts · #14 02-23-2005, 06:37 PM

back to the topic, does anyone know who played the line? When I saw the tour I am not sure who the bassist was; all I remember was he was a fairly large black guy (no, I'm not gonna be PC and say Afro-American, because he may be from somewhere else)