The Spinners - It's a Shame

jenderfazz · #1 07-21-2007, 12:21 PM

How amazing is this Jamerson bassline? My old bass teacher taught me the first minute or so a couple years back and I transcribed until the drum-break by ear last night. Here's a recording (I noticed nobody on Youtube has tackled it yet!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1oW8D4k9mw

Pardon the sloppiness and string noise. I should string up my old flats before I attempt it again! Still, I absolutely love this bassline.

jazzbo · #2 07-21-2007, 01:42 PM

Sir, do not apologize for "sloppiness" or the like. Live music contains idiosyncrasies and slight blemishes, as does everything else in life. This is what makes music wonderful. Either way, very nice playing, very nice groove. You capture the Jamerson sound well. He'd like that.

Vandelay · #3 07-21-2007, 01:55 PM

VERY nicely done. Your left-hand technique seems really solid, and I'm impressed that you never have to look at the fretboard! I'm also impressed that you use just one finger of the right hand (like Jamerson). Most players don't even attempt that! Again, good job.

Yvon · #4 07-21-2007, 05:02 PM

Very nice!

**Blackbird** · #5 07-23-2007, 08:48 AM

Nice!

I really like the one finger technique. Well done!

jerry · #6 07-25-2007, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenderfazz

How amazing is this Jamerson bassline? My old bass teacher taught me the first minute or so a couple years back and I transcribed until the drum-break by ear last night. Here's a recording (I noticed nobody on Youtube has tackled it yet!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1oW8D4k9mw

Pardon the sloppiness and string noise. I should string up my old flats before I attempt it again! Still, I absolutely love this bassline.

My liner notes say Stevie Wonder played bass on that song. He also wrote, produced and played drums on it, sounds like Jamerson though.
Anyway, I thought you did a great job on it!

Vandelay · #7 07-25-2007, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

My liner notes say Stevie Wonder played bass on that song. He also wrote, produced and played drums on it, sounds like Jamerson though.
Anyway, I thought you did a great job on it!

Really, wow. But it's transcribed in the Jamerson bio/instructional book "Standing in the Shadows of Motown".

jerry · #8 07-25-2007, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandelay

Really, wow. But it's transcribed in the Jamerson bio/instructional book "Standing in the Shadows of Motown".

I know, if it really is Stevie[and we know he's awesome with basslines] he sure did cop a Jamerson vibe with it.

**Blackbird** · #9 07-25-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

I know, if it really is Stevie[and we know he's awesome with basslines] he sure did cop a Jamerson vibe with it.

Stevie's awesome with basslines, but they'd be keyboard basslines, surely?

I mean, he must have been barely in his 20s (if that) when that track was cut...

DWBass · #10 07-26-2007, 06:37 AM

Very nice playing! Now that you see, hear & play the notes............feel the notes!!

Not many folks attempt to tackle Jamerson basslines but you did a good job. And I doubt that is Stevie Wonder although he is a fine multi-instrumentalist! It's very hard to cop the lyrical lines Jamerson came up with!

Dan1099 · #11 07-26-2007, 07:24 AM

Also, the Spinners RULE.

jerry · #12 07-26-2007, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Also, the Spinners RULE.

Big +1! Always great basslines, supplied in later years by Bob Babbitt and the great Ronnie Baker.

deaf pea · #13 07-26-2007, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandelay

But it's transcribed in the Jamerson bio/instructional book "Standing in the Shadows of Motown".

There ARE factual errors in SITSOM . . . Allan S. (Dr Licks) says that he will be correcting the errors some time in the future:

"Over the years, I've found several discrepancies. "Love is Here And Now You're Gone" by the Supremes for one. James isn't on that. In general, I cross referenced everything I did with at least 3-4 sources, but still you can't be 100% accurate with things that happened 4 decades ago...I'm eventually going to do an updated version of the Jamerson book so I can put the correction in."

He was refering to giving credit to JJ for "Show and Tell" by Al Wilson, which is one of MY credits . . . He said that James Jr. had told him that. I don't know what else James Jr. has said that isn't acurate, but I AM sure that there are at LEAST 2 errors in SITSOM!

BTW, this doesn't affect the JJ/CK issue . . .

Fretless1! · #14 07-26-2007, 10:08 AM

Dude, you have no reason to apologize. It does my heart good to see people your age taking their time to play actual music. You could have taken the easy way out and played a Fall Out Boys "tune". My hat's off to you.