Bernard Edwards = the Jaco of Disco and pop?

scowboy · #1 04-07-2010, 07:55 AM

I was driving home last night and a Chic song shuffled it's way onto my iPhone "My Forbidden Lover" to be exact. I am not opposed to Disco but I don't love it either, I am more of a Rush kind of guy. With that testosterone driven statement out of the way I love to listen to anything that Bernard Edwards played on. He is one of my favorite bass players period.

Does anybody out there besides me think he is Disco's version of somebody like Jaco Pastorious? I mean for the day who funked it as hard?

Beyond Disco has anybody besides me ever heard the last Power Station album released in the 90's. He just owned the bass (as always). He solid groove, interesting and complex lines, plus amazing tone always just hooks me it. You also have to love anything he played on because you can clearly hear him and know it is him.

Let the flaming begin.

markjazzbassist · #2 04-07-2010, 08:45 AM

definately. bernard is one of my favorites as well and he is just so tasteful. all his licks and grooves just sound so right and good.

love the bernard.

Hamerguy · #3 04-07-2010, 08:46 AM

Yes, I have the 2nd Power Station album. Edwards' bass playing is great on it. It is far heavier than the first one. Of the band on that album only guitarist Andy Taylor is still alive...

Dr. Cheese · #4 04-07-2010, 08:53 AM

I would call Bernard Edwards the Jamerson of Disco instead of the Jaco since I believe he comes out of the Jamerson tradition, whereas Jaco really seemed to come out of nowhere when he first made his impact.

I do love Bernard Edwards, and I was heart broken when he died. Although I am nowhere near the bassist he was, I think he may be the greatest influence on my style of any bassist I ever heard. People who have heard me at GTGs may not believe it since I tend to play a lot of slap licks when I'm just fooling around, but when I'm really playing, the Bernard influence really comes through.

azureblue · #5 04-07-2010, 08:55 AM

go listen to Average White Band.....

scowboy · #6 04-07-2010, 09:03 AM

Jaco/Jamerson/Enwistle just insert your favorite bass god.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I would call Bernard Edwards the Jamerson of Disco instead of the Jaco since I believe he comes out of the Jamerson tradition, whereas Jaco really seemed to come out of nowhere when he first made his impact.

I do love Bernard Edwards, and I was heart broken when he died. Although I am nowhere near the bassist he was, I think he may be the greatest influence on my style of any bassist I ever heard. People who have heard me at GTGs may not believe it since I tend to play a lot of slap licks when I'm just fooling around, but when I'm really playing, the Bernard influence really comes through.

Dondabass · #7 04-07-2010, 09:04 AM

Hey guys, I was just thinking the same thing while driving home yesterday! Bernard plays with such a feel for the groove, it never ceases to make me smile. I also agree that he would be the "Jamerson", not the "Jaco" in that genre.

kesslari · #8 04-07-2010, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I would call Bernard Edwards the Jamerson of Disco instead of the Jaco since I believe he comes out of the Jamerson tradition, whereas Jaco really seemed to come out of nowhere when he first made his impact.

I do love Bernard Edwards, and I was heart broken when he died. Although I am nowhere near the bassist he was, I think he may be the greatest influence on my style of any bassist I ever heard. People who have heard me at GTGs may not believe it since I tend to play a lot of slap licks when I'm just fooling around, but when I'm really playing, the Bernard influence really comes through.

Back in the day I overlooked BE because he wasn't slappin' and poppin', and I was a dumb kid. With hindsight I've come to really love his approach, his groove, and his creativity.

Double Agent · #9 04-07-2010, 09:43 AM

Much love for Bernard. I'm trying to get my R&B cover band to work in some Chic (shouldn't be a tough sell) just so I get a chance to play those songs. Not only are his lines fun to listen to, they are fun to play. That isn't always an easy combination to get right, appealing to both the average listener AND musicians, but Bernard did it a lot.

DWBass · #10 04-07-2010, 10:13 AM

I think there were quite a lot of bassists who excelled at playing the R&B/Disco thing. BE was just a little more visible due to the success of Chic. When I hear Bernard Edwards name mentioned, I always have to mention Leon & Foster Sylvers who were just as good! They all had very definitive styles and melody based basslines. Besides Jamerson, modern bassists could stand to learn quite a lot by listening to Bernard, Foster and Leon as well!

T-MOST · #11 04-07-2010, 10:20 AM

Bernard Edwards = the Bernard Edwards of Disco and Pop. Jaco has nothing to to with "Nard's" skills.

JimK · #12 04-07-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scowboy

Does anybody out there besides me think he is Disco's version of somebody like Jaco Pastorious?

No flames from me...although for whatever reasons, I never really stuck the "Disco" banner on Chic.

Quote:

I mean for the day who funked it as hard?

Louis Johnson? Stanley Clarke?

JimK · #13 04-07-2010, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azureblue

go listen to Average White Band.....

When Hamish Stuart played bass...yes.
I'm pretty sure Alan Gorrie mostly stayed with fingers.
Anyway, it's pretty obvious who's playing what on their records.

Dr. Cheese · #14 04-07-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scowboy

Jaco/Jamerson/Enwistle just insert your favorite bass god.

It's not a question of my favorite "bass god." Bernard Edwards plays a style that clearly came out of mainstream r&b, and is similar in some aspects to what Jamie Jamerson did. Jaco's tone, use of harmonics, and fretless were really unlike anything that had been done before him.

I'm in no way downgrading 'Nard. He was unique in a more subtle way than Jaco, that's all.

Dr. Cheese · #15 04-07-2010, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

I think there were quite a lot of bassists who excelled at playing the R&B/Disco thing. BE was just a little more visible due to the success of Chic. When I hear Bernard Edwards name mentioned, I always have to mention Leon & Foster Sylvers who were just as good! They all had very definitive styles and melody based basslines. Besides Jamerson, modern bassists could stand to learn quite a lot by listening to Bernard, Foster and Leon as well!

+1,000! As you know, I love me some Leon & Foster Sylvers too! Those picks and Rickenbackers were a fierce combination!

dalkowski · #16 04-07-2010, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-MOST

Bernard Edwards = the Bernard Edwards of Disco and Pop. Jaco has nothing to to with "Nard's" skills.

+1,000,000. Just install him in your pantheon of greats and enjoy the music. Sheesh.

SpamBot · #17 04-07-2010, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dondabass

Hey guys, I was just thinking the same thing while driving home yesterday! Bernard plays with such a feel for the groove, it never ceases to make me smile. I also agree that he would be the "Jamerson", not the "Jaco" in that genre.

+1

jasethebass · #18 04-07-2010, 12:54 PM

Bernies lines were the first I noticed when I was a kid. They woke me up to bass. Big influence on me. Big ups for BE. Never too complex, just sat in the groove. Sorry to say that Ive never rated Jaco as a grooove meister, to me just another jazzer without any soul.

JimK · #19 04-07-2010, 03:38 PM

Jaco is all about Soul music...and the groove. "Barbary Coast"? How about any of the Woodchuck, Tommy Strand, Wayne Cochrane stuff from his early, early daze?
It's funny 'cause "Jazzers" would call call Jaco an R&B guy...not a Jazz guy.

Dr. Cheese · #20 04-07-2010, 04:33 PM

Let's not get derailed. This is a Bernard Edwards thread!