Bernard Edwards

AlphaMale · #1 03-01-2008, 10:30 PM

One of the greats. We all can admire his bass playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Ks0-EHSbU
Fellow Talk bass member playing one of his most famous works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmayyBbBUA8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMiYDD7QqhM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-UL7Kz3vi8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9cVwNS1i3k And beyond.

Dr. Cheese · #2 03-01-2008, 10:36 PM

I was playing along with Bernard and Chic tonight. He may well be my single greatest influence.

Lesfunk · #3 03-01-2008, 10:38 PM

He was a Baaad Man.

Funk 'N' Stein · #4 03-02-2008, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I was playing along with Bernard and Chic tonight. He may well be my single greatest influence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I was playing along with Bernard and Chic tonight. He may well be my single greatest influence.

Doc...I love all the cats...JJ, Jaco, Anthony...but Bernard has a special place in my heart. He said so much while playing so little in the funkiest possible way and to me he personifies all that is great about our wonderful instrument. He was never really known for having ultra flashy chops...but so what. Chops mean nothing if you dont feel it like Bernard did...and boy did he have a great feel. It eclipsed 90% of the chops meisters out there today. Not many cats Ive heard cop that sort of feel

I think his playing first entered my conciousness around 1980 when 'Diana' first came out. I was only a 17 YO kid at the time and hadnt even started playing yet...but i was hip to the bass.

In later years I would get right into Chic and their stuff still rates as some of my favorite music (BTW im a jazz player). I paticularly like 'my forbidden lover' and 'everybody dance' but my favorite is 'I want your love' : It is completely haunting.....(especially the strings/horn unison riff) and completely transcends the genre for which Nile and Bernard intended, such was their genius (as do most of those standout 'Chic' cuts). I am so enamoured of Bernard and his sound that I even play a stingray exclusively these days...I love that sound

Stylistically I guess I am a hybrid of JJ and BE...(so you can imagine what my jazz is like .....hahaha!!!) anyway, I digress....Ive been reading your posts and we have very similar tastes.

I bet youre a big jamerson fan too....hes my greatest influence

Dr. Cheese · #5 03-02-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funk 'N' Stein

Doc...I love all the cats...JJ, Jaco, Anthony...but Bernard has a special place in my heart. He said so much while playing so little in the funkiest possible way and to me he personifies all that is great about our wonderful instrument. He was never really known for having ultra flashy chops...but so what. Chops mean nothing if you dont feel it like Bernard did...and boy did he have a great feel. It eclipsed 90% of the chops meisters out there today. Not many cats Ive heard cop that sort of feel

I think his playing first entered my conciousness around 1980 when 'Diana' first came out. I was only a 17 YO kid at the time and hadnt even started playing yet...but i was hip to the bass.

In later years I would get right into Chic and their stuff still rates as some of my favorite music (BTW im a jazz player). I paticularly like 'my forbidden lover' and 'everybody dance' but my favorite is 'I want your love' : It is completely haunting.....(especially the strings/horn unison riff) and completely transcends the genre for which Nile and Bernard intended, such was their genius (as do most of those standout 'Chic' cuts). I am so enamoured of Bernard and his sound that I even play a stingray exclusively these days...I love that sound

Stylistically I guess I am a hybrid of JJ and BE...(so you can imagine what my jazz is like .....hahaha!!!) anyway, I digress....Ive been reading your posts and we have very similar tastes.

I bet youre a big jamerson fan too....hes my greatest influence

I am a Jamerson fan too. I just don't have any jazz chops!

markjazzbassist · #6 03-03-2008, 11:10 AM

Bernard's one of my biggest influences. His use of space for funk is really cool, he also has a great melodic voicing to a lot of his lines.

AlphaMale · #7 03-04-2008, 03:17 AM

But yes I've loved Bernard Edwards my whole life I just barely figured out who he was. He is legendary and deserves a lot more credit and maybe should be mentioned sometimes along side James Jamerson.

Bernard Edwards Lives!

kevteop · #8 03-04-2008, 04:45 AM

I remember when I first started playing bass (in 1989 or so) I tried to check out some disco records to hear what those guys were doing and I was terrified - they were all such awesome players. Later I found out they were all actually Bernard Edwards.

JJTee · #9 03-04-2008, 05:51 AM

Check out these cool couple of videos for some classic Edwards/Rodgers info
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4VfG0oFe3k

Makes me think twice about changing my strings...

Bernard and John Taylor working on Get It On for the Power Station project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14kXaX5D6Ng

And forthcoming Edwards/Rogers bass & guitar transcription book! Can't wait:

http://www.basslinepublishing.com/funkdisco.htm

**DougD** · #10 03-04-2008, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I am a Jamerson fan too. I just don't have any jazz chops!

+1

Out of all the greats, BE was my biggest influence. The way he could take a simple (or so it would seem) bass line and make it dance still amazes me today. I don’t know why anyone would need a transcription of his music. His lines aren’t that difficult to learn my ear. It seems to me that the lesion to learn from him is time and feel

oh and taste

Cristo · #11 03-06-2008, 03:15 PM

He managed to get a funky, burpy, pulse from the bass unlike anyone else I've ever heard. He could throw in some subtle little sounds here and there which were extremely cool accents.

No kidding about the strings. I like some music that needs old dead ones, and other music that needs fresh live ones.

Hmmmm, maybe I need a dead string bass and a live string bass...

kesslari · #12 03-06-2008, 03:51 PM

Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah!
That man played some fine lines.

Dr. Cheese · #13 03-08-2008, 12:07 AM

This is some later period Chic. I love Bernard's slap tone on that Stingray!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi-Qd...eature=related

Dr. Cheese · #14 03-08-2008, 12:10 AM

When I was in college, I spent hours playing this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdynbVB5Drc

Dr. Cheese · #15 03-08-2008, 12:17 AM

This is some more late period Stingray slappin':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5NLC...eature=related

Dr. Cheese · #16 03-08-2008, 12:19 AM

The single from Bernard's last studio album with Chic, playing a Sadowsky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7k4q8ztvMU

**DougD** · #17 03-08-2008, 06:10 AM

Cheese! Your killin me man!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I was the only Chic Freak around these parts

I've been looking for Bernards solo album for a long time. Cant find it anywhere.

Dr. Cheese · #18 03-08-2008, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougD

Cheese! Your killin me man!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I was the only Chic Freak around these parts

I've been looking for Bernards solo album for a long time. Cant find it anywhere.

I had it on cassette, but even if I found it, I'm sure it wouldn't play any more.

Alan Vorse · #19 03-08-2008, 08:38 AM

I just recently (this week) joined a casino/covers/variety band. I looked over the set list to see if there were any difficult bass lines I'd need to spend some time on. Just one: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge! Time to go practice.

Funk 'N' Stein · #20 03-08-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Vorse

I just recently (this week) joined a casino/covers/variety band. I looked over the set list to see if there were any difficult bass lines I'd need to spend some time on. Just one: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge! Time to go practice.

Al,once you get those trademark octaves happening you'll be set