A Cold Day in Hell: Anthony Jackson Slapped on this track!
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFQdCRQd3yg

This is from Chaka Khan's What 'Cha Gonna Do For Me album in 1981. Anthony Jackson's playing on Chaka's first three solo albums may be the best bass playing of all time IMO.

Anthony wasn't the only bassist to play on this album, might not be him? I don't have the actual liner notes for this anymore.

He was the only one listed for that track. Abraham Laboriel played on Night in Tunisia. I know on the Naughty album, Mark Stevens (Chaka's brother) slapped on a track that AJ played on though.

I have that on vinyl, I'll have to dig it out for the credits. The groove definitely sounds like AJ though, maybe they overdubbed the plucks.

Yep, that's what I was thinking. Agreed that AJ's Chaka work lies amongst the finest electric bass playing captured on tape...and it was tape back then !

The slap tone is interesting. I associate Jackson with a J bass, prior to the Foderas--but those pops sure sound P bass-y, like Freddie Washington's slap tone on Rushen's Forget Me Not. (Was just listening to that track.)

Could be him slapping. It's a very calculated line and I'm quite sure he slapped at least a little at one time. The bass tone sounds really good. AJ plays some wonderful melodic basslines. Some excellent playing on that track.

I specifically remember AJ stating in Bass Player or Guitar Player interview that he had slapped a few times before he decided to never slap again. Yes, his playing is so melodic and his tone is flawless!

Doc: glad you started this thread.

Check out Anthony's tone on "Our love is in Danger" (last cut on 'Naughty').

I think that's the BEST electric bass tone I've ever heard in R&B...or just about any genre for that matter.

...the 'career girl' with just a touch of phase perhaps...?

I am certain that was the Career Girl through a phase shifter of flanger, AJ is a bit of an electronics guy and he had been known to mod hid effects.

Tonal perfection in my opinion.

I've only heard one tonal example I consider to be the equal, or perhaps slightly better than that one of AJ's, and that was Jaco's tone on... "In France they kiss on Main street" off Joni's 'Shadows and light'. Jazz bass perfection (the player helped of course)

I'm usually a P bass tone freak, but those two just do it for me as far as the jazz is concerned. Willie Weeks' jazz tone just kills it too...especially on all that stuff he did for George Harrison.

modded Career Girl. gorgeous tone!

Given how many bassists are on this album, I doubt this is AJ slapping. And I know that on the earlier Naughty album, which also had multiple bassists, Marcus Miller slapped the choruses (and played fingerstyle as well) on the title track.

J

Don't confuse What 'Cha Gonna do for Me with Naughty. What 'Cha Gonna do for Me only has Abraham Laboriel an AJ. Laboriel only plays Night in Tunisia. It is AJ slapping on the link I provided.

No confusion on my part Dr. - I have both albums and know the difference between them :)

I suppose Wiki might be wrong (don't have the liner notes anymore), but there are 4 people credited with bass:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Cha'_Gonna_Do_for_Me

Just doesn't sound "Anthony" enough to me rgeardless of the slapping or not, but of course I can't be certain.

J

Wow, I had the vinyl version for years and just didn't remember seeing any names but Laboriel and AJ. Since Mark Stevens is listed, it is probably him slapping or plucking.

I think this has come up before here on TB, and if memory serves, the conclusion was that it was not Anthony Jackson, slapping on this track. :)

Sadly, as is very often the case in cyber-land, the conclusion is wrong. Anthony definitely did slap on this track at the request of the Producer. AJ and I have discussed this personally on several occasions at the shop and I just called him again to confirm it.

FWIW, I am a huge fan of AJ's work with Chaka...

Regards,

Jason

That's cool. Not that it really means anything, but it is cool to know I was right.:)

Thanks for giving us the inside information, Jason!:bassist:

Man, AJ's playing is always so smooth and tasty. Quite humbling to say the least.