Famous blues bassists?

[Koncept17]

I've got to learn a great blues bass line for an upcoming audition. The problem is, I barely know any blues bassists nor which of their song I could learn. So if you know any, I would appreciate if you shared.

Thanks for helping me out.

[jrduer]

Willie Dixon
Tommy Shannon (w/Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughn)
Jack Bruce

Just a few of my favorites.

~John

[Mr. Soul]

I play in a blues band.

My hero is Tommy Shannon, he played with both Johnny Winter and Stevie, I'm huge fan of what he did With Vaughn.

Also Donald "Duck" Dunn, with Booker T and the MG's

[Chazinroch]

Check out Robben Ford's and Eric Johnson's bassist Roscoe Beck. He even has a couple of instructional DVDs. Greg Rezab (I think that's how its spelled) who did a lot of work with Buddy Guy is another good one.

[rummy]

Pino Palladino

[jrduer]

Originally Posted by Chazinroch

Check out Robben Ford's and Eric Johnson's bassist Roscoe Beck. He even has a couple of instructional DVDs.

Yeah, Roscoe's a great player. Three weeks ago we played the Continental Club in Austin (me with Shelli Coe, Roscoe with Rosie Flores) and his playing blew me away. Nice guy, too.

~John

[play4zero]

How about Johnny B Gayden? Did most of the studio work for bunches of Alligator Records artists including Albert Collins and Son Seals. He is pictured here with myself and Lane Baldwin, special projects coordinator for Eden.



Certainly Tommy Shannon and Duck Dunn and Willie Dixon are all great to learn from, but Gayden's work is very accessible while also very true to the real blues itself.

[ElMon]

Originally Posted by play4zero

How about Johnny B Gayden? Did most of the studio work for bunches of Alligator Records artists including Albert Collins and Son Seals. He is pictured here with myself and Lane Baldwin, special projects coordinator for Eden.



Certainly Tommy Shannon and Duck Dunn and Willie Dixon are all great to learn from, but Gayden's work is very accessible while also very true to the real blues itself.

+1. Gayden's playing just kills. His tone and feel are the perfect blend of old school and modern approaches to blues bass

[Brad Maestas]

Can't stress how important Willie Dixon is/was.

Other folks off the top of my head that I have enjoyed hearing play the blues that haven't been mentioned yet: Willie Weeks, Nathan East and Ronnie James Weber and Randy Bermudes (both played with The Fabulous Thunderbirds).

A big +1 to all the ones mentioned so far:
Donald 'Duck' Dunn
Tommy Shannon
Jack Bruce
Pino Palladino
Roscoe Beck
Johnny B. Gayden

[Koncept17]

What about bass lines? I'm a little lost with all those players to chose from

[Illbay]

Originally Posted by Koncept17

Famous blues bassists?

Matt Goldman has to be the MOST famous.

No, wait, you said BLUES bassist...

[Freddels]

Get the Ed Friedland Blues Bass book and you'll be able to learn from that. It doesn't replace listening to the great bassists but it'll show you various styles and grooves.

[Jason Hollar]

+1 on Tommy Shannon.

All the Stevie Ray stuff is must-learn. Just be careful -- they tuned down to E flat a lot!

Duck Dunn also does really cool R&B lines that translate well on straight blues gigs.

Good luck!

[Kenny Allyn]

Originally Posted by Koncept17

What about bass lines? I'm a little lost with all those players to chose from

Well there are a lot of different kinds of blues lines ...

Start with a straight shuffle, and for that you might want to listen to Tommy Shannon on the SRV tune "Pride and Joy"

Slow blues try Bobby Bland on Stormy Monday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-B3bWwK_Bk

... Slim Louis with Delta Highway http://www.myspace.com/deltahighway

[play4zero]

When you have to play blues for 4 sets a night, you'd better get beyond lines, or you'll put yourself to sleep. The beauty of blues is that it's so simple even a beginner can go and jam with other musicians and know what to expect. But in its simplicity you have to figure out what to do to make it sound a little different for this shuffle as opposed to the last one, and this slow blues in A sound just a hair different than the one you just played a couple of minutes ago.

[play4zero]

Put on a blues CD, one that sounds like you want to sound and start playing.

[stuonbass]

Listen to Tommy Shannon with SRV or Jhn Winter. If you can play like that you should get the gig. For a more basic approach that will work, listen to older ZZ Topp.

[flipper_gv]

come on Steve Swallow

[mellowgerman]

my favorite blues bassist of all time in the universe.

[Mojo-Man]

For upright.
Willie Dixon
Ransom Knowling
Larry Taylor
Big Crawford
Ronnie james

Electric
Keith Ferguson
Pino Palladino
Berry Oakley
Rod Hicks
Freebo