Fav 70's Disco and Funk bassists

heath_the_great · #1 03-17-2004, 07:00 AM

I would Have to say:

1. Bernard Edwards
2. Bootsy
3. Larry Graham

DWBass · #2 03-17-2004, 11:40 AM

Man, there are way too many to mention. Those were some good years for many musicians. Bernard Edwards was definitely on top of the list. Louis Johnson was another. The cat who played for "Brainstorm" was a monster! The cat from Lakeside! The cat in Frankie Beverly's Maze was pretty damn good too. It's just too many to mention and many many of them probably aren't even playing anymore except maybe in church or something!

hands5 · #3 03-17-2004, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Man, there are way too many to mention. Those were some good years for many musicians. Bernard Edwards was definitely on top of the list. Louis Johnson was another. The cat who played for "Brainstorm" was a monster! The cat from Lakeside! The cat in Frankie Beverly's Maze was pretty damn good too. It's just too many to mention and many many of them probably aren't even playing anymore except maybe in church or something!

I feel ya Bro,because there wre so manty cats in that era who were just plain "OFF THE HEEZIE ! that it's just immpossible to remember there names of course the names that have been mention were obviously in the forefront just by recognition alone,and rightfully so.But like yourself I also dug" the cats that you mention Marvin Craig from :Lakeside:Robin Duhe from Maze I also don't know who the bass player was for Brainstorm(I have the album and they don't mention him there either) I'm sure Pryohr would proably know but I would like to add Mark Adams of Slave/Steve Arrington was a brother whos' Funk was heavy and different.I guess that you could go on& on on this topic

Rick Blanc · #4 03-17-2004, 01:14 PM

I'll go with Verdine White, Larry Graham and Bootsy

Funkee1 · #5 03-17-2004, 01:21 PM

Bernard Edwards. Verdine White, Louis Johnson and Mark Adams (slave)

DWBass · #6 03-17-2004, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkee1

Bernard Edwards. Verdine White, Louis Johnson and Mark Adams (slave)

Man, Mark Adams was my 'teacher'!! I learned all my funkyness from him. I loved the way he used his chorus effect and when he plucked, he'd use double stops! He made that Alembic sing! Deon Estus (yes, the singing cat supposed discovered by George Michael) was the bassist for Brainstorm. Not sure if it was him that layed down that intro to 'We're On Our Way Home' though!

DWBass · #7 03-17-2004, 01:50 PM

Speaking of funk bassists.......a cat who's name doesn't get mentioned very often but probably was one of the baddest slappers back then..........Dexter Redding!! The writer of the famous bass and drum only song, "The Awakening". A tune a lot of folks associate with Les Claypool! I hope everytime Les performs it, he cuts Dexter a check!

hands5 · #8 03-17-2004, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Man, Mark Adams was my 'teacher'!! I learned all my funkyness from him. I loved the way he used his chorus effect and when he plucked, he'd use double stops! He made that Alembic sing! Deon Estus (yes, the singing cat supposed discovered by George Michael) was the bassist for Brainstorm. Not sure if it was him that layed down that intro to 'We're On Our Way Home' though!

DW,Mark actually used a Jazz on just about all the recordings that Slave did especially the " Stone Jam lp.I did see him use the Alembic briefly while they were on tour promoting there 2nd lp "Hardness of the World.As to Deon Estus (thats right the bass player for Wham and George Michael who BTW wrote damn'er all the tunes for them)did play for Brainstorm on the Journeyto Love lp.

hands5 · #9 03-17-2004, 02:06 PM

David Shields,Nathan Watts,and Nathaniel Philipps "FaSho" The ultimate Funk Masters if there is any justice in this tiltle that has been IMHO used very loosely.

.....as a side note:Major props to the drummer who has acompany the bass player mention above.Mr.Bruce Carter....It don't get no better.

DWBass · #10 03-17-2004, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hands5

DW,Mark actually used a Jazz on just about all the recordings that Slave did especially the " Stone Jam lp.I did see him use the Alembic briefly while they were on tour promoting there 2nd lp "Hardness of the World.As to Deon Estus (thats right the bass player for Wham and George Michael who BTW wrote damn'er all the tunes for them)did play for Brainstorm on the Journeyto Love lp.

Mark used a Jazz? I guess it was so heavily effected, I couldn't tell. Although "Slide" definitely has that signature Jazz bass growl. He definitely liked a deep ballsy sound! I loved those 'jazzy' chords their keyboardist used. It was sad to see that band fall off. I have every one of their LP's and a cd compilation. Great stuff. Man, cats don't funk out like they used to back in the day! Sigh!

Dr. Cheese · #11 03-17-2004, 08:12 PM

Michael Henderson was a guy from the seventies that I still study to this day. Many people did not appreciate him during his prime because of his image as a balladeer and sex symbol, but he played incredible bass lines in so many styles. Of course, he could play in Jamerson/Motown style because that was where he got his start, but he was also great at fusion style lines, and he was a great slapper too. Finally, he played alot of fretless bass. I think he used a fretless bass called an Alex Axe that a split pickup with two round halves. Henderson had a really dark fretless that really contrasted the brighter Jaco sound. Most of the Henderson solo albums are out on CD now.

Anthoer great bassist was lamont Johnson who played in Brainstorm before Deon Estus. He also played fretless. He had a nice solo album that probably can't be found anywhere now. Finally Fernado Saunders who played for Hamilton Bohannon was another 70s funk guy who played fretless. He later played with Lou Reed.

heath_the_great · #12 03-17-2004, 10:53 PM

Well...you learn something new everyday...i always associated the awakening as claypools...i even played it for my final music exam at school...1 of the 4 pieces...it was my opening peice...it was rather amusing to see the look on my examiners faces (3 of them) considering they were all jazz pianists..

it was a mix of those two..lol....i got full marks for it though

cheers

DWBass · #13 03-18-2004, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heath_the_great

Well...you learn something new everyday...i always associated the awakening as claypools...i even played it for my final music exam at school...1 of the 4 pieces...it was my opening peice...it was rather amusing to see the look on my examiners faces (3 of them) considering they were all jazz pianists..

it was a mix of those two..lol....i got full marks for it though

cheers

Yeah! You really need to hear Dexter's original version! Les is a good bassist but he plays it very sloppy!

hands5 · #14 03-18-2004, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Mark used a Jazz? I guess it was so heavily effected, I couldn't tell. Although "Slide" definitely has that signature Jazz bass growl. He definitely liked a deep ballsy sound! I loved those 'jazzy' chords their keyboardist used. It was sad to see that band fall off. I have every one of their LP's and a cd compilation. Great stuff. Man, cats don't funk out like they used to back in the day! Sigh!

THA'S REAL !

hands5 · #15 03-18-2004, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Yeah! You really need to hear Dexter's original version! Les is a good bassist but he plays it very sloppy!

,...and with no type of feel.

Funkee1 · #16 03-18-2004, 11:50 AM

Another fave...... The guy from Ozone/ teena Marie. "Gigollette was one of my favorite songs of the time.

Anyone know who played
"Must be the Music" by Secret Weapon?

hands5 · #17 03-18-2004, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Michael Henderson was a guy from the seventies that I still study to this day. Many people did not appreciate him during his prime because of his image as a balladeer and sex symbol, but he played incredible bass lines in so many styles. Of course, he could play in Jamerson/Motown style because that was where he got his start, but he was also great at fusion style lines, and he was a great slapper too. Finally, he played alot of fretless bass. I think he used a fretless bass called an Alex Axe that a split pickup with two round halves. Henderson had a really dark fretless that really contrasted the brighter Jaco sound. Most of the Henderson solo albums are out on CD now.

Anthoer great bassist was lamont Johnson who played in Brainstorm before Deon Estus. He also played fretless. He had a nice solo album that probably can't be found anywhere now. Finally Fernado Saunders who played for Hamilton Bohannon was another 70s funk guy who played fretless. He later played with Lou Reed.

Man!Mike was as Raw as you could get in a bass player.Cheese check this out.I had a friend that was station in Germany sent me a tape of Norman Conors "Live and Mike was just 'Stupid ! Unfourtanantley it was lost in a house fire a couple of years back.I saw Lamont Johnson years back before he even started with Brainstorm. I will also mention another cat,your "Royal Badness-Prince ( just listen to the Time 1st 2 lps : trust me it was not Terry Lewis playing on those tracks)I've yet to hear anyone play 777-93-11 like he did.

As I've said b4 "The Mothership has landed

Dr. Cheese · #18 03-18-2004, 01:06 PM

Don't forget Prince playing on "Let's Work." When everybody else was slapping octaves, he killed that song playing fifths and sevenths.

JimK · #19 03-18-2004, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Michael Henderson was a guy from the seventies that I still study to this day. Many people did not appreciate him during his prime because of his image as a balladeer and sex symbol, but he played incredible bass lines in so many styles. Of course, he could play in Jamerson/Motown style because that was where he got his start, but he was also great at fusion style lines, and he was a great slapper too.

How 'bout Henderson's stint with Miles?
Two favourite anecdotes regarding Henderson...
1)Theme From Jack Johnson, Side A: McLaughlin begins with a boogie guitar thing in "E", Henderson grooves in "E". Eventually, McLaughlin modulates to "Bb"...Henderson stays in "E".
Miles does not stop the groove...Miles plays a "C#/Db" note which nudges Henderson into a "Bb". For years, I just assumed Henderson was playing an "E" under McLaughlin's "Bb"; I read Paul Tingen's Miles Beyond a couple years back & yes, it was a mistake. It worked out, though.

2)Keith Jarrett told Miles, "...Henderson doesn't know Jazz; he's from Motown".
Miles told Henderson "...don't follow Keith when he starts playin' that Catholic school ****".

Supposedly, Henderson(I think) is involved in a project called Children Of Agartha...there's some more great Henderson to be had on Agartha, Panagea, & Live At The Philharmonic.

...I always liked Henderson's line on Connors' "You Are My Starship".
(I think it's Henderson).

hands5 · #20 03-18-2004, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkee1

Another fave...... The guy from Ozone/ teena Marie. "Gigollette was one of my favorite songs of the time.

Anyone know who played
"Must be the Music" by Secret Weapon?

I know for sure that Charles Glenn Jr. was the bass player for the group Ozone and did sub for Oscar Austin when Oscar was not playing with Lady T.