Fav 70's Disco and Funk bassists

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

I remember the liner photos of one of their early albums (vinyl) showing a Mustang bass.

Danny played an Ovation. Always the trend-setter.

Brad-
Review your Partdige Family video tapes...he is seen playing a Red Mustang/White stripe in addition to that Ovation. I guess Ovation was a 'sponsor'; Keith played an Ovation Breadwinner. Remember that thing?

How nutty am I? This morning, as I was awaiting the alarm clock to do its bizness-
...I was thinking where did I see AWB with a Mustang. I alos concluded it was in the liners to, I think, Soul Searching. The inner sleeve was a collage of photos, IIRC. I woulda looked before I left. I forgot!

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by JimK

Brad-
Review your Partdige Family video tapes...he is seen playing a Red Mustang/White stripe in addition to that Ovation. I guess Ovation was a 'sponsor'; Keith played an Ovation Breadwinner. Remember that thing?

Bear in mind I didn't say he "only" played the Ovation.

OTOH for that signature Danny Partridge sound, Ovations were critical... and lots of burgundy velvet.

How nutty am I? This morning, as I was awaiting the alarm clock to do its bizness-
...I was thinking where did I see AWB with a Mustang. I alos concluded it was in the liners to, I think, Soul Searching. The inner sleeve was a collage of photos, IIRC. I woulda looked before I left. I forgot!

I think it was "Soul Searching" (killer album IMO). A bunch of b&w pics including several shots with the Brecker Bros. (Randy and Mike).

[DaveBeny]

Originally Posted by JimK

PoT-
...yes, thanks. Maybe it's Cosey doin' the 'other' Miles project.
I think.
(Dave B is up on this stuff!).

Ah, did I hear my name mentioned?

The Michael Henderson-led project, Children on the Corner, has had a CD out for a couple of months:
www.childrenonthecorner.com - I've read some mixed reviews of the album. I've heard a couple of tracks and am steering clear.

No news on Cosey's project, Children of Agharta.

Back on topic,
One bassist I like is Leon Sylvers III - I don't recall seeing his name mentioned in this thread so far. I like his playing on Shalamar's 'Friends' album and on 'The Beat Goes On' by The Whispers. Funky playing with a plectrum.

Also, Anthony Jackson is good with The O'Jays, although apart from For the Love of Money, I can't recall any stand-out bass performances.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by David Benyahia

Ah, did I hear my name mentioned?
Also, Anthony Jackson is good with The O'Jays, although apart from For the Love of Money, I can't recall any stand-out bass performances.

Yes, it's about time , too
...and thanks for your Children On The Corner review.
My copy should be in the mail as we speak. Can't win 'em all.

I agree about whoever played on Shalamar's hits("Take That To The Bank", "Second Time Around", etc). Good stuff.

Anthony Jackson played on Gaucho(that is from the '70s); "My Rival" & "Glamour Profession" are 2 stand-out AJ tracks, IMO.

[DWBass]

Man, I've been raving about Leon Sylvers, III since he started playing back in the 70's! One of the cleanest, tightest bassist I've ever heard! Little brother Foster Sylvers ain't too shabby either. I hear Foster has gone the religious route these days and may even be a preacher. Is Leon still hanging with Teddy Riley?

[supermonkey]

Anthony Jackson (to whom all the 6-string kidz owe a debt of gratitude) is yet another serious m-f.

In addition to the aforementioned O'Jays stuff and Steely Dan tracks, AJ was also on several of Paul Simon's early 80's records. "Slip Slidin' Away" is notable.

[Funkee1]

Does anyone have either of the two albums recorded by "Pockets"? Great Funk band, produced by Verdine White, and featuring Gary Grainger on bass. The dude was slammin!!!

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Funkee1

Does anyone have either of the two albums recorded by "Pockets"? Great Funk band, produced by Verdine White, and featuring Gary Grainger on bass. The dude was slammin!!!

I think I remember "Come Go With Me" by Pockets.
I didn't realize Grainger was with Pockets until after he was with Scofield...a few years down the road.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

OTOH for that signature Danny Partridge sound, Ovations were critical... and lots of burgundy velvet.

Good one!

I think it was "Soul Searching" (killer album IMO). A bunch of b&w pics including several shots with the Brecker Bros. (Randy and Mike).

Bingo...Hamish is playing a (Red) Mustang/White stripe with a painted headstock. He's plugged into an Ampeg amp.
Still, I recall seeing Gorrie using a P-bass pre-Soul Searching. When I managed to see AWB live in the Summer of '76, both Hamish & Gorrie were sporting Music Man Stingrays.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Funkee1

Does anyone have either of the two albums recorded by "Pockets"? Great Funk band, produced by Verdine White, and featuring Gary Grainger on bass. The dude was slammin!!!

I have one of their lps, the photos are priceless. Lots of EWF-style fashion going on. I wore some stupid looking stuff back in the day but the intergalactic nautical stuff they wore (and the Commodores and most other bands like this) always looked even more stupid than my gigwear. Expensive... and stupid. Of course if I had the gig...

I was supposed to go out tonight to a club where Gary sat in last week, the gridlock trip home this evening has put me off any further travel tonight.

[Dr. Cheese]

I have to say something about Leon Sylver III. He and Foster played on just about all of those old songs for Solar records. That included groups like the Whispers, Shalamar, and leon Sylvers own band, Dynasty. A really great album was "The Look" by Shalamar. I can't remember Dynasty's records, but I really liked them. I have never seen them on CD though. I think that Leon Sylvers most famous line is "And the Beat Goes On" by the Whispers. Both the bass and the rythmn guitar on that track were great.

I should note that the title song on "The Look" by Shalamar was played by Stanley Clarke. I always enjoyed it because it was Stanley in a commerical, pop song context, no bass virtuoso stuff and he was smokin'.

Finally, if you want to hear great Anthony Jackson in a funk context, buy any of Chaka Khan's first three solo Albums: Chaka, Naughty, and Watcha' Gonna Do for Me. On Naughty and Watch' Gonna Do for Me, AJ really becomes the first guy to extensively use detuned or extended range bass in a pop setting. Also those albums feature great bass work by marcus Miller, Abraham Laboriel, Will Lee, Chaka's brother, Mark Stevens, Hamish Stuart, Willie Weeks, and others.

[DaveBeny]

Originally Posted by JimK

Anthony Jackson played on Gaucho(that is from the '70s); "My Rival" & "Glamour Profession" are 2 stand-out AJ tracks, IMO.

I think what I trying to say was that most of AJ's playing with The O'Jays is pretty low-key and doesn't leap out as being AJ.

One 70s AJ album that has some nice funk/disco grooves is Lalo Schifrin's 'Black Widow', although some of the material has not aged well (a disco version of the theme from Jaws etc )

[DaveBeny]

Another thing,
does anyone know whether it's AJ on Chaka's 'Ain't Nobody'? I'd always assumed it was synth bass, but I've just listened to it again (for the first time in ages) and I notice there's a certain attack on some of the notes that suggests AJ playing with a plectrum. Any thoughts?

[Dr. Cheese]

I suspect that cut is keyboard bass played by Dave Wolinski. "Ain't No Body" was Rufus and Chaka Khan song, not a solo piece.

[JimK]

I second the that.
"Ain't Nobody", for me, was a pain in the petute to get 'right' live.
(In fact, I was never satisfied with how I played that tune...thankfully, we only covered it for a short while. I guess the others weren't satisfied with me playing the part, too!).

More killer Chaka-synth bass tunes...
"We Can Work It Out"
"I Feel For You"

[Dr. Cheese]

I would like to note that I believe the key to Leon Sylvers sound was the use of the mute on his Rickenbacker and flatwound strings. I remember that he had a black 4001 Rick when I saw him. At the time, I played a Rick 4000 (bridge pickup only, I feel like crying for selling that bass) and I set it up just like Leon/Foster Sylvers but I had to go back to roundwounds because the flatwounds just didn't feel right.

[hands5]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I have to say something about Leon Sylver III. He and Foster played on just about all of those old songs for Solar records. That included groups like the Whispers, Shalamar, and leon Sylvers own band, Dynasty. A really great album was "The Look" by Shalamar. I can't remember Dynasty's records, but I really liked them. I have never seen them on CD though. I think that Leon Sylvers most famous line is "And the Beat Goes On" by the Whispers. Both the bass and the rythmn guitar on that track were great.

I should note that the title song on "The Look" by Shalamar was played by Stanley Clarke. I always enjoyed it because it was Stanley in a commerical, pop song context, no bass virtuoso stuff and he was smokin'.

Finally, if you want to hear great Anthony Jackson in a funk context, buy any of Chaka Khan's first three solo Albums: Chaka, Naughty, and Watcha' Gonna Do for Me. On Naughty and Watch' Gonna Do for Me, AJ really becomes the first guy to extensively use detuned or extended range bass in a pop setting. Also those albums feature great bass work by marcus Miller, Abraham Laboriel, Will Lee, Chaka's brother, Mark Stevens, Hamish Stuart, Willie Weeks, and others.

....but believe it or not Anthony used a detuned Fender Precision on most of those cuts that are on both the Naughty/Watch'Gonna Do for Me lp because at the time the 1st 6 string that he was attempting to use (luthered by Carl Thompson) wasn't very successfull( the Ken Smith Contra Bass came well after both of these albums) However,I've yet to hear any other bass player that remotley sounds like A.J.because he just digs, and digs, digs,I mean it's kinda like -Oh yeah, well Mother F#$ker ! take this !and then he just lays down a groove that has these super-subterraining notes with incredible articulation.
If you ever get to this cat live like I have,he doesn't dissapoints'at all.

[hands5]

Originally Posted by David Benyahia

Another thing,
does anyone know whether it's AJ on Chaka's 'Ain't Nobody'? I'd always assumed it was synth bass, but I've just listened to it again (for the first time in ages) and I notice there's a certain attack on some of the notes that suggests AJ playing with a plectrum. Any thoughts?

Dave "Hawk Wolinski on Keyboards,and Bobby Watson on bass,as with the other members of Rufus John J,.R.Robinson on Drums Tony Maiden on Guitar(who is now playing out of the Perfercted Praise Church of Pastor Marvin Winans) horn players on that lp were as follows Jerry Hey-trumpet,Larry Williams -sax(as well some keyboards on a couple of the studio cuts on this album)and Ernie Watts -sax

[JimK]

Originally Posted by hands5

...horn players on that lp were as follows Jerry Hey-trumpet,Larry Williams -sax(as well some keyboards on a couple of the studio cuts on this album)

Hey & Williams were the core members of the Seawind horns.
Seemed like everything back then either had the TOP horns or the Seawind horns playing in the 'backing band'.
Remember the band called Seawind?

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by JimK

Hey & Williams were the core members of the Seawind horns.
Seemed like everything back then either had the TOP horns or the Seawind horns playing in the 'backing band'.
Remember the band called Seawind?

Sure. They were more known for their horn players work outside the group than anything else.