If you could spend the day with one of these...

[JacoLesFlea]

I know there are alot of great bassists out there but I went with 4 for the poll. Who would you "kick it with" for one whole day?

[Phalex]

I had to go with Geddy. Jaco and Jamerson are dead, so they wouldn't be good company. John Paul Jones is English and I don't know if I'd be able to understand a damn thing he said. My Canadian is pretty good, so I'd hang with Geddy and talk aboot moose hunting or something.

[skeptikal]

Jaco, if he was still around.

[pedro]

Jamerson in a Motown heartbeat.

[JTE]

Tought choice here. The first two are pretty unimportant to me in any way so no Geddy, no JPJ. Now between James and John Francis, I gave the edge to the kid from Florida. The thing that put it over for me is that it seems from what I've read and seen, Jaco would be a better teacher (assuming I got to hang with him on one of his lucid days).

Unless the day was spent hanging with Jamerson in The Snakepit with Stevie Wonder, Benny Benjamin, Joe Messina, et. al....

jte

[pedro]

Unless the day was spent hanging with Jamerson in The Snakepit with Stevie Wonder, Benny Benjamin, Joe Messina, et. al....

That's what I was thinking about. Even just to hear the stories or listen and watch him come up w/ those great basslines would be amazing.

[dave64o]

I could spend years with any of them trying to absorb as much as I could and would no doubt run out of ability long before any of them ran out of things they could teach me.

But applying the "gun to my head" test to the question asked, I'd have to go with Geddy Lee. I don't know that I could say he's better than any of them, or even say that any of them is "better" than the rest, but he's my choice. John Paul Jones would be a very close second, followed by James Jamerson a very close third, followed by Jaco as a very close fourth.

That ranking is based on the music I listen to and the level of influence they've had on me personally. It says NOTHING about the abilities and genius of any of them.

[Stealth]

The Officer of the Order of Canada. His playing inspired me to take up bass in the first place.

[CapnSev]

I said Geddy, just because I think the others were kind of a mess in their heyday.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by CapnSev

I said Geddy, just because I think the others were kind of a mess in their heyday.

I guess it depends on what you consider 'heyday'. But FWIW, before he started drinking and using drugs by all accounts Jaco was an extremely intelligent and articulate guy.

[Samthebassist]

It'd be cooler to hang out with Flea for a day, just cause he's so crazy and's really fun...but Geddy Lee is a close second!!!

[lomo]

Originally Posted by Phalex

My Canadian is pretty good, so I'd hang with Geddy and talk aboot moose hunting or something.

I believe hockey would be the nonmusical subject of choice

[lomo]

I chose JPJ because 1) the Lemon Song has my all-time favorite rock/blues line and 2) because he seems to have a wide perspective on music, playing keys/mando etc. (obviously not that there's anything narrow about the other luminaries).

[DWBass]

Jamerson all day!

[pointbass]

Without any question, James Jamerson In any list of bassists he would be right at the top (along with Mingus) ...

[Kgoodrich]

JPJ.

big influence.

[Bassman7PM]

Originally Posted by pointbass

Without any question, James Jamerson In any list of bassists he would be right at the top (along with Mingus) ...

+1 Jamerson

[Lo end PUNCH]

I went with Jamerson. Jaco scares me a little. Not into JPJ. Met Geddy, cool too, very deep.

[Visirale]

Jamerson. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jaco, but Jamerson has more genre relevance to my own playing, so I think I'd learn more from him...

[EddieG]

I'd love to see Jaco and Jamerson sitting round a table, swapping tales.