Is James Jamerson the best?

[RexNFX79]

Jamerson is one of my all time favorite bass players but I've been on a real Jamerson kick lately I've been reading about him a lot and I just watched that documentary on the Funk Brothers again this week. I was curious as to what everyone else thought about this question. Is James Jamerson the most influential electric bassist of all time? I know that there are a ton of great bassists out there and I appreciate them all but I've been thinking that if you get down to brass taxes, Jamerson was a real pioneer of the electric bass. I think that just about everything that has come since has built on his style. Any thoughts? Just interested to hear what others think of this.

[akaTRENT]

on what i know of him. and its just basics. yes.

[allexcosta]

Most influential in the US? I'd say yes...

[JTE]

It's about music, not an athletic contest or a race. There ain't not "BEST"!!!

Too many variables. He was great, and a huge touchstone for certain kinds of music. But would he be the best bassist for Metallica or for folk music...

Well, one of my favorite Jamerson recordings is the live Joan Baez album "From Every Stage" She's got Jamerson AND Larry Carlton on it, but the point is that "best" is a superlative, and we're talking about things that have too many subjective measurements to make a single one "best".

Gee, I've already wasted too much time on a silly question.
jte

[GeneralElectric]

I don't think there is a best, however, without Jamerson, bass wouldn't be what it is today. Because, without him, we'd all be stuck play straight 8ths and such. He was the first guy to play with any feeling.

[Mikio]

Originally Posted by JTE

It's about music, not an athletic contest or a race. There ain't not "BEST"!!!

Too many variables. He was great, and a huge touchstone for certain kinds of music. But would he be the best bassist for Metallica or for folk music...

totally Agreed...


I think the best bassists are the most versatile ones, and that's what I try to be... versatile... but I think there will never be a "the best bassist ever/in the world"

[RexNFX79]

Originally Posted by JTE

It's about music, not an athletic contest or a race. There ain't not "BEST"!!!

Too many variables. He was great, and a huge touchstone for certain kinds of music. But would he be the best bassist for Metallica or for folk music...

Well, one of my favorite Jamerson recordings is the live Joan Baez album "From Every Stage" She's got Jamerson AND Larry Carlton on it, but the point is that "best" is a superlative, and we're talking about things that have too many subjective measurements to make a single one "best".

Gee, I've already wasted too much time on a silly question.
jte

The "best" in the title was kind of a joke. My real question was is there someone that has influenced electric bass playing more? I don't get into the superlatives either because there are too many variables. I'm simply interested in thoughts on the vastness of his influence. One of my favorite recordings of his is "What's Going On". I know that's probably one that everyone says but what a cool bassline.

[Rathead123]

Originally Posted by JTE

But would he be the best bassist for Metallica or for folk music...

Im sure he could pull off anthing Metallica does..
His melodic lines would be great in folk music..
Yes and yes.

[funkmangriff]

Originally Posted by JTE

It's about music, not an athletic contest or a race. There ain't not "BEST"!!!

was just about to say the same thing!

i think he's the most influential, for me anyways, for me he's more influential than jaco, jaco has never REALLY impressed me (but thats just my personal taste).

now jamerson.... jamerson was always in the groove, he never over played, he (as far as i know) never tryed to show off, everything he played complemented the song.

HE IS AS PURE A BASS PLAYER AS YOU CAN GET. (i liked that so much i stuck it in bold!!! )

[RexNFX79]

Originally Posted by Rathead123

Im sure he could pull off anthing Metallica does..
His melodic lines would be great in folk music..
Yes and yes.

+1

[Big Joe]

If there was no Motown with Jamerson, there would have been no Beatles, no Rolling Stones, no Who.

The Beatles were an inspriration to just about everyone. Ozzy had said if he didn't see the Beatles getting girls like they did, he would not have gotten into music. Therefore, no Beatles, no Black Sabbath.

No Black Sabbath = no Metallica

The best electric bassist? At his time, yes.

The most influential? Most likely. If he didn't influence you directly, chances are he influenced your influences.

[RexNFX79]

Originally Posted by Big Joe

If there was no Motown with Jamerson, there would have been no Beatles, no Rolling Stones, no Who.

The Beatles were an inspriration to just about everyone. Ozzy had said if he didn't see the Beatles getting girls like they did, he would not have gotten into music. Therefore, no Beatles, no Black Sabbath.

No Black Sabbath = no Metallica

The best electric bassist? At his time, yes.

The most influential? Most likely. If he didn't influence you directly, chances are he influenced your influences.

That's exactly what I mean! I'm not saying that he's the best of all time, who knows who that is but you sumarized it perfectly!

+1

[Mikio]

Originally Posted by Rathead123

Im sure he could pull off anthing Metallica does..
His melodic lines would be great in folk music..
Yes and yes.

like battery or disposable heroes?

who knows Dx!

[GM60466]

Best in the Old School way of laying down a bass line.

G

[cnltb]

He may just be the most influential bassist...he may just be that.
He was certainly the best at being James Jamerson. Noone caught up yet either...

[bluesbass99]

Boy, was he ever good, although, I agree with the above person that "best" is a very subjective term. Considering the workhorse that he was, he really turned out consistently great bass lines. Sad, however, that when he died, he never knew we would have been an icon. He is a great bassist to study. All of those chromatic runs done using just one finger is amazing. Yes, I would have to consider him as influential on bassists as probably anyone I can think of.

[Double Agent]

I think Jamerson is the most important bass player ever, in terms of how far reaching his influence is. He really showed us all how to groove and his lines helped to define pop music and R&B music as we know them today. So, for me, his influence goes beyond bass players which is a true testament to his playing.

[gweimer]

Originally Posted by Big Joe

If there was no Motown with Jamerson, there would have been no Beatles, no Rolling Stones, no Who.

The Beatles were an inspriration to just about everyone. Ozzy had said if he didn't see the Beatles getting girls like they did, he would not have gotten into music. Therefore, no Beatles, no Black Sabbath.

No Black Sabbath = no Metallica

The best electric bassist? At his time, yes.

The most influential? Most likely. If he didn't influence you directly, chances are he influenced your influences.

Well, I disagree that without Jamerson, there would be no Beatles or Stones. Both those bands had their roots further back than Jamerson's appearance. To say that they listened to the same music might be better stated, but even then I have to think that Jamerson's jazz roots are not where the Beatles and Stones started.

The only thing I would say about Jamerson in a general statement is that he may well be the only bass player to define a sound and style that became a worldwide popular phenomenon. McCartney was a credited songwriter, and a singer. Jamerson was largely uncredited (almost unknown), and laid the foundation under so many people's songs. I'd been playing almost 20 years before I actually knew the name of the guy I'd been trying to copy.

[Rickett Customs]

Well, If you're gonna say Jamerson, another uncredited one is Carol Kaye, her playing was on a lot of demos that were originally sent to motown.

[T-MOST]

If you think he's "the best" then he is the best... "for you".