Marvin Gaye. Question for the old school r&b heads???

[DWBass]

I went to visit a friend of mine who works at a Rent-A-Center and when I walked in, they had a DVD playing through all the big screen TV's of Marvin Gaye and one hellova backup band. Marvin was singing (of course) and playing a Fender Rhodes. The bassist was groovin' like a mofo! Is anyone aware of a Marvin Gaye DVD floatin' around? Anyone know who that bassist was. The time period seemed to be mid 70's and afro's and bell bottomed jeans were prevelent in the video. Even for an old video, it was filmed well and mixed well.

Edit: Looks like it may have been Marvin Gaye Live in Montreux 1980 or Marvin Gaye Greatest Hits Live 1976. Still, anyone have any idea who that bassist was? Responses at Amazon.com say the vid quality is very poor for the 1976 vid so I'll assume it was the 1980 vid due to the quality being pretty good.

[Juneau]

Google is king hehe

http://music.lycos.com/artist/album....9905&id=482554

Personnel: Marvin Gaye (vocals); Gordon Banks, Howard Westbrook (guitar); David Majal Li (saxophone); Rick Gardner, Kush Griffitt (trumpet); Richard Griffith (horns); William "Snoopy" Bryant II (piano); Lonnie Smith (keyboards); Frank Blair (bass); Preston Mcrae Wilcox (drums); Sandra Akaka, Joseph Mayo (congas); Checo Tohomaso (percussion); Lecester R. Gentle, Frankie Bates, Robert

[JimK]

I have the Live In Montreux cd...good stuff.

There's a small glimpse of Marvin & Jamerson jamming on the SITSOM DVD; I would like a copy of that entire show!

[NJL]

anything about Marvin deserves a....

BUMP!

[scatman]

I have the Live at Montreu. It's Frank Blair on bass. That cat is ill. "Funky Space" is a whack record on vinyl, but that live version is a killer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DWBass]

Another question? What type of bass was he playing? It looked like a high end bass but I couldn't see what make it was nor did I have enough time as I had to leave the store.

[JimK]

On the back cover-
It's a natural wood bass with what looks like soapbar pickups. The headstock looks like, I dunno, an Aria?

Where's Brad when you need him?

[tommixx]

Frank Blair playing an Aria Pro if I am not mistaken....in those days a LOT of cats had Arias (Abe Laboriel, Sr being one of the biggest and best known studio players using one, he is widely credited with almost singlehandedly creating the demand for the Aria Line beause they were almost unheard of until he started doing sessions with one!!) because they were NOT Fenders and had a different sound...I myself had an Aria ProII for a time...

Peace,

T

[lukaas]

I reckon his main bass is an Alembic.....his backup bass, tjat dosent get a play during the show is an Aria or a Gibson, Ive watched that video about 100 times, im pretty sure,

BTW in Marvins biography there is an interesting story about Frank Blair....basically him keeping tabs on Marvin for the record company at that time (early 80s), sending back tapes after each session that Marvin hadnt approved..... gives an interesting insight into the band...

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by lukaas

I reckon his main bass is an Alembic.....his backup bass, tjat dosent get a play during the show is an Aria or a Gibson, Ive watched that video about 100 times, im pretty sure,

BTW in Marvins biography there is an interesting story about Frank Blair....basically him keeping tabs on Marvin for the record company at that time (early 80s), sending back tapes after each session that Marvin hadnt approved..... gives an interesting insight into the band...

My first thought was Alembic but I don't remember Alembic making that style back then and the headstock didn't look Alembic. Dude was solid though. I wonder what he's doing these days?

[jerry]

Frank Blair also did some nice work with Robert Palmer

[Stewmc5222]

Originally Posted by jerry

Frank Blair also did some nice work with Robert Palmer

you beat me to the punch, Jerry. Blair's a monster groover who plays just great lines. he was a Carvin endorser 10 years or so ago.

from the lows,

Stew