Meshell Ndegeocello - Need recommendations...

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by bass12

Well, she certainly isn't flashy so if that's what you're looking for in a bassist...

It isn't.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by cnltb

I like her on her own stuff but have so far only heard her doing one thing, although she is doing that one thing, her own thing rather well.
I do not think of her as under, but possibly rather as over-rated-As bassist, not as musician where I think she really does have quite a lot to give.
I'll get her next album for sure...perhaps.
My favorite album of hers is bitter at the mo, but lullabies got me interested,which I still am-from a general ideas and musical point of view rather than the bass playing one.

The funny thing is that a musician who can do one thing well can change the world. Just think of Larry Graham. Technique or chops alone are not memorable. Soul and emotion make music and MeShell has plenty.

[Jim Nazium]

I've always liked the way she played on John Mellencamp's cover of the Van Morrison tune "Wild Night". It's just a simple pentatonic thing, but it's so deep in the pocket it makes the whole song.

check it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glm7cVBZjqw

[jerry]

I'll take "feel" over chops anyday! Me'Shell has that one in a million touch, she could play a major scale and it would sound soulful. IMHO.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

The funny thing is that a musician who can do one thing well can change the world. Just think of Larry Graham. Technique or chops alone are not memorable. Soul and emotion make music and MeShell has plenty.

Funny thing?
I haven't said, and would not say anything to the contrary.
Musicians who display more versatility in their playing can change the world too.
No?

Regardless...I recon it's also a tastething, as so often in music.

[edubb]

Originally Posted by cnltb

Funny thing?
I haven't said, and would not say anything to the contrary.
Musicians who display more versatility in their playing can change the world too.
No?

Regardless...I recon it's also a tastething, as so often in music.

And has seen her in concert in support of everyone of her albums ( some several times) plus benefit concerts I have to disagree.
She is pretty versatile, the one constant is her deep sense and feel of the groove that is evident in everything she does. At the "Red Hot and Riot. II" Aids benefit concert her and a bunch of African Artist performed the music of Fela Kuti. Meshell Rocked those african grooves like you would not believe, getting deeper and deeper into the groove as the show progressed.
I was in awe, because I own loads of african music, plenty of Fela and Femi, so I know what its supposed to sound like. She was true to the original, yet took it to another level few could reach. The same can be said for her live playing in support of her "Dance of the Infidel" album. She again had my jaw on the floor all night. Just otherworldly feel that can't be taught imho.

[bubinga5]

Originally Posted by edubb

And has seen her in concert in support of everyone of her albums ( some several times) plus benefit concerts I have to disagree.
She is pretty versatile, the one constant is her deep sense and feel of the groove that is evident in everything she does.
At the "Red Hot and Riot. II" Aids benefit concert her and a bunch of African Artist performed the music of Fela Kuti. Meshell
Rocked those african grooves like you would not believe, getting deeper and deeper into the groove as the show progressed.
I was in awe, because I own loads of african music, plenty of Fela and Femi, so I know what its supposed to sound like.
She was true to the original, yet took it to another level few could reach. The same can be said for her live playing in
support of her "Dance of the Infidel" album. She again had my jaw on the floor all night. Just otherworldly feel that can't be taught imho.

Im a huge fan of Meshell,(not just as a bass player) i always have been..Her touch and groove are sublime! 'God Fear and Money' is an awsome display of her groove talent.. 'Bitter Sweet' is another display of her harmonic/melodic senses..(prob my favorite song of hers)

For me..i would listen to Meshell's playing over any bass player in the world..If i was to recommend an album to listen to to get the (what i think IMHO) best of her is 'Peace Beyond Passion'..Its a fantastic album..Leviticus Faggot, The Way, just superbly funky..Bitter Sweet one of my favorite tunes of all time!!! And... 'Make me Wanna Holler'..a painfull insight to her thought's and background..

For me this was a much more mature album than the.. i must say great album,.. Plantation Lullabies..

Ive never enjoyed music so much

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by edubb

And has seen her in concert in support of everyone of her albums ( some several times) plus benefit concerts I have to disagree.
She is pretty versatile, the one constant is her deep sense and feel of the groove that is evident in everything she does.
At the "Red Hot and Riot. II" Aids benefit concert her and a bunch of African Artist performed the music of Fela Kuti. Meshell
Rocked those african grooves like you would not believe, getting deeper and deeper into the groove as the show progressed.
I was in awe, because I own loads of african music, plenty of Fela and Femi, so I know what its supposed to sound like.
She was true to the original, yet took it to another level few could reach. The same can be said for her live playing in
support of her "Dance of the Infidel" album. She again had my jaw on the floor all night. Just otherworldly feel that can't be taught imho.

Do you have any recordings of her playing fela kuti's music?
Sounds very interesting!

[bass12]

Hey edubb - do you have the U.K. remixes of "If That's Your Boyfriend"? Just wondering cause I have only come across that EP once. Same goes for the "Call Me" single, actually. I don't think there are any recordings out there (other than possible bootlegs) of Me'shell playing anything African. The closest you'll probably get is "Gentleman" from the Red Hot & Riot album (a version quite removed from the original and not very Afrobeat-ish in the end - though a sweet track all the same). Anyway, clbt, you're right - a lot of this simply comes down to personal preference. Out of curiostiy, who are some of your favourites?

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by bass12

Anyway, clbt, you're right - a lot of this simply comes down to personal preference. Out of curiostiy, who are some of your favourites?

There are quite a few in terms of favorite players.
Steve swallow and anthony jackson are two,gary willis, skuli sverrisson are a couple others.tony levin too is a favorite.
I guess I tend to prefer players with more of a melodic angle but who don't forget the"groove" either.
To my ears they also blend in well when playing on someone elses projects without becoming unrecognizable.
One tune that may serve as an example for what I mean may be that which meshell recorded on the recent mike stern album"who let the cats out"-I felt that, although it was a mike stern tune, she was still playing her thing. Adapting little to the musical environment,and to my ears adding very little to it that sounded true to the music she was playing in that situation.To me it sounded out of place.
On the other hand...if someone had not liked what she did, it would most probably not have ended up on the record.

Having said that, I do like meshell (I have seen her a few times and do have all the albums), but it is not so much her bassplaying that attracts me to her music although it does exactly what her music needs.

[edubb]

Originally Posted by cnltb

Do you have any recordings of her playing fela kuti's music?
Sounds very interesting!

i have been searching for that show to turn up but no luck yet. I have been to several live performances where they were clearing filming, but nothing has been for sale yet.
I am dying to have that concert on dvd. She was astounding that night, and the other musicians were great. Meshell has alway maintained that she is at her best when she can just lay down the groove, no singing ,keyboards, just playing. i have to say, she's right. If you havent seen her in this capacity then you havent seen her at her very best imho.

[edubb]

"For me..I would listen to Meshell's playing over any bass player in the world.."
quote from Bubinga5

[edubb]

Originally Posted by bass12

Hey edubb - do you have the U.K. remixes of "If That's Your Boyfriend"? Just wondering cause I have only come across that EP once. Same goes for the "Call Me" single, actually. I don't think there are any recordings out there (other than possible bootlegs) of Me'shell playing anything African. The closest you'll probably get is "Gentleman" from the Red Hot & Riot album (a version quite removed from the original and not very Afrobeat-ish in the end - though a sweet track all the same). Anyway, clbt, you're right - a lot of this simply comes down to personal preference. Out of curiostiy, who are some of your favourites?

of remixes and import singles of hers, need to look. I had never heard her play anything remotely African either until that night. Whats crazy is they had been rehearsing non-stop for only 2 days and they absolutely killed it. Meshell was THE standout though.
I saw that show @ the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) a couple of years ago.
Proir to that at some point I saw her during the "Dance of the Infidel" tour in NYC. I had never heard her play Jazz until then and again, she absolutely killed it. I couldnt believe what I was hearing either time. She is a groove monster.
I met her after the show and she was tiny, (I am 6ft 2in and 260 lbs) quiet and very humble. I couldnt believe it was the same person.

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Originally Posted by 20db pad

Certainly one of the most underrated players out there, given how talented she is. Here's a longtime favorite of mine: a Chaka Khan cut she both rapped and played bass on..

http://www.spike.com/video/chaka-khan-never/2788448

That sounds like 100% Scritti Politti, even the backups (David Gamson?). That would be the link because he produced Meshell and was Scritti Politti.

[gruuv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sizTkCOiVY8

Good example of that straight forward, deep in the pocket groove. And on upright no less. . .

[bass12]

Originally Posted by Smallmouth_Bass

That sounds like 100% Scritti Politti, even the backups (David Gamson?). That would be the link because he produced Meshell and was Scritti Politti.

You got it - David Gamson did, indeed, produce that track (Me'shell also played on the latest - at least I think it was the latest - Scritti Politti album).

[bass12]

Originally Posted by cnltb

One tune that may serve as an example for what I mean may be that which meshell recorded on the recent mike stern album"who let the cats out"-I felt that, although it was a mike stern tune, she was still playing her thing. Adapting little to the musical environment,and to my ears adding very little to it that sounded true to the music she was playing in that situation.To me it sounded out of place.

I haven't heard that track, so I can't comment. It wouldn't surprise me though - Me'shell does get brought in to sound like her, not as a "studio musician". She definitely has a flavour and that flavour won't suit every situation. The same, however, can be said for a lot of great players. I've found that Me'shell is usually hired for appropriate songs and collaborations, but that doesn't mean a mismatch isn't out of the question. I caught Me'shell at a Richard Bona show a couple of years ago. She was a special guest and she wasn't fitting in at all. This was partially the result of her attitude (she was being especially anti-social that night) - she clearly didn't want to be there. Even Bona had a look of bemusement on his face throughout her spot. It was truly a bizarre spectacle. Regardless, when it comes to Me'shell, I'm looking for funk at its most sensitive and for that I don't think many people can come close. But, you know, if everyone agreed on this stuff Talkbass wouldn't be nearly as much fun as it is!