School of Jamerson

[jazzbass1967]

I wanna get some feedback about James' work. Let's say you meet someone whose never heard of Jamerson and you wanna give them a crash course in his work. Pick 10 songs that you would recommend.

[Tandrew]

Marvin Gaye's albums:
What's Going On
Trouble Man
Let's Get It On


If you haven't heard them, then check 'em out! I think that's about 23 songs with plenty of Jamerson groove.

[Roy Vogt]

First off, the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" book and DVD says it all
+1 on the entire What's Going On album
Love Child by the Supremes the entire Album
Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing
and Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder
Reach Out I'll Be There by the 4 Tops
both the Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye versions of Heard It Through the Grapevine
Darling Dear by the Jackson 5
Of course, you could just catch Anthony Jackson in conversation and ask his opinion...

[Commreman]

Gotta include "Bernadette" and "My Girl"

[Roy Vogt]

Originally Posted by Commreman

Gotta include "Bernadette" and "My Girl"

+1 I think you could just get them ANY Motown anthology and it would answer the question "Who is James Jamerson and why was he so special to bass?"

[One Drop]

I'd also send them to youtube to do a search for Jamerson and Funk brothers. There are some awesome isolated bass tracks and also instrumental versions of Motown hits where you can really hear what he was doing.

And of course Rick Suchow's website.

[BIGREDSIX]

Check out the recent Bass Player magazine article with Anthony Jackson and James' son discussing their take on his most influential and important pieces of work.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by BIGREDSIX

Check out the recent Bass Player magazine article with Anthony Jackson and James' son discussing their take on his most influential and important pieces of work.

Which issue is that in?

[jazzbass1967]

Originally Posted by BIGREDSIX

Check out the recent Bass Player magazine article with Anthony Jackson and James' son discussing their take on his most influential and important pieces of work.

I'll be sure to pick that up! I normally don't bother reading BP anymore because they rarely feature real players.

[Danny Fox]

+1 on "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, that was one of the first basslines i learnt, love it!

[Cy_Miles]

Do I have to keep it 10???

I'm going to have to get back to you on that!

okay just off the top of my head hear goea
1 Nowhere to Run
2 Get Ready
3 What's Going On
4 Contract On Love
5 I'm Losing You
6 Heard it Through The Grapvevine
7 Bernadette
8 Same Old Song
9 I Wanna Make Her Love Me
I0 Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

ah damn I'm out of choices, so I can't bring up Ain't No Mountain High Enough or Aint Too Proud to Beg, or For Once In My Life or........

[4StringedFiend]

There's no way you could fit any sort of definition of Jamerson's playing into a 10 song list, but one can try.
+1 on the "Standing In The Shadows of Motown" book/cd combo. that thing changed my basslines forever.

Some that I would have to include would be:
Ain't Nothin like the real thing
Ain't no mountain High enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Bernadette
My Guy (for it's upright sound)
Darling Dear (IMO one of the most BEAUTIFUL basslines ever played)
Reach out
Heard it through the Grapevine (I rip off those licks all the time)


Really, every song he played was unique, and still had the common thread of James Jamerson underneath. I am yet to hear a Jamerson bassline that I haven't liked.

[StyleOverShow]

Signed, Sealed & Delivered is pretty good too.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Roy Vogt

First off, the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" book and DVD says it all
+1 on the entire What's Going On album
Love Child by the Supremes the entire Album
Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing
and Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder
Reach Out I'll Be There by the 4 Tops
both the Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye versions of Heard It Through the Grapevine
Darling Dear by the Jackson 5
Of course, you could just catch Anthony Jackson in conversation and ask his opinion...

best book out there.......

[Cy_Miles]

If I were a bass teacher, on a students very first day I would teach them Dancing In The Streets, and maybe Get Ready and My Girl.

+100 on "Standing In The Shadows of Motown"

Also for players I can recommend Hal Leanord's "Motown Bass Classics", All HL "Bass Recorded Versions" books I have found are extremely accurate.

[stiles72]

Originally Posted by Roy Vogt

First off, the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" book and DVD says it all

+1 The stories and memories of James on the CD and DVD are just as priceless as the tunes

[gregmerrill]

If they know how to read make then transcribe a bass line. That ought to gain their respect for him.

[brekfustuvluzer]

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

Signed, Sealed & Delivered is pretty good too.

im pretty sure that was bob babbitt, but a great bassline indeed.

three i havent seen mentioned yet that are the FIRST three i would recommend are:

stevie wonder: i was made to love her

jackson 5: i want you back

and

gladys knight: heard it through the grapevine (very different from marvin's version)

+1 to everything else mentioned and +1000 to standing in the shadows book AND dvd!

[Clark Dark]

+1000 on all the above...my fave DB line was shoo be doo be do dah day by Stevie
my fave on P-Bass was maybe tomorrow by the J-5

[Icon5]

Originally Posted by brekfustuvluzer

jackson 5: i want you back

Wilton Felder was the bassist on that track. Sick bass line though. I love it.

To me, my favorite Jamerson line is still What's Going On. I can listen to it over and over and still marvel at it. Does anyone know if that was written for him or did he improv? I heard it was a written part but can't confirm this.

Babbit played a few on the What's Going On Album I think. I'm pretty sure he played Mercy Mercy Me.