Who's got great grooves on Chameleon?

[Gnobility]

My band's doing Chameleon and our soloists like to stay out there for quite a while sometimes, and I get bored with my lines pretty quick.

There are guys like Alphonso Johnson who can take a simple vamp and morph it around seemingly forever, while keeping it fresh AND still outlining the groove they started on (I'm thinking of his playing on the Jazz Is Dead CD's).

Do any covers of Chameleon come to mind where the bassist keeps it interesting while still pretty well hanging onto or at least hinting at the signature groove?

I've seen lots of bassists with incredible chops in local fusion bands, but so often you lose track of what song it was when they started.

tia,

Gn

[iplaybassguitar]

i cant respond in the manner that you wish, but i would like to say that i know exactly what your talking about, and that Alphonso Johnson and Jazz is Dead is SICK.

[Baryonyx]

Are we talking Chameleon as in, the Herbie Hancock tune?

[Gnobility]

Originally Posted by Chris2112

Are we talking Chameleon as in, the Herbie Hancock tune?

Yes.

I've got a pretty good cover by John Adams that I'm 'borrowing' from, but would like to listen to other player's approaches.

Gn

[Dr. Cheese]

Remember Chameleon has two "basslines." The low bass part is keyboard bass. Paul Jackson actually played a part very similar to a funk single note guitar pattern during the main vamp. If you are playing with a keyboardist, do it that way sometimes.

[vic_6]

how about taking from the live version? the one from the flood album?

[j-raj]

one of my favorite versions of Chameleon is from Soulive, a live cut from Japan. It's way faster than the original and yes Neal Evans is playing left hand bass on the B3, but it is still worth listening to.

[DocBop]

Check out the new Brian Bromberg CD Downright Upright he's got a cool laid back take on Chameleon.

[radmin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hTjoK_Ourk

A little fast probably but I liked it.

[fivestringgecko]

Originally Posted by j-raj

one of my favorite versions of Chameleon is from Soulive, a live cut from Japan. It's way faster than the original and yes Neal Evans is playing left hand bass on the B3, but it is still worth listening to.

Soulive doing Chameleon? I'd definitely be interested in checking that one out... don't suppose you could point me in the right direction of where to find it, could you?

Thanks in advance!

[j-raj]

Originally Posted by fivestringgecko

Soulive doing Chameleon? I'd definitely be interested in checking that one out... don't suppose you could point me in the right direction of where to find it, could you?

Thanks in advance!

I have it off of a bootleg, PM me your email address and I'll email it to you. It's like 9 minutes and it starts off with Doing Something>Chameleon... man, it's a burning fast version!

Originally Posted by radmin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hTjoK_Ourk

A little fast probably but I liked it.

I really like that soli section... great addition. I think that I'm gonna have to steal that for my next gig.

[fivestringgecko]

Originally Posted by j-raj

PM me...

Message sent!

[Alan Vorse]

All the band members should be listening to each other and reacting to each other. If the soloist starts playing in triplets, jump on that and start implying 6/8. Remember that in "jazz", the rhythm section improvises along with the soloist.

[simon]

I like the version by Gov't Mule from the 'Deepest end' DVD a LOT. Paul Jackson's in it, every single time I listen to it I am still amazed by the sheer groove power he lays down, it's amazing.

Also, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is in it, they kick ass too

[Baryonyx]

I'm still having a real hard job cracking that Headhunters album-I really want to enjoy it, but it's not happening a great deal for me. I keep listening, hoping something will become apparent to me and I'll fall in love, but nothing yet!

[j-raj]

Originally Posted by Chris2112

I'm still having a real hard job cracking that Headhunters album-I really want to enjoy it, but it's not happening a great deal for me. I keep listening, hoping something will become apparent to me and I'll fall in love, but nothing yet!

that's too bad... there is a wealth of groove in there... Thrust, Flood and the original album are great resources. Hope that you are able to check out all three.

[Gnobility]

Originally Posted by Alan Vorse

All the band members should be listening to each other and reacting to each other. If the soloist starts playing in triplets, jump on that and start implying 6/8. Remember that in "jazz", the rhythm section improvises along with the soloist.

That's undoubtedly true. I don't think Alphonso Johnson is thinking about the 14 canned patterns he's got memorized for a given vamp - instead he's just feeding off the drummer and where the soloists are going at any given and just playing.

I have pretty limited skills on bass though, and want to expand my vocabulary of "muscle-memory" licks that play well with others that I can draw on. We're a three piece most of the time (gtr, bass, drums, with occasional trumpet) and the signature lick is such a powerful force on that tune I don't want to stray too far, but at the same time I think the straight "dah-dah-dah-DAH...Dah-DAH" thing gets tiresome for the audience in short order. (I don't even care for how long Herbie hangs on it)

Gn
PS: thanks for all the recommended listening!

[Juneau]

Matt Garrison's version on the Future 2 Future DVD is pretty rockin

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by j-raj

that's too bad... there is a wealth of groove in there... Thrust, Flood and the original album are great resources. Hope that you are able to check out all three.

Oh, it's got groove alright! It's got great beats to it, just the melodies, I'm not in the zone for them!

[j-raj]

Originally Posted by Chris2112

Oh, it's got groove alright! It's got great beats to it, just the melodies, I'm not in the zone for them!

ahh... I see, dats cool.