As an occasional listener of motown I have really started to dig it! I have finally been researching Mr. Jamerson and I am starting to understand why he is the man. I got this from his wiki page:
"Jamerson's discography at Motown reads as a catalog of soul hits of the 1960s and 1970s. His work includes Motown hits such as, among hundreds of others, "Shotgun" by Jr. Walker & the All Stars, "For Once in My Life", "I Was Made To Love Her" by Stevie Wonder, "Going to a Go-Go" by The Miracles, "My Girl" by The Temptations, "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips, and later by Marvin Gaye, and most of the album What's Going On by Marvin Gaye, "Reach Out I'll Be There" and "Bernadette" by the Four Tops, and "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes. According to fellow Funk Brothers in the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, Gaye was desperate to have Jamerson play on "What's Going On", and went to several bars to find the bassist. When he did, he brought Jamerson to the studio, who then played the classic line while lying flat on his back. He is reported to have played on some 95% of Motown recordings between 1962 and 1968. He eventually performed on nearly 30 No. 1 pop hits—surpassing the record commonly attributed to The Beatles. On the R&B charts, nearly 70 of his performances went to the top."
I am wondering if these songs are a good place to start, or if you would recommend others? I have some itunes gift cards that need cashing in. Also, if there are just other great P tones you suggest, I would love to know those songs as well. I am trying to grow in appreciation for the P sound since I have always been a J guy. Recently a pal let me play his vintage P and apparently the way I play sounds 'amazing' to him [ I tend to pluck or hook on certain lines?] and he is really encouraging me to use a P in more of the things I do and that I have to embrace the P tone in the mix, not by itself. Along with the tunes I am going to be looking for a P and starting learning some of this great motown music
