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10-29-2006, 10:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seattle, WA | | | James Jamerson Style?
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I've been reading a lot about James lately and listened to the Standing in the Shadows of Mowtown soundtrack recently. I've always admired his playing, but have only recently thought about departing from my typical blues\blues-rock style to a study of the man himself. I'd like to learn some of his classic lines\style, but not sure where to start.
Any ideas? |
10-29-2006, 10:28 AM
|  | Funkify your Life | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Bucket, RI. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Joshua There is a book of the same name (Standing in...) which is excellent. It contains mucho info on the man, as well as a plethora of transcriptions and a play along cd (I think, mine is so old it came w/ cassettes!)... | +1
Mine also has the cassette tapes. 
Probably the best Jamerson resource out there. If you want to go all out get the Motown box set "Hitsville USA 1959-1971" That book and the box set are were my two best companions at one time. Essentials if you want to master the master.
Other than that you can also find a lot of Motown transcription online if you look around. |
10-29-2006, 10:34 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Phoenix, Az | | | in a nutshell, Jamerson, being one of the very first men to pick up a "Fender Bass" or electric bass was a pioneer, and much of his style was simply his best attempt to do this smallish sidways electric bass justice with the experience he brought from the upright.
If you look at his one finger style known as "the hook" it's just a way many upright players played their bass but translated to a sideways electric.
On another front, his style of playing is also pioneering as he took the bass to the forefront of a song.. many a motown song is almost entirely predicated on the bass line, and therefore he couldn't just play simple root's inside the beat... he took it to a new level with syncopated and chromatic uses of notes and scales, chords and other patterns that simply were unheard of heretofore.
So his style really is the forefather of all of our styles today.. pick a bassist from the mid 60's on thru todays and he's got a bit of Jamerson's style infused in him. To study Jamerson's style is to study bass playing itself. |
10-29-2006, 01:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seattle, WA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Joshua There is a book of the same name (Standing in...) which is excellent. It contains mucho info on the man, as well as a plethora of transcriptions and a play along cd (I think, mine is so old it came w/ cassettes!)... | Cool - I'll try to order this. Any Jamerson basslines you'd recommend I start learning? Thanks, all! |
10-29-2006, 03:31 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northeast, US | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by SamJ So his style really is the forefather of all of our styles today | Well said, and not at all overstated, in my opinion.
Everyone else:
If you have any appreciation for the Motown tunes, and you then start to look at JJ's lines, it's really a revelation. His lines didn't just support or enhance some of those tunes - his lines Were some of those tunes.
If you haven't listened to the isolated tracks on SITSOM, you're in for a very big treat.
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Frank
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10-29-2006, 05:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Montreal, Canada | |
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Alexander Cool - I'll try to order this. Any Jamerson basslines you'd recommend I start learning? Thanks, all! |
When you get the book, I would start with the easier one.
When you start to feel the jamerson groove start to work on the hardest stuff.
Some of these songs can take a few weeks to lear!!
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"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence." ~Leopold Stokowski
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10-29-2006, 10:21 PM
| | | | I'm trying to learn as much Jamerson as possible but its hard to find the original motown recordings.
As well as SITSOM Jamerson tribute, the Best of the Funk Brothers is a good place to start. It's got instrumental versions of two classics: Bernadette and What's Going On.
As far as starting to learn Jamerson's style, I started with my favourite, What's Going On. It's got many subtle variations (Jamerson rarely played the exact same passage twice) but it's very rewarding to learn by ear. Another Marvin Gaye song, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, is another great example of this style.
Some nice (relatively) easy ones: Ain't Too Proud to Beg, You Can't Hurry Love, Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing.
For me his crowning moment is Darling Dear by the Jackson 5. Still trying to master that one.
You can find some of these songs on allofmp3.com where you can download them on the cheap. Good site. |
11-14-2006, 10:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO | | I recently learned about a set of CDs called "Motown Original Arist Karaoke". I have no interest in karaoke, but this particular set of discs isn't your typical cheap remakes. These discs contain the original Motown instrumental tracks, with the lead vocals removed! Wonderful stuff for us Jamerson fans!
Here's a link to a box set of 6 discs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FZG94
Other discs are sold individually, just do a search in Amazon.
This is now on my Christmas list! 
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Last edited by Vandelay : 11-14-2006 at 10:53 PM.
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11-14-2006, 11:25 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cambridge, MA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Vandelay I recently learned about a set of CDs called "Motown Original Arist Karaoke". I have no interest in karaoke, but this particular set of discs isn't your typical cheap remakes. These discs contain the original Motown instrumental tracks, with the lead vocals removed! Wonderful stuff for us Jamerson fans!
Here's a link to a box set of 6 discs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FZG94
Other discs are sold individually, just do a search in Amazon.
This is now on my Christmas list! | Thanks for this find. Looks awesome. I'll be getting the set. |
11-15-2006, 08:12 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oklahoma City, OK | | | My favorite thing about Jamerson is how he provides a seriously groovin, almost Bach-style counterpoint to the vocal melody, while simultaneously lockin HARD with the drums. |
11-15-2006, 07:38 PM
| | | | Buy some CD's and lock yourself in a room with only them and your bass for companionship. |
11-15-2006, 07:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seattle, WA | | | Bummer - Standing In the Shadows was supposed to come to me via Netflix this afternoon, but it wasn't in the batch... |
11-15-2006, 07:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northeast, US | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Alexander Bummer - Standing In the Shadows was supposed to come to me via Netflix this afternoon, but it wasn't in the batch... | It will be worth the wait. It's great.
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Frank
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11-15-2006, 08:31 PM
|  | TalkBass' resident Bongo + Cowbell player | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Bucaramanga, Colombia, South A | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Vandelay I recently learned about a set of CDs called "Motown Original Arist Karaoke". I have no interest in karaoke, but this particular set of discs isn't your typical cheap remakes. These discs contain the original Motown instrumental tracks, with the lead vocals removed! Wonderful stuff for us Jamerson fans!
Here's a link to a box set of 6 discs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FZG94 | Awesome! Added to my wish list!  |
11-15-2006, 08:45 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia | | | Yes, jamerson was a pioneer on the electric bass. but at the same time, a lot of what he was doing was transferring his upright playing style to the electric.
after listening to a lot of mingus, carter and ray browne, IMO they all shared a similiar playing style. the bouncy upright style so often associated with jazz and bebop, which jamerson then put to good use on the 'funk machine'.
i don't think its possible to really understand what jamerson is doing rhythmically without some study into the role of the upright bass in jazz.
but that all just my opinion. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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