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A guy that realy CAN give Wooten a run.

#45
williamk said:
I think Alain Caron just might be the best of all. Wooten has skills but he's a big showoff, Caron has style and humility.
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Guess you never met the soul. Its not showing off, its what he does, its what we pay him for, its his calling.

Bigfat, to each his own. Plenty of Vics work, particularly Palmistry, and even A Show of Hands, I find a deep groove in. Huge. Its all aboput feel, until he gets his sped up for a few bars.

And Vic isnt that big. I got near 70 lbs on him ( only 20 is raw muscle !). And he can still kick my arse physically. :)
 
#47
Man, I love the videos and such, but his stage presence is definitely lacking compared to Victor. I went from his awesomely technical video with great technique back to Vics "sloppy" technique compared to Alain and had my foot tapping, fingers on the bass drum..

IMO, Victor is still the best bassist alive, and as I said, IMO. He has that "feel" compared to that "technique."
 
#49
I can't believe what I am reading. Very disappointed in the whole "better or best" debate. Music is art, not a sport. Some of you people should be on a sports site. Artist create, Critics critique. Which are you?
 
#50
bigfatbass said:
Oteil FTW.

Theory like Dimin
Chops like Wooten
Finger funk like Rocco
Musicality/voicings like J.P. Jones
Rock like Alan Woody (RIP Wood-man!)
Slap grooves like Marcus
And you can even throw in scat like George Benson

He is the consummate player. Even Wooten regularly forgets it's about music and goes off on 10 minute clicking masturbation excursions. That stuff is for noobs. Technique, techshmeek, none of these chops monsters can hold a candle to even the most rudimentary player that digs in with soul. That's where Oteil wins, IMO. The rest of the whole lot seem more impressed by their own skillz than they are impressed by music. I thought we left music based on how much lickety crap you can memorize back in the 70s.
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He doesn't get enough credit. Victor is well aware of his talents.
 
#51
williamk said:
I think Alain Caron just might be the best of all. Wooten has skills but he's a big showoff, Caron has style and humility.
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I beg to differ. I think Caron is just as much a 'showoff' as Wooten or any 'upfront' bassist! He's got a cool playing style and he shows it off at every opportunity! The best? Well, I don't know. I found several youtube vids of cats who have copped his playing style very well, one who could be deemed a 'clone'! Caron is good at what he does! To me his fretless playing is way more expressive and impressive. His slap style seems to only work well in a 'fusion' setting. Wooten seems to be able to make his style work in 'any' setting, IMHO. Again, this doesn't make either of them the 'best'. Just my observation.
 
#53
DWBass said:
Really? Wooten has no soul in his playing?? :hmm: Again, I beg to differ. Caron, I agree. He seems like a robot at times! Wooten you can always tell he's having a great time making music!
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Just sayin......
What make you think Alain isn't?? I mean you may be right, that smile on his face at times must show he's not having a good time playng his own music with some monster player.
Hell, make me not have a great time too!! ;!
 
#55
MikeBass said:
Just sayin......
What make you think Alain isn't?? I mean you may be right, that smile on his face at times must show he's not having a good time playng his own music with some monster player.
Hell, make me not have a great time too!! ;!
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Tru dat!

I tell you though, Wooten will often do something freaky leaving me in amazement and wondering, just what in the heck did he just do! He can give me goosebumps at times.
 
#56
I didn't say Vic had no soul, I said it is sometimes on vacation. I have several friends that are practically religious about him, and his camp, and how it's all about the vibe. He is a wonderful player, and by all accounts nicer than a cold drink on a hot day when you meet him. I have a lot of respect for that. My beef with him is his solo shows where he and his brothers click at you for 30 minutes straight like a parlor trick. Vic has plenty of soul, but for some reason he chooses to cater to the chops/ego crowd instead, and WAY too often. You get one mailed in version of Amazing Grace, and then it's back to the clicking. I've seen just as many Oteil solo gigs and I've never seen him do anything so tasteless/masturbatory.

And being happy whilst playing helps, but the happiest guy on earth might play squarer than a saltine box.
 
#57
They are both amazing, but I hear them and enjoy them in differant ways. I prefer Wooten when he plays with Bela the most. I saw him with DMB and did not think it matched well - he did not change his style to fit the music and as a result, IMO, detracted from the music itself. Caron is very enjoyable, but more of a technical blast to me.
 
#58
bigfatbass said:
Oteil FTW.

Theory like Dimin
Chops like Wooten
Finger funk like Rocco
Musicality/voicings like J.P. Jones
Rock like Alan Woody (RIP Wood-man!)
Slap grooves like Marcus
And you can even throw in scat like George Benson

He is the consummate player. Even Wooten regularly forgets it's about music and goes off on 10 minute clicking masturbation excursions. That stuff is for noobs. Technique, techshmeek, none of these chops monsters can hold a candle to even the most rudimentary player that digs in with soul. That's where Oteil wins, IMO. The rest of the whole lot seem more impressed by their own skillz than they are impressed by music. I thought we left music based on how much lickety crap you can memorize back in the 70s.
Click to expand...

Oteil really is amazing. I was fortunate enough to see him play twice with the ARU and once with Govt Mule. For some reason, none of the youtube clips or videos I've seen of him do justice. There are a few clips of him scatting, but the tone is a little thin. But every time I've seen him live, he brings the groove 110%. His grooves are phat, and he basically steers the whole band and regulates the energy level. Throw on top of that his unique sense of melody/harmony and a lot of cool ideas for soloing... he definitely occupies his share of the bass stratosphere.

Anyway, to stay on topic, Caron is quite the monster himself. I actually discovered a "new" side to his playing on a Frank Gambale recording "Natural High" (FG on acoustic guitar playing "jazz standards with alternate melodies). Alain Caron plays an acoustic bass guitar. His approach and sound, both walking and soloing, is very much in the upright tradition.

I've also picked up his solo album (IIRC, it's called "Conversations") where he plays acoustic bass guitar in a duo setting.

I have to say, Caron is very versatile, and I have a new found respect for the man.
 
#59
+1 on no good youtubes of Oteil. They are all just little bits of him scatting with crappy sound.

For any one who doubts the incredible musicality of Oteil Burbridge, pick up the first 2 Aquarium Rescue Unit CDs. The first one is live, features Chuck Leavell on keys, and The Count M'Butu himself on percussion.

IMO in the top three greatest bands of players ever assembled, and the true reflection of the genius of Col. Bruce Hampton. No one got more out of his players than Bruce. The later ARU stuff is a bit heavier post Col., but Paul Henson is one of the great blue-eyed soul singers of his generation. An American treasure who should be a household name. Too bad he preferred the bottle.
 
#60
bigfatbass said:
Oteil has style, humility, and SOUL.


Something completely lacking in much of Wooten's and Alain's playing.
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Not denying that about Oteil, but I WILL argue that about Wooten.

The man's got more soul in one note than most of us can play in a symphony.

Sure, his slapping stuff gets a bit old fast, but when he's not slapping? That's where it's at.
 

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