Alphonso Johnson

[Basshappi]

Before Jaco there was Al who has always been one of my favorite bassists of Weather Report.
This a great performance, the sound on this vid isn't fantastic but these guys were flat layin it down!

 

[jerry]

The Alphonso years have always been my favorite Weather Repot recordings.

 

[DWBass]

The Alphonso years have always been my favorite Weather Repot recordings.

Mine too. Better tone and better fit, IMO. Not taking anything away from Jaco though.

 

[jerry]

The Alphonso Johnson recordings with Flora Purim from that era are also some of my favorite albums ever.

 

[middlebit]

Great hearing him playing a fretted bass! He's a huge influence on me, but I find his fretless intonation suspect in places.

 

[jerry]

This track just slams! Alphonso with Mike Clark and Grover Washington.

 

[DWBass]

This track just slams! Alphonso with Mike Clark and Grover Washington.

I have that album. A young Patrice Rushen and Sheila E were present as well as Lee Ritenour.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I have that album. A young Patrice Rushen and Sheila E were present as well as Lee Ritenour.

I had that on vinyl too.

 

[JimK]

There is a 3-album set available (on 2 cds)-
Moonshadows/Yesterday's Dreams/Spell bound...$20 or so.
Amazon has it.

I also recommend these 3-album sets-
Steve Khan (Eyewitness/Blades/Casa Loco)

Tom Scott (Tom Scott & The L.A. Express/Tom Cat/New York Connection)

 

[Watchootognbout]

Had this album back in the day.
Featured Pat Thrall of the Pat Travers band.
This tune received some heavy radio play back in '77-'78 in SoCal.


Alph played through something called the B.A.S.T.A.R.D. system.
(Bass Amplification System Through Added Regeneration Devices)

Here.ALPHONSO JOHNSON BACK IN THE DAY!!!

 

[Watchootognbout]

There is a 3-album set available (on 2 cds)-
Moonshadows/Yesterday's Dreams/Spell bound...$20 or so.
Amazon has it.

I also recommend these 3-album sets-
Steve Khan (Eyewitness/Blades/Casa Loco)

Tom Scott (Tom Scott & The L.A. Express/Tom Cat/New York Connection)

On a side topic they need to re-release this on disc.
For my sake!

 

[JimK]

Had this album back in the day.
Featured Pat Thrall of the Pat Travers band.
This tune received some heavy radio play back in '77-'78 in SoCal.


Alph played through something called the B.A.S.T.A.R.D. system.
(Bass Amplification System Through Added Regeneration Devices)

Here.ALPHONSO JOHNSON BACK IN THE DAY!!!

Nice versions of "Bahama Mama" are on-
The Montreux Summit, Volume 1
CBS All-Stars w/ Alphonso.


Alivemutherforya
Cobham, Tom Scott, & Steve Khan with Alphonso.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Hey....we all like the same music!

I still play Bahama Mama to warm up.
B.A.S.T.A.R.D.

 

[jerry]

There is a 3-album set available (on 2 cds)-
Moonshadows/Yesterday's Dreams/Spell bound...$20 or so.
Amazon has it.

When I replaced my vinyl with CDs for those three titles, I had to pay import prices and they weren't even available for a long time.
About 22 minutes in is more Alphonso from Montreux Summit:

 

[jerry]

What made me breakout the Alphonso albums on Saturday was that I was listening to Charnett Moffett's Music From our Soul album and his use of reverb on his fretless reminded me of Alphonso.

 

[Basshappi]

Well since someone mentioned Billy Cobham....

Band comes in at 3:35

 

[RickC]

Getting kind of off topic in this thread, but I gotta say I love the band in that Cobham clip

 

[bassbrad]

The first time I saw Weather Report was with Alphonso on bass and I was very inspired to get and start playing a fretless bass and get a few effects. Shortly after that I saw Jean Luc Ponty with Ralphe Armstrong further inspiring that search for fretless and effects.

Weather Report with Alphonso remains some of my my favorite tracks for listening, inspiration and study- especially the unreleased and live tracks.

Alphonso remains one of the few bassists I've yet to meet that I would love to hang out with and just absorb some spirit.

The next time WR came to town I was so excited to see Alphonso but they had this unknown skinny white guy, but that is another story.

 

[jerry]

 

[thetaxmiser]

Mysterious Traveler really made an impact on my playing. There was so much space between the notes. Gave me confidence to not play all the time.