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Any Paul Jackson Fans??

#21
I got the Cornell Rochester disc(I SAID YOUR MOTHER'S ON THE PIPE)the other day. The drumming is happenin', though the tunes are NOT(well, 2-3 of the 9 are "OK").
The synth sounds on this recording are kinda "cheesy", kinda in that late '80s R&B schmaltz vibe.
I got another Music Revelation Ensemble disc coming in this week w/ Rochester...keep ya posted.
***Now back to our regularly scheduled program***
 
#22
Has anyone picked up the re-issue of Jackson's BLACK OCTOPUS? Mine's on order & hasn't arrived yet...(I'm pissed that I ordered it when the local flunky store actually got a copy in last week!).

Brad, Jerry...c'mon, I know you guys have this(or had it).

I did pick up Mike Clark's ACTUAL PROOF...
 
#23
Sorry to resurrect such an old thread (over 9 months since last post!) but I thought my question might fit in here.

Could anyone help to break down the Paul Jackson "sound"? He gets such great tone - warm and thick, but still with real definition to notes - I think of it as "woody" (my own term!) which a tone that I seem to associate with maple fretboards.

I've dug out an interview in 'Bassist', and nowdays, he uses roundwound strings and active Neuser (sp?) basses. Back in the 70s, what would PJ have been using? There's a picture in the liner notes of 'Thrust' that shows him with a maple-board Fender. Would PJ have been using flatwound strings? I just can't seem to get that kind of "thud" out of roundwound strings. Listen to 'Palm Grease' or the first 30 seconds of 'Actual Proof' (both from 'Thrust') - that's the kind of tone I'm striving for at the moment.

Thanks,
David
 
#24
Dave-
...I'm assuming it's a Fender P-bass.
Nowadaze, PJ is using an ESP bass; another cd I've recently picked up is Conjuction...PJ & Mike Clark & Dave Fiuczynski(I'm rather disappointed in this release, save for a couple of numbers).
Also, in the cd booklet to Black Octopus, there's a couple pictures of Jackson playing...I dunno, some kinda "Frankenstein"-style Fender; the all-maple neck looks like a Fender Telecaster bass neck. the body looks as though TWO soap bar pickups have been placed midways.
I'd bet Brad would know this...
 
#26
No doubts,it's a P-bass!
I love that sound.
I think that PJ 's main bass,was a early 50's telecaster style P-bass.I know he uses heavy strings(with a 0.50 G string!!!!).
Naowadays I am playing many headhunters covers
with my fusion group: I am happy about the sound I get with my Sadowsky in passive mode with only the neckl pick-up on.
 
#27
In the video that I saw with PJ and MC paul was playing a custom Jazz bass. I can get his sound using my fretless jazz bass using the neck PU with just a tad bridge. But I do agree that from the original headhunters albums he is using a 50's tele P bass I am not sure I have a picture of him at home in a CD insert
 
#30
paul jackson had a set of hi a's in that mongrel fender. when i caught the return of the headhunters show, he was using that bass and broke the e string on the first tune. the guy digs in harder than anyone ive ever seen. herbie's secrets album has a great representation of that fender. paul jackson has influenced my playing more than anyone ive ever heard.

mike clarke is also one of my favorite drummers. the way he mixes a straight ahead kind of thing in his funk drumming is amazing. his playing on the brand x album product smokes too.

actual proof is in my top 5 of all time favorite songs.

with as much credit as jaco gets for his 16th note funk, i think pj's 16th note style is waaaay funkier.
 
#31
Updates-

The Headhunters sans Herbie discs mentioned above are now domestic re-issues...I'd rate Survival Of The Fittest as the 'better' of the two. Blackbird really impressed me...I would love to find a player around here that's into what McKnight's about.

I have also picked up an Azteca album w/ Jackson...I need to spend more time with it(Jackson is on some of the cuts)before commenting.

Today, I did pick up Herbie's Direct Step, an import disc originally issued in '79. Basically, it's a homerun...Jackson is smokin' as is Maupin.
The drummer is Alphonse Mouzon.
The band really stretches out on the album's THREE tunes.
...I mentioned this in a different thread-
Man, Jackson wears that bas LOW! ;)
 
#32
OH yes. I have afew great albums for you to find:
1. Black Octopus -- Composed by Jackson and performed by the headhunters on a Japan Tour, never released outside of Japan from what I hear. This is DOPE. Standout tracks are Funk times three, Burnin in the Heat of your love. You MUST hear this album.
2. Headhunters - Survival Of the Fittest -- God made me funky is pretty damn funky.
3. I hear Jackson was the bassist for Azteca, so their albums would be a recommendation as well, although I haven't heard any of thier material.

You should also check out Bennie Maupin -- clarinet player for the headhunters, I believe Jackson is on 'Slow traffic to the right' which is one of my favourite all-time jazz funk albums.
 
#38
I'm always impressed with Paul Jackson's bass lines. I'm also a big fan of "Thrust". What a creative bass player! He really knows how to stretch and keep up with Herbies harmonic concept too (which i assume is not easy to do.) He sounds like a funk player with a jazz mentality.
 

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