Bass Solos That Knock You Out

[Pirate Captain]

 

[groooooove]

jaco on "used to be a cha cha" is insane.

 

[jTrolt]

Jerry Peek on Cruise Missile, from Steve Morse Band, The Introduction.

As a kid, I absolutely freaked out the first time I heard this, and obsessed over figuring out how to play any of it at all. Damn near learned the whole thing and grew leaps and bounds in the process.

Yes, slap/pop/tap was all the rage in those days, but the solo (~2:00) shows he could still play a tasteful, melodic interlude in the mix of bombast (too bad this official video clips that tasteful part short, but you get the gist)

 

[Killing Floor]

Did you go to the New School by any chance?

No. Just a fan of his and some related musicians.

 

[MegaSwing]

I can't be alone in not liking bass solos?

I can appreciate, to some degree, the players who solo with fine musicality. It’s a neat facility to have. However, it has absolutely nothing to do with what attracted me to bass or how I want to approach playing. I want to see dancers out there.

 

[L. L. Elwood]

This is one of my all-time favorite moments for a televised bass solo. A rare moment from Bob Glaub, the studio Ace, with Linda Ronstadt in 1980. The whole track is just a master stroke in live rock performance. Everyone is just at the top of their game. Solo starts at 2:35.

 

[devnulljp]

 

[Altitude]

Jerry Peek on Cruise Missile, from Steve Morse Band, The Introduction.

As a kid, I absolutely freaked out the first time I heard this, and obsessed over figuring out how to play any of it at all. Damn near learned the whole thing and grew leaps and bounds in the process.

Yes, slap/pop/tap was all the rage in those days, but the solo (~2:00) shows he could still play a tasteful, melodic interlude in the mix of bombast (too bad this official video clips that tasteful part short, but you get the gist)

Great one. This was another bass feature I stumbled across as a very young player that became part of my personal pantheon of inspiration.

Jerry Peek has posted here off and on, and some years ago I had a chance to discuss this song with him. He’s proud of it but also aware that it might have led some young players in the wrong direction because it’s ridiculously indulgent. I might have been one of those young players.

 

[gtirard]

Joe Jackson "Fools in love" with Graham Maby @5:25

 

[Pings Bass]

I thought you were a jazz guy. You could at least like a classic jazz bass solo. No Mingus, not Gary Peacock...

Eh. The jazz bass solo can have it's place. It never knocks me out (or most other people judging by the audience chatter typically heard). But I chafe at how formulaic and academic mainstream jazz has become. You ain't gotta have a bass solo or trade fours on every number! The song's the thing, and not ever song calls for a chorus or two of low pitched mumbling after the horn players have shot their wads.

 

[enjoi1018]

12:35 when the Deep Impact comes on. I have memorized every single note of this solo lol

 

[DuluthDank]

The bass solo starts at 2:23, but really the quality of improv in this whole tune knocks my socks off.

 

[Nightsprinter]

Welp, learning this one ASAP. That was fantastic!

Songsterr's got it. Should be close enough.
Rivers Dancing Bass Tab by Gordian Knot | Songsterr Tabs with Rhythm

 

[funkinbottom]

My all time fave bass solo (starts 0.53) Byron Miller, often overlooked and underrated.

 

[bdplaid]

 

[bdplaid]

 

[Altitude]

Eh. The jazz bass solo can have it's place. It never knocks me out (or most other people judging by the audience chatter typically heard). But I chafe at how formulaic and academic mainstream jazz has become. You ain't gotta have a bass solo or trade fours on every number! The song's the thing, and not ever song calls for a chorus or two of low pitched mumbling after the horn players have shot their wads.

I agree that bass solos that are low, quiet, and indistinct are a poor use of attention. But two things:

- Bass players are at a disadvantage learning to solo since we’re asked to observe the root so much. By result there are a lot of harmonically boring bass solos. Yes, a lot of bass solos do suck. It’s not the instrument’s fault; it has the same 12 notes as all the others.

- Combining a couple Talkbass topics, one reason I like the use of six string bass in jazz is that when the bass player solos they can move the pitch up a couple octaves to where our ears can perceive it more easily from the rhythm. Bass solos like this become more “solos played on a bass.”

Both of these are reasons why I like Patitucci so much - when you consider note choices in his solos, he could really be playing any instrument.

 

[cnltb]

I recon that the whole of 'Ones All', by Dave Holland is very much worth mentioning here,

 

[brianrost]

Herbie Flowers from the "Nilsson Schmilsson” album, sort of a parody of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”. For me, Herbie is the greatest unsung session bass player from the UK. His playing on the track right from the intro is as greasy as it gets, but the solo is what slays me.

Fast forward to 4:43 for the solo (for context, start at 3:46). Don’t try this one on stage!

 

[bdplaid]

Haven't heard this in so many years! I used to know it. Time to relearn it. Thanks!

Post some tab, because i could never figure it out!