Can't stand jam band bassists

[lucas vigor]

Anyone else not like or admire jam band bassists like Mike Gordon?

I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of jam bands in general, finding them to be mindless noodlers...

But bass player mag frequently has these guys in featured articles....Chris Wood, Mike Gordon..others....even the venerable Phil Lesh leaves me cold.

It seems that someone likes them, but not me! I find the playing to generally be lacking in groove, and lacking in substance...but these bassists are quiet popular, so I am willing to concede I may just not "get it"
Any one agree with me on this?

 

[funkedupbass]

I tend to agree with you, but Chris wood Kinda can groove like a mofo on that there upright...but yeah...Down with Jam Bands!!!
-eric
hehehehe......

 

[Sonorous]

I find the playing to generally be lacking in groove, and lacking in substance...but these bassists are quiet popular, so I am willing to concede I may just not "get it"

I like such bands/bassists because I find that they have tons of groove and substance. I'll admit that nobody is perfect and things can get pretty sloppy sometimes, but taking that chance is part of it. When it gets sloppy like that, the band usually fixes it pretty quickly.

I guess we just hear different things.

 

[PinkFloydDan]

I couldn't disagree more with the original post and I have to say I believe your concious is right: You don't get it.

Phil Lesh, especially, is an amazing bass player. To say he has no groove is laughable. To say Mike Gordon has no groove is criminal. I have to wonder what tou are listening to from these guys to make this determination...

 

[Blackbird]

Check out Kai Eckhardt with Garaj Mahal. He'll cure what ails you.

 

[Matt Till]

Chris Wood lacks groove?!

Methinks ye ears need adjustin' ye scurvey dog.

 

[superbassman2000]

its true...i'd like to now which songs you are talking about in which the above mentioned bass players have no groove.
but on the other hand, jam bands aren't for everyone...everyone has their own tastes...

 

[D.A.R.K.]

i hate alot of jam bands, love alot of jam bands...
you can tell when someone has enough of an ear to take it out
and maintain with a group.
example:
widespread panic=bar band, bad redundant jams, wish they were the dead
flecktones=musicians, playing to take it to another level
personally, i don't like either much...
now, king crimson on the other hand....amazing
imho, ime, ad nauseam
d

 

[Christopher]

[Cartman]

Stupid hippies!

[/Cartman]

Seriously, though, as with any genre of music, there are good and bad bass players. There's increasing crossover now between groups firmly rooted in the "Jam Band" scene and instrumentally virtuosic bands that have now been belatedly discovered and embraced by hippies. That includes bands like Flecktones, Tortoise, Galactic, Ben Harper, Disco Biscuits, MMW, and John Scofield, oddly enough.

 

[Sonorous]

Seriously, though, as with any genre of music, there are good and bad bass players. There's increasing crossover now between groups firmly rooted in the "Jam Band" scene and instrumentally virtuosic bands that have now been belatedly discovered and embraced by hippies. That includes bands like Flecktones, Tortoise, Galactic, Ben Harper, Disco Biscuits, MMW, and John Scofield, oddly enough.

Tortoise is an instrumentally virtuosic band?

I mean, I absolutley love Tortoise. They're one of my favorites. But there aren't any highly technical solos of any sort.

 

[i like tictacs]

I think that "jamband" bassists are the most groovy out there.

Victor Wooten
Mike Gordon
Whoever is the John Butler Trio bassist
Stefan Lessard
Phil Lesh

etc..etc.

 

[Matt Till]

I do find jam bands often to be mindless self indulgence, but on the other hand... jamming is so fun, I can't blame them.


Strangely though, when my friends and I jam, people only dig us when they're high... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[phaneo]

I just an't even think straight right now!!!!!! To think that anyone can say that Chris Wood is not one of the greatest bass players around is beyond me. If you would just take some time and listen to any MMW album, you will definitely hear otherwise. What's up with calling Ben Harper a jam band? I have many live recordings of Ben, and have seen hi twice and they stay pretty true to the song format and all. Juan Nelson will blow you away. Just find a live version of his solo on Brown Eyed Blues and you'll see! PLEASE

 

[narud]

garaj mahal, flecktones, scofield's recent group, etc arent really jambands. theyve found a way to take advantage of a scene and group of people that supports live music. more power to em'.

and im another one that doesnt dig chris wood's playing at all. imo, mmw gets boring quick.

 

[lucas vigor]

It's funny, but I guess most people do consider the flecktones a jam band...I do like them a lot!

What about the Charlie Hunter group?

 

[Christopher]

garaj mahal, flecktones, scofield's recent group, etc arent really jambands. theyve found a way to take advantage of a scene and group of people that supports live music. more power to em'.

Yeah, exactly. It's not so much that these guys fit the typical jamband mold; it's that hippies are opening up to other types of instrumental music.

Forgot about Charlie Hunter - he's a good one. Great guitarist AND bassist.

 

[NJL]

Otiel back in the ARU days....enough said....

 

[GSPLBASSDC]

Otiel back in the ARU days....enough said....

+1

...and somebody mentioned Ben harper and the Innocent Criminals.....Juan Nelson has PLENTY of groove for a jam bassist!!

 

[slackdaddy]

Ever listen to Allen Woody's playing? Particularly with Gov't Mule? He's phenomenal. I know these posts are all opinions but why the need to put down entire genres of music? Whenever I read interviews with great players, they often stress how they listen to everything. There are good and bad players in every musical genre.

 

[NJL]

+1

...and somebody mentioned Ben harper and the Innocent Criminals.....Juan Nelson has PLENTY of groove for a jam bassist!!

funny, my wife saw them on TV and was like, "you need to check out this bass player!"...i caught them on a re-run of Austin City Limits - he was BAAAAAAAD!!!! i took my wife to an extra special dinner that night for having a good taste in bassplayers!