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Favorite Bass Solo(s)
- Thread starter alexssandro
- Start date
From anywhere, even if it's just a fill.
I'll start:
That last part drool
EDIT: His tone kinda sounds like a muscle car don't you think? I love it!
I'll start:
That last part drool
EDIT: His tone kinda sounds like a muscle car don't you think? I love it!
First one that came to mind...
Jon Camp. Kicks in around 7:15, but the bass throughout is very nice.
Jon Camp. Kicks in around 7:15, but the bass throughout is very nice.
John Camp is awesome. Renaissance is one of the greatest prog rock bands you never heard on the radio (at least not where I grew up).
A few come to mind:
Alphonso Johnson, on John McLaughlin's "Every Tear From Every Eye". Bass solo starts at 4:34 ...but there's so much wonderful multiway improvised conversation going on in this entire tune that it'd be a shame to just skip ahead to the bass solo!
Conversely, I would strongly advocate skipping ahead to the 5:40 mark on Stanley Clarke's "Concerto For Jazz/Rock Orchestra". The bass solo section from 5:40-7:40 is stunning, not so much for Stanley's bass per se but for the incredible telepathic rapport between Clarke, George Duke on Fender Rhodes piano, and Steve Gadd on drums. An astounding glimpse into improvisors with huge ears and copious chops interacting, provoking, cajoling, inspiring one another. I've been listening to this tune for ~40 years and my jaw still drops every time I hear this section.
(The rest of the tune aint too shabby either -- though I could do without the vocals -- but man, that two minute stretch is just sublime.)
Is this a "bass solo" or is it just a remarkably talented musician embellishing the melody? Who cares? This is quite possibly the absolute pinnacle of bass playing imho. Jeff Berlin, on Bruford's "Palewell Park"
Always enjoyed Partick O'Hearn's solo on this live version of "The Purple Lagoon" from Frank Zappa's Live In New York album...though I'll admit I'm torn; is it a brilliant example of a musician exploiting a limited set of materials via motific development? or is it just a guy rattling off a few variations of the same canned lick?
Meh, it's fun to listen to either way. Bass solo is from 8:30-10:23 but check out the bass cadenza at the very beginning also!
And bravo to Les Ismoor for citing "Ashes Are Burning" !
Alphonso Johnson, on John McLaughlin's "Every Tear From Every Eye". Bass solo starts at 4:34 ...but there's so much wonderful multiway improvised conversation going on in this entire tune that it'd be a shame to just skip ahead to the bass solo!
Conversely, I would strongly advocate skipping ahead to the 5:40 mark on Stanley Clarke's "Concerto For Jazz/Rock Orchestra". The bass solo section from 5:40-7:40 is stunning, not so much for Stanley's bass per se but for the incredible telepathic rapport between Clarke, George Duke on Fender Rhodes piano, and Steve Gadd on drums. An astounding glimpse into improvisors with huge ears and copious chops interacting, provoking, cajoling, inspiring one another. I've been listening to this tune for ~40 years and my jaw still drops every time I hear this section.
(The rest of the tune aint too shabby either -- though I could do without the vocals -- but man, that two minute stretch is just sublime.)
Is this a "bass solo" or is it just a remarkably talented musician embellishing the melody? Who cares? This is quite possibly the absolute pinnacle of bass playing imho. Jeff Berlin, on Bruford's "Palewell Park"
Always enjoyed Partick O'Hearn's solo on this live version of "The Purple Lagoon" from Frank Zappa's Live In New York album...though I'll admit I'm torn; is it a brilliant example of a musician exploiting a limited set of materials via motific development? or is it just a guy rattling off a few variations of the same canned lick?
Meh, it's fun to listen to either way. Bass solo is from 8:30-10:23 but check out the bass cadenza at the very beginning also!And bravo to Les Ismoor for citing "Ashes Are Burning" !
I went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in the late '70s, and we had a wonderful local radio station- WOXR FM. They played everything from Renaissance to Caravan to Goose Creek Symphony to Wishbone Ash. If you've seen Rain Man (Dustin Hoffman & Tom Cruise), you heard "97X, BAM! the future of rock" on the radio of that beautiful '49 Roadmaster. Those were the days (and I sure miss 'em).
And, great posts by everyone here! And so now, to get it out of the way:
Call me cheesy. I have always loved this. 
Just a meat and taterz bass man beating the snot out of a bass with Steve "Machine Gun" Smith on drums. Love it.
Just a meat and taterz bass man beating the snot out of a bass with Steve "Machine Gun" Smith on drums. Love it. That Sean Hurley solo... I want to listen to more music like that!
Jaco's iconic composition, solo, and bass line... There is no favorite, there are many. This is one...a masterpiece.
