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Favourite Jamerson songs

Mattrill

Mattrill

facebook.com/dayshazy
Feb 20, 2015
269
204
30
London
#1
I have a playlist that I subscribed to on Spotify which consists of about 60 songs that the creator claimed Jamerson played on. I'm really into the Motown scene at the moment. I have always listend to the odd tunes but I'm really digging deep now.

I really do like a lot of the songs but my favourite is easily:

Reach Out, I'll Be There - Four Tops

For the tune but also for the bassline.

The more I listen to it, the deeper it takes me. The bassline is so hypnotizing. Epic.

What your guys favourite Jamerson tunes?

Cheers
Matt
 
#4
This might be the easy answer, but I Want You Back by the J5 was the first song I knew done by this guy called James Jamerson. And the groove blew my mind!
Love hearing it pop on to this day. Can't get enough of it.
 
#5
bahia0019 said:
This might be the easy answer, but I Want You Back by the J5 was the first song I knew done by this guy called James Jamerson. And the groove blew my mind!
Love hearing it pop on to this day. Can't get enough of it.
Click to expand...

I Want You Back is Wilton Felder. Great tone though, and similar style, on the Motown LA scene. he also played on "ABC" one of my favorite lines ever, sampled on "O.P.P." (which is a line I commonly sound check or test stuff out to)
 
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#6
Rayjay said:
I Want You Back is Wilton Felder. Great tone though, and similar style, on the Motown LA scene. he also played on "ABC" one of my favorite lines ever, sampled on "O.P.P." (which is a line I commonly sound check or test stuff out to)
Click to expand...
When I first read Standing in the Shadows of Motown about 18-20 years ago, it attributed it to Jamerson.
My whole world has been turned upside down now...!
 
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#8
Rayjay said:
I Want You Back is Wilton Felder. Great tone though, and similar style, on the Motown LA scene. he also played on "ABC" one of my favorite lines ever, sampled on "O.P.P." (which is a line I commonly sound check or test stuff out to)
Click to expand...
...and Felder is best known as the sax player for The Crusaders.
 
#17
SoCal1 said:
Signed, Sealed, Delivered was Bob Babbitt...
Click to expand...

That's odd. I recall Babbitt crediting that line to James and commenting on the brilliance.

Found this on Babbitt's site:

"....How could I forget the descending Bass line in "Signed Sealed and Delivered" and the few signature licks, along with Eddie Willis playing the Electric Sitar (the first time I ever saw one on a session). Yet Michael Henderson is laying claim to that one....."

Further down is this quote:

"Chris Jisi from Bass Player magazine recently told me that Michael Henderson admitted that he had played on only the live version of "Signed Sealed and Delivered."

Crazy.

Interesting read anyway - [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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#18
9mmMike said:
That's odd. I recall Babbitt crediting that line to James and commenting on the brilliance.

Found this on Babbitt's site:

"....How could I forget the descending Bass line in "Signed Sealed and Delivered" and the few signature licks, along with Eddie Willis playing the Electric Sitar (the first time I ever saw one on a session). Yet Michael Henderson is laying claim to that one....."

Crazy.
Click to expand...

I have a transcription that says Babbitt and it was attached to a video interview of Babbitt showing how it's done. I believe it was said, or implied, that he did the track. I think you may be able to find it easy on Google. I don't care who did it, by the way, it's good either way and either guy (or Carol Kaye!) would done it right!
 
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#19
Yeah, those cats played on so much stuff all day every day for years that it's no wonder they mix up who played on what sometimes.

Imagine how weird it would be to not remember if you played on a track like Signed, Sealed or if it was the other guy...

OP: I just sub'd that playlist, rocking it now. Thanks for the tip.

My faves are too many... all really. I don't think JJ layed a stinker down in his whole career. Even his early "simpler" stuff on upright is spot on.

The story behind tracking the song What's Going On is classic and makes me appreciate the tune even more.

Also, if you ever travel to Detroit, visit Hitsville and the museum. It is true that JJ wore a groove into the wood floor of the snake pit in studio A with his foot. He would stomp the beat out while playing, and after years of sitting in the same chair he left a big worn spot. Go to studio A and put your foot in the groove. It's kind of... spiritual?
 
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#20
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
I Can't Help Myself - The Four Tops
Bernadette - The Four Tops (obvious choice, and one day I hope I can play it)
Home Cookin' - Jr. Walker
Do You See My Love for You Growing - Jr. Walker (not 100% sure he played on this one but it's great either way)
Cissy Strut - Earl Van Dyke
Fever in the Funkhouse - James Jamerson

Signed, Sealed, Delievered? (maybe he played on it, maybe he didn't?)
 
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