• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Flea: A Funky Jazz Cat?

Bassist4Life

Bassist4Life

Dec 17, 2004
3,581
50
52
Buffalo, NY
#1
I was on the way home from the grocery store and heard a funky jazz tune on the radio. I could recognize that bass tone anywhere; it was Flea, without a doubt. I called the radio station on my cell phone (after I was parked) and asked the DJ about the track I just heard with Flea on bass.

The DJ told me that I was listening to a Joshua Redman song off his new ablum called Momentum. He said that Flea plays on 4 tracks while Meshell Ndegeocello plays bass on the other tracks.

I've heard 4 tracks from this CD on the radio and each one of them grooved hard! I like jazz, but never thought to listen to Joshua Redman before. Man, I'm getting this CD as soon as possible! Has anyone else heard this CD yet?

Joe
 
#2
I have loved Joshua Redman for years, probably the best of the young Jazz sax players out there. The new CD was disappointing as a bass player though. Flea plays on one, maybe two cuts, and Meshall on one cut, I believe. The rest is a B3 Organ which he used on the last album too. If you want to get a GREAT Joshua Redman CD check out "Freedom in the Grove" with Brian Blade on drums and Christopher Thomas on Upright. That band is funky! Seriously good stuff.
 
#3
Have you heard Flea on Action Figure Party?
It's keyboardist Greg Kurstin's 2001 album.

Anyway, Flea is on a couple tracks-
"Flow" is a Jazz tune(Kurstin-piano; Flea-bass: Gary Novak-drums)...Flea plays the head(doubles the pianist's left-hand) & then sticks to an ostinato during the piano solos(while Novak is goin' nuts).
Also, this would be a great Blindfold Test question since it does not sound like Flea.

The other tune is a funky '90s Fusion tune called "Gettem".

IMO, these are 2 of the better Flea tracks outside his Chilis' gig....a 3rd would be "You Oughta Know".
(I haven't heard the Redmon album yet).
 
#5
JimK said:
Have you heard Flea on Action Figure Party?
It's keyboardist Greg Kurstin's 2001 album.

Anyway, Flea is on a couple tracks-
"Flow" is a Jazz tune(Kurstin-piano; Flea-bass: Gary Novak-drums)...Flea plays the head(doubles the pianist's left-hand) & then sticks to an ostinato during the piano solos(while Novak is goin' nuts).
Also, this would be a great Blindfold Test question since it does not sound like Flea.

The other tune is a funky '90s Fusion tune called "Gettem".

IMO, these are 2 of the better Flea tracks outside his Chilis' gig....a 3rd would be "You Oughta Know".
(I haven't heard the Redmon album yet).
Click to expand...

Check his playing on the Mars Volta's first album. I didn't even KNOW it was Flea until I checked the notes. He plays on all the tracks, except the one with the upright bassist. I believe thats Justin Meldal Johnson. Pretty sick player. Has done stuff with Beck and Macy Gray.
 
#9
EmmSee said:
Flea gets around ... it's good to see him appear on other albums. He played that great bassline from Alanis Morrisette's, "You Outta Know."
Click to expand...

I didn't know that either! Wow. I'm happy that I started this thread. I think it's important that people know Flea isn't just the Bitc*in' bassist from the RHCP. He expands his horizons and plays other styles with different artists.

As a bassist, I feel that I need to know many styles. When I go to a store like GC and try out a bass, one of the first things the sales dude asks me is, "What style do you play?". C'mon! What kind of question is that? I'm a bassist. I do it all (or at least I try to). Sorry, I'll stop rambling now...

Joe

PS. EmmSee, I checked out your website. Very nice. I wish I had a studio like yours. I enjoyed watching your Stu Hamm style tapping video. It's short, but enjoyable. Everyone should take a moment to check it out.
 
#16
The_Ryst said:
Flea is over-rated and over-played...just my opinion....
Click to expand...

I hear what you're saying; however, I do know that Flea has more experience in his pinky finger than we all have put together. He not just a bassist; he's a musician, and an artist. I think it's a good thing that we are exposed to a player like Flea, even if we are sometimes overexposed to his playing and his picture in magazines.

Joe
 
#17
Bassist4Life said:
100 bucks?!?!? What tha... :scowl:

Joe
Click to expand...

That's still about TWICE the amount Jazz legend Paul Chambers got for playing on the seminal Kind Of Blue.

I forgot about Flea on that Young MC tune; anyone remember the video? Flea's pants in the video?

Joe-
I'm interested; have you checked out those music samples at Amazon?
I took a look & was surprised the tunes(for the most part) had the BASSIST listed next to each link.
The other bassists on Action Figure Party are no slouches, either-
Fima Ephron(Screaming Headless Torsos; Hasidic New Wave; etc)...he was the reason I bought the album.
Mike Elizondo(Dr. Dre, M&M, etc)...he plays some nice stuff, too.
 
#19
JimK said:
Have you heard Flea on Action Figure Party?
It's keyboardist Greg Kurstin's 2001 album.

Anyway, Flea is on a couple tracks-
"Flow" is a Jazz tune(Kurstin-piano; Flea-bass: Gary Novak-drums)...Flea plays the head(doubles the pianist's left-hand) & then sticks to an ostinato during the piano solos(while Novak is goin' nuts).
Also, this would be a great Blindfold Test question since it does not sound like Flea.

The other tune is a funky '90s Fusion tune called "Gettem".

IMO, these are 2 of the better Flea tracks outside his Chilis' gig....a 3rd would be "You Oughta Know".
(I haven't heard the Redmon album yet).
Click to expand...

Gary Novak is baaaaaaaaaad!!

I liked him with Corea's EBII....
 
#20
JimK said:
Joe-
I'm interested; have you checked out those music samples at Amazon?
I took a look & was surprised the tunes(for the most part) had the BASSIST listed next to each link.
The other bassists on Action Figure Party are no slouches, either-
Fima Ephron(Screaming Headless Torsos; Hasidic New Wave; etc)...he was the reason I bought the album.
Mike Elizondo(Dr. Dre, M&M, etc)...he plays some nice stuff, too.
Click to expand...

Haven't had a chance to check them out. I will probably do that later tonight.

Thanks,
Joe
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back