Gary King

[NickBass81]

I've discovered recently a player who's around since at least the seventies: Gary King.
I'v had already heard his name on a lot of albums, but never listened to him...now I've got a couple of albums (Bob James, Harvey Mason) featuring him: really nice playing, with lots of taste, groove and a gorgeous tone...can anyone recommend me any album with Gary? Is he still around? Thanks

 

[jerry]

There are a lot, I always dug his playing and besides being Bob James main bassist in the mid 70's here are a few others that bring back great memories for me.
Grover Washington: Mr Magic
Tom Scott: NY Connection
Eric Gale: Ginseng Woman
Jeremy Steig: Firefly

 

[chicago_mike]

I have a live Bob James DVD with "Big Cat". He passed the year before the dvd was released 2004 I think? Good bass player, the dvd is like an instruction of all the 80's tv show bass licks.

 

[markjazzbassist]

gary is a great player, i love seeing his name with tom scott, eric gale, richard tee, harvey mason, etc. what a great player

 

[NickBass81]

Thanks for suggestions guys...

 

[JimK]

Tom Scott: NY Connection

Love that album! Gary King RARELY gets a mention here.
Gadd & King play well together...and that nasty groove in 7 ("Lookin' Out For Number Seven")!

Back in that time frame, Rainey-King-Will Lee were my big 3.
IIRC, King was the 1st guy I heard that could bend a harmonic.

I think it's King on George Benson's Good King Bad...one of those '70s CTI recordings that fused R&B/Funk/Jazz.

 

[markjazzbassist]

think it's King on George Benson's Good King Bad...one of those '70s CTI recordings that fused R&B/Funk/Jazz.

great record and playing on it.

 

[JimK]

...well that makes you, me, & probably Jerry that still remembers that album.

 

[NickBass81]

Googling around I've found this...amazing!



Looking at my uncle's old Lp collection I've found a recording by Les Mc Cann and Houston Person, "Road Warriors", very nice album...the ryhtm section with Gary and drummer Buddy Williams is top notch...

 

[bottomzone]

Gary King!!!!!!!!! What a great trip down memory lane!!!!!! I had the opportunity to see him in concert with Bob James back in the day. Fantastic player!!!!



A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

 

[RazorChild]

I know I'm years late on this, but I had to say something.

The first time I ever heard Gary King, I was young kid and my Mom was playing on Gato Barbieri's "Caliente!" album in the car. I was just learning to play guitar, and eventually I made the switch over to Bass. But, this album is my haunting reminder that the first thing I noticed about Gato's album was Gary King's insane playing. I always was drawn to his bass playing [and other bass players as well], but at the time, I didn't know I would eventually switched to play bass. Anyway, that was also the first time I was exposed to Lenny White's playing which eventually made the connection to Return to Forever.

 

[IotaNet]

Bump for a killer player who has passed on. The crazy thing is that this guy's playing on all those 1970's Bob James albums has definitely influenced my ear around "how bass should sound."

Check out these two tracks:

YouTube - ‪Bob James - Look-Alike‬‏

YouTube - ‪Bob James - Night Crawler‬‏

If I'm not mistaken , that's a Guild Starfire bass and that's what he played on most of his sessions.

Killer player who is definitely missed.

 

[IMMusicRulz]

You’re right. Bob James 12 album shows Gary King playing a Guild Starfire Bass. I loved his bass playing on One by Bob James and on Caliente by Gato Barbieri.

As for amps, Gary King probably used a Fender Bassman Amp and some Ampeg amps.