Jaco and Jamerson?

[BassLand]

Hi Bruce,

I find what you wrote to be a fair statement however, I was trying to fit the two into the subject of the thread. I agree that in most instances they were completely different but I still maintain they were the top of their prospective genres in their era.

All of this is completely different from what James Jamerson did - he was known as a high-volume session player - and was not known as a composer/arranger - although of course his lines added hugely to a lot of great tunes.

On this point I do maintain that Jamerson was the most prolific Composer/Arranger of his time from the prospective of the bass. He MADE some of those tunes great with his basslines. I think the people at Motown were extreemly wise to let him go full steam. No arranger at that time could write for him. Later everybody tried to copy him. Same thing with Jaco.

Jaco's main intrance onto the scene was as a bassist. The composer/arranger Jaco was later in his all too short career. Sad...

BL

PS one more thing that Jaco and Jamerson share. They both had problems with substances and were sick (mentally) towards the end. In Jmaerson's case he apparently felt neglected for all his contributions to Motown and to music in general. They both died prematurely.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by BassLand


Jaco's main intrace to the scene was as a bassist. The composer/arranger Jaco was later in his all too short career. Sad...

Not entirely true - I just got the "Portait of Jaco - Early Years" Double CD set - and Jaco was composing/arranging right from the start!

So Jaco was touring with Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders in 1972 and wrote and arranged three tunes for them - Amelia is on the CD - so this is a big band - loads of horns and rhythm section - apparently, Jaco wrote out all the charts.

In 1974 Jaco was with the Peter Graves Orchestra - again loads of Brass, Saxes etc - "Domingo" on the CD from this period, is quite complex and very arranged.

So,I think there is a big difference between playing great bass lines on somebody else's tune (however great the tune and however much the basslines made that tune ) - and writing complex Jazz tunes from scratch with arrangements for a big band - this is about as "hard" as it gets!!

 

[BassLand]

Hey Bruce,

I stand corrected on Jaco.

Thanks,

BL

 

[demolition]

Go on kazaa and download everything you can,its free and this way here you can keep what you like and not be out of any money.and if you like something you can go buy the actual recording already knowing if you like it.

 

[Tom Howland]

Jamerson was the man up till 1976.
Jaco after 1976.
Two of my fav. players

 

[The Lurker]

Originally posted by Murf


1962 Fender jazz with frets pulled out and neck covered with epoxy (to protect the wood) roundwound medium gauge strings. For his recorded stuff he just went direct into the desk, live he used two acoustic 360 amps with built in fuzz.

He also used a fretted bass of similar age.