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JACO'S SON

#21
Originally posted by DWBass
I also agree with that. Bill Dickens case in point. As fast a slapper and fingerstyle player he is, I have not heard anything musical from him. And it annoys me to no end that a guy like that can get endorsements (i.e. free basses and amps) and not have anything to say musically!
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Bill Dickens is actually a major producer and composer. He started selling songs to major labels as a teenager and has continued to be a behind-the-scenes composer ever since. Chances are if you listen to R&B, you've listened to something musical of his; he even put down his bass for several years as he was so busy writing and producing. I think he's a great musician; he's just a different sort of bassist, often focusing on rhythm more than melody, which is fine. You can hear some of his melody stuff on his website www.billthebuddhadickens.com in the Sound Bytes section, like 'Chordal Improv,' which is on an instructional video of his from about 20 years ago.
 
#22
Originally posted by Bryan R. Tyler


Bill Dickens is actually a major producer and composer. He started selling songs to major labels as a teenager and has continued to be a behind-the-scenes composer ever since. Chances are if you listen to R&B, you've listened to something musical of his; he even put down his bass for several years as he was so busy writing and producing. I think he's a great musician; he's just a different sort of bassist, often focusing on rhythm more than melody, which is fine. You can hear some of his melody stuff on his website www.billthebuddhadickens.com in the Sound Bytes section, like 'Chordal Improv,' which is on an instructional video of his from about 20 years ago.
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Okay, I can go for that. It's just as a bassist, I don't feel him at all! I've been to his site many times and listened to sound bytes also. He's good but I wasn't impressed. I've heard way better chordal play. He can slap his azz off though!
 
#23
Originally posted by DWBass
Okay, I can go for that. It's just as a bassist, I don't feel him at all! I've been to his site many times and listened to sound bytes also. He's good but I wasn't impressed. I've heard way better chordal play.
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Understandable.
 
#26
Originally posted by Flatwound
Based on what I'm listening to right now - the mp3 of "So What" - Felix is his own man. Dang, that is one happenin' jam. Somewhat Jaco-esque, but it doesn't really sound like Jaco. Very cool.
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not so sure from your post if you are aware of this, but i guess you might be! (i hope so!)

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue \ So What

i like miles' better ;-)

but yes the man can play a bass
 
#27
I competed at a "Big Bottom Bass-Off" last year at Guitar Center. I did'nt even practice at all for it because I thought no one really good would be in it, my mistake haha. Not that music should be a competition, but I was egged on by a friend there to enter so I did just for the hell of it. Felix kind of reminded me of a mix between his father's style and Victor Wooten. He has all the techniques and chops down that those guys use.The double-thumping, tapping...etc He used a boomerang and soloed over himself playing. Trip Wamsley was one of the judges btw and he played before everyone (Now he really blew me away with his compositions and some originality too). I was runner-up to Felix to go to the finals. Felix won the finals of course as well

Felix is very down-to-earth and humble. I saw no ego just a guy who loves music.I don't know him that well but he is a really good guy too, I have ran into him around town and at a Flecktones concert. His mother is a real nice lady as well and really liked my bass playing. I hope he has some success. He has a new band with his brother and some other good musicians WAY OF THE GROOVE(Those were the samples posted earlier). I have'nt checked them out but I will soon I think. I Just hope Felix develops more of his own thing, not that he is a clone of his father or anything. It's hard for him because he will always be compared to his father no matter what. I just think he has a lot of potential for more and I am sure he will develop in time. I have his number somewhere I might get together and jam with him. He gives lessons I believe too. If you are in South Florida check him out.
 
#28
I have never heard him play but i have heard good things about him and his playing,kinda spooky how he looks like his dad,especially his hands and positioning of the bass.
I hope he's better at bass than J.Bonhams son Jason is at drumming,now there's a person who had one of the best mentors/fathers/teachers to follow and could'nt take advantage of the situation.
Even if Jaco's son is great he will always be compaired to his father,its a catch 22.
He will get alot of breaks and attention ETC.it must be a cross to bere to be held to such high standards. I WISH HIM WELL :bassist:
 
#29
Felix can definitely play. I'm listening to a show taped two years ago (when he was 19!) and yuo can hear the talent is there. He can solo very well, and he really holds down the groove superbly. Now, it's all well and good to talk about the lyricism that is absent from his playing, but he is only 21. I'm sure in time he'll come to express himself. I mean, even Jaco was 24 when his debut came out. So give felix at least another 3 years before you're disappointed in him.

Oh yeah, and he has great tone. Delicious tone, even.
 
#30
well...i heard felix playing barbary coast and he plays great there.
if you listen to him as a bassplayer and not as jaco's son you may think of him much more positive. i think he sould hang around with the big league guys so he can learn from them - jeff coffin is a grea place to start :D .
 
#32
I didn't say I didn't like him. I just said he doesn't sound and probably will never sound like his dad! He is a very good bassist. He should just be himself and develop his own voice and not try to stand in his dads footsteps. Jaco has a god given gift of lyricism in his playing. You could feel what he was trying to say. And you knew it came from his very soul. He sounded like no one!
 
#34
I met Felix a bit over a year ago (10/11/01), when he was playing with Jeff Coffin, Sipe was on Drums... Man, the first thing I noticed "WOW HE'S F#$KING TALL!" I swear the kid must be 6feet9inches!!!

He has some chops and could really solo, but this was the first day of that tour (Smith's Olde Bar, ATL) and he was having to read during the gig... That was kind of a turn-off, but man can he play!

I talk to him for a short while after the gig and I noticed that he had a Walter Woods Ultra with an Ampeg 4x10... So we started Talking about gear... Actually the funny thing is that the WW and 4x10 was on loan from Victor Wooten. The only thing that was his was the '79 jazz that he had with him (tri-burst).

Nice kid, young and quiet as heck, but polite like no other cat I've met.


Towards the end of that year (Dec 2001) The Zambi-Land Orchestra gets cranking up and the whole southern-based jam-band Zambi-cats come out to Jam at the Variety Playhouse... Usually Conducted by Ricky Keller, aka 'Lincoln Metcalf' (RIP my brother), this it isn't going to be conducted by him this year :bawl: ....Anyways one of the Zambi-jammers that came out before the Aquarium Rescue Unit Reunion was Felix... Confident as ever, came out with a groove that murdered the crowd and my feet gave out :eek: .... Well, that was my version of dancing....:hyper:
 
#39
Originally posted by jenderfazz
What happened to Jaco's bass? Does Felix have it/use it?...
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Maybe one of them, but there are more than one of his basses out there. Abe Rivera might have one back that he made for Jaco a while back... It was that odd looking fretless that Jerry Jemmott was playing in the instructional file, and later in the film Jaco does Naima with...

I know Greg Rzab (Buddy Guy and Black Crowes) owned one of them at one time... He said it costed him a fortune, but it didn't come in a case, just with a pair of used/beat-up basketball sneakers...


That's all I know...
 
#40
I saw one of Jaco's basses for sale in NYC about ten years ago at a store called "We buy Guitars."
The store is no longer around.

The bass was the sunburst one he used in the his instructional video. It had the letter "B" carved into the face of the body.

It came with an extra neck, Jaco's autograph and pics of him playing it. If I remember correctly the price was around $35,000. I also seem to remember that most of the money was going to go to his kids. I believe that the bass was sold to a Japanese collector.
 

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