• 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.

James Jamerson or Carol Kaye

#61
A lot of confusion comes from the later 60' early 70's period when Motown was operating on multiple fronts including LA and Detroit, it was very common to record versions of the most popular songs in different keys, tempos and feels for every different group and artist. Sadly I'm not sure there are any reliably accurate records for absolute confirmation. This also means that some bass lines attributed to Jamerson could have been played by Babbitt, Newton or some other session bassist Motown used over the years, remember Hitsville was at times running 24 hours a day and sometimes other regional studios were used to relieve the need for studio time.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Pietsch
#62
It’s almost humorous how some people get their panties in such a knot over who played on what song 65 years ago. As far as “people who were there” - you’ve got to be kidding me. You expect me to believe that someone who is probably 85 or 90 years old remembers who played on a specific session 60+ years ago?

Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
 
#63
Sounds a pretty shambolic admin period...Ray Parker said they needed to cash payment first at the bank to make sure they got paid so records of who played on what could easily be not so accurate.
I thought Jamerson followed Motown to L.A but can quite well believe multiple sessions took place with a revolving cast.
Crediting musicians wasn't widespread...and I think James Taylors the Section were one of the first as the Wrecking Crew. So apart from getting paid, who played what wasn't that important at the time, it seems.
 
#64
Motown acquired Golden World Records in Detroit in 1968. This became Motown Studio B used for overdubbing some strings, horns, and vocals. Motown Studio A built their own 8-channel tape recorder that was first used on "Baby Love" by the Supremes.
 
#66
KenSmithFan said:
It’s almost humorous how some people get their panties in such a knot over who played on what song 65 years ago. As far as “people who were there” - you’ve got to be kidding me. You expect me to believe that someone who is probably 85 or 90 years old remembers who played on a specific session 60+ years ago?

Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
Click to expand...
Well, the thing is, Kaye has a lot of her Jobette logs... and I remember when she pointed out the Motown work, it was not listed as plain studio time. It always referred to some special use-case. I don't expect her to remember everything (and Herbie Flowers famously threw out his diaries years ago because he didn't want to be caught up in the cult of personality) but the paperwork is there.

She did a bunch of stuff for Al Kooper too, and some of that was pretty Motown'ish.
 
#67
"Baby Love" by the Supremes in late 1964 was recorded with the Motown, inhouse built 8-channel tape recorder in Studio A. This allowed bass guitar by James Jamerson to get its own channel for signal processing and for a strong, clear-sounding bass sound during mixdown.

 
#71
This version by Jr. Walker & the All Stars was also Carol Kaye? LOL. Absolutely James Jamerson and he could play that bassline in a million variations like he always does. He is a master of improvisation. I'll be isolating this bassline soon and posting it on my YouTube Page.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: DWBass and darev
#72
Smooth_bass88 said:
The album “I was made to love her” was recorded at Hitsville, USA, Detroit in 1967. So, it absolutely positively was Jamerson on the session. Also, it does not sound like Carol Kaye, not in the slightest- your ears will tell you this.
Click to expand...
Right, and the song was recorded and released in 1967. Motown and the Funk Brothers were starting to get some Traction. In my recent post on this Thread, I include a version by Jr Walker & The All Stars; Absolutely Jamerson!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smooth_bass88 and DWBass
#73
LeFunk Machine said:
This version by Jr. Walker & the All Stars was also Carol Kaye? LOL. Absolutely James Jamerson and he could play that bassline in a million variations like he always does. He is a master of improvisation. I'll be isolating this bassline soon and posting it on my YouTube Page.

Click to expand...


To be fair, by 1967 a lot of covers of that song had similar, if not more complex basslines. It's very likely that Kaye played on at least one version that's out there.

Even Tom Jones recorded a version of it and I'm pretty sure it's Russ Stableford hamming it up throughout the track:



There was a whole industry based around English musos reading and copying R&B songs for major artists that were otherwise in Loveboat-style bands.
 
#77
Michedelic said:
Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if they used the basic rhythm tracks of Stevie’s version, and piled all the newer stuff(sax, backing vicals, etc) on top.
Click to expand...

That I doubt...They probably re-recorded it.
There were also all the versions recorded for TV appearances. Often they would go into a studio to record a TV version of a hit, and there would have been a different royalty regime for those recordings.
 
#78
Pietsch said:
"Baby Love" by the Supremes in late 1964 was recorded with the Motown, inhouse built 8-channel tape recorder in Studio A. This allowed bass guitar by James Jamerson to get its own channel for signal processing and for a strong, clear-sounding bass sound during mixdown.

Click to expand...

Baby Love by The Supremes was recorded in July 1964 according to the DFTMC.com website.

Motown's Home Brew 8 Track went online in early 1965.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guitalia

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back