Louis Johnson

[count_funkula]

Where can I hear Louis Johnson? Did he play with a particular band or solo?

Forgive my ignorance................

 

[JMX]

Well, the Brothers Johnson for starters.

[..] bassist, writer and producer for the Grammy Award-winning group The Brothers Johnson, Louis Johnson. Aside from his own work with his band Johnson has recorded with such legendary artists as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and Stanley Clarke. [..]

 

[Woodchuck]

Also check out his playing on Lee Ritenour's "Mr. Briefcase". One of the tastiest slap basslines ever!

 

[NJL]

get his instructional vid - it's really good

 

[xolin]

What jackson tunes was he on?

 

[Stingraymund]

What jackson tunes was he on?

He was ALL OVER the "Thriller" album. I'll dig out my LP tonight and check. A lot of that album had synth bass, but there were some slap fills overdubbed in there, and those were mostly LJ. "P.Y.T." was one of them.

 

[cassanova]

get his instructional vid - it's really good

I agree with you on his instruction vid as far as he does play great on it, but as for actual instruction purposes its sub par IMO.

 

[DWBass]

I believe he was also on Quincy Jones' 'Back On The Block' album. There's some good stuff there.

 

[Woodchuck]

He also produced and played on Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall" CD along with Rod Temperton (Heatwave).

 

[Captain Scarlet]

He also played some bass tracks on George Benson's 'Give the Night' album. Great stuff. I love his sound when he slaps or when he plays fingerstyle. I'm still trying to figure out the slap solo to 'Stomp'. I can hear a heavy Louis Johnson influence in Victor Wooten's slap playing.

 

[JimK]

Also check out his playing on Lee Ritenour's "Mr. Briefcase". One of the tastiest slap basslines ever!

Here we go again...
What album did Johnson play this tune on, Woods?
The original version of "Mr. Briefcase" has David Hungate on bass.
Is there some live Ritenour thing I'm forgetting with Louis?

The Brothers Johnson 1st four albums are worth hearing.
Lookin' Out For #1 is the one I'll never forget.
I just recently dug out the groove to "The Devil"...if you pluck with your thumb & index finger(while keeping the notes as legato as possible), it's possible to cop an octaver-vibe without actually using an F/X pedal.
Quincy Jones' Mellow Madness was one of the Bro-Js' earliest recordings.
Hopefully, Q's I Heard That! will see re-issue on a cd.
"Midnight Soul Patrol" has a bass solo/duel between Stanley Clarke & Johnson(Alphonso Johnson plays the groove). Happenin'.
The Dude ain't so bad, either. "Ai No Corrida"...rockin!

Johnson is on Mike McDonald's early solo hit, "I Keep Forgetting(We're Not In Love Anymore)"

FWIW, I would say Off The Wall has 'more' Johnson than Thriller...IIRC.

 

[JimK]

I can hear a heavy Louis Johnson influence in Victor Wooten's slap playing.

As far as slapping-
Wooten usually sez he's a Stanley disciple(i.e. "Lopsy Lu").

 

[malthumb]

...The Brothers Johnson 1st four albums are worth hearing.
Lookin' Out For #1 is the one I'll never forget.
I just recently dug out the groove to "The Devil"...if you pluck with your thumb & index finger(while keeping the notes as legato as possible), it's possible to cop an octaver-vibe without actually using an F/X pedal.
Quincy Jones' Mellow Madness was one of the Bro-Js' earliest recordings.
Hopefully, Q's I Heard That! will see re-issue on a cd.
"Midnight Soul Patrol" has a bass solo/duel between Stanley Clarke & Johnson(Alphonso Johnson plays the groove). Happenin'.
The Dude ain't so bad, either. "Ai No Corrida"...rockin!

Johnson is on Mike McDonald's early solo hit, "I Keep Forgetting(We're Not In Love Anymore)"

FWIW, I would say Off The Wall has 'more' Johnson than Thriller...IIRC.

All the stuff Jim K mentioned is top shelf Louis J., and Louis was slammin' on "Off The Wall" and Quincy Jones' "The Dude". I'll add a couple more of my favorites....

Look Out For #1: "I'll Be Good To You", "Get The Funk Out Ma Face", "The Devil"

Blam!! "Ain't We Funkin' Now", "Mista Cool"

Right On Time: "Strawberry Letter 23", "Q"

Light Up The Night: "Stomp!", "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle" (Lame song, slammin' bass line)

Another one that I really like but can't find on CD was a song Louis played on an Earl Klugh album. It's called "Twinkle".

Peace,

James

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Another good Stanley Clarke/Louis Johnson collaboration wass the single, "We Supply" from one of Stanley Clarke's solo albums. Louis does the main slap groove and Stanley does a piccolo rythmn style thing. Parts of it are very fast and give me trouble to this day.

 

[KenToby]

What?? With a name like "Count Funkula", you don't know about Louis Johnson?? He only has the baddest thumb on the planet; Tought me everything I know!!

Get the Brothers Johnson "Light up the night" album; Once you master it you will indeed be the Count!!

Have fun,

KT

 

[hieronymous]

Stanley Clarke's album "Time Exposure" starts out with an insane, though short, piece with both Stanley and Louis Johnson slapping. The rest of the album is kind of weird though - I remember liking it, but kind of poppy and electronic, not as bass-intensive as one might expect... Definitely buy it if you find it used and/or cheap!!!

 

[Belka]

Good to see Mr. Johnson getting some recognition. In my opinion one of the most underrated bassists around here. As well as the stuff mentioned so far he also played on some Herbie Hancock albums, and I think he even played on a Herb Alpert (Tijuana Brass) record. I'd love to get hold of that!

He also has, in my opinion, the best recorded StingRay sound ever.

Marcus Miller once commented that he used to break strings while slapping because he hit them so hard.

George is no slouch either by the way.

 

[Woodchuck]

Here we go again...
What album did Johnson play this tune on, Woods?
The original version of "Mr. Briefcase" has David Hungate on bass.
Is there some live Ritenour thing I'm forgetting with Louis?

Settle down big guy. Since he did some production work, I assumed he played, my mistake. BTW, I have a newfound respect for Hungate. He KILLED that song!

 

[Blackbird]

The Star Licks "Bass as a solo instrument" video has a segment on slapping with Louis Johnson. In the end, there's a slap duet between LJ and Nathan East, whose segment is also pretty good.

Besides those two, There's also Chuck Rainey, Abe Laboriel, Larry Graham, Neil Stubenhaus, "Ready" Freddy Washington, Verdine White and James Jamerson Jr.

Wolf Marshall's interviewing is daff, almost as bad as his hair, but the playing's really solid. Not bad for 20 bucks.

 

[NJL]

BTW, I have a newfound respect for Hungate. He KILLED that song!

me too, i was impressed with his groove from the SITSOM book. he played a tune or two in there.