Most melodic bassist

+1 on manring and Jaco. Manring sounds as if he has a Choir coming out of his bass, mindblowing stuff.

 

As is my answer for most everything -

Jamerson !!!!

Check out "Darling Dear" from the Jackson 5, or "Bernadette" from the Four Tops to hear melodic bass lines at their best

 

All who have been mentioned of course, but I'd like to add the chaps who make up S.M.V.. Sure, they're more of a rhythmic band than most, but nearly ALL of the melodic parts are bass. Well executed, too.
Case in point: "Hillbillies on a Quiet Afternoon"

 

Manring.

Martin Turner(Wishbone Ash) also works for me in that department.

 

S(tanley Clarke) M(arcus Miller) V(ictor Wooten)
Jazz/Funk instrumental bass supergroup.
To my knowledge, their only album as of yet is "Thunder".

 

Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten

 

McCartney obviously. Colin Moulding of XTC is a remarkably melodic player. Graham Maby of Joe Jackson is another.

 

Nico Assumpção

 

Berry Oakley, Allman Bros. original bassist was an outrageously melodic player.

 

hey someone here may be interested in this. i found these isolated bass tracks on youtube of jamerson and mccartny.

whats going on

a day in the life

 

I love the iso tracks for listening to all the funky ghost notes and rhythmic techniques that JJ does, but to really hear the beauty of a Jamerson line, I think you need to hear it play off of the drummer and the vocalist. He, for me anyway, had such a way of living in both worlds of a song. He gave you the 1's and 3's and was super tight in holding down the groove, but he just went so many other places. His melody lines carry most of those songs. This cat was the Motown sound

Another very melodic bass player is Tim Smith. Played on the 2nd Jellyfish record "Spilt Milk", now tours with the Sheryl Crow, and the Finn Bros.

 

+1 on Darling dear

Here it is:




Jamerson is the MAN !!! (McCartney too)

Mike

Amazing

 

It's fun being reminded of so many great melodic bassists and bass lines. Let me add to the list of greats: Chris Squire of Yes.

 

John Paul Jones! Ramble On! Jesus, now I have to go listen to it!