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Prince--Bass genius.

I'll bite for, Prince--Good bass player. Even, Prince-- Exceptional bass player. Genius, not so much.
 
Well, he liked to say that Larry Graham was his teacher but he had already established his style on the bass before meeting up with Graham. As I mentioned in another thread, I think Prince was a happening bassist (though not a genius on the instrument) but I generally found his bass lines to be more functional than remarkable (there are very few that I could hum despite owning several of his albums). I do wish there was more available footage of him throwing down live on bass, cause he could definitely get down. :)
 
I took these last December when I toured Paisley Park, Prince’s home and recording studio, in the Minneapolis area. Unfortunately you can’t take pictures while in the residence or in the studios, but can in certain areas.

Completely proficient on most instruments, he was able to capture and hold an audience with just his musical energy. Almost every moment of his time awake was spent exploring various elements of music. Towards the end of his life he started exploring jazz, and what he created was amazing. I truly did understand or grasp his seemingly bottomless depth of his musical genius until I was standing in his studio.

I strongly suggest anyone remotely close to the area to book a tour. What you learn about the man is incredibly humbling and amazing.

One of his main basses. I’m thinking it’s an ESP. I could be wrong though.

B200B04C-DE96-4751-8C05-8063D0A8444E.jpeg


Close up shot. These were in the big room, where they would practice loading the semis for tours, and where he held free concerts for fans.

2B05F146-E363-461B-8AC7-3EFD1476A89D.jpeg


In the small lounge adjoining the big room. Prince would hold impromptu jam sessions with whomever would come to see him, tweet a post at whatever time struck him to the public saying to come join him. Generally it was held to a hundred or so people, and completely free. Prince would bake hundreds of chocolate chip cookies for the audience to enjoy during the jam sessions. What an experience that would have been! So many amazing artists spanning every facet of music has been on this little stage.

63B0DE69-001D-41F5-896C-C3B5C05B2130.jpeg
 
I love the bass line on When Doves Cry.

:)
In the day, my '80s band played this, last song of Set 2...great, I'll be "1 up" on you guys when you hit the bar. Nope, BL made me play something. I detuned my "E" & pretty much synced with the kick (3 notes). I think Rhonda S. played the exact same figure on their live version.
 
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I took these last December when I toured Paisley Park, Prince’s home and recording studio, in the Minneapolis area. Unfortunately you can’t take pictures while in the residence or in the studios, but can in certain areas.

Completely proficient on most instruments, he was able to capture and hold an audience with just his musical energy. Almost every moment of his time awake was spent exploring various elements of music. Towards the end of his life he started exploring jazz, and what he created was amazing. I truly did understand or grasp his seemingly bottomless depth of his musical genius until I was standing in his studio.

I strongly suggest anyone remotely close to the area to book a tour. What you learn about the man is incredibly humbling and amazing.

One of his main basses. I’m thinking it’s an ESP. I could be wrong though.

View attachment 3931612

Close up shot. These were in the big room, where they would practice loading the semis for tours, and where he held free concerts for fans.

View attachment 3931613

In the small lounge adjoining the big room. Prince would hold impromptu jam sessions with whomever would come to see him, tweet a post at whatever time struck him to the public saying to come join him. Generally it was held to a hundred or so people, and completely free. Prince would bake hundreds of chocolate chip cookies for the audience to enjoy during the jam sessions. What an experience that would have been! So many amazing artists spanning every facet of music has been on this little stage.

View attachment 3931614
It's such a shame he's not here anymore...
 
One Nite Alone... Live (the box set from his 2000-2002 dates) is so killer! It's available on the Google Play store.

"For those of you expecting to get your 'Purple Rain' on... you're in the wrong house!" :smug:

A few samples...








The thing about Prince was his feel, I like his stuff, I was just listening to his album "Rainbow Children", you gotta hear it in the Album's original order form.