Television - Marquee Moon
Mike Watt - Contemplating the Engine Room, Hyphenated-Man
Led Zepplin - III
Miles and Gil - Sketches of Spain, In a Quiet Way
Oliver Nelson - Blues and the Abstract Truth
Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Black Sabbath - Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath; Masters of Reality
Queen - A Night at the Opera
Matthew Sweet - Altered Beast
John Williams - John Williams Plays Paganini (or any John Williams record, this is just my favorite. Not the Star Wars guy (but he's pretty cool, too))
Philidelphia Philharmonic - Swan Lake
Duke Ellington - Nutcracker Suite
Pink Floyd - Meddle
Portis Head - Live at the Roseland
Bill Evans - Conversations With Myself
Herb Alpert - any old Herb record will teach you arrainging
Beatles - Abbey Road, Revolver
The last few Black Keys records were pretty good
John Scoffield (and MMW) - A Go-Go
The Who - Who's Next
Medeski, Martin and Wood - Cumbustication
Soul Coffing - Circles
Trane - Giant Steps (Naima will teach you pedal points)
I've learned just as much about playing bass from listening to, and reading the liner notes, from non-bass players as I have from just bass players. Richard Lloyd is one of the greatest music teachers that ever taught. He's a guitar player (see "Marquee Moon" and "Altered Beast"), and he used to have his lessons on his website. My understanding is that he's now going to publish them in a book. Look for it on Amazon, buy it, and give him money (I will).
