Steve Washington: Aurra and Slave

[Dr. Cheese]

I was using some of the gobs of hand sanitizer I have around the house to bring the strings, especially the E, back to life on my Geddy Lee. I decided to play along with Aurra, a great late Seventies/early Eighties Funk band. After listening, I said why play over such a great bassist? People sometimes confuse Steve Washington with Mark Adams, but they really do not play alike. Washington was much more of a slapper than Adams. I think the track above is still impressive even in the wake Wooten and Miller’s slap attacks.

 

[vdbass]

Definitely underrated.
Dig this cut with P-Funk and Vanessa Willaims

 

[vdbass]

Garry Shider sanging his buns off!!!

 

[vdbass]

Of course, the smash off this album....

 

[vdbass]

Rhythmically, this groove was a little tuff to cop at first.

 

[vdbass]

Man, what a year for music!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Definitely underrated.
Dig this cut with P-Funk and Vanessa Willaims

I forgot all about this song!

 

[vdbass]

Saved the best for last...Get it?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Now this sounded more like Mark Adams, but I think Washington may be using a pick.

 

[vdbass]

Yes, it does sound like a pick. It could be Mark Adams. He used to do a lot of harmonics.

 

[vdbass]

Miss that guy. He should have been a household name like Marcus Miller.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Yes, it does sound like a pick. It could be Mark Adams. He used to do a lot of harmonics.

I don’t think Mark Adams played on Aurra albums, but I have no inside information.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Miss that guy. He should have been a household name like Marcus Miller.

Drugs will ruin even the best.

 

[vdbass]

I was wondering... Sure sounded like him tho on the E string slides and harmonics. IDK if that is a Steve Washington thing. Not REAL familiar with him like Mark Adams. Who knows...

 

[vdbass]

Drugs will ruin even the best.

Yup. Imagine how many icons would have been around longer and what music would have been created were it not for this scourge.

Suppose Keith Richards would have succumbed like Brian Jones...
The music that would never have been.

 

[jerry]

I think the track above is still impressive even in the wake Wooten and Miller’s slap attacks.

Those grooves will hold up forever, just the perfect amount of slap for those songs.

 

[Alex J]

Think Mark Adams was only on the first Aurra record, along with Buddy Hankerson.

Otherwise it was Steve Washington and Raymond Jackson from Mtume.

But yes Steve is great on the bass!

 

[ritz]

Don't forget Civil Attack

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Don't forget Civil Attack

This is one I had not heard before. The slap part on this one has some definite Mark Adams influence.

 

[Todd Hamby]

I loooooove Steve!