The best bass player you probably never heard of.

Kind of following you here. Mark Clarke, bassist on Billy Squier's Don't Say No album. Required listening as far as I'm concerned. A clinic on pop/rock bass playing.

 

Me! I'm awsome AND you've never heard of me! I don't slap/pop, I always think night court! Sorry. Can't think of anyone else.

 

There was a cat on the Jersey shore (where lived most of my first five decades) named Gerry Carboy who was a great player (touch, tone, note choice, the works). I'd put him on the list.

 

Jason Faulkner is one. He played with Jellyfish, then The Grays. He is a solo artist who plays guitar mostly now, but if you listen to the Jellyfish Bellybutton album and The Grays Ro Sham Bo record, you will hear some tight, creative playing.

 

There's a couple of cats that I think are great that most people have never heard of. Paul Mouncey brilliant player for a group called Odessa, and a wicked jazz double bass player called Paul Dyne played with Sonny Stitt among others. Seems the Pauls are widely unknown but they are both fantastic players

 

Mario Cippolina, who used to be with Huey Lewis and the News. He was with them when the band was at the top of the charts. Great tone, taste, and time, all done before you could move stuff around in a DAW.

 

I used to have a couple live VHS concerts of theirs in the 80's, and always remember him standing cool, calm, and collected in those live performances. He seemed so tall.

Anyhow, I went and watched some old 80's live clips of them on YouTube and just noticed (maybe I noticed it back then too but just forgot), that Mario uses/used a thumb pick while playing bass. I can't think of any other bass players I've seen use one. Interesting! Thank you for reminding me about him.

 

John Wetton has been using one for the past few years. Easier transition from fingers to pick for him. He's had some trouble with his right hand.

 

Zach Smith of Pinback, Three Mile Pilot, and Systems Officer. Dude is an insane bassist, talent coming out of his ears and yet so few people have any idea who he is. He covers so many different techniques in his playing even playing an almost flamenco style strumming in some songs. Seen him live once and got to meet him, incredibly humble and down to earth guy, more people should know who he is.

 

Yeah Zach (and Pinback) is (are) awesome. I've seen them two or three times and he definitely kills it on the bass!

 

I saw him with David Sancious and Tone a few times, dug his playing!

Kenny's playing on this was great to hear on the radio in 1973:

 

Nashville session great Craig Nelson.