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the Late Great James Jamerson..

#281
paul_wolfe said:
Hey Mr Ed

Great recommendations.

I've listened to loads of the lesser known motown stuff that Jamerson played on - but managed to miss those.

Now I'ev rectified that thanks to your post.

So thanks very much - to anyone else reading who's into Jamerson, I suggest you track them down and give them a spin. Well worth your time!
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Wow, My Whole World punches harder than anything I'd heard him do.

The release at the bridge just tips it over...
 
#284
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#285
m0nst3r said:
Yea, I completely agree. There are some other clips of Marvin Gaye performing "What's Goin' On?" with other bassists, and IMO the basslines don't sound nearly as good as way Jamerson played that tune.
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I feel terrible for most of the bassists on live Motown clips for two reasons: 1) Jamerson and 2) I can count the number of live Motown tracks I've heard that weren't faster than the original tempo, from slightly to ridiculously. Gaye was possibly the only one who didn't get slammed into supper club mode on stage, even though the originals weren't so.

I wonder how the live Jamerson stuff from the Detroit club days were in that regard. Has any of that ever surfaced?
 
#286
spigmu said:
I feel terrible for most of the bassists on live Motown clips for two reasons: 1) Jamerson and 2) I can count the number of live Motown tracks I've heard that weren't faster than the original tempo, from slightly to ridiculously. Gaye was possibly the only one who didn't get slammed into supper club mode on stage, even though the originals weren't so.

I wonder how the live Jamerson stuff from the Detroit club days were in that regard. Has any of that ever surfaced?
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The main source I've heard for Jamerson live recordings is the Earl of Funk LP, which is basically a full gig the Funk Brothers played in Detroit, I think. It's where The Flick, a track with monster Jamerson bass, came from I believe.
 
#287
Forgive me if someone already pointed this out, but this record (a cash in on the death) has a bass and voice version of Jamerson's Darling Dear, and some other stuff that probably has Jamerson, or Wilton Felder. Pretty cool.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...rd_i=163856011
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Thanks for pointing out that product. I bought it from iTunes. It's genius. You can really hear the bass lines clear on some great songs - I always liked the bass line on "I'll Be There' - now you can REALLY hear it. Don't know who it is - it doesn't sound like jamerson - but it's a great bass line!

Thanks again.
 
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#296
Awhile back I was on break during a gig and heard "You Don't Have to be a Star" (Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.) playing on the house system. I hadn't heard it in years, but I instantly knew it was Jamerson on Bass. I've never heard such a deep and rich bass tone. The Motown stuff from the 60's sounds great, but to hear James on the Funk Machine out front, with no distortion is such a treat. You can hear definite differences in production on these songs (some of it is pretty bad in my opinion), but hearing James play makes it worth listening to. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pzLTBCw99E&feature=related

Invalid Link Removed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlFWemiGvcU

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1xl4FXAqCo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sat4n1etMos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTaah7_nSYk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeSXtoGz02w
 
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#298
jb63 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pzLTBCw99E&feature=related

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlFWemiGvcU

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1xl4FXAqCo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sat4n1etMos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTaah7_nSYk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeSXtoGz02w
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Great links, thanks for these!

A couple of minor corrections - I believe "Young Hearts Run Free" was the great Scott Edwards on bass and the Dramatics tracks was probably the amazing Eddie Watkins or Roderick Chandler (see discogs credits).

Here's another rare one for you:

The Caravans
 
#300
On the subject of JJ's later work, this track is referenced in the standing-in-the-shadows book as an example of Jamerson's diminishing tone due to his refusal to change his strings. Phil Brodie's Invalid Link Removed backs this up. Here is the track:

Bonnie Pointer - Heaven Must Have Sent You

But is it Jamerson? 1979 was when it was recorded... that's 4 years before his death. Does anyone have any idea when he ultimately stopped recording? I know "LA is the Place" (Kenny Koontz) was apparently his final recording, but I couldn't find the track or the date of its release on the internet.

As for the track itself, it doesn't sound much like Jamerson to me, sounds like it was read exactly as it was written, and the tone sounds ok to me, but I guess it is another example of JJ's latter day playing to add to the thread... at the very least the octave pattern he's playing is very quick and consistent for one finger, but that was Jamerson I suppose.
 

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