Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What about Jam bands??
- Thread starter On the down low
- Start date
Mike Gordon's (Phish) Rig Rundown is pretty cool stuff.
A little different from back in the day when they slept on my couch/floor in college when they opened for my roommates band at UMaine.
I also taught Page McConnell's parents how to sail, but now I'm bragging.
Last edited:
^ This.
I love the concept of the jam band, but I'm not much of a fan of the direction the genre has taken.
In particular, many jam bands have taken to the "singing ability optional" blueprint popularized by the Dead. In fact, I think that is the modern definition of Jam Band now: extended instrumental improvs and shite for vocals. I'm looking at you, Phish. But there are many others.
In fact, there are a number of bands that I would consider "jam" bands who could play for 20 minutes no problem, but aren't considered Jam Bands because a) they had a good singer or two b) they wrote actual _songs_ that had appeal outside the genre and 3) their music transcended the social scene they were associated with. Jam Bands are almost exclusively a modern white hippie thing. While many rock and jazz artists and fans were hippies back in the 60s and 70s, that just can't be said now.
In rock, Cream and Led Zeppelin were most definitely jam bands. Maybe a little too rockin' for the hippies, tho.
In jazz, well, Miles has already been mentioned. I'd add Weather Report and the like.
My favorite Jam Bands are the ones most closely associated with the "San Francisco Sound" that they helped popularize. So, yeah, that's old school, but from where I'm sitting that's where and how the modern genre was born. Jefferson Airplane's instrumentalists were every bit as good or better than the Dead's and Marty Balin and Grace Slick were terrific as well, making the music far more approachable even on extendo jams. I wish there were more weight on that style in the modern genre.
Want love for a Jam Band bassist?: Ok, Jack Cassidy. Best of the genre I think.
You opened the can of worms. It happens when you bring up big topics like this. I mean did you see that thread asking why people use Active basses!?!?!
Welcome to TalkBass!
Here's Jack Casady playing with Jerry and Mickey:
I think Elvin Bishop is also playing on this track
I've played both ways,rehearsed tight precise and predictable, and particularly with one band our jams were exhilarating because we had such a feel for where the other was going and there was just chemistry, and both experiences are just as satisfying to me in different ways.
So find your spot (s) and knock yourself out there is no feeling in the world than playing in a good band with a connected audience and the whole thing just feeding on it's own energy. woohoo.
So find your spot (s) and knock yourself out there is no feeling in the world than playing in a good band with a connected audience and the whole thing just feeding on it's own energy. woohoo.
One more thing :
To piggy back on my previous comment that I wasn't a fan of the modern direction of the genre, I'd like to add a positive note.
Modern Jam Band bassists (or many I should say) have incorporated a lot more funk style grooves in their music than the granddads did. I consider this a most welcome development.
To piggy back on my previous comment that I wasn't a fan of the modern direction of the genre, I'd like to add a positive note.
Modern Jam Band bassists (or many I should say) have incorporated a lot more funk style grooves in their music than the granddads did. I consider this a most welcome development.
Since we are on the history of jam bands. I think it's funny how many people dislike these so called jam bands " don't want to classify a certain band", but the funny part is how the pop, rock, and metal bands of the 90's through the mid 2000's are all gone, working at Wendy's for all I know. The so called jam bands are just touring away having fun, some for 25 years.
Which is (i think) the OP's point, that jam band bassists are monsters but don't receive enough recognition for being the monster playahs they need to be to properly fit in/drive an Aquarium Rescue Unit.
look most of the people commenting on singing ability have never listened to American Beauty, song writing have never listened to Terrapin Station, ect... I don't comment on Metal threads cause I don't know much about metal, not everyone on here has a very developed sense of self editing. Oh welcome to talkbass where some guys just know more than you and aren't afraid to let you know that.
Last edited:
if you search for Oteil on Talk Bass, you get 19 pages of results. Sounds like pretty decent recognition to me.
OK ya got me man. One of, if not the best all around living bass player on this planet is well known on a site where people geek over all things bass.
I wonder how many pages he's got on tiger beat or smarmypop.com?
Huge jam band guy here. Hence the profile pic.. The guy who made me pick up the bass was obviously Phil Lesh.. but the guy who makes me continue to play bass every day is Dave Schools of Widespread Panic. My 2nd influence (probably tied with Dave) is Michael League of Snarky Puppy.
Also a HUGE fan Oteil Burbridge and String Cheese Incident's bassist Keith Moseley.
Also a HUGE fan Oteil Burbridge and String Cheese Incident's bassist Keith Moseley.
Dude. Stones.
Beat that.
Pop music: Tony Bennett is still around.
Rock: countless, but on this forum we might point out Rush
Metal: May I present to you Iron Maiden.
None of these guys in your generation? You don't say. I think the tell here was that "90's through the mid 2000's" part. As if pop, rock, or metal began in the 90's. Perhaps you weren't around before then? Music was. You should check it out. Especially the jam bands. And the ealier stuff that lead to that.
Ok! I should have said most bands from that time period. Please I'm 45 years old I know these bands. Thanks for knowing everything.
The bands I'm talking about are as such puddle of mud limp bizkit Brittany spears you know the run of the mill here today gone tomorrow. So glad you are 105 years old to tell me from 1920 music till now.
20 minute jam in the key of A... no thanks. I haven't heard ANY jam band that is interesting for more than 7 minutes. Even Allman Bros who were a JAM band at times.
