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What makes a great Blues bass player.?

#4
Hard to comment when I don't consider myself in that category. But that never stopped me before!

I think of people who have been great, and I think they have a deep interest in the blues, dedication to playing it, and a great feel for the music and the groove. I also think they play less rather than more; I think of my idol, The Duck.
 
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#6
Be conversant in the vocabulary of the blues; all the little licks, runs, turnarounds, walking tricks, and so forth. Know your history, and know that’s it’s far more than straight 3 chord 12 bar and Chicago or Texas shuffle. Know that a II chord or VI could pop up in the progression, understand bridge formats, check out the wide variations like Ray Charles’ gospel style ballads, blues that splits the difference with jazz like jump music, prison work songs, Leadbelly and Josh White’s folk, Jugband, New Orleans, Memphis, etc. Investigate the evolution of the genre from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, city and country style. Just because you play in a modern band context, don’t overlook a recording from 1931 of just a guy and his guitar, because you may find “oh, that’s where that riff came from”. Listen to what the tuba players were doing a hundred years ago. Know Willie Dixon. It’s all DNA.


IamGroot said:
Question prompted by looking at a book on Eric Clapton's performance and recording work since 1985.
Click to expand...
Frankly, Clapton’s performance and recording work since 1965, and before ‘85, is more pertinent.
 
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#7
Michedelic said:
Be conversant in the vocabulary of the blues; all the little licks, runs, turnarounds, walking tricks, and so forth. Know your history, and know that’s it’s far more than straight 3 chord 12 bar and Chicago or Texas shuffle. Know that a II chord or VI could pop up in the progression, understand bridge formats, check out the wide variations like Ray Charles’ gospel style ballads, blues that splits the difference with jazz like jump music, prison work songs, Leadbelly and Josh White’s folk, Jugband, New Orleans, Memphis, etc. Investigate the evolution of the genre from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, city and country style. Just because you play in a modern band context, don’t overlook a recording from 1931 of just a guy and his guitar, because you may find “oh, that’s where that riff came from”. Listen to what the tuba players were doing a hundred years ago. Know Willie Dixon. It’s all DNA.



Frankly, Clapton’s performance and recording work since 1965, and before ‘85, is more pertinent.
Click to expand...
Re; Claptons work 1965-1985 . Yes, that work may be more pertinent, but the author chose to cover post 85 work.
 
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#11
I was the house bass player for an open mic blues night every week for almost a decade. It was the best training I ever got.

The be a great blues bass player you have to.....
1) ....be aware of everything going on around you.

2).... be willing to bridge the gap between the melodic instruments and the drums, even when they are on two different pages.

3).... be willing to mostly lay back and let others shine.

4) ....be willing to accept very little in the way of accolades for juggling several responsibilities at once.

We tend to apply a little self importance to ourselves in every genre. We act as though we are the end all be all in every song and in every genre. But in blues, bass really is the lynchpin that keeps everything balanced. It's harder than it looks to do it right. And it's a fun challenge. I wish I could get my band to add more blues to our set.
 
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#13
Michedelic said:
Be conversant in the vocabulary of the blues; all the little licks, runs, turnarounds, walking tricks, and so forth. Know your history, and know that’s it’s far more than straight 3 chord 12 bar and Chicago or Texas shuffle. Know that a II chord or VI could pop up in the progression, understand bridge formats, check out the wide variations like Ray Charles’ gospel style ballads, blues that splits the difference with jazz like jump music, prison work songs, Leadbelly and Josh White’s folk, Jugband, New Orleans, Memphis, etc. Investigate the evolution of the genre from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, city and country style. Just because you play in a modern band context, don’t overlook a recording from 1931 of just a guy and his guitar, because you may find “oh, that’s where that riff came from”. Listen to what the tuba players were doing a hundred years ago. Know Willie Dixon. It’s all DNA.



Frankly, Clapton’s performance and recording work since 1965, and before ‘85, is more pertinent.
Click to expand...

Great post, and my thoughts exactly, regarding EC.


IamGroot said:
Re; Claptons work 1965-1985 . Yes, that work may be more pertinent, but the author chose to cover post 85 work.
Click to expand...

Nathan East (Clapton's guy) is one of the best in the biz, but I'm not sure even he would consider himself a blues player. He is a top notch hired gun, which involves so much more than just his playing.

For me, when I decided to delve into the blues, I dove into the playing of two guys, who happened to back two of the best in the "modern era" in my opinion.

Keith Ferguson, backing Jimmy Vaughn in The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Tommy Shannon backing Jimmy's brother Stevie Ray.

They epitomize the qualities in this quote here:
two fingers said:
1) ....be aware of everything going on around you.

2).... be willing to bridge the gap between the melodic instruments and the drums, even when they are on two different pages.

3).... be willing to mostly lay back and let others shine.

4) ....be willing to accept very little in the way of accolades for juggling several responsibilities at once.
Click to expand...
 
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