Most influential bass players?

[eryque]

I was listening to some old Mowtown stuff today and it got me thinking that James Jamerson might be the most influential and important bass player in the history of popular music, followed closely by Paul McCartney and Duck Dunn. Seems to me that nearly all bass playing since then can be traced directly to one of these three.

What do you guys think?

[Captain Simian]

I think that Paul was more influential than Jamerson, but not by much. I think Jaco would be the third most influential.

[vic108]

Tim Drummond is no slouch either......

ask Jim Keltner

[Tim Armstrong]

I know a heck of a lot of "modern" bassists (not my style at all, but I can dig others doing it) whov'e been deeply influenced by Victor Wooten...

Cheers, Tim

[zombywoof]

I agree with the Jamerson selection. The one bass player, however, whom I liked and still think highly of (although I doubt he could be considered influential) is Jack Casady. I had never seen chords played like that on a bass. I am still amazed when I listen to Crown of Creation and some of that stuff.

[Robin Nahum]

To me, Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius each defined a new way of playing. Victor Wootten seems to be taking up where Stanley left off - although he is obviously influenced by Jaco as well.

Both Stanley and Jaco were at the forefront of turning the bass from a backing rhythm instrument into a melody instrument.

I'm not a bassist so all this is from a listener's perspective.

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by Robin Nahum

Both Stanley and Jaco were at the forefront of turning the bass from a backing rhythm instrument into a melody instrument.

I've never quite decided if they should be commended for that, or castigated.

:)


More bassists who played on a lot of hit records and may have influenced a lot of bassists were Carol Kaye and Joe Osborne. Chris Squire was also influential for a time, and introduced a new style for the instrument. Oh, and Larry Graham was the forerunner of Funk bass.

But everyone listed in this thread so far was influenced by James Jamerson in some way or another.

[The Bone]

8)

[BLACKCAT69]

Maybe not THE most influential but certainly amongst rock bass players - John Entwistle inspired a lot of people.

[OutlawSteph1975]

Whoever turned the bass into a lead instrument was the greatest. I'm thinking of the style of bass playing in southern rock of Berry Oakey (Allman Brothers Band), Tommy Caldwell (Marshall Tucker Band), and the several bass players in Charles Daniels Band and the Outlaws.

[eryque]

Entwistle's not one I thought of, and I suppose John Paul Jones should be listed as influential to rock players a generation later too.

And while Clarke, Wooten, and Pastorious are amazing musicians, I don't think I'd list them as being particularly influential, except to a small sphere of other bass-player whiz kids. I'd judge their talent as similar to Gatton's on guitar. Most musicians can appreciate the technical merit, some can even play on that level, but the influence is confined to a very small group of people.

[Tele295]

Jimmy Blanton (Duke Ellington)
Scott LaFaro (Bill Evans)

[John Harrison]

For my money, these are the most influential electric bassists. Everyone else seems to be doing some variation on the foundations that these bassists laid.

James Jamerson (and Carol Kaye)
Paul McCartney
Jack Bruce
Duck Dunn
Larry Graham
Jaco Pastorius
Stanley Clarke

[Ptrallan01]

Bootsy Collins for his work with James Brown and Parliment/Funakdelic.

Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter among others.

[slauson slim]

Carol Kaye, Ray Pohlman, Joe Osborne, David Hood, Jerry Jammott, James Jamerson, Duck Dunn.

[winny pooh]

As a younger member here I would add Tony Levin, cos he's great and for the sheer mass of music he has played on. His site Papabear has the full list, scary.

[Tom P.]

Lotta great names here.
Dunno about MOST influential but there a many big names that will say they were inspired by Tommy Cogbill.
Funky Broadway, Son of a Preacherman, Natural Woman, Chain of Fools, Do Right Woman, Respect, I Never Loved a Man - most of Aretha big hits. Pocket and melody at the same time, just beautiful.
Let us not forget Rocco Prestia or Chuck Rainey.

[Bones]

Willie Dixon

[Colo Springs E]

Originally Posted by David Barnett

I've never quite decided if they should be commended for that, or castigated.

I vote "castigated..."

[chickenpicker]

I recall reading that Jet Harris, from Cliff Richard's backing band The Shadows, had the first electric bass in the UK. Just as Hank influenced guitarists, so Jet is creited with being at the forefront of bass playing, and would have influenced other bass players.

[Jim W]

I agree with many of above names Dunn,Osborne, Hood, Jammont, Cogbill,etc.
I would second Willie Dixon
I would add Tommy McClure and Jack Bruce to the list

You need to include in this Dave Meyers (of the Aces, a Chicago Blues Band-played with Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson and others). He was one of the first muscians to use the electric bass period.

There is also British bassists- Colin Hodgkson (spelling) that I believe is playing of and on with Spencer Davis . He has played on numerous recordings, but the first time I heard he was playing in a trio bass, sax, and drums - incredible player - but much much more than the bassist locks in with the drummer to give that tremedous groove (Dunn - Jackson; Creeson and McClure; Meyers and Below, Osborne and Blaine, Watts and Wyman) amongs others

[Joel Terry]

Originally Posted by John Harrison

For my money, these are the most influential electric bassists. Everyone else seems to be doing some variation on the foundations that these bassists laid.

James Jamerson (and Carol Kaye)
Paul McCartney
Jack Bruce
Duck Dunn
Larry Graham
Jaco Pastorius
Stanley Clarke

I agree, John--bassist for bassist.

Joel

[chipl]

I agree with lots of names here, Jaco, Stanley Clarke, Enwistle (a one man rhythm section since Moonie was not a timekeeper) Paul, Duck Dunn, Jack Bruce. I also liked Phil Lesh's bass work with the Dead, too.

But for me, James Jamerson is the MAN. After seeing the Standing in the Shadows of Motown DVD, I was just totally awed by his sound, style, touch and unique sense of rhythm. He was such a propulsive player who along with the Funk Brothers kept those Motown songs chugging along with that irrepressible beat. From then on, every time I hear a Motown song on the radio, I isolate the bass track as best I can and turn up the bass, and every time I think what a wonderful musician James was. Too bad he left us too early.

[rand z]

greatest is subjective , but here's my lis:

- charles mingus
- ray brown
- duck dunn
- james jamerson
- jack bruce (in his heyday)
- paul mccartney
- jaco pastorius (maybe the BEST)
- dave holland
- victor wooten (maybe the BEST)
- roy husky jr
- jack cassidy
- jim mayer (much more than buffett's bassist)
- charlie hayden
- phil lesh

all imho

rand z (tropicalsoul.net)

[Andy R]

C'mon guys---Ray Brown!!

castigated +1

[Stiles]

Don't forget Milt Hinton. There's be no Mingus without him IMO.

[Grin'n'pick]

Influential - for a lot of current kids I'd say Flea must get a mention. Important? In a development of the instrument sense that's doubtful. Perhaps of that generation Les Claypool inspired quite a few kids to pick up the bass too.

In the UK Mark King from Level 42 was influential in giving mainstream exposure to melodic and virtuoso bass lines, but was probably too derivitive to be important as it were. However in this country at least you would probably have needed to be a pretty progressive bass player yourself to know what slap was before he came along, and after he did EVERYBODY was doing it.

Pino Paladino for his fretless work should maybe get a mention as he's played on a lot of hit records with quite an individual style (esp. fretless). And what about John Squire or Geddy Lee?

But actually scrub ALL the names out so far, for there is only one: Lemmy from Motorhead :D

[CancerLeoCam]

...is still 'king' in my book. No junk there.

[J-man]

Can't believe Flea hasn't made the list yet. :)

[jwsamuel]

I'd add Lee Sklar for being what a bass player should be.

Jim

[freshmattyp]

I'd add Bruce Thomas from the Attractions and Graham Maby from the Joe Jackson Band.

[Telecicle]

I've been trying to work some Jamerson style lines into my guitar playing. He was masterful at leaving just the right amount of space.

[Grey]

Billy Sheehan
Jeff Ament
Mark King
John Entwistle
Les Claypool
Stu Hamm
Victor Wooten

[Geo]

Harvey Brooks
Johnny B. Gayden
Jerry Jemmott
Chuck Rainey
Tommy Cogsbil
David Hungate
Bob Babbit
James Jamerson
Gary Link
Dan Fisher
Dean Goodsell
Alan Woody

A little bias as I played with the last 4 and they were
very good in so many ways to work with.

l

[mr natural]

Family Man. Reggae Bass playing at its best. Nice guy, too.
-Mr. N.

[chipl]

Originally Posted by Geo

Harvey Brooks

Now there's an unsung hero of the bass, a veteran of the 60s NYC folk-rock-jazz scene/sessions...played with Dylan, Super-Session with Al Kooper, Bloomfield and Stills, plus the Electric Flag, and countless other sessions. I think he played with Hendrix, too, although not on any commercial releases.

When I was a teenager, and an avid reader of album liner notes, you would see Harvey's name all over the place. Certainly was influential in that time and scene.

[dean]

I think you could add Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads to the list and be pretty safe. I also get a kick out of Flea and Mike Gordon of Phish.

Dean

[eryque]

For those of you that posted only names, would you mind adding some more info about the work they did and why you think they're highly influential? I don't want to argue with you, there's just a lot of names I don't recognize.

I think some folks strayed from my question of who's been the most influential to just naming some great bass players. I started thinking about this because I'd been thinking of the development of music into what it is today, so just naming great musiciains isn't helping me much.

Willie Dixon was mentioned, and I'm not so sure about his influence or importance as a bass player. It seems to me that he was playing mostly standard lines. But there's no doubt in my mind of his influence as a songwriter, producer, arranger, business man, and talent scout.

Here's another good question: which bass player orginated that early punk sound? I'm talking about the P-Bass through a bright amp and just bashing away at a single note in double-time.

[Joe Harris]

Originally Posted by rand z

greatest is subjective , but here's my lis:


- jack bruce (in his heyday)

rand z (tropicalsoul.net)

He dropped the EB-3 and Marshalls and went to a Fretless w/ a clean sound. IMHO he's better than ever.

[sixstringbastard]

My first instrument was electric bass. My "heroes" that I admired were Mike Mills(REM), Sting(police-era), McCartney and Ox.
I only switched to guitar because there were so many darn bassists at the time(where did they all go??)

Mike