Who's Your Favorite Bass Player?

[MarkRhodes]

Today, I'm thinking of Ray Brown.
Perhaps because I've heard him so much with Herb Ellis (-from the Oscar Peterson Trio, the Monty Alexander Trio, and on Herb's instructional video, among other places.)

This first video, with Herb and Monty Alexander, is good live footage but the sound is faint. Turn it up!

[MarkRhodes]

More with Herb, in a larger band context. (But not a big band.)

[MarkRhodes]

Here is Ray with Herb Ellis and Joe Pass, with Jake Hanna on drums. "Stuffy" is a great rhythm tune.

[MarkRhodes]

Can't leave out the Poll Winners album with Shelly Manne (drums) and Barney Kessel.
This is a fabulous album!

[MarkRhodes]

From 1957, JATP, the Oscar Peterson Trio with Ella Fitzgerald. (At first, just the trio. Ella comes in later. Stick around---you won't regret it! Also Joe Jones, Stuff Smith, and Roy Eldridge.)

[sgosnell]

Ray was great, no doubt. There is NHOP, of course. As for current bassists, I like Gary Mazzaroppi. TBH, I'm not perfectly knowledgeable of current bassists. Russell Hall is very good, though.

[Jimmy Smith]

Scott LaFaro. One of the only bassists who could play active af behind the lead player and have it sound in the pocket.

More in the pocket:

[RJVB]

Given this was posted in "other styles" ...

[Doug B]

Surprised no one has mentioned Ron Carter.

[Doctor Jeff]

Those are ALL GREAT.

But for me it would be Jaco. The guy just changed the trajectory of jazz bass. Most interesting bass player by a long shot, IMO.

I have been noticing the bass parts of rock music quite a bit more these days. Paul McCartney played a similar role in rock in bringing the bass out of the background and making it more of a melody instrument.

And don’t forget Tina Fey. Nobody’s done art-rock or alt-rock any better.

BTW, I bet most people could only identify 2 bass solos in any genre. Mick Fleetwood’s in The Chain and John Entwhistle in My Generation. That’s it. That’s how much attention most people pay to the bass.

[Jimmy Smith]

There's actually a Nirvana bass solo.

[mr. beaumont]

Richard Davis.

[Jimmy Smith]

Surprised no one has mentioned Ron Carter.

Yup

Oscar Pettiford

[wintermoon]

Paul Chambers

[Doug B]

Paul Chambers

Ah yes, Mr. PC!

Doug

[Michael Keller]

Scott Thunes

His improvising while backing Zappa's guitar solos during the 1984 and 1988 tours is some of my favorite playing by anyone, on any instrument.

I also really dig Julie Slick when she's playing in Adrian Belew's trio. I'm not really a fan of her own solo stuff though.

[Doug B]

Those are ALL GREAT.

But for me it would be Jaco. The guy just changed the trajectory of jazz bass. .

When Jaco's first album came out and I heard Portrait of Tracy, I thought it was a Rhodes electric piano I was hearing!

[Jimmy Smith]

[pingu]

a favourite ….

Eddie Jones

[Christian Miller]

Electric? Jamerson. Always Jamerson.

Upright?

Man, where do you start? Paul Chambers is up there of course.

(I do like people who aren't Barry Harris students, I promise.)

[RJVB]

Come on, Bernard Edwards, no one?

[RJVB]

Very different style and rather different instrument too, but one that I love and vastly prefer over bass clarinet (or sax):

(if beginner models weren't so crazy expensive I'd probably not be playing guitar right now...)

[blackcat]

One of my all time favourites.

Then ( 1983 with S.Getz )...

And more recently......

And not forgetting the groundbreaking Avashai Cohen..............seen four times over here in France and each time completely different in approach....

[Jimmy Smith]

Paul Chambers

PC and Coltrane look like they're on H.

[Jimmy Smith]

Tony. He gets as rhythmic or even more than upright players and he's holding down the rest of the tune!