JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Bass and Drum Forum Drummers: who's your favorite bass player?

All right, drummers, who is your favorite bass player and why?

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Mike Dunbar Music

With my new 'old' Rogers kit, I only play to CD's, so lately it's been Jack Bruce from Cream that I find is fun to hear and feel while playing drums in this little room upstairs.

Also, Earth Wind and Fire's bass player, (I did know his name), and recently saw him on American Idol. It will come to me later. His funky soul bass sets the groove to not have to do that much on drums and still sound really complete, and sometimes intrique without being so.

McCartney's playing si fun to hear, but know i know why Ringo is so highly regarded. YOu can;t always play along with Paul, but rather complement the vocals and other instruments, as Paul will sometimes be playing a lot more than the bottom, and basic changes. It's amazing how Ringo adapted and kept the songs together, instead of jamming along with Paul. He picked his fills, after he had the groundwork down solid.

John Daubert
(love playing drums maybe more than my piano)

Yeah, those are great bass players. I believe EWandF's bass player's name was Verdine White, I could be wrong there (White or Wong?) He is currently working with the artist formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince. Jack Bruce and Sir Paul are two of my favorites also. As a bass player working in Nashville, I've looked to the playing of Henry Strzelecki for guidance. Henry practically defined the Nashville style of country bass. He's a pretty good jazz guitar player also.

Mike

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Mike Dunbar Music

What bass lines, or the whole song in general, do you consider to be your favotite bass played song? Or pick one from each of the mentioned bass players if you like.

Thanks Mike!

John Daubert

As a bass player, I like the bass lines to Shotgun, My Girl, Knock on Wood, Midnight Hour, and I Feel Good, among others. As a singer, I like the country swing bass stuff. Any of the Ray Price, especially.

The Cream stuff is cool. I like Ventura Highway and any of James Taylor's lines by that big bearded guy. Jaco was great, but his style wouldn't work with everything, he created a new role for the bass. Paul McCartney is wonderful, but I wouldn't recommend playing like him in a session (although every track I ever did for Steve Bivins, he'd tell me to play it like Paul.)

I like Bootsy too, I've even got some boxes that give me his kind of sounds, but I've never used them in a session. One day I'll put some on my own instrumentals.

One of my very favorite bass lines was in Dance With Me. Beautiful stuff. More bass...turn it up...more...

Mike

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Mike Dunbar Music