the greatest bass players | gaetano sacco
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THE GREATEST BASS PLAYERS OF ALL TIME
GAETANO SACCO
THE BASS, NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF MUSIC YOU’RE PLAYING, IT JUST ENHANCES THE SOUND AND MAKES EVERYTHING SOUND MORE BEAUTIFUL AND FULL. WHEN THE BASS STOPS, THE BOTTOM KIND OF DROPS OUT OF EVERYTHING…Charlie Haden
MUSIC FANS CAN NEVER SEEM TO AGREE…
WHO IS THE GREATEST BASS PLAYER OF ALL TIME?
The question almost always yields a heated debate, ripe with a variety of musicians worthy of the title.
Whether it’s technical proficiency, phrasing, tone, or fitting in perfectly within the context of a song, there are plenty of reasons to adorn someone with the title of “one of the greatest bass players” …ever
HERE IS MY LIST OF THE TOP TEN GREATEST BASS PLAYERS
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER,
GRAMMY AWARD WINNER, COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR, AND PRODUCER
STANLEY CLARKE
Clarke is an American jazz musician and bass playing legend from Philadelphia. Watching Stanley Clarke slapping on a double bass remains one of my all-time influential bass moments. Clarke made a name for himself in the 70’s when he joined legendary jazz and fusion pianist Chick Corea to form the group Return to Forever. He is truly one of the greats.
MY INTRODUCTION TO JACO WAS BY MEANS OF BASS PLAYER FOLKLORE. “EVER HEARD OF THIS GUY WHO REMOVED HIS FRETS AND REFINISHED THE FRETBOARD WITH MARINE EPOXY?” ONCE I HEARD HIS USE OF HARMONICS AND CHORDS, I WAS SOLD. AS A PART OF THE WEATHER REPORT RHYTHMIC BACKBONE, JACO CONTINUED TO BUILD ON HIS LEGACY THROUGHOUT THE 70’S AND 80’S. THOUGH HE PASSED AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 35, PASTORIOUS’ WORK WOULD GO ON TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF GREATS.
Jaco Pastorious
VICTOR WOOTENWOOTEN IS ARGUABLY THE GREATEST TO EVER PLAY THE INSTRUMENT. HIS TECHNICAL PROWESS WILL SIMPLY LEAVE YOU IN DISBELIEF. RAISED BY A FAMILY OF MUSICIANS, IT IS EASY TO SEE HOW VICTOR WOOTEN WAS ABLE TO REACH SUCH HEIGHTS OF VIRTUOSITY. THE YOUNGEST OF 5 SIBLINGS, ALL OF WHICH WERE GIFTED MUSICIANS, WOOTEN BEGAN PLAYING BASS AT THE AGE OF TWO. BY THE TIME HE WAS 6, VICTOR WAS ALREADY PLAYING AND TOURING WITH THE FAMILY BAND, “THE WOOTEN BROTHERS BAND.” KNOWN FOR IMPECCABLE SLAP AND FINGERSTYLE TECHNIQUES, WOOTEN HAS GONE ON TO RECEIVE WORLD-WIDE RECOGNITION FOR HIS ABILITIES. ACCOLADES INCLUDE GRAMMY WINNER, BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR (X3), AND VOTED A TOP 10 BASSIST OF ALL-TIME BY ROLLING STONE.
THE ONE WHO GAVE US THE FUNK…
BOOTSY COLLINS
Few musicians have been able to take their instruments and identity to new heights the way Bootsy did. Quite simply, Bootsy Collins is funk music. Complemented by an out-of-this-world personality and trademark star glasses, Bootsy’s legendary bass lines and humorous vocals have thumped their way into the roots of American music history.
CLAYPOOL IS EASILY RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST PROFICIENT AND CREATIVE BASS PLAYERS IN MODERN MUSIC. LISTEN TO ANY PRIMUS ALBUM AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY LES CLAYPOOL EXPLODED ONTO THE SCENE THE WAY HE AND HIS FELLOW BANDMATES DID. KNOWN MOSTLY BY HIS CARL THOMPSON BASSES, CLAYPOOL PLAYS A VARIETY OF FRETTED, FRETLESS, UPRIGHT, AND ELECTRIC BASSES.
Les Claypool
MARCUS MILLERWHILE MOST PEOPLE WILL KNOW MARCUS MILLER FROM HIS IMPRESSIVE SOLO CAREER, HE IS ALSO A VIRTUOSO BEHIND THE SCENES AND HAS PLAYED WITH A NUMBER OF FAMOUS MUSICIANS SUCH AS MILES DAVIS, HERBIE HANCOCK, AND LUTHER VANDROSS, AMONGST OTHERS. HE IS ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, SIMPLY ADDING TO HIS PROWESS.
THE INVENTOR OF SLAPPING
LARRY GRAHAM
Have you heard of Sly and the Family Stone? Larry Graham was the bassist for the band as well as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station. He is also credited as the inventor of the slapping technique, which was a radical shift in the way bass was played and allowed for more notes to be used.
EVERYONE KNOWS PAUL MCCARTNEY AND RIGHTLY SO — THE MAN WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS TO EVER EXIST, THE BEATLES. ALONG WITH HIS SUCCESSFUL SOLO CAREER, HE HELPED PROVE THAT BASSISTS WERE VITAL TO THEIR BANDS AND COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED SINGERS AND SONGWRITERS.
Paul McCartney
JAMES JAMERSONTHIS IS THE MAN WHO WAS PLAYING BASS FOR ALMOST ALL OF THE MOTOWN HITS IN THE 60’S AND 70’S, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS UNCREDITED. JAMERSON IS NOW KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BASS PLAYERS IN MODERN HISTORY — HE WAS FINALLY INDUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME IN 2000, 17 YEARS AFTER HE DIED.
THE GENRE-BREAKING JAZZ ARTIST
CHARLES MINGUS
Aside from have a great last name, Charles Mingus was an influential double bass player and bandleader. He created genre-breaking jazz and promoted collective improvisation amongst his band members. Along with his skill with the bass and with composing, he is known for having a vicious temper.
