Where to start? Or, more succinctly, where to end?
"Wheels Of Fire" by Cream- it's the perfect combination of studio and live. Jack Bruce is still the biggest influence on me as a bassist. His approach is that while the bass does have a specific function to fulfill, that shouldn't limit HOW you fulfill that function! "White Room", "Crossroads", "Spoonful", etc. And also listen to his 50th birthday party concert (released in at least two versions, one is "Sitting On Top Of The World") and the Cream reunion at Albert Hall- it's important to hear how he totally reinvents the lines to his classic songs. He's no slave to the recording and that's vitally important I think.
Get the live Aretha Franklin at the Fillmore (with Jerry Jemmott on bass) and Donny Hathaway's live album (make sure you get the on that has "Everything is Everything/Voices Inside" and "Ghetto Boy") with the under-rated and totally remarkable Willie Weeks. These two albums on a cassette were my pre-gig ritual for years- always got me into the right frame of mind to play bass with a band!!!
B. B. King's "Completely Well" is important and another example of Jemmott's inventiveness. While on the topic, we also need to mention the classic Aretha stuff with Chuck Rainey on bass too, around the time of "Rock Steady" etc. Rainey's also found in an important role with Steely Dan- that's him on "Peg".
The Tower of Power album with "What Is Hip" showcasing Rocco's deadly 16th notes. Two of Jaco Pastorious' biggest influences are Rocco and Jerry Jemmott.
Another vote for "Bless Its Pointed Little Head" too- because Jack Cassady is another one who's never limited by what he recorded, but reinterprets every song based on NOW.
And any bassists simply MUST get a copy of "Standing In The Shadows of Motown" by Dr. Licks- both the DVD and the book/CD set. It's an exposition of how the Motown session band, pinned by James Jamerson's other-worldly imagination altered the way the bass was thought of and utilized. It's not hyperbole to say that there was the world of electric bass before Jamerson, and a totally different world after him.
"Jaco Pastoious", his first solo album- Like Jamerson the world changed around Jaco, and this is the best examples of all his facets. If you like this then add "Bright Size Life" by Pat Metheny and "Heavy Weather" by Weather Report to the library as well.
A good Stax/Volt box set to learn from Jamerson's more earthy Memphis counterpart, Duck Dunn.
Another vote for "Live At Leeds" because The Who is the only straight ahead rock 'n' roll band that I care about. The Stones wrote some good riffs and a couple of cool songs, but The Who had it all. A wonderful SONG writer in Pete, the epitome of what a lead singer should be (that's why Bonzo's and John Paul Jone's highly over-rated buddies based their vision of a lead singer on Daltrey), and the bassist who MADE them sound like The Who. No one else could have anchored the insanity of Moon's drumming and still make it sound like music.
"Elite Hotel" by Emmylou Harris- this album combines traditional real country music with the LA cowboy thing. Emory Gordy Jr. is the perfect example of playing what the song needs, and nothing more.
"Stand" by Sly & The Family Stone- Larry Graham unleashes his thumb to the world on "Thank You (Falletine Me Be Mice Elf, Again)", and plays the perfect one-note bass line on "Everyday People".
"Takin' My Time" by Bonnie Raitt- This early '70s album features Freebo's impressively sensitive bass work all over it.
A James Taylor greatest hits to hear the best of one of the best session players ever, Leland Sklar. Also dig Jackson Browne's first album "Saturate Before Using", if only for Sklar's sly work on "Dr. My Eyes".
Trisha Yearwood's "Thinkin' About You" for Dave Pomeroy's sensitive and touching support of about the only "contemporary" country artists that can sing and chooses great material. Dig his heartbreaking slides on "On A Bus To St. Cloud".
Get a Parliament/Funkadelic compliation, a James Brown hits, and The Brothers Johnson hits album. Bootsy Collins is THE funkiest human being alive and to think he recorded the impossibly convoluted line to "Sex Machine" with James Brown when he was like 19 is amazing. And Louis Johnson came up with the thumb/pop thing independently of Larry Graham, taking it to new places. Also get some stuff that features Bernard Edwards playing with Chic.
That's a great wide-ranging introduction to the bassists that clearly define a lot of the best bass playing. I've left out a good bit, mostly because I'm just not into Rush, Yes, RHCP, metal, etc. And while I love Victor Wooten's approach with The FleckTones and his solo stuff, that's the kind of stuff I'm hesitant to recommend to people because it's of limited appeal.
And as much as I find Led Zeppelin highly over-rated, JPJ is one of the best bassists ever. So if you can get past the sloppy guitar work and the mind-numbing caterwauling vocals, dig "The Lemon Song", "What Is and What Shall Never Be", "Whole Lotta Love", etc.
Simon & Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" has Joe Osborn's bass lovingly supporting and yet slipping to the forefront without attracting attention to itself all through that record. You HAVE to listen closely to "Only Living Boy In New York" and experience the beauty of those sliding parts under the vocals. Other important Osborn tracks are S&G's "America" and The Fifth Dimension's "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In".
Carol Kaye is another one who defined the LA session scene that Joe was active in, and an important figure in the role of the electric bass. Put aside her personal quirks and the whole Jamerson debate- focus on her impeccable work on the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" album. If you're serious about bass, get the boxed set that has the out-takes of Brian talking to the band. It also has some of the tracks without vocals so you can really hear a lot of the subtle stuff that makes the record come alive. As a bonus it's also got some of the songs with JUST those wonderful vocal harmonies!! Plus dig Carol's funky line on Joe Cocker's version of "Feelin' Alright".
No bassist's collection can be complete without a healthy dose of Paul McCartney- I sometimes think even his farts must be melodic... "Something", "Here, There, and Everywhere", "Come Together", "Hey, Bulldog", "I Saw Her Standing There", etc. etc.
Get a Paul Young greatest hits album to hear Pino Pallidino at his best- well at the best of ONE phase of his many faces. He's also done great but totally different things with D'Angelo, John Mayer, and he got the gig with The Who two days after Entwistle died.
Speaking of filling in at the last minute- Jeff Berlin got a call from Yes three days before a world tour. He listened to the recordings and transcribed Chris Squire's parts on the plane to London, did a one day rehearsal, and did the tour. His best work is all over the place, but if you like progressive rock combined with fusion stuff, get Bill Bruford's "Gradually Going Tornado".
I also need to mention some important bassist without reference to specific albums- do a google search and see which ones strike your fancy, but be aware of the contributions from:
Bill Wyman, Bruce Thomas (I just heard "Allison" again last night...), Stanley Clarke, Jeff Andrews, Bee Spears, Carl Radle (it was a stroke of genius to NOT double the guitar part on "Cocaine"), Nathan East, Tommy Cogbill, Anthony Jackson, Bob Babbitt, Aston "Family Man" Barret, Timothy B. Schmitt, Bob Moore, Tal Wikenfield, Nathan Watts, Freddy Washington, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Phil Lesh, Tom "T Bone" Wolk, and a million others.
John
