Author Topic: Bass transcriptions (Read 404 times)

dnburgess · « **on:** July 06, 2003, 07:57:56 PM »

Can anyone recommend a good source of bass transcriptions of classic R&B/Soul from mid 60s to mid 70s?

I already have Standing in the Shadows.., What Duck Dunne and the Bass White Pages.

bigredbass · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2003, 10:38:47 AM »

dnb:

Proving that the Almighty may indeed be a female, any of the Carol Kaye books from that time period have a LOT of that kind of thing in them. Of course, she played on lots of those records. They're available at her website and lots of places that sell sheet music. Plus they're written in regular notation, not tab.

First Carol, then Susan, then Mica, gee . . . I LIKE this!

dnburgess · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2003, 10:02:30 PM »

Thanks for the lead - her site is a real treaure trove of material.

I noticed in the discography she is credited with Bernadette by the Four Tops, which is a landmark bass line usually credited to James Jamerson. Does anyone know what the story is?

David Houck · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2003, 11:01:08 PM »

I ran an internet search and found that there is a significant difference of opinion concerning a number of Motown songs and whether Kaye or Jamerson was the bassplayer. A number of the articles I found were written by Allan Slutsky who is Jamerson's biographer. Many of the articles date from the mid-90's. Here is one of them:
http://www.bassland.net/jamerson.html

bigredbass · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2003, 07:30:48 AM »

dnb:

I don't have the heart for this argument that has raged for years now about 'he played/she played'. I'll only say that I agree with what Carol said in an article I read: The AFM keeps the records of WHO played WHAT in terms of residuals, paycheck records, etc.

It's really a tough situation. The Biz is always especially ruthless to women, and only someone as mentally tough as Carol could have survived it all. And Jamerson is long dead, and unable to speak to this. Then throw Bob Babbitt and other bassists into that scene and it gets really murky.

I love them all, and they MADE me learn to play bass. Jamerson, under Gladys Knight's Grapevine. Carol's fabulous lines in Good Vibrations. DD with Cropper in Time is Tight. To quote the Tops, I can't help myself!

J o e y

dean_m · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2003, 06:42:04 AM »

It's kinda funny that this thread turned this way.
Dan, check out this link http://www.basstabarchive.com They seem to have quite a bit of stuff.
As far as who played on what, I dare not enter that sandbox. Bernadette doesn't sound like it was played with a pick though.

Peace,
Dino

dnburgess · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2003, 04:41:16 PM »

Thanks for the lead, Dino - looks interesting.

David B.

bigredbass · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2003, 02:40:15 PM »

PS,dnb:

My favorite 'party' cd is a somewhat-overlooked album by a solo Donald Fagen called The New York Rock & Soul Revue: Live at the Beacon.

This is from DF's 'wandering years', after Dan the First and The Nightfly, before Kamakyriad and The Second Coming with 2 Against Nature. Sit-ins from Phoebe Snow, Michael MacDonald, and Boz Scaggs, recorded live with old soul, SD, Rascals, even a live 'Green Flower Street'.

I LOVE to play along with this CD when the soul music itch needs scratching, and I'm wanting a more modern take on the genre.

It's worth it just to hear Michael ask 'where did you get those shoes!?!?'.

J o e y

dnburgess · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2003, 04:48:43 PM »

Thanks Joey - I'll follow it up.

Speaking of modern takes on the genre - I have been listening to Joan Osborne's How Sweet It Is and Solomon Bourke's Don't Give Up on Me.

The first are classic R&B numbers given modern interpretation and studio techniques. The second are new songs recorded the old way - live in studio, max. three takes.

IMHO the Bourke album is far more satisfying. The comparison is eloquent proof of what is lost by modern recording (as opposed to engineering) techniques.

How much of the the phenomenal success of the Norah Jones album is due to listeners reacting against the overproduction of most popular music and appreciating a more back to basics recording technique? Hopefully the success of this and projects like Standing in the Shadows.. and Don't Give Up on Me will lead to this approach being no longer seen as purely the domain of jazz or audiophile music.

Time to climb down off my soapbox...

bigredbass · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2003, 06:39:47 AM »

dnb

Well, you'll have to help me down off of it too !

Here in Nashville, of course these new so-called 'country artists' can't record demos without vocal correction (Antares, Don't Leave Home Without It!).

I was stunned when someone reminded me that Patsy's 'Sweet Dreams' (the masterful Owen Bradley arrangement, the strings, her voice, the piano part) was all in one take, live . . . as were all recordings up to the early 60s. Nelson Ridlle and Sinatra. Ella. Elvis. Giants truly walked the earth.

I only wonder if I were 16 today, would I be playing ProTools in my bedroom instead of a Mustang and a Vibro Champ? Then would I lip synch in my bar band at the Holiday Inn lounge?

J o e y

dnburgess · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2003, 04:08:19 PM »

[...climbing back onto soapbox]

...not to mention Mowtown, which is sort of where this thread started. Just imagine if the Mowtown material had been recorded using modern engineering techniques - those amazing performances in glorious SACD. But then again, if modern engineering was available, those performances may never have happened as the writer/producers might have done it all on ProTools.

Its sad to hear Nashville is going that way as well. While I'm no expert on country music, I kind of imagined Nashville as the last bastion of real musicians - fingers on strings and all that.

For an amazing one take wonder, check out the track on the Solomon Bourke album with The Blind Boys of Alabama. As the story goes, The Blind Boys came into the studio and women from Solomon's church brought in lots of food. While munching away they talked about the track - meanwhile the players were working out their parts. The food was cleared away, the producer counted off, and bang - that was it. Solomon and the Blind Boys had left the studio before the producer looked up from the console - they knew they'd nailed it. You hear the Blind Boys working out their parts on the fly - the first chorus is a little rough, but after that its sweet as.

David B.