The BEST bass solo of all time

[Daniel Tracey (dannobasso)]

We can all make numerous lists of artists. Each has a different genere that they excel in. Pino Palladino always lent a great melodic style. Ever hear High Speed on Ice? (Shehan in Talas) speed tricks and mayhem.  Tim Landers and Anthony Jackson's work with DiMeola still moves me. Pick anyone? Guy Pratt with Toy Matinee, exceptional. Gary Johnson with China Crisis, Doug Pinnick King's X, Mike Pope, John Alderete Racer X doesn't even scratch the surface. Not to mention the funk, blues or R+B guys. Bar Kays! I know that the tie dye crowd have their favorites too. Any way you slice it it is ultimately what moves you, inspires you, and kicks your ass so you pick up your axe and start sweating. Please be kind to those who make some mistakes now and again. Victor is a tremendous individual with a spiritual strength that has touched many of us. Mark hasn't exactly stayed tru to his signature has he? There but for the grace of God! Show me a bassist who makes no mistakes and you have a bassist who won't stretch or take a chance. We have all stolen from Jaco to some degree but let's not emulate his life choices (we all Know the stories). Rambling, disjointed, you bet cha! Too big a topic to think about clearly. Too much passion for the instrument to be totally fair to all. Bottom line, how many albums have we sold collectively? How many are asking for our videos? Jealous, definitely! Anyone else secretly desire their own signature model? Be honest! How about it Mica? Is there a benchmark we need to reach? Rami, I hope you've played with better drummers then I have. To many Time is a magazine. It's hard to lock in with a drummer if they lock you out! Perhaps it's because they don't usually bring amps to the gig!

[Daniel Tracey (dannobasso)]

We can all make numerous lists of artists. Each has a different genere that they excel in. Pino Palladino always lent a great melodic style. Ever hear High Speed on Ice? (Shehan in Talas) speed tricks and mayhem.  Tim Landers and Anthony Jackson's work with DiMeola still moves me. Pick anyone? Guy Pratt with Toy Matinee, exceptional. Gary Johnson with China Crisis, Doug Pinnick King's X, Mike Pope, John Alderete Racer X doesn't even scratch the surface. Not to mention the funk, blues or R+B guys. Bar Kays! I know that the tie dye crowd have their favorites too. Any way you slice it it is ultimately what moves you, inspires you, and kicks your ass so you pick up your axe and start sweating. Please be kind to those who make some mistakes now and again. Victor is a tremendous individual with a spiritual strength that has touched many of us. Mark hasn't exactly stayed tru to his signature has he? There but for the grace of God! Show me a bassist who makes no mistakes and you have a bassist who won't stretch or take a chance. We have all stolen from Jaco to some degree but let's not emulate his life choices (we all Know the stories). Rambling, disjointed, you bet cha! Too big a topic to think about clearly. Too much passion for the instrument to be totally fair to all. Bottom line, how many albums have we sold collectively? How many are asking for our videos? Jealous, definitely! Anyone else secretly desire their own signature model? Be honest! How about it Mica? Is there a benchmark we need to reach? Rami, I hope you've played with better drummers then I have. To many Time is a magazine. It's hard to lock in with a drummer if they lock you out! Perhaps it's because they don't usually bring amps to the gig!

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

Personally I think some of the solo's Stanley Clarke did on the Romantic Warrior Album take some beating. They have all the qualities I would listen for in a solo, pace, melodic phrasing, rhytmic variation, clarity, direction and a serious groove.  In some ways I liken some of his solo work to Carlos Santana, and to a certain extent Jimi Hendrix in that their brilliance is not just about having perfect technique, highly advanced yes.
 
As well as his power solo's, he is also able to communicate is a certain naiivety almost childlike purity and simplicity of melody that has lots of feel and emotion.  
 
A bit like Picasso with music he takes a concept and takes you to another dimension. Listen to some of the RTF stuff and recently the quieter numbers on the first Vertu album and you will get a drift of what I mean here.
 
Power is nothing without control.
When you have the power of Clarkee coupled with an Alembic...you have both.  
 
I hope you catch my drift and Stanley if you are reading this it's a complement.
 
And yes I can hum those RTF Solo's ha ha ha.
 
 

[Derwin Moss (bassdude63)]

Some faves: Jaco's melodies on A Remark You Made, Jeff Berlin's solos on Water On The Brain Part- II and 10,000 Prayers, John Entwistle's frenzied playing on The Real Me, James Jamerson's grooving bass line on What's Going On, John Paul Jones' playing on The Lemon Song. Most of my faves are'nt solos per se, rather bass lines that really drive the song.  

[Joseph Schwartz (the_schwartz)]

A few nominations:
 
Victor Wooten: Cherokee, Norwegian Wood (from What Did He Say?)
 
Stanley Clarke: School Days (from Live at the Greek)
 
Jaco: Portrait of Tracy, Donna Lee, Chromatic Fantasy
 
 
Honorable mention for non-solo bass lines:
 
Jaco: Birdland, A Remark You Made, Teen Town, Bright Size Life, Coyote
 
John Entwistle: The Real Me, Won't Get Fooled Again
 
Geddy Lee: Red Barchetta,YYZ,Test for Echo
 

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Isn't Chromatic Fantasy just the most incredibly fast and wild piece you ever heard?!!!  I found the transcription - 64th note everywhere!!!  That's one of those How the heck did he do it!  pieces.  

[Joseph Schwartz (the_schwartz)]

I read a Jaco interview in Downbeat back in the '80s...I think he said he got in one take!  He knew it as he was playing near the end of the piece...imagine the feeling.

[Tracey Gholson (fretted4)]

john mcvie's solo on the song  the chain, big time fleetwood mac fan here, plus he uses a series 1 4 string for that solo.

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Hey don't get me wrong here...when I was growing up, my heros were Jack Bruce (still is), John Paul Jones, and Geddy Lee.  I was around 15 when I discovered Jaco.  He was performing at the local Jazz festival.  I remember wondering; who the heck is that?!!!  There was nothing he couldn't do.  I was hooked.  Listen to Chromatic Fantasy and wonder, is that a bass?  What IS that...WHO is that?  The one and only World's Greates Bass Player.   It's only too bad the World's greatest Bass player never met the World's greatest Bass.  It would have been the perfect match.   Although, I heard that he smashed his famous fretless Jazz Bass and threw another into Hiroshima Bay (Bass Player - Jan. 2002).  Maybe it was better that he played Fenders after all!
 
(Message edited by rami on January 22, 2003)

[Daniel Tracey (dannobasso)]

If you have watched the instructional video with Chuck Rainey, Jaco is palying a fretted neck. This was one of the last things he did before his passing I'm told. They need to put a new neck on because he was'nt up to form. He played amazingly despite his difficulties in life. Genius has its dark side too. I had a Fender custom fretless 4 with a Kharma body in Schedua and Leo Quan Bridge. That flipping bass neck moved more than mere cat family. I even had a Kubiki neck made for it. Same deal. I almost threw it in a river!I loathe bolt ons. All bitching aside, take out your old albums and cd's and revisit the cats who made your jaw drop back in the day. Better yet, replace your vinyl with digital and really hear the nuances. Anyone else besides me finally giving Sir Paul McCartney his props? Try and play some of his lines. Tha man had an unusual way of doing things that still has me thinking. Also check out Jimmy Johnson's guest shots on the Planet X cd MoonBabies along with Tom Kennedy and Billy Sheehan.

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Hey Daniel,  
 
In Jaco's instructional video with Jerry Jemmott, he plays a long solo on Jerry's Fretless, a piece entitled Naima. He plays a duet with himself.  He plays the background on the fretted Jazz/Precision hybrid while playing the melody/solo on the fretless.  Also, Jaco owned many fretted Jazz basses.  The neck on that particular one was being repaired at the time (Bass Player - Jan. 2002).  If you see him playing Jerry Jemmott's fretless (a bass he was unfamiliar with) as flawlessly as he did, you would see that he never lost any of his chops or form.  Let's also not forget the performances with John Scofield and Kenwood Denard on that video.  He even closes the video playing the piano!  
 
That video was recorded in 1985.  Jaco was killed in 1987.  During those two years, he continued to record and perform live.  Check out the brilliant work he did with Brian Melvin - the album Jazz Street recorded Oct-Nov 1986.  Two great solos to listen for are on the tracks Wedding Waltz and Out Of The Night.   Both played on his fretless Jazz Bass.
Jaco not up to form?   I don't think so.
 
(Message edited by rami on January 25, 2003)

[P. Sherman (pasherm)]

Michael Manring was mentioned earlier, but I wanted to throw in my vote for this amazing musician.  A day of many angels is simply beautiful.

[Daniel Tracey (dannobasso)]

Rami, your information is different from mine. My info came from discussions with some NYC cats who played with him at the Lone Star Cafe in NYC and an article that I read years ago. He was amazing but life's choices and hardships took their toll in the end. My viewpoint is colored by the type of work I do ( working with handicapped students) and the musicians I've played with who burned out too soon and some unfortunately died because of choices. Some tragedies are preventable and some are made. His contribution to music will always be remembered and emulated. His leaving will also always be felt it came way too soon.

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Well Daniel,
 
Just pickup the video and see for yourself.  I also highly recommend the album with Brian Melvin.  Jaco wasn't killed by his Dark side (although it may have contributed to his self destructive behavior), but by the hands of another person.

[Joseph Schwartz (the_schwartz)]

 Jaco wasn't killed by his Dark side (although it may have contributed to his self destructive behavior), but by the hands of another person.
 
I wish more people were aware of this...it seems like everyone blames Jaco for his demise.  It's not like he OD'd; somebody beat him to death.  I understand the man who did so never faced any charges for his actions.