Joe Osborn

JezWynd

Surely one of the best bass players, so melodic, two of my faves of his…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5biEjyXNa2o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWb7F1mxljE

any others I should check out?

Mykesbass

Other tracks or players? 

JezWynd

Mykesbass said:

Other tracks or players? 

I had in mind other tracks featuring Joe Osborn but other players from his era are welcome. I'm very taken with his melodic style, Only Living Boy is an excellent example, as are other cuts on the Bridge Over Troubled Water LP.

Just learned via Wiki that he had the same set of LaBella flats on his Jazz bass (given to him by Fender, we should all be so lucky!) for 20 years.

Mykesbass

JezWynd said:

Mykesbass said:

Other tracks or players? 

I had in mind other tracks featuring Joe Osborn but other players from his era are welcome. I'm very taken with his melodic style, Only Living Boy is an excellent example, as are other cuts on the Bridge Over Troubled Water LP.

Just learned via Wiki that he had the same set of LaBella flats on his Jazz bass (given to him by Fender, we should all be so lucky!) for 20 years.

Well aside from S&G where his playing is sublime, I'd go for the Carpenters. Don't be afraid of the Middle of the Road stigma, their arrangements were on another level.

My othe player suggestion would be Bob Babbitt - check out Gladys Knight If I Were Your Woman.

JezWynd

Mykesbass said:
Well aside from S&G where his playing is sublime, I'd go for the Carpenters. Don't be afraid of the Middle of the Road stigma, their arrangements were on another level.

Very true, his playing really suited S&G's music - his melodic counterpoints to the vocal line are so expressive and evocative. America (the song) is another good example. It's a style of playing that seems less prevalent these days. I had checked out some of the Carpenters numbers but hearing via youtube is less than ideal, perhaps I'll get a CD of greatest hits (unless there's a particular album I should check out?).

Thanks for the Bob Babbitt recommendation; he's a name I know but I've never done a deep dive into his work. Another personal favourite from that period is David Hood, the Muscle Shoals house bassist, a supremely tasteful player, never flash but an all the right notes in the right places sort of player. Boz Scaggs (the LP) and Millie Jackson's Caught Up are good examples of his work.

jdgm

Love it.  Max Bennett was another LA guy I'm sure you know about.....David Hood was one of the greats. Lots of simple-sounding steady grooves...all the classic Muscle Shoals guys are on this and Miroslav Vitous:

JezWynd

Max Bennett, good call! I just realised he played on the Bullitt soundtrack...



and David Hood...

jdgm

Abe Laboriel?

His son Abe jr is McCartney's drummer....

DannyP

jdgm said:

His son Abe jr is McCartney's drummer....

Now there's a bassist. Check out A Day In The Life, among other tunes.

EricTheWeary

This came to mind and is just generally a superb song. 

https://youtu.be/sEgcHrbyTgk

EricTheWeary

^^^ the acoustic part apparently in DADEGA 

JezWynd

EricTheWeary said:

This came to mind and is just generally a superb song. 

https://youtu.be/sEgcHrbyTgk

Speaking of Joni, watched this (long) interview with her last night, she's an interesting character and she does an excellent Bob Dylan impersonation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEJuiZN3jI8