TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Beginnings
- Detroit Motor City
- The British Invasion
- Studio Life
- Carol Kaye
- Studio Life: The Bigger Picture
- It’s Got To Be Funky
- The Growth Of Funk
- Why Funk?
- The Electric Bass: Coming Of Age
- A Fusion Of Styles
- Jaco Pastorius
- Who Was Jaco?
- Lessons From Jaco
- Punk Rock
- The 80's
- The 80's Underground
- The 90's: Back To Roots
- The Revivalist Movement
- The Historical Perspective: The Importance
Introduction
Leo Fender was a visionary. He didn’t invent the electric bass, traces of the instrument can be found as early as 1936 (fifteen years prior to the first “Fender Bass,” which debuted in late 1951). What Leo Fender did do was design, produce and successfully market a “bass guitar” like no other—the Fender Bass.
From a marketing point of view, Leo was smart enough to understand that if the “Fender Bass” would succeed, it would have to appeal to a wider musical audience than the occasional jazz renegade or disillusioned country “doghouse” bass player. The “Fender Bass” would have to appeal to both the “standup bass” player as well as the six string guitar player. Sure enough, within a few years of it’s debut on the music scene, both upright bass players and guitar players would adopt the “Fender Bass" as their instrument of choice.
Beginnings
Jazz upright players were the first to make the switch, from upright to electric bass. Lionel Hampton’s bassist, Monk Montgomery, revolutionized how the Fender Bass would be played throughout the 1950’s. He played electric bass as if it were an upright, playing lines he had mastered from his years of upright experience. His left-hand technique incorporated various upright fingerings. Monk "attacked" the notes with his right hand thumb, playing all downstrokes, an unorthodox approach considering his upright bass background. Monk traveled the world over Lionel Hampton throughout the 1950's, sharing his new instrument with whoever would listen. In the end, Monk Montgomery goes down in electric bass history as being the first notable pioneer of an instrument called the "Fender Bass."
Detroit Motor City
A jazz bassist turned studio musician from Detroit inspired another generation of players in the 1960’s. James Jamerson was an integral part of Detroit's hottest export, Motown Records. Trained as an upright bass player in the jazz tradition (Paul Chambers and Ray Brown were two of his biggest influences), James Jamerson began recording with Motown Records in 1959 as a means to help support his growing family. It wasn’t until 1961 that James would begin playing the electric bass, and only then because upright gigs were dwindling Soon after, he would be playing the electric bass in the studio (the first song was “Strange I Know” by The Marvellettes, released in 1962). In the years that followed, James and his fellow “Funk Brothers” would go on to play on more No. 1 hits than The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Elvis and The Beatles COMBINED. More importantly, they did so with an endearing sense of style that continues to get better with age. James’ contribution to the electric bass (and to popular music, in general) cannot be emphasized enough. James Jamerson brought legitimacy to what was thought to be a “bastard” instrument. Whereas Monk Montgomery viewed the electric bass only in terms of it’s relation to the “upright ” he’d known in a previous creative life. James Jamerson made strides into the individual qualities of the electric bass, making him among the first to explore the unique potential of the electric bass. The electric bass CAN supply the musical foundation as good as any instrument can. But in addition, it also can be played melodically and percussively, and is capable of great restraint and “balls to the wall” excitement. It’s been 20 years since James has left us, yet still, his lines are a part of the “Essential Listening” canon of bass players everywhere.
CONTENTS
The British Invasion
February 9, 1964…
this day is considered the big bang of the British Invasion:
The Beatles perform on…
(A TV viewing audience of 73 million people)
This was more than just “THE HOT NEW ACT” from Capital Records. No marketing company could have predicted this phenomenon—BEATLEMANIA, signified the rebirth of Rock & Roll. We were once a country reeling from the loss of an assassinated President. Now, we're at a national crisis of a different sort: 73 million families have at least one kid who absolutely needs a GUITAR, an ELECTRIC BASS, or a DRUM SET in order to live a normal life. Guitar manufactures surface overnight, there are two or three garage bands in every neighborhood—kids everywhere hanging up their pro-baseball aspirations in the hopes that a Vox Amplifier will somehow magically appear under the Christmas tree. Starting a band became one of the “COOL THINGS TO DO,” a rite of passage if you wanted to be seen as one of the COOLEST OF THE...
Amidst all of this extra-musical hysteria, great and new musical ideas would inspire a national interest in popular music. Local music stores would now offer private lessons (when it might not have before). Paul McCartney, the cheerful lead singer/bassist of the Beatles could also PLAY his chosen instrument—THE ELECTRIC BASS. His style was one part Brian Wilson (of The Beach Boys) one part James Jamerson, McCartney was a receptive pupil of many American Popular music traditions—traditional rock, Motown, Blues, as well as older Tin Pan Alley, Jazz, even Classical styles. He was a master at taking what he wanted from each of these styles, and assimilating it into his own unique musical style. In doing so, he provided a musical prototype many others would follow for years to come.
As a bassist, Paul McCartney is an innovator. From the start, he had enough skill to “get the job done.” Like Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney was a master at composing great bass lines. But Paul McCartney also had a talent for improvisation (not unlike James Jamerson), a skill he would apply to his compositions. Paul was at home with the live performance. The Beatles had been performing together, in one form or another, since 1958 (even though Paul wasn’t playing bass until 1961). Playing LIVE is where they learned their craft. Paul came to the electric bass from a “guitar player” background, and like most guitar players who switch over to bass, Paul played with a pick, developing a style that would influence more than a few notable American musicians to adopt similar technique (see Studio Life). His guitar (and piano) background would set him apart from many of his contemporaries. It gave him a better understanding of some of the many less obvious choices that were available to him as a bass player. From Paul, we have learned of the benefits of taking on secondary “chord-based” instruments like the piano or guitar in order to better understand the function of the bass guitar in a band setting, and navigating through chord changes, etc. Lastly, Paul McCartney was an evolving musician/bassist—a lifetime musician. He was never satisfied or complacent about his abilities. Listen to and compare a song like “Love Me Do” (1962) with “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite“(1967), compare that with “Something” (1969). By doing so you’ll hear the growth of a lifetime artist. We all should aspire to such musical and personal growth.
The success of The Beatles opened the floodgates for other English bands and their bass players to gain notoriety. Other significant 1st wave (1964 “Mod”-Style) British Invasion bands (and bassists) include: The Rolling Stones (Bill Wyman), The Kinks (Peter Quaif), The Animals (Chaz Chandler), The Yardbirds (Paul Samwell-Smith), and The Who (John Entwistle). A few years later, a 2nd wave of British rockers (the “non-mods”) would redefine Rock and Rock & Roll once again. Bands like Cream (Jack Bruce), The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Noel Redding), Fleetwood Mac (John McVie), The Jeff Beck Group (Ronnie Wood), Led Zeppelin (John Paul Jones), and Black Sabbath (Geezer Butler).
The music years of 1964 to 1970 not only changed the face of Rock and Pop music, but popular culture as well. Through artists like The Beatles, we have a clearer picture of the infinite musical possibilities that are waiting to be discovered—re-discovered by younger generations. The 60’s was a time of change. People were open to new ideas, and would go to any length to “turn on” the creative possibilities that were lying dormant within them. From them, we’ve also learned that in order to make new and different sounds, you must first learn what came before, approach music with an open mind for exploration. To have control over your music, you must first have control over yourself—your attitudes, your conceptions of “good” and “bad” music, your willingness to explore, etc. A closed mind will slow you down artistically, musically, and personally. As the renowned double-bassist Edgar Meyer said, "For a wide range of expression, you need the biggest pool of knowledge." To acquire that knowledge, you have to be open to receive it.
Studio Life
America’s response to the British Invasion was mixed. For Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, the new competition inspired him to create an album The Beatles couldn’t produce. That album would be called “Pet Sounds.” It would be Brian’s masterpiece, and it would go on to inspire Paul McCartney and the rest of the Beatles to create”Sgt. Peppers.” For this task, Brian depended on the skills of the many studio musicians in the Los Angeles area… in particular Phil Spector’s “Wrecking Crew,” which consisted of: Barney Kessell, Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, Glen Campbell, Billy Strange and a guitarist-turned bassist by the name of Carol Kaye.
Carol Kaye
Carol began her studio career as a guitar player in 1958. She played behind such hits as “Unchained Melody,” “You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling” (both by The Righteous Brothers) “La Bamba” (Ritchie Valens) and “Surfin’ USA” (The Beach Boys). As legend has it, it was during a 1963 session for Capital Records that she broke into electric bass work when the previously hired bassist failed to show up to the session. Within months of this session, her schedule filled up to the point where she was the No.1 “Fender bass player” with record companies, movie & TV film people, commercials, and industrial films.
Producers loved Carol for many reasons. She was a professional: she showed up on time, executed flawlessly any job that was asked of her, and she was easy to get along with—very personable. She was both an excellent sight-reader and improviser. But the key ingredient to her success was the sound she created. Her equipment was sparse (especially in the early days), consisting only of Fender Precision Bass and a Super Reverb amp. She kept her string “action” high. Carol was a “pick player” and had a unique approach to using the pick; the sounds she coaxed out of her bass were different than the sound many of her peers were getting, who were playing either with their thumb (in the style of Monk Montgomery) or finger-style. Her “sound” was versatile. She had the ability to replicate the LOWS (upright bass range), MIDS (Fender bass) and HIGHS (Danelectro 6 String “Baritone” Guitar) of the 1960’s bass tonal spectrum. In fact, she put many upright players and “Dano” players out of business due to the many sounds she was capable of producing with just one instrument.
Unlike many “Fender Bassists” of the 1960’s who came to the instrument from a guitar background; Carol could not be considered a “failed guitarist.” As with most studio musicians, Carol was a jazz musician. Her improvisational skills made her a valuable asset in the studio. When asked to create an interesting part “on the fly,” Carol was also well versed in many different styles of music—Jazz, Funk, Latin, Rock and Blues—it made no difference. She played each with integrity, and a full stylistic understanding. The ability to Improvise was a necessary skill required by all studio musicians for the simple reason that an improvising musician can come up with a sound and feel that will come across as more convincing than the written-out part the arranger is capable of coming up with. A good example of Carol’s improvisational ability can be found on the track “Hikky Burr” by Quincy Jones.
What separated Carol from many of her peers was her sight-reading ability. Many of her most notable sessions required sight-reading. She got the job, in part, because of her great sight-reading ability. The most notable example of these types of sessions includes the recording of “Pet Sounds," by The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson wrote and arranged 90% of the music on the “Pet Sounds” album. He was very specific in what he wanted his players to do. Carol brought Brian’s scored ideas to musical life (listen to “Sloop John B,” and “Good Vibrations” for examples of Carol’s highly orchestrated bass lines). There were some musicians in the L.A. Studios who couldn’t read a note of music (Glen Campbell and Joe Osborn earlier on in his career). These musicians were hired in part because of their improvisational ability, and in part because they knew how to make “that sound that was selling all the records.” In time, all musicians that would last in the LA studio scene would have to acquire good sight reading abilities.
Carol Kaye is one of many successful session musicians who helped change the way we play the electric bass. How important were her contributions? Think of it this way: from the late 1950’s to the early 1970’s, Carol was in the business of recording 16-20 songs every day, being part of 10,000 record dates, which generated an estimated 40,000 songs, countless No.1 hits, and classic songs still played to this day. Established acts such as The Doors, The Turtles, The Mamas & The Papas, The Byrds, Crosby Stills & Nash, Buffalo Springfield, Harry Nilsson, The Monkees and Frank Zappa all depended on these skilled like musicians like Carol Kaye to put down clean tracks to songs from which their careers would be built. Carol and many other session musicians had a very big part in shaping American music.
To learn more about Carol,
check out her website at:
Studio Life: The Bigger Picture
Carol Kaye was one of many unsung heroes of the recording industry of the 1960's. All major musical hubs had a "wrecking crew" similar to the west coast scene. The major music-industry "hubs" of the 1960's were: 1) Los Angeles; 2) New York City; 3) Philadelphia; 4) Detroit; 5) Nashville; 6) Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and 7) Memphis. The following is a list of the key players in each of these cities. They represent the mass growth of the electric bass at a very critical time in popular music history, the years 1960-2000.
Los Angeles--Ray Puhlman, Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, Jerry Scheff, Lyle Ritz, Ray Brown, Jim Hughart, Max Bennett, Chuck Dominico, Bob Glaub, Leland Sklar, Wilton Felder, David Hungate, Abe Laboriel, Neil Stubenhaus, Willie Weeks, Nathan East, "Steady" Freddie Washington, Hutch Hutchenson
New York--Milt Hinton, Bob Cranshaw, Bobby Rodriguez, Richard Davis, Chuck Rainey, Jerry Jemmott, Will Lee, Neil Jason, Anthony Jackson, Marcus Miller, T-Bone Wolk, Tom Barney
Philadelphia--Ron Baker, Jimmy Williams, Anthony Jackson
Chicago--Willie Dixon, Louis Satterfield, Phil Upchurch
Detroit--James Jamerson, Bob Babbitt, Nathan Watts, Michael Henderson, Allen Grier
Nashville--Bob Moore, Junior Huskey, Billy Linneman, Michael Rhodes, David Hungate, Willie Weeks, Mike Chapman, Bob Wray, Emory Gordy, Roy Huskey Jr, Dave Pomeroy, Mike Brignardello, Larry Paxton, Gary Lunn, Tommy Sims
"Muscle Shoals"/"Fame" Studios (Muscle Shoals, Alabama)--David Hood, Tommy Cogbill, Jerry Jemmott
Memphis--Duck Dunn, Tommy Cogbill, Mike Leech, Jerry Jemmott, David Hood, Albert Lowe, Jr, Bob Wray
“It's Got To Be Funky”
With the release of James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” a new musical revolution has begun—Funk! From this single contribution, James Brown goes down in music as being one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century. Why? The answer is simple, Funk has never gone out of vogue since it's inception in 1965. New artists are producing "funky vibes" everyday, from the latest rap stars to alternative-rock bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Primus. Being able to produce "THE Funk" is an essential discipline every improvising bass player must come to terms with—yeah, and it's fun as heck to play!
So what is Funk? The answer to this question must be discovered by careful listening. Listen to James Brown's "Papa Don't Take No Mess." First, listen to the overall sound--THIS IS THE SOUND OF FUNK! This song defines Funk! Before we go any further in this discovery, understand that at its roots, Funk is a "rhythm section" art form. Normally when we think of a classic Funk rhythm section, the instruments would include: 1) Guitar; 2) Bass; 3) Drums; 4) Keyboards (optional); 5) Various Percussion (Congas, Bongos, Timbales, various hand percussion instruments); and 6) Horns (Trombones, Saxes, Trumpets, etc.). All these instrumentalists are striving to achieve a "tight" group sound through improvisation (making up music "on the fly"). The central idea in Funk is to play and improvise within "the Groove," DO NOT disturb "the groove." Everyone in a Funk band adheres to this basic principle. In this way, all instrumentalists are "Rhythm Section" players. The horns operate by the same principles that the bass player adheres to. All are improvising within "the Groove" in a musically positive way.
In Funk, the guitar is a rhythm section instrument (not a lead instrument). Listen to the repetitive precision of rhythm guitarist Hearlon "Cheese" Martin. "Cheese” is a master of the "Jimmy Nolen" guitar style (Jimmy Nolen is James Brown's #1 guitar man)—repetitive, crisp, precise, and totally "in the pocket." The man himself, Jimmy Nolen, plays the underlying guitar “hook”. Listen to how his part fits tightly into the groove of what's going on musically. His part doesn't stand out, nor was it meant to.
In Funk, the bass is the sonic foundation for which all else is built. It supplies the "boom" in Funk's boom/pop equation. In the most classic funk tunes, the bass player supplies a repetitive two to four measure bass line (known as an "ostinato"). Such is the case with Fred Thomas' bass line on "Papa…” Listen to how Fred's bass ostinato serves as the perfect support, establishing and maintaining "the Groove," along with the guitars and drums. On "Papa…" Fred’s purpose was to establish the groove, restate that same groove one or two times (repetition), apply variations to the groove to propel the music forward, then restate the initial groove he established at the beginning. He follows this process throughout the 4 minutes and 23 seconds of the song. He's economical in his note choices and phrases, the idea of "say what needs to be said, and nothing more."
In Funk, the drummer supplies the universal groove the other instruments of the band are latching onto, imitating, or reacting to when they create their parts. In Funk drumming, repetition is often the key when it comes to making a groove lock. The drum groove can be vitally important, so much so that the song could fall apart without that precise groove. Such is the case with John "Jab'o" Starks contribution to "Papa…" (for which he was even given partial songwriting credit). "Papa…" represents a classic application of the drums in the James Brown tradition, lay down a bad groove that the rest of band comes together on (remembering, of course, that in the Funk language, BAD means GOOD). That requires flawless technique (in order to reproduce a part 63 + times) and a selfless "all-for-one" attitude--"Jab'o" Starks personified.
CONTENTS
The Growth of Funk
Thanks to the musical contributions of the bassists of James Brown (Bernard Odum, "Sweet" Charles Sherrell, Tim Drummond, Bootsy Collins, Fred Thomas—to name a few) it wouldn't be long before everyone caught on to James Brown's "groove bug."
From coast to coast, America's music industry machinery would adapt "that new rhythm that sells all the records" into their recording sessions—Motown, Muscle Shoals, L.A. Studios. By 1967, Sly & The Family Stone's bassist Larry Graham was redefining what Funk bass should sound like by making drum sounds, thumping and plucking on his bass—sounds that approximated the backbeat of a funky drummer. Graham's "Slap Bass" style would influence scores of other bassists for years to come.
Why Funk?
Why learn to Funk out? Stated another way: Why should you be “Up For The Downstroke”? First of all, Funk music is a blast to perform. It's both musically and spiritually uplifting. The discipline of Funk requires improvisational ability, good timing, great listening abilities (on and off stage), and quick reactive skills. All of these musical skills are essential to becoming a good improvising bass player. FUNK is also an exercise in musical negotiation—transferring any selfish agenda with a musical idea that makes the whole unit sound better. Unlike many other improvisational mediums, Funk is not a soloist medium, insofar that the soloist doesn't take center stage (like it might in Jazz and the Blues). Funk is all about the collective sound of the ensemble. One person doesn't take importance over anyone else—"ALL-FOR-ONE." Improvise your part to support the whole of the music—"one nation under groove." Tower Of Power legendary bassist Francis "Rocco" Prestia, has this to say about his role within Tower Of Power's rhythm section: "I consider myself to be basically a rhythm section player... not a soloist. Although, I feel I'm soloing all the time the way I play, but it's always within the groove... I want to make the point that it's okay to be busy just as long as you don't step on anybody's toes." The idea of approaching your instrument like it was a part of the drum set is a powerful one. It gave rise to the "SLAP/POP” musical approach that Sly & The family Stone's Larry Graham pioneered only a few years later.
The music of James Brown is part of the "Essential-Listening" canon of any aspiring improvising bassist. Though all the bass lines were improvised initially, the lines are near perfect examples of how to do a lot with a little. Like Jazz, Chicago Blues, and the various other styles that came before, Funk is an improvisational format that is essential to your growth as a musician. Finally, the Funk rhythmic style that James Brown pioneered is an essential "style" you'll inevitably come across in your musical travels. Funk has never fallen out of favor since it's inception in 1965.
Funk is a creative discipline. Classical approaches to music education do not apply. "Proper Technique” and "pureness of tone" are not indicative of THE FUNK. And because Funk is typically improvised, sight-reading isn't as common as it would be in other musical forms. Performing within the genre requires a good sense of rhythm, a creative mind, and relaxed intuitive state to groove by, providing a proper burial for the "white" cultural and musical sensibilities which inhibit us and hold us back as bass players.
CONTENTS
The Electric Bass: Coming Of Age
The 1970's brought about many significant changes that contributed to the growth of the electric bass changes in technology, changes in attitude, and changes in the music itself.
There were three significant technological improvements that helped to bring the electric bass into the forefront of music. They include: 1) roundwound strings; 2) active electronics (pickups, circuitry); and 3) better amplification. Roundwound strings had been around since 1963, but their acceptance into the bass community was slow going. Then in 1972, the group Yes (with bassist Chris Squier) had a hit song with "Roundabout,” a song that featured the sound of Squier's roundwound strings. The roundwound string would gain acceptance in the bass community as a result of this seminal recording.
Alembic would be the first company to market an instrument with active pickup circuitry. Their first prototypes hit the streets in 1971. The company was founded on the experimentations made by notable bass players from the San Francisco music scene--Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane) and Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead). Around 1971, the improvements they had been working on for these two notable players were put to use on their own instrument (a bass made for Jack Casady, which cost $4000 to build). Stanley Clarke purchased his first Alembic in 1972 ("It was like a new bass player had been born."). Many other players played Alembics as well: John Paul Jones, John Entwistle, and (of course) Phil Lesh.
Amplification had to change as well to keep up with the demands of working bass players. A company out of southern California called Acoustic Control produced the first high quality/high volume amplifier that could compete with the guitar players. Their "flagship" amp was the Acoustic 360, and it was the preferred amp of many top players of the day: John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone), Peter Cetera (Chicago), Stanley Clarke (Return To Forever), and Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report).
A Fusion of Styles
Music was changing. In the late 1960's, the trumpeter/bandleader Miles Davis sought a different path for his music, one that reflected his admiration of the new sounds he was hearing out of a younger generation of musicians--Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone. The album was called "Bitches Brew," and it served as a musical revelation for both experimental rock musicians and Jazz musicians alike. For the Jazz musician, this recording supplied the key to understanding the depth of the music of Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone and James Brown, and showed a generation of "Jazzers" how to employ these sounds into new-sounding improvisations, sounds that would reflect a nation in transition.
The boundaries between the two styles were narrowing more and more. With acts like Cream, Santana, The Byrds, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath relying more and more on improvisation to create their sound, the Rock musician was growing up and becoming more accepting of outside influences (Blues, Funk, Jazz, etc.). These influences would help to define their sound. This age of musical discovery would set the stage for even greater musical growth on the electric bass, from a bass player from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida--Jaco Pastorius.
Jaco Pastorius
By the mid 1970's, the electric bass was the established norm of popular music and the upright bass was reduced to the status of "outdated relic" from a past generation. Most professional upright players were forced to "double" on the electric bass if they wanted to keep food on the table. Some abandoned the upright bass altogether.
When it came time for the "respectable" bass players to create their "artistic statement," most of the top players of the early 70's would revert back to the upright bass, an instrument that had long "proven itself" artistically. Among the purists, the electric bass was still an inferior instrument, despite its’ popularity in Top 40 music. In fact, there was a belief among the Jazz elitists that the electric bass was "half the instrument" the upright was, in terms of the amount and degree of artistic expression that could be yielded from the instrument. The electric bass was great for supplying the underlying support for Rock, R&B and Funk records, but could the instrument show a more vulnerable, expressive side? Was the electric bass an instrument capable of emoting like the Blues singer capable of spinning out melodies with the authority of a bebop saxophonist, or was it limited to a supportive role and nothing more? It would take a very special person to change the collective attitude of serious musicians toward the electric bass. That very special person had a name--Jaco Pastorius.
Who Was Jaco?
John Francis Pastorius III, or "Jaco," was the first virtuoso/master teacher of the electric bass. He reinvented the electric bass by offering an expanded approach toward playing the instrument. He was one of the first bass virtuosos to call the "ELECTRIC BASS" his principle instrument (his favored instrument was a fretless Fender Jazz Bass), and sought to gain artistic credibility for the instrument. Jaco showed the world that a "pop" instrument (the electric bass) could also possess tremendous musical depth--as rhythmic as a drummer, as melodic as saxophone, exposing the potential of the electric bass—the big BANG. He raised the collective conscience of bass players everywhere, offering a glimpse to what was possible on the electric bass. His contributions to the music world and the electric bass represent the apex of musical growth on the electric bass as an instrument. He made many recordings in a short period of time (1975-1979 were Jaco's prolific years) with Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell, Weather Report, as well as his solo offerings. In the process, he raised the standards of what it meant to be a great bass player.
At the core of it all, Jaco was a first class rhythm section player. He comes from a background of R&B, Funk, Motown, Rock, Reggae, whatever was on the radio in the 1960's. His first influences were Paul McCartney, Bernard Odum (James Brown), Duck Dunn, James Jamerson, Tommy Cogbill and Jerry Jemmott. This background served him well as he embraced all of these styles in his compositions, improvisations, choice of covers, etc. He also listened to Jazz, and incorporated many of the ideas he learned from jazz musicians into his overall concept. For example, the bass was a rhythm section instrument, BUT it could be a melodic instrument as well. To break into a more melodic approach, Jaco transcribed horn lines and adapted them to the electric bass (listen to "Donna Lee" for an example of this). This influence injected a horn-like sound to his bass playing. Jaco would learn the bass line to every song he took interest in, BUT he would also learn the chords and melody. In learning a song, he would learn: bass line, chords, melody, and practice improvising suitable bass lines of his own and horn-like soloing.
Lessons from Jaco
Jaco Pastorius was a musical genius. What Jimi Hendrix did for the electric guitar in terms of expanding the boundaries of what's possible, Jaco Pastorius would also do for the electric bass. What can we learn from Jaco's legacy? What ideals and talents did Jaco possess that made him so influential—so expanding? Here's what I came up with:
1. AN OPEN MIND-- "If it's good, I dig it!" Jaco spoke many times about the hazards of musical-elitism; how the jazz players of New York only wanted to play jazz when he first got there, etc. Being raised in Florida, there wasn't the same elitist attitudes embraced all styles of music he came in contact with, from The Beatles to James Brown, 1960's R&B to 1760's classical, Reggae, Hendrix, Cuban, Latin, and Jazz. Because he was open to so many different styles, he had a much bigger musical palette from which to draw. It was the mixture of all these different musical styles that gave Jaco his unique approach and sound.
2. A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE-- Jaco did his homework, he knew where the bass came from, and not just the electric bass; many of his ideas can be traced back to the earlier pioneers of the upright bass--Jimmy Blanton, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, and Oscar Pettiford. Jaco was born in 1951, the same year that Fender introduced the Fender Precision Bass. The Fender Bass and Jaco grew up together. As a teenager Jaco was playing the hits of the day, learning the brand new songs from players like James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Jerry Jemmott, Duck Dunn, Tommy Cogbill, Paul McCartney, Bernard Odum, Bootsy Collins (both from James Brown). These players were Jaco's foundation. He would later add Jazz to this mix--the pursuit of the ultimate improvisation. Jaco was the consummate supportive bassist, soloing never took the place of making the rhythm cook! His innovations on the electric bass always had a historical perspective. He knew what needed to be done musically, and then went beyond.
3. AN EXPLORING MIND-- Jaco was never content in "hanging on to the past." Music is about finding your own way to uniquely express yourself. At some point you have to leave the comfort and complacency of your influences and make your sound. Every great improviser understands this as the musical "rite of passage" toward musical adulthood. Jaco was no exception.
4. INTUITIVE & LITERATE-- Like many creative musicians, Jaco learned to play the electric bass first by doing—playing the gig, preparing for the gig, and imitating his heroes. Later on, he recognized a need to be musically literate. He went about learning how to read and write music and studied music theory. Acquiring these skills would, in turn give him the knowledge and confidence needed to really dig into the Jazz: transcribing horn solos, composing for larger ensembles, etc. On the practical side, learning to read put him in touch with better musicians: Ira Sullivan, Paul Bley, Pat Metheny, and eventually Weather Report. Intuition is important when learning to play music, but it doesn't replace the need for acquiring musical literacy skills.
5. INNOVATION-- All great innovators in musical improvisation develop a new language which others copy. These 20th century musical innovators include: Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix and Jaco Pastorius. Jaco's new language required the player to master traditional bass playing first. From that point, develop a rhythmic, harmonic (chords) and melodic base in order to create higher levels of improvisation. Learn the bass line, rhythms, melody, and chord changes to every song. The bass can also be a melodic instrument, so listen to singers, horn players, guitar players… anyone capable of producing an interesting melody. Above all else, KEEP AN OPEN MIND!
6. FRETLESS BASS--In the early 1970s, a fretless electric bass was a novelty instrument, good for creating atmospheric moods and not much else. "Donna Lee" (track 1 from his debut album, Jaco Pastorius) rewrote all the rules. In Jaco's own words, "First cut (Donna Lee), you're dead. Look out--you've never heard nothing like this." Jaco showed the world what could be done on a fretless bass, in the process inventing a musical language that is still being imitated. This was Jaco's genius.
CONTENTS
MUSIC OF THE PEOPLE, MADE FOR THE PEOPLE,
MADE BY THE PEOPLE
The 70's also saw the rise and fall of Punk Rock. Initially, punk was an art movement, of which the music was an important part. The earliest punks were poets and bohemians sick of what America had come to symbolize in the early 1970’s. They were sick of the bloated impersonal corporations. They were sick of the 60’s counter culture, and the different ideals that culture represented. They were sick of the rich having the only voice that counted in America. Musically, they were sick of three things: 1) the trite watered down pop of The Carpenters, Bread, and Captain & Tennille; 2) any artist that seemed to be a lifeless, cocaine-induced product of a giant impersonal corporation—Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin; 3) wealthy, pretentious, “full of themselves” Rock stars who ride around in limos, consume lots of drugs, make it with lots of girls, and THEN talk about how bad their life is in their music. Inspired by the MC5 and Iggy Pop & The Stooges, The earliest punks gravitated to roots-oriented Rock & Roll and means of expression—three chord songs, garage band sounds and thought-provoking lyrical content (often political in nature), not the “full-of-themselves” rock stars that couldn’t possibly know what it’s like to be a normal person.
The earliest punks were conceptual artists first, musicians second. The poetry readings weren’t giving them the platform that a concert stage could. Rock music and its message didn’t have to be polite and didn’t have to follow conventional rules of appropriate decorum. They were not highly schooled musicians; the musical end of their expression was an afterthought. As a result, the Punk credo became "learn as you go”---start a band FIRST and THEN learn your instrument.
There was a faction within Punk culture that was attracted more to the fashion and rebellion side of punk life (Sid Vicious, for example), rather than the politics and poetry that the founding fathers of Punk represented—Richard Hell, John Lydon (“Johnny Rotten”), Joe Strummer, Patti Smith, etc. This meant that many bass players in Punk bands chose not to learn their instrument or work on their craft—the punk who defends his musical ineptness, claiming the musical incompetence “their style.” This "Punk" attitude meant "F" anything musical that came before, the good as well as the bad—no musical standards. There were exceptions; Mike Watt (of The Minutemen, and FIREHOSE) and Paul Simonon (of The Clash) raised the standards of Punk Bassness and taking great pride in what they do as bass players, and grew with each new recording.
The initial “punk” scene died with the Sex Pistols (actually it went back underground–the major corporations wouldn’t touch it). "Punk" would then become "New Wave" because of its easier marketability. Amidst it all, only a few bands grew gracefully through this---The Clash, The Police (featuring Sting), Elvis Costello & The Attractions, XTC, and The Pretenders.
The 80's
Musically, the 70's ended with a drug-induced whimper. Disco had replaced the R&B and Funk that was so much an uplifting part of American culture of a decade earlier. American marketing firms discovered that the music doesn't have to be good or unique in order to be sold to the American public. Disco was the epitome of what the 70's became—all about the money. Develop a style of music that caters to the rhythmic sensibilities of white-America. Since "whitey" can't dance, why don't we market the one drum beat and bass line they're capable of musically comprehending—Disco. It wouldn't be long before the bass player was replaced altogether with a synth-bass player. And why not, the American record-buying public didn't seem to care.
Drugs killed the music—claiming the lives of many prominent musicians. Major bands were folding due to substance abuse problems. Both Led Zeppelin and The Who would loose their drummers to drugs and alcohol. Led Zeppelin was wise enough to break up. Aerosmith, KISS, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, Sly Stone, Miles Davis—all recording acts once so vibrant, only to be swallowed up and reduced to pathetic. Even Jaco Pastorius succumbed to the temptation. Once unapologetically considered “straight edge,” Jaco sampled cocaine for the first time in the late 70's, the effects of which unhinged his promising career. He died in 1987.
Hard Rock hit an all time low in terms of producing talented bassists. The average Hard Rock bassist was typically the least learned, least talented, most unimaginative player of the band, asked to join a band usually for extra-musical reasons (any/all of the following): 1) good hair, 2) a rich and/or cute girlfriend, 3) a van and/or P.A.. Out of the hundreds of Hard Rock bands, there had to be some talented musicians, right? Yes, of course there were exceptions: 1) Geddy Lee (of Rush, a 70's band who had greater commercial success in the 80's); 2) Billy Sheehan (Talas, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big), 3) Steve Harris (of Iron Maiden); 4) Cliff Burton (of Metallica), 5) Bob Daisley/Rudy Sarzo (with Ozzy Osbourne’s early 80’s lineup).
The 80’s Underground
The 1980’s was a time of musical incubation. The most influential bands of the 90’s (and the trends they brought about) were experimenting in the 80’s. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction and Primus all got their start in the 80’s. Bass virtuoso players like Victor Wooten, Michael Manring and John Patitucci all began their careers in the 1980’s. The real music developments from the 1980’s didn’t come from the artists who were selling out arenas. They came from the underground bands trying to create something different. In 1985, The Wootens released their debut album on Arista Records to little fanfare—significant only in launching the recording career of bassist Victor Wooten. Victor would later join forces with the former New Grass Revival banjo extraordinaire, Béla Fleck. It was an odd, but eclectic mixture: Wooten’s “funky-yet-jazzy” influences combined with Fleck’s progressive Bluegrass leanings. Béla Fleck & the Flecktones released their debut album in 1990.
Rock music was in a state of transition. The group that provided the musical blueprint that many 90’s bands would later apply is The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Red Hot Chili Peppers released the first album in 1984, entitled appropriately enough, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. They would not break into the mainstream music arena until five years later when they released “Mother’s Milk.”
The 90’s: Back To Roots
The success of “Mother’s Milk” helped bring about change in the musical landscape of the 90’s. It helped to raise the underground artist (and all ideals and influences that artist represented) from poverty to the cover of Rolling Stone in a few short years. The underground scene was different—they weren’t interested in cloning themselves to be the next Van Halen or Motley Crue. They sought out different influences. It was a REVIVALIST movement—look back to what came generations ago, and sample and mix from various musical styles to find your sound. This revivalist trend would define the best music of the 90’s, and from this new trend the electric bass rose to a new level of importance.
The REVIVALIST Movement
· The Red Hot Chili Peppers—a mixture of the funky cool vibes of Parliament Funkadelic, The Meters, Ohio Players, and Sly & The Family Stone, with the hardcore Punk intensity of FEAR, Black Flag, The Germs, The Clash, etc. Later on they employed Classic Rock vibes of Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, they never stopped growing. Descendents: Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Incubus, and 311. Bassists: Flea, Billy Gould, Robert Trujillo, P-Nut, Dirk Lance.
· Operation Ivy—one of the first bands of the California Punk scene to incorporate the Jamaican “Ska” style with hardcore Punk. Descendents: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, No Doubt, Suicide Machines, Sublime, and Rancid. Bassists: Joe Gittleman, Tony Kanal, Simon Williams, Matt Freeman, and Royce Nunley.
· Brian Setzer Orchestra—a mixture of the “Swing music” of the 1930’s and Rock & Roll guitars (dice, fast cars, and tattoos). Descendents: Squirrel Nut Zippers, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue.
· Jellyfish—power-pop heaven—mixture of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Queen, Cheap Trick, XTC, The Move, and Badfinger, with Jazz chops. Descendents: Ben Folds Five, Matthew Sweet, The Rembrandts. Bassists: Colin Moulding, Robert Sledge, Tim Smith.
· Lenny Kravitz—Funk and Classic Rock of the RHCP, mixed with the power- pop sensibilities of Jellyfish. NO DESCENDENTS,
· PRIMUS—a mixture of Rush, Graham Central Station, and Stanley Clarke, with Frank Zappa-esque humor and lyrical content. NO DESCENDENTS. Bassist: Les Claypool
· PHISH—Jazz, Rock & Roll, Country, The Grateful Dead—all improvised music (Jam Bands). DESCENDENTS: Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, Galactic, Moe, Jazz Is Dead, String Cheese Incident, Liquid Soul, Disco Biscuits, and The Blues Travelers. Bassists: Mike Gordon, David Schools, Bobby Sheehan, Allen Woody, Alphonso Johnson, Marc Brownstein, Keith Moseley
· Béla Fleck & The Flecktones—ALL jazz mixed with ALL FUNK, mixed with Bluegrass and world music. DESCENDENTS: Aquarium Rescue Unit, Dave Matthews Band; Bassists: Victor Wooten, Stefen Lessard, Otiel Burbridge
The Historical Perspective
Why is so much emphasis placed on learning the history of the electric bass? On a basic and practical level, learning from these various sources is the best preparation for any future musical situation you may be confronted with. All of the players I’ve highlighted invented their own musical language on the electric bass—all have pioneered ideas that are now commonplace in electric bass performance. From the walking bass lines of Monk Montgomery to the melodic mastery of James Jamerson; the pop stylings of Paul McCartney and Carol Kaye; from the slap bass innovations of Larry Graham to the virtuoso bass of Jaco Pastorius. Each is an important part of the bass player's musical language.
On a deeper level, all great musicians take from what musically CAME BEFORE… and use this experience to move forward musically. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was building and creating off of what he had learned from the compositional style of J.S. Bach. In more modern times, Jaco Pastorius was a master of American R&B, the bass styles of Duck Dunn, Jerry Jemmott, Tommy Cogbill, Chuck Rainey, James Jamerson and Rocco Prestia. He would combine these (and many other) influences with the "Jazz" influences of John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. All the great bass players have followed a similar pattern--borrowing and learning from a variety of different sources/players, assimilate these styles, and come up with a unique musical mixture that they can call their own.
