RogerThat
Bass Heroes
Column by Roger Zee (6/16/22)
As I relentlessly hone my bass-playing technique by learning every bass line on virtually every CD I own, I ponder the players I truly feel, the musicians who ultimately capture my "Heart and Soul" -- Boz Burrell (Bad Company), "Family Man" Barrett (Bob Marley), Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report), and Anthony Jackson (Phil Collins). Their love of melody and fluid, prodigious ability to create it on the fly unites them all. Three play fretless. B-|
I always describe bass playing using a surfing metaphor. The bassist doesn't create the wave. No, that's the drummer's job. Rather s/he exquisitely carves the swell with artful technique, plenty of emotion, and just a little touch of humor. On a good day, it all comes down to how gracefully you handle an irresistible, but treacherous undertow and not drown miles off shore! ;-)
I really enjoyed playing fretless for a while, but as guitarist Simon Chardiet (Joey Miserable) pointed out to me on a gig, I can't sing and play fretless on pitch at the same time. Really sorry I sold my Japanese Fretless Fender Jazz Bass. I need to pick up another. =^_^=
Due to an incident involving a woman, alcohol, and a blizzard, I no longer pick notes by alternating my right index and middle finger. In the constant struggle to improve and play faster with less pain, I adopted some major technique changes. OoO;
On my left, fretting hand, I now mostly stick to the index, middle, and ring finger, using the pinky only for octaves. Instead of holding my thumb fully extended over and around the neck, I now play with it held horizontal on back of the neck. That allows me to press the strings with my fingertips rather than the pads. This gives a more precise, clean, pick-like ring and best of all, doesn't hurt! :-)
I spent a lot of time perfecting the banjo "thumb and claw" picking technique -- downstroking with the thumb and upstroking with the index finger. I recently backed off from it due to speed, smoothness, and evenness concerns. :-O
The rush of clarity came on a gig with International Rock Star Dave Fields. He counted off his classic Blues shuffle "Let's Get Shakin'" at interstellar, warp factor speed. I just couldn't play the walking bass line fast enough. Had to drop down from eighth to quarter notes. So embarrassing! :'-(
The next day I worked hard on my right hand, banjo technique but still could not reach the required speed. Then, in a completely non-intuitive move, I tried playing the walking Blues softly with the right thumb only, ala Brian Wilson / Wes Montgomery. And low and behold, much to my surprise, I started executing the riffs faster and more evenly. >:3
How does one finger trump two? But what the Hell, it works! Must of got that from Motown's James Jamerson, "The Hook!" Now I rotate the two techniques depending on how I feel at any given moment... :-))
Now on to the bassists who Rock my world (see soundbytes below)! RIP Boz Burrell of Bad Company. Muscular, driving, funky, slinky, sexy. In short -- Bad Ass! B-|
In a class of his own, meet Aston "Family Man" Barrett" of Bob Marley fame. The centerpiece of that band, he plays a style you can only really feel by growing up in Jamaica -- halfway between straight time and swing. His pristine bass melodies provide the hook as well as the groove for each "Politically Correct" Bob Marley song. Ultimately hummable, sophisticated, and sexually healing! :-*
The game changer -- Jaco Pastorius. A monster! Totally unique. Made overplaying sound reasonable. Sad ending... :-[
Anthony Jackson personifies elegance -- gorgeous melodies created seemingly off the cuff. The fruit doesn't fall far from the "Family Man" tree. Jackson's a master of time, taste, and exquisite love. But most important in my world, he makes women move and groove! And oh the ancillary benefits. :-D
Over the years, I learned the hard way that there's no ordained connection between great talent and standup character. Here's one of my eye-openers. It took me almost two years after testing for my fourth degree Taekwondo Black Belt to actually get the certificate from the Kukkiwon in South Korea. Turns out the then president, Woon Kyu Uhm, embezzeled the organization big time and got hauled off to jail. >-O
My point? So after over fifty years of gigging, I now confine myself to playing with only those I consider standup and kind. Lesson learned... ;-)
YouTube - "Bad Company" - Bad Company w/Boz Burrell
YouTube - "Slave Driver" - Bob Marley w/Aston "Family Man" Barrett
YouTube - "Coyote" - Joni Mitchell w/Jaco Pastorius
YouTube - "This Must Be Love" - Phil Collins w/Anthony Jackson
Roger Zee -- publisher of TheWorkingMusician.com and a 4th degree Taekwondo Black Belt. B-|
©2022 Roger Zee
