Bass Videos
The Legends of Funk and R&B – the Sixties
Meet Mark von Bergen –
Clearly the most important instrument in funk and R&B music – OK, together with the drums – is the electric bass. While Leo Fender first introduced the electric bass in 1951, it wasn’t until about ten years later that the instrument started making an impact in popular music, thanks to James Jamerson, session bassist for Motown Records in Detroit. Following in the footsteps of Jamerson were many notable bassists, most of whom at the time were uncredited and unknown.
In this edition, we will explore legendary funk and R&B bassists of the 1960s. In a past column, we covered the bassists for James Brown, including Bernard Odum, Tim Drummond, and Charles “Sweets” Sherrell, who provided the foundation of funk in the Sixties for the Godfather of Soul. But there are many others who provided some of the most memorable basslines in popular music during the decade. Some of the most prominent are featured here.
James Jamerson
Jamerson is widely credited as the man who brought the electric bass into the forefront of popular music. He played on countless seminal recordings, backing such artists as Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and Junior Walker. Surprisingly, Jamerson plucked the strings using only his index finger, known as “the Claw.” This technique can be seen on this very rare appearance of Jamerson on video, backing Marvin Gaye on “What’s Going On?”
Duck Dunn
Donald “Duck” Dunn was a member of Booker T and the MG’s, which served as the house band at Stax Records in Memphis. There he backed such artists as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave, as well as holding down the bass chair in the MG’s, known for instrumental hits like “Green Onions” and “Hip Hug Her.” In 1977, he joined John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd as part of the Blues Brothers Band, and can be seen in the “Blues Brothers” movie. Here he is with Booker T’s band.
Jerry Jermott
A large influence on players such as Jaco Pastorious (listen to Jaco’s “Come On Come On Over” and “The Chicken”), Jerry Jermott played on many important records of the Sixties and Seventies. He came into prominence when he joined King Curtis’s band in the late Sixties, culminating in the recording of two of the greatest R&B records of all time – “King Curtis Live at the Fillmore West” and “Aretha Franklin Live at the Fillmore West.” One of his most well-known basslines can be heard on B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone.” Here he performs “Memphis Soul Stew” with King Curtis.
George Porter, Jr.
George Porter Jr. co-founded the Meters in 1965 and remains today the most respected practitioner of New Orleans funk bass. Porter has also backed the likes of Dr. John, Maceo Porter, David Byrne, and Paul McCartney. In this video, he is seen with the Meters in 1974.
Bass CDs
Premiere: The Low Sixes New Single, “Turn On The Night” With Alan Hildebrandt on Bass/Vocals
Bass Musician is proud to premiere The Low Sixes new video of their single, “Turn On The Night”.
Alan Hildebrandt, who lays down the low-end shares his gear and inspiration for the single…
“Turn Up the Night” is a super fun song to play live! The bass was recorded using a Precision bass through an Ampeg B15 for a warm, classic sound. At live shows, I play a ’76 Rickenbacker with a Sound City 150 and Sound City 4×12 cabinet, a great punchy and vintage tone! I grew up listening to pop, punk rock and metal, and so my main sources of inspiration and playing style are Bruce Thomas from The Attractions, Karl Alvarez of the Descendents, and Steve Harris of Iron Maiden. – Alan Hildebrandt, Bassist for The Low Sixes
Photo by Stacy Lee
More on The Low Sixes…
The Montreal four-piece — assembled from a hefty lineup of the scene’s indie veterans – began unassumingly enough as singers and guitarists Jonathan Cummins and Brendan Drouillard returned home from an extensive European tour with their other project, heavy psych rock band USA Out of Vietnam, and debriefed over some drinks at the local waterhole, Barfly.
The conversation quickly turned to developing a new project and, soon enough, the two were recruiting friends, drummer/singer John Milchem (Starvin Hungry) and bassist/singer Jon Asencio (from Cummins’ other band, renowned ‘80s/’90s Montreal indie punk band Doughboys), to form The Low Sixes. Asencio has since departed the band with mutual friend Alan Hildebrandt (Priors) taking over bass duties though Ascencio appears on the band’s debut. The album also features guest vocalists Olga Goreas, who is now a permanent member, and Jace Lasek (both of The Besnard Lakes), Chance Hutchison and Jackie Blenkarn (Private Lives) and keys from Patrick Watson. The Oshawa Tree releases on October 4, 2024 on Forge Again Records.
“The band was mainly put together to escape the job doldrums, it wasn’t until we decided to record four songs at Le Stuzzio with Ryan Battistuzzi that provoked a surprisingly positive reaction from our friends that we decided we would turn into an actual band and do an entire record; the band hopes to “erase the ‘cool’ factor” often associated with DIY underground music. Montreal has a very large experimental scene (Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Colin Stetson, Tim Hecker etc.) and although we love that music, we are sort of reacting against it as we believe everybody can appreciate a good pop song. We want to be as inclusive as possible and be the band that can bring entertainment back to small stages and DIY spaces again. Case in point: The quartet recently played a birthday party in Ottawa for friend and artist Dirty Donny who has created imagery for Metallica and Aerosmith. Realizing that all great songs have already been written, I sat down and just wrote ‘Ryan’s Favorite Song’ as an ode to the bubble gum music of the sixties. I would hope that the Ramones and 1910 Fruitgum Company influences shine through and serve as an homage. The ‘Ryan’ in the title is Ryan Battistussi who recorded the record – and no, this was not his favorite song and seemed oddly non-plussed at our tip o’ the cap. – Jonathan Cummins / Guitar & Vocals
Preorder:
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Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #5 – Tube vs Solid State + It’s Awesome But Is It Necessary?
Here is episode 5 of WCZ, we address a comment from a subscriber, Tube vs solid state amps, and the work that goes into ownership. And of course, “Sure it’s awesome but is it necessary?”
“These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav
I always enjoy the opportunity to talk to fellow bass players as they travel on their musical journey. Jonny Rubin, AKA Dr. Funk has been at this since he was a kid and has made the huge leap across the pond to make a go at it in sunny southern California.
Join me as we hear about his musical past, present and future.
Photo courtesy of Jonny Rubin
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Spector, a leading authority in bass guitar design, unveils new additions to its product line: Euro CST, Euro LX and Euro LX Bolt On basses.
Euro CST:
The Euro CST introduces all-new tonewoods, electronics, and finish combinations never seen in the Euro Series, drawing inspiration from Spector’s Woodstock, NY-based Custom Shop. Each Euro CST instrument is meticulously crafted using premium materials, featuring a striking, highly figured Poplar Burl top, a resonant European Ash body, and a 3-piece North American Maple neck paired with an Ebony fingerboard adorned with laminated Abalone Crown inlays.
Euro CST basses are equipped with a lightweight aluminum bridge for precise and reliable intonation. Premium active EMG X Series pickups deliver the exceptional clarity, attack, and silent operation that defines the Spector sound. These basses also feature the all-new Spector Legacy preamp. Developed in collaboration with Darkglass Electronics, this preamp captures the classic “Spector growl,” heard on countless iconic recordings, with added versatility.
Euro CST basses are available in 4- and 5-string models in four distinct high gloss finishes: Natural, Natural Black Burst, Natural Red Burst, and Natural Violet Burst.
Euro LX and Euro LX Bolt-On:
The Euro LX offers all the features that have made the Spector name famous around the globe. Inspired by the iconic NS-2, Euro LX basses feature a fully carved and contoured body, high-grade tonewoods, and professional-grade electronics and hardware. For the first time ever, players can now choose between neck-thru and bolt-on construction in the Euro LX range.
Each Euro LX bass, regardless of construction, is crafted using premium materials, including a European Alder body, figured European Maple top, and a 3-piece North American Maple neck combined with a Rosewood fingerboard for strength, stability, and sustain. Euro LX basses are then outfitted with a lightweight, aluminum bridge for spot-on, reliable intonation. Premium active pickups from EMG provide the exceptional clarity, attack, and silent operation that Spector is known for. Like the Euro CST basses, these instruments also feature the all-new Spector Legacy preamp.
The newly revised Euro LX range is available in four distinct, hand-rubbed stains, including Transparent Black, Natural Sunburst, Haunted Moss, and Nightshade. Each of these colors features a durable and comfortable matte finish.
John Stippell, Director, Korg Bass Division, remarks, “I’m thrilled to announce the latest additions to the renowned Euro Range. The CST Series, our new premium offering, features new and unique wood combinations and unprecedented features. The beloved LX Series is now better than ever with the introduction of Bolt-On models, vibrant new color options, and the all-new Spector Legacy Preamp, delivering the classic Spector tone with unmatched precision.”
For more information, visit spectorbass.com.
Future Impact V4 Guitar & Bass Synth Now Available in the U.S….
The Future Impact V4 is an incredibly versatile pedal with an exceptionally wide range of sounds. In addition to producing synthesizer sounds such as basses, leads and pads, it can function as an octaver, chorus, flanger, phaser, distortion, envelope filter, traditional wah-wah, tremolo, reverb, etc., and even has a built-in tuner. It can also drive external synthesizer gear via the optional CV/Gate. As such, it can potentially replace an entire pedalboard of dedicated single-effect pedals.
The very powerful signal processor of the Future Impact V4 is able to replicate the various oscillator, filter, amplifier and envelope generator blocks found in classic synthesizers. In addition, it contains signal processing blocks more traditionally used for processing the sound of an instrument such as a harmonizer block and audio effects such as chorus, distortion and EQ. These architectures complement each other in a very flexible way.
Check out this short video with new sounds:
The Future Impact V4 has a completely new hardware platform with numerous enhancements, some of which are:
– 32-bit ultra-low-noise analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters
– New app-based software architecture
– Vastly advanced pitch tracking based on 30+ years of experience
– Hard Sync between oscillators to open new sonic worlds
– On-pedal edits that can be saved into program memories
– Total compatibility with all previous Deep Impact and Future Impact patches
Setting the standard for the bass guitar synth pedals since 2015, together with an enthusiastic community and long line of great artists, the Future Impact V4 is the guitar synth platform for the next decade.
For more information, visit online at pandamidi.com/bass-guitar-synth
Exclusive U.S. distribution by Tech 21 USA, Inc
Premiere: The Low Sixes New Single, “Turn On The Night” With Alan Hildebrandt on Bass/Vocals
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #5 – Tube vs Solid State + It’s Awesome But Is It Necessary?
Gear News: Distiller CE Onboard Low Pass Filter
Interview With Bassist Jonny Rubin AKA (Dr Funk)
Gear News: Future Impact V4 Guitar & Bass Synth Now Available in the U.S.
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #5 – Tube vs Solid State + It’s Awesome But Is It Necessary?
August 12 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
New App: MusicNomad’s Free GuitarTracker App
Gear News: PJB’S Double Four Plus
