Bass Players

[ProgUK]

Still reeling from the death of my bass idol Chris Squire, got me thinking of other greats who have past, and also how many true originals are still living.

Although we have lost the genius of Jaco Pastorius, Jack Bruce, Chris Squire, Pekka Pohjola and Doug Rauch, we are still fortunate to have these one of a kind bass players still bring us beautiful music:

Stanley Clarke
Anthony Jackson
Abe Laboriel
Percy Jones
Pino Palladino
Jannick Top
Michael League
John G. Perry
Alphonso Johnson
Alain Caron
Will Lee
Jeff Berlin
Neil Jason
Tony Levin

Today lets celebrate the bass player, and salute those who have died, and those who live on.

[klothos]

What?!? No mention of Louis Johnson (RIP) or Marcus Miller or Victor Wooten? <headscratch> Wassamatta? You dont like slap players?


<----------- forte is slap bass

[Digital_Man]

He didn't mention Geddy Lee either which is a shame. Chris, Geddy and Tony Levin(who he did mention)are my favorites. Stanley Clarke is great too.

[ProgUK]

I just mentioned my personal favorites. Obviously there are a lot more that deserve to be mentioned by you guys.

[helicase]

Hugh Hopper

[progeezer]

As far away in playing style as is humanly possible from Chris, but there is, after all, Jack Casady. He had a style as unique as all of our treble-happy favorites.

[AncientChord]

I'm with you David. This one really hurts. Nick Beggs is a current favorite.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I just mentioned my personal favorites.

Perhaps it's "a shame" that ol' Geddur isn't one of your faves...?

[2steves]

Still reeling from the death of my bass idol Chris Squire, got me thinking of other greats who have past, and also how many true originals are still living.

Although we have lost the genius of Jaco Pastorius, Jack Bruce, Chris Squire, Pekka Pohjola and Doug Rauch, we are still fortunate to have these one of a kind bass players still bring us beautiful music:

Stanley Clarke
Anthony Jackson
Abe Laboriel
Percy Jones
Pino Palladino
Jannick Top
Michael League
John G. Perry
Alphonso Johnson
Alain Caron
Will Lee
Jeff Berlin
Neil Jason
Tony Levin

Today lets celebrate the bass player, and salute those who have died, and those who live on.

Great list--I do hope Yes lays it to rest. Chris is not replaceable. Original Individual members like Howe or Anderson can tour with a great band and play Yes music. I would go see that. Just don't call it Yes. Anderson and Howe have done this in the past with other bands and it has sounded very nice.

[ProgUK]

I agree. Yes should call it quits. Unfortunately the promise of making good money keeps them going

[Reid]

Many of my faves are acoustic bassists.

Charlie Haden
Dave Holland
Red Mitchell
Ron Carter
Richard Davis
Cecil McBee
Fred Hopkins
Edgar Meyer

also dig Steve Swallow, Anthony Jackson, Percy, and Jaco.

[ProgUK]

Scott LaFaro was an amazing acoustic bass player that left us too soon!

[The Wall]

Mick Karn...

[cannygoodlike]

Philippe Bussonnet

(Also, I'll second Jack Casady.)

[jrdotcom]

I agree. Yes should call it quits. Unfortunately the promise of making good money keeps them going

Yeah, I am pretty sure they will just slide Billy Sherwood in and carry on Billy is a great musician for sure, and will do a great job on bass, but I just think it sucks for Yes to carry on without Chris, Jon, and the other founding members.

[strawberrybrick]

Hellmut Hattler.

I spent a few years in Germany in the early 80s and almost every German said something along the lines "he's the best in the world, why do you always pick those English guys?".

[BravadoNJ]

John Deacon

[flowerking]

Definitely Stanley Clarke, Tony Levin and Chris Squire were my top three. I also agree that any list of top bassists should include both Geddy Lee and Nick Beggs. I'd add Mark Egan, Patrick O'hearn, Bryan Beller, Mike Rutherford and Tal Wilkenfeld to the list. Others worth mentioning, maybe not among the best but certainly noteworthy are Joe Puerta, Colin Bass, John Wetton, Jon Camp, John Entwistle, Scott Thunes, Mike Gordon, Phil Lesh, John Paul Jones and John Jowitt.

[Burley Wright]

Many greats already listed, I'll mention Jonas Reingold.

[mogrooves]

Ray Shulman
Louis Cennamo
Mont Campbell
John Greaves
Harvey Brooks
Tony Reeves
John Gustafson
Steve York
Jim Fielder

[grego]

Chris Squire
John Wetton
Jack Bruce
Geddy Lee
Mick Karn
Jaco Pastorius
John Entwistle
Percy Jones
John Paul Jones
Gary Thain

[profusion]

Yeah, I am pretty sure they will just slide Billy Sherwood in and carry on Billy is a great musician for sure, and will do a great job on bass, but I just think it sucks for Yes to carry on without Chris, Jon, and the other founding members.

Billy obviously has a say in that, and my guess is that he wouldn't go for it. He's helping Yes out in the short term to fulfill their existing contractual obligations, but I strongly doubt he'll rejoin full time. He was quite clear in that he wouldn't rejoin the band without Jon Anderson being present. I'm sure that goes double for a Yes without his good buddy Chris.

[rapidfirerob]

Jack Bruce, Mike Porcaro and now Chris Squire gone, plus Glenn Cornick not that long ago. Many fine bass players folks have mentioned. Berry Oakley needs to be on the list, and of course, Charlie Haden.

[klothos]

What?!? No mention of Louis Johnson (RIP) or Marcus Miller or Victor Wooten? <headscratch> Wassamatta? You dont like slap players?


<----------- forte is slap bass

I just mentioned my personal favorites. Obviously there are a lot more that deserve to be mentioned by you guys.

It was just a lil friendly ribbing on my part: you indeed had a great list of players up there....I, too, am deeply saddened by the passing of Chris Squire so I was just trying to lighten the tension a bit

For me its very tough: Louis Johnson and Chris Squire passing within months of each other has taken a toll on my heart

[zombywoof]

Jim Smith