BassPlayer 2017-02

CS
100 GREATEST BASS PLAYERS
17
Chuck Rainey
Rainey credits the 16th-note pulse
of New York City drummers as the
ingredient that set him apart from his
peers in other cities’ classic rhythm
sections. That percussion perk led
the Ohio native to forge one of the
cornerstone R&B styles, making an
indelible mark with King Curtis,
Aretha Franklin (“Rock Steady”), and
many others. His early-’70s move to
Los Angeles at the behest of Quincy
Jones resulted in more seminal sides
with Steely Dan (Kid Charlemange,
Aja), Marvin Gaye, and the Jackson 5.
18
Bootsy Collins
Bootsy has made bass history at least
three times: as a teenage sideman with
James Brown on classics like “Super
Bad” and “Soul Power” (1961–’71); as
co-creator of immortal Parliament–
Funkadelic classics such as “Mothership
Connection” and “Up for the
Down Stroke” (1972–’80); and as
ringleader of Bootsy’s Rubber Band,
whose songs like “Stretchin’ Out (In
a Rubber Band)” catapulted Bootsy—
plus his Space Bass, vocal stylings,
and Hendrix-inspired effects—to
Saturday-morning-cartoon superhero
status.
19
Rocco Prestia
A living legend of the groove and one
of the most inimitable bass stylists,
Rocco has spent five decades defining
fingerstyle funk via muted and
ghosted 16th-notes as a member of
Oakland’s iconic Tower Of Power.
Credit drummer Dave Garibaldi for
inspiring Prestia’s bass lines on such
anthems as “What Is Hip?”, “Soul
Vaccination,” “You’ve Got to Funkifize”
“Oakland Stroke,” and “Credit.”
But as ’90s TOP drummer Herman
Matthews told BP, “Without Rocco,
Tower is just another horn band.”
20
John Patitucci
Brooklyn-born Patitucci remains the
preeminent doubler in bassdom. On
the electric bass side, he (along with
Anthony Jackson) firmly established
the 6-string bass guitar, inspiring a
generation of chopsters in all styles
via his early solo sides and his role
in Chick Corea’s Elektric Band. On
upright, his 1996 return home from
L.A. culminated in top playing and
teaching stints and his fixture role in
Wayne Shorter’s quartet. His underlying
mission remains the acceptance
and advancement of the bass guitar
in a jazz context.
21
John Paul Jones
Led Zeppelin’s “secret weapon,” JPJ’s
love of odd times and sophisticated
harmonies created a sound that could
rock both your pelvis and your noggin.
His twisted “Black Dog” riff (1971)
was his attempt to trip up fans who
would dance at the band’s concerts.
His tasty subhook on “Ramble On”
(1969) brings the song’s verses to a
completely different place, and “The
Lemon Song,” also from ’69, is a masterwork
blues that every developing
bassist should try to transcribe or
learn—preferably, both.
22
Paul Chambers
His famous bass line on “So What”
from Kind of Blue propels Paul Chambers
(1935–1969) into the Top 25.
In the ’50s, Chambers played with
the first incarnation of the Miles
Davis Quintet, later becoming John
Coltrane’s first call and recording
Giant Steps with the tenor titan. As a
bandleader, Chambers recorded Whims
of Chambers and Bass on Top. His ebullient
walking, swinging eighth-note
solos, and arco mastery puts Chambers
on the top among hard boppers.
23
Jack Casady
A cornerstone rock bass innovator,
Casady made his sweeping melodic
mark helping to create the “San Francisco
sound” with Jefferson Airplane
and forming Hot Tuna with guitarist
Jorma Kaukonen—recording with
Hendrix in-between. A diligent and
discerning advocate for the art and
craft of bass playing, Casady drew from
classical music, Jelly Roll Morton,
Mingus, and Eddie Condon to master
FRANK DRIGGS SCOTTY HALL
26 bassplayer.com / february2017