Now we all agree that he was a great singer, entertainer, etc but no one ever mentions his bass playing. I personally think his bass lines were bad as hell. Especially on "give it to me baby" and "superfreak". What do you think?

Curtis Mayfields bass playing was also tight.

"Come Into My Life" has a strong bass line. That's the song that first got me into Rick James.

Oh I think people mention his bass playing.

Mary Jane Girls "All Night Long"

CinisterCee said:

really? i don't think so...but he rocked on the bass!

I think if I was to discuss Rick James' talent for playing multiple instruments, I would focus on bass first.

By the way, how much hand did Rick James have in the Mary Jane Girls' songs? Did he write them all....you know like that other guy who wrote songs for that other girl group?

LittleBLUECorvette said:

wow, I didn't know Curtis played bass. I've always admired his guitarwork, but I didn't know that he was responsible for bass as well. The bass on Don't Worry and Get Down are positively killer

NWF said:

i'm pretty sure he wrote and produced all of their songs.

From the inside cover of "The Very Best Of The Mary Jane Girls" CD:

When the Buffalo, New York-bred composer/artist/producer Rick James bounded onto the music scene via his 1978 single, "You And I", funk was a cult and James became its newest high priest. With his beaded braids, wild costumes, over sexuality, paeans to marijuana ("Mary Jane") and claims on a new strain of music called "punk funk", James captured the imaginations of R&B and rock fans alike.

Who else but James could have successfully introduced a group of four women as punk funk princesses ready for anything? During their brief three years in the burning sun of pop stardom, The Mary Jane Girls cornered the market on being both silly and serious, slutty and sweet, sassy and sincere. And while James penned and produced their hits, The Mary Jane Girls spoke to women's growing independence while simultaneously serving as every red-blooded male's sexual-fantasy smorgasbord.

James signed on Joanne McDuffie (JoJo), Candice Ghant (Candi), Kim Wuletich (Maxi), and Cheryl Ann Bailey (Cheri) as the Mary Jane Girls in 1982 as a female companion to his hard-rocking Stone City Band. A former staff writer for Motown, James was turning out a tremendous amount of music and he felt that a girl group was the next natual creative outlet ofr his talents (he later proved equally successful as a writer and producer for blue-eyed soul singer Teena Marie).

Janine McAdams

jacktheimprovident said:

'Master' Henry Gibson was Curtis's bass player.....
And as for Rick James bass playing, it was solid, to the point, & in your face!!!!
His grooves were very danceable.....It stood out from anyone elses grooves
...
And that includes P-Funk, James, & oh yeah, Prince too.....
Well on vinyl, at least...
[Edited 12/21/04 16:26pm]
[Edited 12/21/04 18:35pm]
[Edited 12/21/04 21:15pm]

He's competent. That's all.

For all who are interested ®ick wasn't really playing the bass on those albums, it was Oscar Alston. He was a member of Rick's Stone City Band. He may have offered some ideas,but he definitely wasn't the same caliber on individual instruments that Prince is. I love Rick's music and I'm from Buffalo and know his drummer Lanise Hughes, so I'm just stating what I've been told.

sunlite said:

Oscar Alston!!!!!
That's his name.....