http://www.rockhall.com/h...asp?id=220
http://www.marshallcrensh...merson.htm

I've been jamming Marvin Gaye's legendary What's Going On album the last few days and everytime I spin the CD I am blown away by James Jamerson's bass work. Jamerson changed the face of popular music and has inspired countless bass players in all genres of music. He was THE session player during the glory years of Motown and he remained relatively unknown before Gaye made a special mention of him on What's Going On. I know there are often "Who's the greatest bass player of all time" threads on the org and we give props to the genius playing of of Graham, Collins, Paul McCartney etc. I just wanted to start a thread recognizing the man who laid the framework for all those that followed.
[Edited 5/8/05 19:32pm]

Believe me, for any serious student of R&B music, they had to wonder who it was providing the funky/melodic/driving basslines on hit tunes like...

Agent Double-O-Soul - Edwin Starr
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana/Supremes
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell
Aint That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
Ain't To Proud To Beg - Temptations
Baby I Need Your Loving - Four Tops
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep - Temptations
Bernadette - Four Tops
Can I Get A Witness - Marvin Gaye
Cloud Nine - Temptations
Come See About Me - Diana/Supremes
Dancing In The Streets - Martha & The Vandellas
Don't Mess With Bill - The Marvelettes
Fingertips (pt2) - Stevie Wonder
For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
Get Ready - Temptations
Going To A Go-Go - The Miracles
Heat Wave - Martha & The Vandellas
Hey Girl - Stevie Wonder
Hitch Hike - Marvin Gaye
How Sweet It Is - Marvin Gaye
I Can't Get Next To You - Temptations
I Can't Help Myself - The Four Tops
I Hear A Symphony - Diana/Supremes
I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Gladys Knight & Pips
I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
I'm Losing You - Temptations
I Second That Emotion - The Miracles
I was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder
If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight & the Pips
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Temptations
I'm Wondering - Stevie Wonder
It Takes Two - Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell
It's The Same Old Song - The Four Tops
Jimmy Mack - Martha & The Vandellas
Love Child - Diana/Supremes
Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart - Diana/Supremes
Mickey's Monkey - The Miracles
My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
My Girl - Temptations
My Guy - Mary Wells
My World Is Empty Without You - Diana/Supremes
Nowhere To Run - Martha & The Vandellas
Ooh Baby Baby - The Miracles
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
Pride & Joy - Marvin Gaye
Quicksand - Martha & The Vandellas
Reach Out...I'll Be There - The Four Tops
Reflections - Diana/Supremes
Roadrunner - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
Seven Rooms Of Gloom - The Four Tops
Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over) - The Four Tops
Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Da Day - Stevie Wonder
Shop Around - The Miracles
Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations
Standing In The Shadows Of Love - The Four Tops
Still Water Runs Deep - The Four Tops
Stop! In The Name Of Love - Diana/Supremes
Stubborn Kind Of Fellow - Marvin Gaye
The Bells - The Originals
The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game - The Marvelettes
The Tracks Of My Tears - The Miracles
The Way You Do The Things You Do - Temptations
This Old Heart Of Mine - Isley Brothers
To Busy Thinking About My Baby - Marvin Gaye
Two Lovers - Mary Wells
Uptight (Everything Is Alright) - Stevie Wonder
What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted - Jimmy Ruffin
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
Where Did Our Love Go - Diana/Supremes
You Beat Me To The Punch - Mary Wells
You Can't Hurry Love - Diana/Supremes
You Keep Me Hanging On - Diana/Supremes
Your Precious Love - Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell
You're All I Need To Get By - Temptations
Your Wonderful Love - Temptations
You've Really Got A Hold On Me - The Miracles

a few outside of Motown...

Boogie Fever - The Sylvers
Heaven Must Have Sent You - Bonnie Pointer
Rock The Boat - The Hues Corporation
Boom Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
Rescue Me - Fontella Bass
Higher & Higher - Jackie Wilson
Caravan - Hugo Montenegro
You Don't Have To Be A Star - Billy Davis Jr & Marilyn McCoo
Show And Tell - Al Wilson
Standing At The Crossroads - Eddie & Ernie

Any learned bass player will tell you that...



...James Jamerson is one of the cornerstones.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm
[Edited 5/9/05 18:39pm]

i mistakenly read the title of this thread as "jenna jameson appreciation thread"

but, respect to james jamerson as well.

theAudience said:

Add "Standing At The Crossroads" by my dad's duo Eddie & Ernie!

Yes, James Jamerson is definately one of my favorite bassist of all time. James played bass on a song my dad (Eddie Campbell) wrote and performed titled "Standing At The Crossroads" with my dad's group "Eddie and Ernie". My dad said James was "incredible" on bass. Former Beatle Sir Paul has often cited Jamerson as an "huge influence", claiming that he used to try to imitate James playing as well as James's sound. You really hear James's influence on another great bass player, the late Bernard Edwards of Chic.

One of the best of all time

Check out the 'Standing in thr Shadow of Motown" book (which inspired the movie). The book focuses on Jamerson's life and style, and comes with a CD that features different bassists doing versions of James's best basslines. essential reading for bass fans

"tha hook" was tha Man...

Ndeed!!!!...I would always try to play Jamerson's Basslines from the Jackson 5's "Darling Dear", Marvin Gaye's "What's Happening , Brother" and Michael Jackson's version of "Love Is Here(And Now You're Gone)"...They still kick my ass!








...
[Edited 5/9/05 12:32pm]

paligap said:

wooo hooo...la la laaaaa

TheRealFiness said:

How about Bernadette?

Or some of those older hard groovin' Stevie Wonder tunes...
Shoo-Be-Doo-Da-Day
I'm Wondering
Uptight

Vicious

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

theAudience said:

s'what im talkin bout

vanity69 said:

I swear to God I did the same thing.

theAudience said:

Nice List t/A, just to see it layed out is just amazing.

"Standing in the Shadows of Motown" talks to his son and it gives a cool perspective. I'm sure you've seen it so I'm not sure why I'm typing it.

Slave2daGroove said:

Thanks. It is amazing even though it's not complete!

And you just type on brother, I need to watch it again anyway.

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

blackguitaristz said:

Done.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

Big up to one of the most amazing and influential bassists of all time. And since I've been getting into the bass a lot more these days, he's becoming more of an influence on me.

I've also written some songs where his bass style is incorporated too.
[Edited 5/9/05 22:27pm]

variety1317 said:

We'll save that for another time.

NWF said:

Me too, I was going to write that she have great tits.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

[quote]I dig anybody who even knows who James Jamerson is and knows about Larry Graham as more than just the man who supposedly ruined Prince.....YOU ROCK

paligap said:

You mean that wasn't Jermaine!?!

vanity69 said:

What does this Jenna Jamerson chic play? I recall my brother saying that he wanted to play with her but he changed the convo when I came in the room and I can't can't seem to find her CD's anywhere. Maybe she's not that good.

o.k. I was kidding.
I've got nothing better to do (maybe I should get a hobby or something)
I totally appreciate the genius of Jamerson. Still can't figure out why he never changed those greasy strings, though. I suspect that's where he kept all the flava.

I was kidding about Jenna too.
It wasn't my brother. It was my X. Still don't know what Jenna plays.

Now I'm curious. Seriously. Are there other bassists that use their strings 'til they fall apart?

MistyCotton said:

Thank U, Thank U....it's good to see that someone digs where I'm coming from.

Michael Henderson gives him mad respect (Jamerson)

mrwigglesdaw1rm said:

Michael Henderson....I just found one of his cds in a record store in Virginia. He's so Detroit.."In the night time" "wide receiver" What is he up to?, Anybody know.