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GREAT ALBUMS BY BASSISTS
JAZZ AND FUSION FAVS
PUNK & SKA RECORDINGS
NEW WAVE & POWER POP
90S TO CURRENT
EIGHTIES
SEVENTIES
SIXTIES AND BEFORE
WISCONSIN ARTISTS
GREAT ALBUMS BY BASSISTSThese are a few of the albums recorded BY bassists that should be in EVERY bassist's collection!- (: I am partial to the ELECTRIC bass :) - | |
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| JURAJ GRIGLAK Bass Friends 2000 Independent Release |
| Juraj who? I'm sure you've all heard of the other players in this section, but the CD "Bass Friends" by Juraj Griglak MIGHT be the best bass album not fully discovered in the US yet. GREAT bass playing, GREAT tone, the grooves are INFECTIOUS! Juraj's tone inspired me to look into Sadowsky equipment more deeply. This is a disc you NEED to check out if you like CD's by bassists! Slap, fingerstyle, fretless, upright, electric, it's got it all! Can't seem to be able to order from his web site, so try finding it on eBay or Half.com... | |
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VICTOR WOOTEN A Show Of Hands 1996 Compass |
| The first time I saw Victor Wooten play my jaw sat agape in wonder for about a week. His solo debut is pretty much JUST bass playing and some vocals. I love it! It's still my favorite disc from his solo catalog. I think VITAL TECH TONES with Steve Smith and Scott Henderson is also worth taking a look at - another GREAT record! | |
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JACO PASTORIUS Jaco Pastorius 1976 Epic |
| This album BLEW me away with the first listen. Jaco is my favorite bass player ever and I think his debut record is still his best as a solo artist. I'll listen to anything he did, though. I even like all the "Live in New York" series of discs. GREAT album by a VERY gifted bassist. A classic! | |
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STANLEY CLARKE Stanley Clarke 1974 Nemporer |
| Before Jaco came along Stanley Clarke was my favorite bassist. I didn't have any IDEA what he was doing at the time (I still can't slap worth a damn), I just knew that Stanley was a GREAT bass player. His debut and the follow-up discs JOURNEY TO LOVE and SCHOOL DAYS are CLASSICS. All worth a listen! | |
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JAZZ AND FUSION FAVS | |
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WEATHER REPORT Heavy Weather 1977 Sony |
| Another classic album. All the Weather Report albums with Jaco are worth checking out, this is my personal favorite. I'd also recommend BLACK MARKET, which has Jaco on a few tracks and Alphonso Johnson on the rest. "Birdland" and "Teen Town" are two of the more popular Jaco tracks ever recorded, both appear on Heavy Weather. | |
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BILLY COBHAM Spectrum 1973 Atlantic |
| Ron Carter, Tommy Bolin, John Tropea, Jan Hammer, Leland Sklar and tunes that GROOVE make this one of my all-time favorite fusion albums. I have always loved Leland Sklar's playing and tone - he's played on SO many different records with SO many people and he always finds the correct things to play in every situation. This album is no exception. Tommy Bolin and Jan Hammer are at their best as well... | |
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PUNK & SKA RECORDINGSI listen to punk and ska music 75% of the time.Here are a few selections NOT to be overlooked! | |
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LARS FREDERIKSEN AND THE BASTARDS Viking 2004 Epitaph |
| Lars is the guitarist for RANCID - this is his side project. The VIKING CD grabs you by the balls and never lets go! It just ROCKS, baby! One of the best punk CD's to come out in a LONG time. Their first disc is good, too - but this particular CD has been a favorite of mine since I first heard it. Great for getting an adreneline rush! | |
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BILLY TALENT Billy Talent 2003 Atlantic |
| Personally I think BILLY TALENT is the greatest rock band in the world right now. This CD and the follow up BILLY TALENT II are two albums I can listen to over and over without ever getting sick of. Great songwriting and production. Just an AWESOME band all the way around. If you're unfamiliar with Billy Talent and like punk - you HAVE to check this band out! | |
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GOLDFINGER Stomping Ground 2000 Mojo |
| This disc is produced so well it's almost hard to call "punk", but it definitely ROCKS with punk abandon! Their other recordings are good also but this disc really stands out above the rest to me. GREAT songwriting, production and killer grooves! The bass sounds kick ass on this CD as well. Tons o' energy, GREAT guitar sounds! YEAH! | |
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THE AQUABATS Fury of the Aquabats 1997 BMG/Time Bomb |
| Oh, YEAH! This album ROCKS! GREAT songs! Well produced and arranged, funny, upbeat - this is a classic NOT to be missed! I like all the Aquabats stuff, but this is the crown jewel of their collection! ANOTHER all-time fav! | |
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MR. T EXPERIENCE Revenge Is Sweet and So Are You 1997 Lookout |
| The Mr. T Experience is another one of my favorite punk bands - I like the wryness of Dr. Frank's songwriting. Just good old-fashioned fun rock and roll! Lotta energy, good hooks, cool grooves - I like 'em, I really do. Their whole catalog is worth checking out, my favs are this disc and their 1996 release LOVE IS DEAD. | |
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RANCID And Out Come The Wolves 1995 Epitaph |
| My favorite album by the current kings of punk (in my book): RANCID. They remind me a lot of the Clash, but I like this album more than anything the Clash ever did. TONS of energy, GREAT bass lines & tone (ala Matt Freeman) & great songwriting make this a disc worth checking out! | |
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REZILLOS Can't Stand The Rezillos 1978 Sire |
| I view the Pistols and the Ramones as the Beatles and Stones of punk, so they get billing over this disc. But "Can't Stand The Rezillos" is one of my favorite discs of all-time. Some of the BEST rock bass playing ever can be heard on this disc! GREAT songs, & the production (Bob Clearmountain - if he EVER produced a bad album I haven't heard it) kicks ass as well! HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended! | |
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RAMONES Road To Ruin 1978 Sire |
| My favorite album by the American alternative to the Pistols - THE RAMONES. They have many great albums besides this one, I would consider their debut album RAMONES and ROCKET TO RUSSIA classics as well. Apparently they are all only available as imports now, too bad - all three are excellent. The Ramones are/were the LOUDEST band I ever saw live. TOTAL energy - GREAT band! | |
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RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS Blank Generation 1977 Sire |
| Another one of my favorite albums of ALL-time! Richard Hell was one of the best bassists & songwriters of this period and genre. Sire Records had SO many great artists! This album also introduced me to the guitar playing of Robert Quine - VERY interesting and unique player! A classic, not to be missed! | |
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SEX PISTOLS Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols 1977 Warner Brothers |
| A GREAT album - definitely a rock CLASSIC! Every musician should listen to this album until they "get it". It's pure rock & roll - young, loud & snotty. Great songs, energy and feeling. I still listen to this record a LOT - Sid Vicious & Johnny Rotten are punk icons. The album that pretty much started it all! | |
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NEW WAVE & POWER POP | |
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GRAHAM PARKER AND THE RUMOUR The Up Escalator 1980 Arista |
| Most people would tell you that 1979's SQUEEZING OUT SPARKS is the definitive recording by Graham Parker. He probably had his biggest commercial success with his 1988 release THE MONA LISA'S SISTER (without The Rumour). But The Up Escalator has remained one of my favorite recordings since it's 1980 release - great power pop songs, catchy hooks, cool grooves... I like Squeezing Out Sparks as well, but this disc I can listen to over and over and I never seem to get tired of it. | |
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JOE JACKSON Look Sharp 1979 A&M |
| Great album - every song rocks! Joe Jackson had the foresight to put his bass player WAY out front on his first three records. And bassist Graham Maby is fantastic - he's one of the most underrated bassists of all time. This was the first album, I'd also recommend I'M THE MAN and BEAT CRAZY (if you can find it) as well... | |
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THE BEAT The Beat 1979 Columbia/CBS |
| This album is power pop at it's best! Click on the band name above for the only place I've found online offering it on CD! Great songs - 2 guitars, bass & drums - melodic, guitar driven rock & roll! BUY it - you WON'T be disappointed! 1981's THE KIDS ARE THE SAME is a worthy effort as well, not nearly as good as the first album, though. | |
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