OFF: Great Bassists (was100 Greatest Guitarists)

[DRider]

when I was goin to college, I met a guitar major
he was about halfway through his education
learning "theory" I guess.....
he gave me copies of many different scales to learn
positions etc... (for which I was grateful)
he could turn the metronome up pretty fast and shred
the scales along in time
the first time we jammed, I started a simple blues progression
thinking that would be common ground to build on
and that he could definetly take it somewhere
I was shocked that his playing seemed very flat
proficient - but - flat

that was my first real life lesson about 'soul'

technically, his ability smoked mine
but after learning all that theory and technique
what did he have?

sometimes, the simplest notes and progressions etc...
make the biggest impression
and totally blow away all that 'flash'

IMHO, a truly great musician has lots of soul
that may come out in a flash

Peace,

D

----- Original Message -----
> <snip interesting observations and opinions>
>
> >Personally, I have zero interest in bassists I consider showy/flashy.  I
> >can appreciate the virtuosity of Stanley Clarke, Tony Levin, Billy
> >Sheehan, Jeff Berlin, Victor Wooton, Jaco, and all the other players they
> >drool about on 'The Bottom Line' (renowned bass player email list that
has
> >included Berlin [an egotistical asshole], Levin [a super-nice guy], and
> >Mike Watt [even nicer guy], among its contributors), but their playing
> >does little to move me, personally
>
> I find I have the same response. It all goes back to the question of how
to
> define great. Someone who is an astonishing virtuoso and can do things
with
> the instrument that almost no-one else can, because of the level of their
> technique, vs. someone who has nowhere near that technical skill but has a
> greater creative/aesthetic sense, which of course is totally subjective
and
> in the end means "an aesthetic sense that more closely parallels my own"
:-)
>
> Very few of the virtuoso players like Jaco et al feature in my record
> collection, because their music tends to leave me rather cold. But I can't
> deny that they are superlative technicians and I'd have to include them on
> a list of great bass players, although they wouldn't be on a list of "bass
> players I particularly enjoy listening to".
>
> Although- Tony Levin's on quite a few albums I own, but then again he pops
> up everywhere.
>
> I think we are basically saying the same thing here.
>
> Nick
>