my favorite bass player
by Years ago my friends went to music fest in PA somewhere. My best friend got to go, and came back with a story of an amazing bass player from a band called "bela fleck and the flecktones". So, I checked them out. I wasn't a big fan of most of their music, but the bass player is out of this world. But most of the music was so annoying I gave up on them.
Then, I started watching conan obrien a lot. One night the musical guest was bela fleck and the flecktones. He blew me away! I had to get more of his stuff! In time, I came to know him as Victor Wooten.
Now, Victor Wooten is my favorite bass player. (Following him, Flea is my next favorite) He's the rodney mullen of bass guitar. Simply amazing. He plays solo, and with others. I recently got a cd of him live, and I'm so so happy I did. I don't ever think I can reach his level. EVER. Even in paradise...but that's yet to be determined :).
I want to share his amazingness with all of you. So without further ado, clips of Vic at work:
Victor Wooten does Amazing Grace:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM7IuJuxW1Q&search=victor%20wooten
a Clip-ette of him playing a song called "me and my bass guitar":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce9HbLhE8_Y&search=victor%20wooten
a Clip-ette of him playing a bass lead in a song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWVIhzW40EM&search=victor%20wooten
Long Clip of just Bass and Drums (drummer from Dave Matthews)
...and annoying credits scrolling by in the first half:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zvZJUbiUkI&search=victor%20wooten
Another LONG clip, Victor and one of his brothers have a little battle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZyQAFroumM&search=victor%20wooten
AI Summary
29 Comments
I think one of the best bass players I've ever heard of plays for a band called "the suits" anyone heard of them??
jaco pastorius
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KBZQr9tz8wY&mode=related&search=
i heard this guy before... i wasn't very impressed.
jk :)
oh, i saw this guy play with dave matthew band a while back. he was crazy. throwing his bass all around and playing awesome stuff
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I knew victor wooten was good, but my god!!! that one with him and his brother; that was like inhuman. and his brother was absolutely sick too.
thanks for posting those todd, that was awesome.
Sebastian Steinberg (was in the band Soul Coughing).. better than he'll ever get credit for. The Soul Coughing songs had jazzy yet simple bass riffs.
For the simplisticness he's probably not regarded as high as he should be. Altho, for a short time after Soul Coughing called it a day, he played in a live drum&bass trio called UV Ray, which also no longer exist as far as I know. He tours with bands now and then I think, appears on artists albums here and there. I haven't been keeping up with his whereabouts lately. But, he is still an active musician. I just came across somewhere where it said he's touring with the Dixie Chicks. Wow, strange. Sebastian and Les Claypool battled it out one time I think, for competition in NYC. And of course, I like Les Claypool. And, Flea.
In order,
Sebastian
Flea
Les
Good choice. That dude IS very pleasing. And it's simplicity.
the bass lines on St Louise and true dreams of Wichita are classic...
As minimal as they are, it's very moving and rememberable. I really like the City of Motors bass line & Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago bass line. Can't forget those. All have great bass. I love when it gets jazzy.
Sebastian is very diversified too. He's done bass for John Zorn, Cibo Matto, Neil Finn (of Crowded House), Yerba Beuna, and more.
i once saw a bassist at cafe wha? in nyc, and absolutely blew me away. he was so fast, and his timing was perfect. he was he best live bass player i have ever seen.
victor wooten is amazing. I really think his brain has super powers as far as rhythmn goes. When i hear his stuff all I can say is wow. My personal favorite is scott reeder, nick olivaeri, stanley clark , geddy lee the above mentioned and flea.
geddy lee is really good. Who are the rest of these guys?
peanut butter google time!!!
Alot of the guys I metioned are underground . Nick olivarei was the queens of the stone age bassist for a while and is really good. Stanley clark is one of the best jazz bassist ever. Scott reeder is one of the best bassit youll never know.
Geddy Lee...hands down the best Bass Player....
FLEA FANS!
Here's a lesson from the one and only Flea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuhHUAaH2ug&search=flea
wow... while wooten's technical stuff might be more complex, i like flea's style more. i love how he talks about the importance of punk rock too. i really like that stuff, i'm gonna have to listen to more of rhcp's stuff
hmph. does anyone else care? this guy is amazing! maybe its just tl:dr. or do all the links scare everyone off?
i just haven't had time to check it out yet
ah, and it is music, so you guys might want to wait till home, or lunch or something..
this guy is pretty sick, from a technical aspect he's the best i've ever seen
i agree with this. TECHNICALLY the best i've ever seen.
another amazing bit of Vic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmsNpo5d4i0&search=victor%20wooten
he's all mellow. makes it look very easy.
I know, he's ridiculous
This kid learned to play one of Vic's Riffs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a86jnSjTD64&search=victor%20wooten
wow, this guys really good. I don't know who he is, but he's good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJlt1rYUpIs&search=steve%20bailey