Jump to content
Why become a member? ×
Scammer alert: Offsite email MO. Click here to read more. ×
Scammer alert: Offsite email MO. Click here to read more.

lowdown

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    8,298

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by lowdown

    Funky Organs!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Chester Thompson - As well as his Tower of Power and Santana days, he has been on the road with his own bands and trios:

     

     

     

    And I was going to mention his solo @14:00 on this live TOP gig, when Rocco drops out, leaving Chester and the Pedals.

    But all the shenanigans are good!!

    :D

     

     

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Funky Organs!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Hellzero said:

    And don't forget the Medeski Martin Wood band, with some albums with John Scofield too.

     

    Chris Wood is an amazing bass player, saw them live and it was fantastic:

     

     

     

     

     

    I've seen Chris play live a couple of times (a while back now), and apart from his ridiculous skills, he really gets into it. It tired me out just watching him. 😁

    But, when he plays Arco, he can be very gentle and subtle. That's the thing with him, he's very versatile with obvious classical training.

    He's a very driving player (on both upright and electric).

    I'm surprised he doesn't get mentioned here on Basschat. But, if you do a search over on 'TalkBass', there are a few posts mentioning him.

     

     

    • Like 1

    Funky Organs!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Apart from all the usual suspects mentioned, there is Joey Defranceso, who unfortunately passed away a couple of years back aged 51.

    A multi instrumentalist and superb musician. His Hammond playing is terrific with amazing Bass pedal playing.

    There is plenty on YouTube and definitely worthy of a mention on the OP's list:

     

     

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

    boney m basslines, who pplayed them

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I found all this stuff below ...

    It looks like the Bass parts were played by English (Sheffield) Bassist Gary Unwin.

    (I believe Gary Unwin was also involved in quite a few Disco projects out in Germany during the 1970's).

     

    1. Take the Heat Off Me (1976)

    Vocalists:

    Liz Mitchell – lead & backing vocals

    Marcia Barrett – backing vocals

    Frank Farian – male lead vocals in studio

    Instrumentalists:

    Gary Unwin – bass guitar

    Keith Forsey – drums

    Nick Woodland – guitar

    Thor Baldursson – keyboards, arrangements

    Stefan Klinkhammer – arrangements

    Johann Daansen – arrangements

    Notes: This was Boney M’s debut; the official band members (Bobby Farrell, Maizie Williams) rarely played in the studio.

     

    2. Love for Sale (1977)

    Vocalists:

    Liz Mitchell – lead & backing

    Marcia Barrett – backing

    Frank Farian – male vocals

    Instrumentalists / Arrangers:

    Gary Unwin – bass

    Keith Forsey – drums

    Nick Woodland – guitar

    Thor Baldursson – keyboards

    Stefan Klinkhammer – arrangements

    Christian Kolonovits – arrangements

    Notes: More orchestral elements were introduced; tracks like “Belfast” show layered studio instrumentation.

     

    3. Nightflight to Venus (1978)

    Vocalists:

    Liz Mitchell – lead & backing

    Marcia Barrett – backing

    Frank Farian – male vocals

    Instrumentalists:

    Gary Unwin – bass

    Keith Forsey – drums

    Nick Woodland – guitar

    Thor Baldursson – keyboards

    Michael Cretu – keyboards (session on some tracks)

    Stefan Klinkhammer – arrangements

    Christian Kolonovits – arrangements

    Additional session brass & strings – European session musicians

    Notes: Major hits include “Rivers of Babylon,” “Rasputin,” “Painter Man.” Studio arrangements were heavily layered.

     

    4. Oceans of Fantasy (1979)

    Vocalists:

    Liz Mitchell – lead & backing

    Marcia Barrett – backing

    Frank Farian – male vocals

    Instrumentalists:

    Gary Unwin – bass

    Keith Forsey – drums

    Nick Woodland – guitar

    Mats Björklund – guitar

    Michael Cretu – keyboards

    Thor Baldursson – keyboards

    Stefan Klinkhammer – arrangements

    Christian Kolonovits – arrangements

    Johann Daansen – arrangements

    Additional session brass & woodwinds (American/European session players)

    Notes: “Hooray! Hooray! It’s a Holi-Holiday,” “Gotta Go Home” — highly produced, mix of European and international session players.

    5. Boonoonoonoos (1981)

    Vocalists:

    Liz Mitchell – lead & backing

    Marcia Barrett – backing

    Frank Farian – male vocals

    Instrumentalists / Arrangers:

    Similar lineup as previous albums, but expanded session musicians for percussion, horns, and synthesizers.

    Michael Cretu – keyboards

    Thor Baldursson – keyboards, arrangements

    Stefan Klinkhammer – arrangements

    Christian Kolonovits – arrangements

    Notes: More experimental disco and Caribbean influences.

    6. Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984)

    Vocalists:

    Liz Mitchell – lead & backing

    Marcia Barrett – backing

    Frank Farian – male vocals

    Instrumentalists / Arrangers:

    Keyboard-heavy arrangements: Michael Cretu, Thor Baldursson

    Bass / drums: mostly session musicians (some overlap with earlier albums)

    Stefan Klinkhammer – arrangements

    Christian Kolonovits – arrangements

    Notes: Released after Boney M’s peak; heavily synthesized disco style.

    Summary Notes:

    Frank Farian: Producer and male voice on almost all studio recordings.

    Liz Mitchell & Marcia Barrett: Core female studio vocalists.

    Bobby Farrell & Maizie Williams: Mostly live performers, limited studio participation.

    Core British session musicians: Gary Unwin (bass), Keith Forsey (drums), Nick Woodland (guitar).

    Keyboard/arrangements: Thor Baldursson, Michael Cretu, Stefan Klinkhammer, Christian Kolonovits, Johann Daansen.

    Brass/strings/orchestral: A mix of European and some visiting American session players.

     

     Boney-MStudioMusicians.thumb.jpg.80e52e90fb102a122541d594e468da70.jpg

     

     

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1

    Warning. . . .

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    6 hours ago, paul_5 said:

    This is probably my favourite joke EVER!! 

     

     

    I must admit, myself and some of my muso friends, blanket bomb Facebook with this gem annually.

    All rather childish, really...

    :D

    What are you listening to right now?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by lowdown

    1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

    Anyone ever heard this before, I quite like it and the bassline 

     

      

    I'm a bit confused. Your link says, 'The Legendary Pink Dots - Madame Guillotine', but my link below is 'Madame Guillotine - Legendary Pink Dots'.

    I thought it was an attempt at a cover, then I noticed in the blurb on your link "Loosely based on Madame Guillotine" by The Legendary Pink Dots". 

     :D

     

    Either way, it's quite absorbing and chilled because I nearly dozed off...(nothing to do with the track, it's just been an early start and a long day).

    Ignore me, stand down, and as you were.

    :D

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1

    Do we think about Rhythm enough?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 05/12/2025 at 22:24, Homatron said:

    I've been paying a lot more attention to rhythm lately and found some great resources and exercises on Open Studio Jazz.

     

     

    Out of interest, have you signed up to the course(s), or just using the YouTube channel?

    I often pop into the YouTube channel for Jazz Piano tips. Like you say, some great resources.

    Do we think about Rhythm enough?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    11 minutes ago, iainbass said:

    Cool thread. I'd add one more ingredient to this. 'Ghost notes'. Ghost notes are like ligaments, they bind rythmns together. 

     

     Yep...

     

    Singing the rhythms, pitched, to yourself, is a good way to get the Basslines into your head (and under your fingers).

    But I would always trip myself up with non-pitched ghost notes. Then years ago, I started to listen to Bobby McFerrin who is great at ghosting notes.

    Do we think about Rhythm enough?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    For me, I think of rhythm and good note choice as one.

    As a Bass player, laying down the foundation of the chords and changes is as equally as important as rhythm. They go hand in hand as a Bassist.

    But then again, we are all different and approach it in different ways.

     

    • Like 1

    Laurence Canty - Discussion, Memories, Potential Mega-thread

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, WHUFC BASS said:

    Apologies for being almost a year late on this thread. I googled Lawrence Canty today and found out he'd passed away. Very sad news and I'd like to with my condolences to his family and friends.

     

    I first met Lawrence in the early 90s at Goldsmiths college. I did his weekly course there and turned up thinking I knew a fair bit about playing. Lawrence soon dispelled that myth for me when he presented me with the notes for the course. He was talking about chords, their structure, their relevance in a progression, what would work and what wouldn't work ... Why would I need to know about chords I thought ? I don't play chords on bass! I stuck the course out right to the end (I think it lasted 6months or so) and I turned up religiously every Saturday. I left with so much more knowledge of the fretboard, harmony, chord structures, progressions and just a huge understanding of music in general. Lawrence was a superb teacher and for someone with my limited learning capacity he made it easy for even me to understand. I will always be in debt to him for teaching me what no amount of reading of self teaching ever could.

    I was also supremely impressed with his playing and even to this day, his tone from his finger style playing has never been equalled. It was just perfect. At that time I recall he had a residency gig at a hotel in London and he would always give me a lift over the water to a tube station near his gig. We'd always talk bass and music and also about life in general. He put me onto Joe Meek, James Jameson and many other players who I'd never heard of. 

    I can honestly say he was a huge influence on my playing and I'd always quote his name if anybody asked me who I respected as a player. 

     

    R. I. P. Lawrence. 😢

     

    You were probably at Goldsmiths around the same time as my younger brother. My brother loved his time there with LC.

    A friend of my mine was also teaching Bass there at the time, John Deemer.

    • Like 2

    What do we make of Danny Sapko?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Although Danny has his place in the YouTube World, and does it well, he's not for me. I just end up flicking and skimming through bits and pieces.

    I've just watched a Scott Devine video interviewing Nathan East and then another one with Freddie Washington. For my interests, much more entertaining and engaging.

     

×
×
  • Create New...