Linus27 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) My new project is very Motown influenced and has mentioned James Jamerson etc in conversations. Can anyone recommend some really good tracks, songs, CD's/DVD's etc I should listen to/get to really absorb the whole Motown vibe. I do have the Standing In The Shadows book which I will go through but anything else anyone can suggest to help get really into the Motown thing would be really appreciated. Oh, and before anyone says Flats, don't ok :):) Edited February 23, 2011 by Linus27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Get a "Best of" box set from about 1966 to 1974. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Tescos are doing the Motown Chartbusters series for about a fiver for the first four discs. Loads of classics on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soliloquy Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I bought this last year, it's very good. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motown-50-Various-Artists/dp/B001HK8ZWM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298468063&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motown-50-Various-...8063&sr=8-1[/url] There are loads of videos on Youtube too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='dlloyd' post='1138531' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:34 PM']Tescos are doing the Motown Chartbusters series for about a fiver for the first four discs. Loads of classics on that.[/quote] Very good place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 There is a lot of non Motown from that era that is just as good. For example, the Philly sound of the O'Jays, Harold Melvin, The Stylistics etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='chris_b' post='1138539' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:37 PM']There is a lot of non Motown from that era that is just as good. For example, the Philly sound of the O'Jays, Harold Melvin, The Stylistics etc.[/quote] +1 The Stax band were amazing and their sound not "disturbed" by all that furious tambourine jangling which is a characteristic of so many early Motown tracks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='BottomE' post='1138559' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:48 PM']+1 The Stax band were amazing and their sound not "disturbed" by all that furious tambourine jangling which is a characteristic of so many early Motown tracks[/quote] +1 on the Stax stuff and that will be the great Jack Ashford on tambourine (and also vibes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='dlloyd' post='1138531' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:34 PM']Tescos are doing the Motown Chartbusters series for about a fiver for the first four discs. Loads of classics on that.[/quote] A great buy, essential stuff IMO. Vol 3 (silver cover) is the absolute must have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='1138565' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:53 PM']+1 on the Stax stuff and that will be the great Jack Ashford on tambourine (and also vibes).[/quote] I have just seen his CV (Jack Ashford). Wow. I was listening to Junior Walker the other night then took a look on YouTube: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDd69AV1vWY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDd69AV1vWY[/url] The guys bass sounds like its gonna jump out and give you a good hiding. Love it. Also a nice post from the bass player. "I was the bassist with Jr. but in this video I'm playing guitar. I met Jr when i was 17 and did not have a bass so he takes down to the music store in downtown South Bend, IN . We walk in and he tells Mack the owner. Hey, got one new guy with me and he needs a bass. He says walk around and pick out one. I'm like are you serious, any one i want ? Jr says yea ! So I grabbed that Jazz and walked out the door without paying one cent. My dream had come true LOL Allstar 1979-1995 Darryl B" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 All the early stuff you can get your hands on - if its in print on a cd its worth a listen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Most of the acts have CDs on Amazon for about £3 so once you have listened to a few tracks on the compilations you can go from there. Most of the comps are pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) Another fantastic compilation is [i]What It Is!: Funky Soul and Rare Grooves: From the Vaults of Atlantic, Atco and Warner Brothers Records: 1967-1977[/i]. It's not cheap but it's a marvellous collection. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Funky-Soul-Rare-Grooves/dp/B000GIWS4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298471137&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Funky-Soul-Ra...1137&sr=1-1[/url] Edited February 23, 2011 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 +1 on the Chartbusters CDs (no 5 is my favourite) Also, Stevie Wonder's "Signed Sealed Delivered" album is pure gold from start to finish, with superb bass from both Jamerson and Babbett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyBiskit Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I just love that Motown vibe- Jumpin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='1138613' date='Feb 23 2011, 02:26 PM']Another fantastic compilation is [i]What It Is!: Funky Soul and Rare Grooves: From the Vaults of Atlantic, Atco and Warner Brothers Records: 1967-1977[/i]. It's not cheap but it's a marvellous collection. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Funky-Soul-Rare-Grooves/dp/B000GIWS4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298471137&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Funky-Soul-Ra...1137&sr=1-1[/url][/quote] I've got that too, totally recommended - loads of killer tracks on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 [quote name='chris_b' post='1138539' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:37 PM']There is a lot of non Motown from that era that is just as good. For example, the Philly sound of the O'Jays, Harold Melvin, The Stylistics etc.[/quote] +1 Some classy stuff coming out from that lot. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Thanks everyone, some great help for me. What I am trying to do is get my head around and trying to understand the basics of what makes a Motown bassline but it seems to me it can be pretty open to anything depending on era and artist. It seems a lot of the early Motown is kind of groove or swing based with roots in Jazz and Blues. So a walking type bass line in places but not as obvious or full as a Jazz bass line. An example is Tears Of A Clown or Heatwave which are very swing orientated. Later on it seems to soften and go more pop/soul and reliant on the vocal. Some artists like Stevie Wonder and the Jackson 5 seem to go more towards funk feel. Of course I could be talking total rubbish but from my brief listening today, this is what I seem to have noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Linus27' post='1139077' date='Feb 23 2011, 08:08 PM']Thanks everyone, some great help for me. What I am trying to do is get my head around and trying to understand the basics of what makes a Motown bassline but it seems to me it can be pretty open to anything depending on era and artist. It seems a lot of the early Motown is kind of groove or swing based with roots in Jazz and Blues. So a walking type bass line in places but not as obvious or full as a Jazz bass line. An example is Tears Of A Clown or Heatwave which are very swing orientated. Later on it seems to soften and go more pop/soul and reliant on the vocal. Some artists like Stevie Wonder and the Jackson 5 seem to go more towards funk feel. Of course I could be talking total rubbish but from my brief listening today, this is what I seem to have noticed.[/quote] It is quite varied as you say. Interestingly, the ones you pick on are not all the same bassist: Heatwave - James Jamerson (on an upright IIRC) Tears of a Clown - Bob Babbit Jackson 5 e.g. I Want You Back - Wilton Felder Early Stevie Wonder is usually Jamerson (e.g. I Was Made to Love Her - let's not get into the Carol Kaye thing) or Babbit (e.g. Signed Sealed Delivered) but later might even be a clavinet. Edited February 23, 2011 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 If you're on Facebook, there's a few good pages, run by afficianados of Motown, Northern Soul etc that regularly post some interesting & less heard classics. I like this one [url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Soul-Motown-All-The-Way-With-DJ-Flo/117499104929628"]Soul-Motown All the Way with DJ Flo[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Not listening obviously, but Standing In The Shadows, the book about James Jamerson is brilliant. Some really great transcriptions and insights into his style and technique etc. Also includes a couple of CDs of his lines being played by a plethora of famous bass players. Kind of a homage to the great man all in all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) I'm playing this one tomorrow night for the first time! It's a great bass line, Nate Watts doesn't let up for a moment! Edited March 4, 2011 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) This book is good too: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Masters-They-Play-Softcover/dp/0879308699"][/url] Edited March 4, 2011 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Ed Friedland says the Jamerson had the bass up full and the treble up half way? On a Precision?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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