Cicero Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) Whilst I grew up listening to bands with the likes of Flea or Les Claypool on bass, it was Zender's work with Jamiroquai that really stood out for me. I almost picked up the bass, rather than guitar, because of him... Twenty years later, here I am 😂 Quite amazing to think he had only been playing for two years AND was still only 18 when Emergency on Planet Earth Came out... Now that's talent. Been working on learning lots of his basslines the past couple of weeks. Currently on this: Any other fans here? Edited September 30, 2018 by Cicero 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigyin Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Great Bassist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt4ever Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 yes mate, big fan too. A good mate of mine had a sunday jam with him a few weeks ago at the local uni campus, lucky bugger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 yes indeedy, I really like the first four Jamiroquai albums, with SZ's bass standing out on those he played on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huge Hands Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Another massive fan here. Jamiroquai were never the same after he left, in my humble opinion, no disrespect intended to the later bass players. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruarl Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 I’m a big fan. Really great lines on those early Jamiroquai albums. I’m still refining my efforts on them, 20 years later! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 (edited) Great Bassist who has become a legend with a certain age group. I attended a charity 5 a-side Football event where Jamiriquai were participating - really only to meet SZ. He was the only member of the band who didn't attend.Gutted!! BTW when I saw the title I thought that SZ had died an untimely death...phew... Edited October 1, 2018 by TheGreek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cicero Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 I'll just leave this here... 🙈 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 ^^^ Washburn Hammerhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 For sure his bass playing complimented the music so very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 SZ, great player! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 +1 for me too! Some people just pick up the instrument and blast pretty much from day one without the self-imposed mental burden of having to learn the instrument 'properly' before being able to play music. Mark King was another like SZ... just picked it up and went for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) This Imo is a great example of his playing. In parts he follows the vocals, The other parts are just fantastic and so musical. The track wouldn't be the same without his bass playing.. For sure he worked them out before hand, but very clever musically to think of some parts of this bassline.There is nothing not exciting about his playing. Its also where he places his notes or places his notes just off to make it more funky within the drumming that separates an ok bass player from a great bass player. Edited October 5, 2018 by bubinga5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 Mr Zender was the stand out bassist of the 90s for me. The fact that he was in a band where the bass was almost always up front and centre in the mix was a big part of that. Jamiroquai weren't the same band after he left, although I suspect that Jay Kay wanted to to take things in a slightly different direction by then anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 2 minutes ago, Cato said: Mr Zender was the stand out bassist of the 90s for me. The fact that he was in a band where the bass was almost always up front and centre in the mix was a big part of that. Jamiroquai weren't the same band after he left, although I suspect that Jay Kay wanted to to take things in a slightly different direction by then anyway. Paul Turner although a great bass player didn't prick my ears up like Zender. But the music evolved..The music wasn't the same as earthy funky Emergency on Planet Earth.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super al Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 I was a Gil Scott Heron fan and when Emergency came out I was into that straight away. Loved SZ's bass playing, just a great funky groove in every tune. Learnt a few of the lines by myself which gave me confidence in my own ability at the time (the bass being very prominent in the mix helped!). After Emergency came out I went to the Phoenix Festival and Jamiroquai were playing the jazz tent. Never actually saw them, the tent was rammed so we stood outside and listened! One of those rare bookings where the artist goes stratospheric in the intervening weeks. Ah, my carefree days in the early 90s, I miss them sometimes 👴 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 One of my all-time favourite players, with one of my favourite sounds (or variations on it), on 3 of my favourite albums. I tried to get tickets on what turned out to be the last tour he did with Jamiroquai but they were restricted view so thought I’d catch them next time instead. Mistake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkgod Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 (edited) can only agree with most of the posts already, but to add some more... Zenders bass lines in most of the early stuff was the song, end of. Jk, the band and the mixer the producer and even the label paying for it all, all had the good sense to wrap most of the music around them bass lines, and for very good reason,,,, they were catcher than a trawlers net, check out too young to die, killer bass line played so well, 1 or 2 tricky bits in that ! im not to sure the last cd was held together so well at all with out zenders bass gluing all the tracks together, its sounding very studioy cold,,, auto the opening track is top draw, but after that, i was reaching for the FF button, Edited October 6, 2018 by funkgod 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belka Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 He was great in Jamiroqaui. He is just very talented to be able to do what he did after playing for so short a time. He also said that he doesn't really practice (by himself, I'm sure he does practice with the bands he's been in). By the way, was the identity of Mr X (who played on the album version of Return of the Space Cowboy, Zender played on the single) ever established? Anyone here in the know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 Who could not love Stuart Zender playing ? That's pure talent, laziness and clever enough to have stopped before it was too late. I bought my first Warwick because of him. Double thumbs up for a true genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 3 hours ago, Belka said: He was great in Jamiroqaui. He is just very talented to be able to do what he did after playing for so short a time. He also said that he doesn't really practice (by himself, I'm sure he does practice with the bands he's been in). By the way, was the identity of Mr X (who played on the album version of Return of the Space Cowboy, Zender played on the single) ever established? Anyone here in the know? Its never been established. But i think it was Ernie Mckone . The ex bass player from Galliano. I could be totally wrong. Ive asked Francis Hylton (incognito ) he doesn't know either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 Stop the press . Stuart Zender on Twitter said Paul Powell played bass on the the version of Space Cowboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 9 hours ago, Hellzero said: Who could not love Stuart Zender playing ? That's pure talent, laziness and clever enough to have stopped before it was too late. I bought my first Warwick because of him. Double thumbs up for a true genius. Just to add balance, I have never seen what the fuss was about. I don't particularly rate him as a great player but then I have never really liked Jamiroquai. To me, they had a sound that aged like warm milk (I have always hated disco). British music went through a really rough spot as the 90's wore on. I can understand though, why Jamiroquai were a smash when they were. That warmed-over disco sound was unlike anything else going on in the early 90's. Synth pop was dead, rock was all dreadful grunge and electronic music was really taking off. Jamiroquai were their own genre, almost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 4 hours ago, Chris2112 said: Just to add balance, I have never seen what the fuss was about. I don't particularly rate him as a great player but then I have never really liked Jamiroquai. To me, they had a sound that aged like warm milk (I have always hated disco). British music went through a really rough spot as the 90's wore on. I can understand though, why Jamiroquai were a smash when they were. That warmed-over disco sound was unlike anything else going on in the early 90's. Synth pop was dead, rock was all dreadful grunge and electronic music was really taking off. Jamiroquai were their own genre, almost. White socks jazz funk. I have the same sort of feeling listening to Vulfpeck and the whole host of revisionist funk bands out there. There are no new ideas here, just old ones imitated averagely. In this instance however, when I was teaching at a music college one of the kids asked me to transcribe a SZ line and I had a lot of fun. He really does work a groove and they are very musical, and highly lyrical in their approach. I retain the right to be wrong at any point, and the freedom to change my mind. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 On 05/10/2018 at 17:33, Cicero said: I'll just leave this here... 🙈 Has he plugged in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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