Chaka Khan - Who's the bassist?

[JonnyB]

Just got this MP3 off amazon - I'm blown away by the bass playing on [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Im-Every-Woman/dp/B001NMZ3TW/ref=sr_f2_9?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1230372093&sr=102-9"]this[/url] - Chaka Khan live, I'm every woman. With it being an MP3 track I couldn't get any info - just a picture of the CD cover.
Anyone know who's on bass for this, and whether s/he is on all the C K stuff?

Cheers,

Jon

[binman]

[quote name='JonnyB' post='364064' date='Dec 27 2008, 10:08 AM']Just got this MP3 off amazon - I'm blown away by the bass playing on [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Im-Every-Woman/dp/B001NMZ3TW/ref=sr_f2_9?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1230372093&sr=102-9"]this[/url] - Chaka Khan live, I'm every woman. With it being an MP3 track I couldn't get any info - just a picture of the CD cover.
Anyone know who's on bass for this, and whether s/he is on all the C K stuff?

Cheers,

Jon[/quote]
Hi JonnyB
I think the bassist might be James Jamerson jr, the Motown legends wee laddie!
regards
Stuart

[Platypus]

I think it's Anthony Jackson

[Hit&Run]

[quote name='Platypus' post='364184' date='Dec 27 2008, 02:38 PM']I think it's Anthony Jackson[/quote]
I know Anthony Jackson played on a lot of her stuff, and he'd be my suggestion also.
Here's the wiki on him: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Jackson"]AJ[/url]

EDIT:
In fact, looking at the album that song is taken from (Chaka Khan by Chaka Khan) I know AJ played on 'ain't nobody', so there's a good chance he cut other tracks as well.
Watch me get shot down in flames now!

H&R

Edited December 27, 2008 by Hit&Run

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Hit&Run' post='364190' date='Dec 27 2008, 02:42 PM']I know AJ played on 'ain't nobody', so there's a good chance he cut other tracks as well.[/quote]
We play "Ain't Nobody" at the end of our first set. Its a superb bass line but I'm pretty certain from the sound and manner in which its constructed, that its a keyboard line?! I don't believe MIDI bass was very widely available at the time the track was recorded.

[lowdown]

Aint nobody, was a Rufas and Chaka Khan tune..not a solo CK tune.
I'm Every Woman was also Rufas and Chaka..so would have been played by there
Regular Bass player [ who ever that was..a Boogie Oogie Google should find him]

When she left that band and went solo....
Jimmy Haslip and Anthony Jackson did plenty of stuff with her.
Jackson mainly The Studio stuff, and Haslip the Road stuff.
So tis possible any live stuff from Chaka just after The Rufus Band stuff
would be Jimmy Haslip.

Kiwi...
A small quote about Aint Nobody.

'This was the last chart single for the group before lead singer Chaka Khan (born Yvette Stevens) left for a solo career. On this track, she sings about a man who makes her feel so good, that no other can come close.

Producer Quincy Jones wanted this for Michael Jackson's Thriller album, and almost got it. Rufus keyboardist David Wolinski wrote the song. The group didn't like it but recorded it anyway. It was released as a single when Wolinski threatened to pull it off the album and give it to Jackson and Jones. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL, for all above)

When Rufus was being formed, they rejected guitarist Roger Linn because he didn't sing, but this was one of the first songs ever written to the beat of Roger's invention - [b]the LM-1 Drum, the world's first programmable, sampled-sound drum machine. In this case the machine was used to create the keyboard loop. John Robinson played live drums and overdubbed the fills. [/b](thanks, Massimo - New York, NY, and Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)'

Garry

[Josh]

If it's live in 2008 then it is definetly Andrew Gouche.

[lowdown]

[quote name='Josh' post='364250' date='Dec 27 2008, 04:12 PM']If it's live in 2008 then it is definetly Andrew Gouche.[/quote]

Just listened to the above link [clips]
Its 2008...


Garry

[Josh]

[quote name='lowdown' post='364262' date='Dec 27 2008, 04:31 PM']Just listened to the above link [clips]
Its 2008...


Garry[/quote]

Yeah it's definetly him then, he's one of my main influences as of late, he's her Musical Director as well.

Here's a clinic with him playing 2 Chaka tunes:

[url="http://live.bassplayer.com/Artist.aspx?name=gouche&video=gouche1"]Clinic.[/url]

Gospel Musicians just know how to make stuff better!

Edited December 27, 2008 by Josh

[lowdown]

[quote name='Josh' post='364270' date='Dec 27 2008, 04:38 PM']Yeah it's definetly him then, he's one of my main influences as of late, he's her Musical Director as well.

Here's a clinic with him playing 2 Chaka tunes:

[url="http://live.bassplayer.com/Artist.aspx?name=gouche&video=gouche1"]Clinic.[/url]

Gospel Musicians just know how to make stuff better![/quote]

Yer great stuff...good link.

Garry

[XB26354]

Aint Nobody - Greg Phillinganes on keyboard.

[YouMa]

I have footage of haslip playing on i feel from the tube in the 80s.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='364199' date='Dec 27 2008, 02:49 PM']We play "Ain't Nobody" at the end of our first set. Its a superb bass line but I'm pretty certain from the sound and manner in which its constructed, that its a keyboard line?! I don't believe MIDI bass was very widely available at the time the track was recorded.[/quote]

I think you're right, it sounds like a keyboard part.

It's in our set too. I have tried a few synth pedals and can't get anywhere near the sound, I can't get the short decay for one thing. Midi isn't an option for me, my son very helpfully suggested I go out and buy a Mini Moog but he has an ulterior motive. Steve, what do you do to make this work?

It's a cracking song. Really gets people on their feet.

[TKenrick]

Being an Anthony Jackson fanboy, I'd recommend checking out all the albums he did with Chaka Khan (Chaka, What 'Cha Gonna Do For Me, Naughty). Naughty in particular has some incredible lines on most of the tracks, which is probably due to the fact that Jackson spent a number of months composing his bass lines after the other parts had already been tracked.

Regarding the Ain't Nobody part, it took me many hours of trying to get those octaves consistent in terms of volume, attack and note length before the part sounded remotely correct in a band context. It's a deceptively easy sounding tune, but trying to recreate parts produced by machines takes a lot of work - especially for drummers!

[wombatboter]

Chaka performed in Belgium some time ago and a local band (with friends of mine on drums and keyboard) played with her. It was Andrew on bass and they were blown away by him.
Apparantly Chaka hated doing the "I'm Every woman" song...she was really tired of it.

[bubinga5]

[quote name='TKenrick' post='365497' date='Dec 29 2008, 02:44 PM']Being an Anthony Jackson fanboy, I'd recommend checking out all the albums he did with Chaka Khan (Chaka, What 'Cha Gonna Do For Me, Naughty). Naughty in particular has some incredible lines on most of the tracks, which is probably due to the fact that Jackson spent a number of months composing his bass lines after the other parts had already been tracked.

Regarding the Ain't Nobody part, it took me many hours of trying to get those octaves consistent in terms of volume, attack and note length before the part sounded remotely correct in a band context. It's a deceptively easy sounding tune, but trying to recreate parts produced by machines takes a lot of work - especially for drummers![/quote]

+1000..Naughty is her best.. and everything on it..Marcus, Anthony, Stevens, my fave.. W,Weeks,.. albums like this dont come around very often,and probably never will again,,.. with likes of the Brecker Bros too.!!!.Move Me no Mountain..WOW..!!

Bar Innervisions,.and 'TheNight Fiy' this is as good as it gets IMHO.. Jackson was a real perfectionist of his craft, sometimes to paranoia. ..his playing is incredible!!! but im not sure if he caused himself more stress than he needed to...maybe thats just his personality, and the way he worked??

Fantastic though..like i said i cant imagine music like this coming around in the near future!?

[johnnylager]

[quote name='JonnyB' post='364064' date='Dec 27 2008, 10:08 AM']Anyone know who's on bass for this...[/quote]
Carol Kaye says she did it.

[leschirons]

I saw a TV live show of CK a couple of years back and Nathan East was on bass duties.

[lonestar]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='365983' date='Dec 30 2008, 07:47 AM']Carol Kaye says she did it.[/quote]

excellent!

[lee650]

Hi guys
im a huge fan of chaka Khan and im not sure who is on that particular live track but i think Josh is on the money, The bass player in Rufus was a guy called Bobby Watson who also played on "rock with you" by michael jackson (amongst other people) during her solo career she used lots of players Will LEE "im every woman" Bobby Watson, Marcus Miller , Willie Weeks, Nathan East "I feel for you" Anthony jackson on quite a lot of it, Phil upchurch( George Bensons man) , Abraham Laboriel, Hamish Stuart and Gregg Phillinganes left hand (aint nobody) oh and later on Larry Graham and Meshell ndegeocello and probably loads of others.
As you can see ive got all her stuff, if youve not heard any Rufus stuff check it out Bobby Watson has me seriously Gassing for a precision with Flatwounds WHAT A SOUND!!!
Great music to listen to if you like your bass Funky- happy new year everybody - lee

[JonnyB]

Hi all - thanks for all the names; I think I've found the bassist - Andrew Gouche - I got the DVD (Chaka Khan - One classic night - live) off Amazon for a fiver, and the 'I'm every woman' track is from that concert. AG is the MD for that & does a bit of introducing etc.

There was a bit of chatter on BassTalk a while back with some complaining he was overplaying (generally in his tenure as MD of CK's band 1-2 years back) - but I think it's the dog's spuds. What a great sound (Tobias 6-string according to basstalk chatter?)- little bit of slap every now and then - loads of semiquaver runs in all the right places, bit of vibrato.. the list goes on and on..

I've been searching for some of his stuff on youtube etc. - when I've got a moment I'll try and post the links. Seems like he learnt his trade in the Gospel world - no sheet music or anything, just picked it all up by ear from being in that environment for years. In fact some of his other band mates in the CK DVD are with him on all his religious stuff on youtube, he seems to have his foot in both camps (religious/secular).

[lonestar]

He's a bit busy on the Bass player clinic clips ( love the Chuch Rainey ones) but I really like her new album

[Josh]

[quote name='JonnyB' post='368844' date='Jan 2 2009, 08:51 PM']Hi all - thanks for all the names; I think I've found the bassist - Andrew Gouche - I got the DVD (Chaka Khan - One classic night - live) off Amazon for a fiver, and the 'I'm every woman' track is from that concert. AG is the MD for that & does a bit of introducing etc.

There was a bit of chatter on BassTalk a while back with some complaining he was overplaying (generally in his tenure as MD of CK's band 1-2 years back) - but I think it's the dog's spuds. What a great sound (Tobias 6-string according to basstalk chatter?)- little bit of slap every now and then - loads of semiquaver runs in all the right places, bit of vibrato.. the list goes on and on..

I've been searching for some of his stuff on youtube etc. - when I've got a moment I'll try and post the links. Seems like he learnt his trade in the Gospel world - no sheet music or anything, just picked it all up by ear from being in that environment for years. In fact some of his other band mates in the CK DVD are with him on all his religious stuff on youtube, he seems to have his foot in both camps (religious/secular).[/quote]

Gospel Bassists are the most busiest in terms of their playing. African American Gospel music is full of it, the drummers are just a notorious for putting in long monstrous fills and the keyboardists/organists are purely insane half the time. It can be a little too much to some players ears, some prefer to add a fill in seldom or wait until their solo, whereas there are people who prefer to add these kind of fills which keep the music interesting, I'm guilty of the latter.

I have seen countless videos of Gouche, so really any video you do find I've probably sat and watched many times and probably will do again, but one thing I love about anything with AG in it is his tone. That alone made me want to get an MTD, but still, I get a buzz when I watch one of the poorer qaulity videos because you can still tell thats him.

He and another fellow Gospel bassist and MTD Endorsee, Joel Smith, were 2 of the first guys to change the approach to Gospel Bass, as up until the early 80's alot of the bass was handled by the organist so there wasn't much need, but as sound technology improved, the music started to sound dated so these guys were employed to liven the music up. These guys are quite similar to each other and along with few other pioneers of Gospel bass have influenced a whole new generation of Urban/Contempoary Gospel Bassists.

They do tend to sound similar at times and indeed can get a bit tedious but when you do stumble upon a player who's gopt the right tone and puts in the right fills it really is great to watch and hear. I find most Gospel Bassists much more influential than the likes of the standard solo Bassists, such as Wooten, Clarke, King etc...

And also, because of their ability, and Hip-Hop's strange affiliation with the Gospel scene, alot of Gospel Musicians cross over into pop music or live Hip-Hop or Jazz-Fusion or even Funk-Metal, either way they bring a new approach and usually always benefits who their playing for.

Yes, I do like Andrew Gouche quite a bit .

Edited January 3, 2009 by Josh