I commented about a bass player on another thread (Joe Dart: google him) and began thinking that the bass player is intimately involved with what we do (and vice versa).
I suppose it shouldn't be so, but the quality of the bass playing seriously impacts the quality of my drumming. I'm between bands now, and I've turned down offers from some auditions I've passed because the bassist wasn't up to snuff.
I like a player with excellent tone (a bass that sounds like a bass) who can play an interesting line that still thrusts the song rhythmically without overpowering it. That's a lot to ask for, but there are far too many bassists who play overly simple lines or worse, mimic what the guitarist is doing. It's true that one (or both) of those methods can be appropriate at times, but not as a matter of course, at least in my opinion.
Anyway, who are some of your favorites?
There are so many to choose from, but here's a start (that could easily be different five minutes from now). This isn't a ranking, it's just a short list of some who came to mind without spending all morning on it:
John Entwistle: Listen closely to "The Real Me," among others.
Tony Levin
Paul McCartney: Tone for days. I'd love to play with him.
So many Motown guys, but I'll say James Jamerson.
