Standing in the Shadows of Motown

The Life and Music of Legendary Bassist James Jamerson

By James Jamerson

At last,we know who the bass player at Motown was. Many of us Jackson 5 fans were introduced to the bass guitar as the instrument hanging around Jermaine Jacksons neck. We guessed that it was not Jermaine playing on these records because none of us could come close to...

the sound. Well then who was? The same thing with the Temptations songs i.e. heavy rythmic bass lines. We asked who is this guy....now we know all about him.....The Great James Jamerson.

After reading about the life and death of the worlds greatest electric bass player I've gained a strong appreciation for his music. I say his because he may not have composed the songs he played on but he surely made those songs attractive and reconizable,much like a fine...

woman does an outfit that shes wearing (she doesnt make the dress but she makes it appealing). And like this woman the memory of this can cling to your thoughts for minutes,hours, and sometimes even days. After learning to play the songs which are giving you in this book, a since of accomplishing a great task came over me knowing that I was able to feel as I was playing, that I held greatness in my hands matching him note for note. I strongly recommend this to novice and also serious musicians.

Every bassist should know who James Jamerson was. He was very much responsible for the Motown sound in the sixties and early seventies. He created basslines so great that today it's still hard to find something that stands out like his recording sessions at Motown. One can hear new...

basslines today and thing for yourself: -"That bass player must be influenced by Jamerson" You see his followers in bands like Tower Of Power and Jamiroquai. Go and see for yourself how Jamerson did develop the soulbass! If you liked this piece you can take a look at Francis "Rocco" Prestia's video "Fingerstyle funk" that will take you further in your soulbass progression.