Who Do YOU Think I Think I Am?

The Question: How well do we know one another? Or even ourselves for that matter.
It can be answered in many ways.
The first question I threw out was in my game called Who Do You Think I Think I Am? was this: who do YOU think are my five favorite bass players. The answers were quite good  but no one got them all correct for right now in my life. I am going to keep asking questions regarding different aspects of myself and I hope others do the same. It seems a safe way to get under each others skin a little. Safely and in a good way ;-)

Here we're MY answers to the first round of the game. Enjoy and deploy!

 Spoiler Alert: Here are my 5 Top Bassists of all time. No particular order. This is my knee jerk list at the time I posted the Dare.

 Marcus Miller: master and innovator on so many levels, ruthless tone and probably finds his way onto the playlist more than anyone. 

Jimmy Haslip: Formerly of The Yellowjackets. I have logged more miles with the Jackets in my ear than even Marcus. I hope he finds his thumb now that there is a place for it... Love his tone, touch and taste. He moves me. 

Pino Pallidino: When i Hear fretless i THINK Pino. New York Minute/Don Henley  :-) :-) :-) 

Nathan East: POCKET, POCKET, POCKET .....   TASTE   ...... POCKET

Neil Stubenhaus: Back in the day, most times when I would look up the liner notes on a CD to find out "Who is the bass player? He isn't playing anything and it feels soooo good! " it would be Stubenhaus, The King of the Perfect Nothing! Taste and pocket for eons...but even more subtle than Nathan somehow...

Fred Hammond and his bass players Maurice Fitzgerald and Terrance Palmer. I have to include all three because of the sheer mileage and rewind factor... The baselines are Fred but many of the live interpretations are Mo and TP and expand on the original siqueness recipe! 

Honorable Mentions:

BRUTAL list to whittle down! 1st some honorable mentions go to Jaco, James Jamerson and Stanley: They are the DNA. THE SPOCK to our collective Sheldon Cooper... Without them the others wouldn't know to exist, if you know what I mean.

Abe Sr. Favorite live! I haven't seen everyone of my faves live, but how do you experience more than experiencing Abraham Laboriel Sr. Live!? I don't think I can be done. I just don't :-)

Chariya Bissonette, this is for you! EVEN had you not checked in, EVEN IF I DIDNT KNOW YOU GUYS, Matt Bissonette would have gotten this HM. Julian Lennon Help Yourself: Years after I met you, Chariya, the lightbulb came on and I realized that Matt played bass on it. Not only an all time fave but an all time fave BASS ALBUM long before I knew or even KNEW I knew the bass player...

Other honorables I would have or may have mentioned: (in a knee jerk first that come to mind basis)

Aaron Mills/Cameo TONE & lines

Prince: Lines

Verdeen: Lines

Victor: Holy!!

Sting/Geddy: YOU WANT ME TO SING AND PLAY THAT TOGETHER!?! Riiiight...

I think that most of this list was compiled in this manner. Consistently through my life to this point, which players have most shaped me directly:

How I listen to music, am I listening for bass specifically?

How often do I come back to this music?

Has it changed me? How I play, hear or think about The Bass

Do or how much do I have think or woodshed to play and sing this baseline?

Probably, the greatest factor is how much do I come back to it, because that seems to inform everything else...

Missing honorable mentions:  James Neuble and Cedric Lee. Both phenomenal bassists that I have worked with and have graced me by allowing me to wield their axes a time or two. But most of what I have gotten to hear of Jimmy and Ced has been tempered with this. When I hear them I am required to not cease to do my job while they throw down. AND THEY DO! But I still have to singing/playing/running loops etc and specifically not let myself by completely absorbed into the Borg of Funk! Even though I would become mo'phunky it would keep me from leading worship if I let myself go all the way DOWN TO THE BASSMENT...

FIVE IS WAY TOO SHORT. THE LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Thank you for coming along on this Fantastic Voyage!

Hint for a future list or two. Heartbreak Hotel by The Jackson's and Teen Town by Jaco

Stay tuned for future Who Do You Think I Think I Am? DARES! And don't forget this bonus question: How did Who Do You Think I Think I Am? get it's name? Want a hint? PLEASE post your own WDYTITIA? DARES :-)