Iyo who is the best bass player?

[Rivot]

I'm a Jack Bruce fan there are others to many to mention.

 

[John DeChristopher]

Best? No such thing...

Favorites whom I'd love to play with...
John McVie
Paul McCartney
Bill Wyman
Dee Murray (RIP)

 

[flatwins]

I don’t much care for “best of” lists when it comes to musicians but I can appreciate that several great bassists were listed and verified that John Entwistle was mentioned.

 

[DBT]

….. and yet no one mentions four former Allman Bassists : Berry Oakley , Oteil Burbridge , Lamar Williams and Allen Woody .

 

[jkuhl]

No Avishai Cohen, Tim Lefebrve, Gary Willis, Matt Garrison or Joe Dart yet...

 

[Downbeat]

 

[jptrickster]

I would lv to play with Carol Kaye and Leland Sklar

 

[stuart s]

My favs are

Bernard Edwards
John Paul Jones
Derek Forbes
Craig Adams

 

[Lazmo]

Best is not even a thing… when it comes to music.

 

[CSR]

The world’s best bassist either plays or played with the world’s best drummer.

 

[JohnnyVibesAZ]

The best? Hmm. How about my favorite? : Jim Fielder

 

[Steve OnmywaytoLA]

As a drummer and (a more successful!) bassist, this is hard to answer. Firstly, live or dead? Pretty much any jazz bassist hitting those walking bass lines must be respected. I really like Ron Carter, of course, and Mingus and Stanley Clarke, but I am also a huge fan of Jaco P. I do love Dave Holland and Christian McBride, too. Jaco, though, took bass to a whole other level. I do love Geddy, John Paul Jones, and Billy Cox (later Hendrix). Jack Bruce also sang! Having been a bassist in a reggae band, those guys also know how to groove hard. Bob Marley's bassist, Aston Barrett, was pretty amazing. Also, disco/funk players - James Jamerson comes to mind. I have heard Victor Wooten play various things and the guy is a monster. There's just too many to figure this out.......

And for disco you can't forget Bernard Edwards (Chic) and Luis Johnson! I'm a (new) drummer and 40 yr bassist as well.

 

[Steve OnmywaytoLA]

Thank you for mentioning Pettiford. He and Mingus also had the distinction of being virtuoso cellists. Come to think of it, Eldee Young (bassist for Ramsey Lewis Trio) was quite the cellist too. He and Lewis' drummer, Red Holt, did an album together that featured Young on both instruments.

Ray Brown played cello as well. Did an album or two.

 

[Steve OnmywaytoLA]

Other great bassist not mentioned:

Verdine White - Earth Wind and Fire
Sting
Jeff Berlin - Holdsworth
Oscar Pettiford

 

[Ludwig26]

John Paul Jones.

 

[pgm554]

Living: Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, John Patitucci.

Bobby Colomby was doing A&R for Colombia and Jaco's band and in an interview on BBC
Jaco remarked Stanley wasn't $h!t,
Bobby said I just cringed

 

[idrum4fun]

I have no doubt that there are lots of EXCELLENT bass players! Because I'm partial to so many hits of the 60's, my vote is for Carol Kaye!

-Mark

 

[Steve OnmywaytoLA]

Bobby Colomby was doing A&R for Colombia and Jaco's band and in an interview on BBC
Jaco remarked Stanley wasn't $h!t,
Bobby said I just cringed

Jaco had no shortage of self esteem.

 

[Matched Gripper]

Jaco had no shortage of self esteem.

Don’t know about that. I remember an article about him before he died in which he was self deprecating, referring to himself as a human mutt! He also suffered from mental health issues.

 

[pgm554]

Don’t know about that. I remember an article about him before he died in which he was self deprecating, referring to himself as a human mutt! He also suffered from mental health issues.

Peter Erkins's father who was an MD said Jaco was a manic depressive.