James Jamerson "I Can't Help Myself" isolated bass

[PATSICK]

Jaysus, doofus. What an audio track. Thank you, thank you. You done us all a big service, here.

[theekrusher]

Its all in the timing.  So bloody good. And nice and loose in all the right places. RIP James....you deserve it!

[simon4186]

If a man lives for 113 years in the heat and never bathes, he can't ever get as funky as these guys did. Thanks Berry Gordy, the Funk Brothers, and all of the rest of you at Motown! I LOVE MOTOWN!

[bhanlon]

James was one of a kind. The very BEST Bas guitar player that ever lived. Thank you James for the Great Motown sound.

[MrGazrael]

He used Ampeg B-15's, although for the Motown recordings I believe he was direct to the desk. Yes, he also used to put foam under the bridge cover to kill sustain.

[1954telecaster]

does anyone know if jamerson used a mute and if so what kind? also how about amps? it kinda sounds like an ampeg B15 but im not sure

[TallSomeone]

Human timing.

[77edster]

@TallSomeone can't replicate that with computers can you! guess thats where a lot of the soul in soul music comes from

[letmesteer]

Presence, firmness, growl, roundness, and warmness--that's a bass sound.

[jettbugg]

...NOTHING LIKE AN OLD FENDER P-BASS!

[SupernalOne]

lovely deep furry tone on that P-bass - I never liked the high-end crunch as much

[stickwithganja]

Amount of  Swing

[Lancefrei]

Up and coming musicians should listen to this to learn why this music worked so well.

[ironcitydevildog]

Now I can see why Paul McCartney said this man influenced his bass lines in the early Beatles!!!!! Paul's favorite bassist!!!!

[derrymadness]

what a lovely inspirational groove, 103 likes, 0 dislikes says it all! thanks for the upload...

[clintonconley]

a brilliant, imaginative player--but this is a decidedly uninteresting track --JJ never ventures off the main line... which he is a master at.

And I think it's not a maj/min question -- the wierd note I hear is the 6th in the 3d change, when the chord is calling for a dominant 7

[clintonconley]

a brilliant, imaginative player--but this is a decidedly uninteresting track --JJ never ventures off the main line.

And I think it's not a maj/min question -- the wierd note I hear is the 6th in the 3d change, when the chord is calling for a dominant 7

[davegate2000]

Love all things Jamerson. Thanks for the clip!

[closer7771]

FOUR TOPS!

[suzukigs]

takes a lot of the magic away when you here them alone, doesn't it?



[Sybenett]

Are you sure KJay-Z and Kanye West cant help out here?

[jarymica]

bless you

[tellarjj]

The best bass player Jamerson was to that time, and still is for me !...

[simon4186]

The name James Jamerson and the word bass are interchanageable because they are both one and the same. I LOVE MOTOWN (I love bass too!).

[simon4186]

The name James Jamerson and the word undisputibley are interchangeable and are also one in the same. I LOVE MOTOWN! (I love bass too!).

[panhead55]

i wish they would just play this on the radio. great delight!

[simon4186]

I was'nt at Hitsville USA when this song was recorded, but neither was Carol Kaye.

I LOVE MOTOWN.

[mjjcng8958]

@simon4186 lol true so true

[orchcomposer]

Or course its Jamerson.  He invented one of the all time classic bass lines in the process.

[whatanightmare1]

@jaysonvalentine Are you thinking Carol Kaye? She is known to use a pick. But there was a lot of controversy about her laying claim to Motown hits, I have no idea, and the person that can tell us the truth is not here, unfortunately (Jamerson)

Anyway, this is a very sweet bassline...loving it.

[stickwithganja]

@jaysonvalentine You ´re an expert in nothing...

[jaysonvalentine]

@stickwithganja And you are?

[stickwithganja]

@jaysonvalentine nahh.. i just feel the groove ... this is an incredible bassline Respect.

[jaysonvalentine]

@stickwithganja Uhh dude, I never said it was a bad bass line.

[backrack01]

how did u get these!?

[conansound]

Am I the only one to notice he's still playing in a major key over the minor chord ????

[jaysonvalentine]

@conansound I've always known that, and that's one reason I don't think this is JJ.

[mjjcng8958]

@jaysonvalentine well alot of people who produced this music say it was him. during this time the hits where recordedindetroit not la

[tonemachine11]

@conansound

Just for your education, not taking anything away from Jamerson or Kaye, whichever great bassist this may be, major over minor and vice versa is everywhere and has been everywhere for probably thousands of years. Even Gene Simmons has done it!

[jimobrienjunior]

@conansound He is not playing in a major key. It's the IIm7 chord and he goes to the sharp 6 of that chord which is in the Dorian mode over that chord and the maj7 of the I major chord, so it's completely within the key of the song.

[groovei]

@jimobrienjunior

Ok but it never sounds quite right, kinda grates a bit..whether it's "technically right" or not.

[groovei]

@conansound

Yep the third sequence..can be played either way does'nt really matter.

[Truggy]

Really cool of you to put this stuff up. Way to respect these unsung talents.

[cbjrcher]

Damn, Jamerson and Benjamin isolated, what a sound!

[DONNIMETROPOLIS313]

@cbjrcher I knew both of theyre sons growing up, went to jr high and high school with one of them, and never figured out until i was an older man, ...duh.

[sweetlowsounds]

James was a GOD on the bass. I wish he was still with us.

[MELLSBAD]

@sweetlowsounds You ever try equal in your coffee?

[sweetlowsounds]

@MELLSBAD yes, and its certainly of the devil, sweet and low is the GOD of no calorie sweeteners.

[TroyDavidAlexander]

You are the man for putting these up.. please .. more if available

[richstout]

There's so much feeling, phrasing, perfection, completeness, in this one track. Unbelievable.

[tbirdwagonman]

Thanks for letting us hear this man up close!

[pedroV2003]

Thanks Rick. Much appreciated. The older I get the more I recognize Jamersons genius. BTW, I notice that there are isolated tracks without drums are there any plans for isolated tracks without bass?

[TroyDavidAlexander]

@pedroV2003 whats the point of that my brother???

[pedroV2003]

@TroyDavidAlexander

It allows one to step into Jamerson's shoes and fly without a rope. Think of the thrill and education of stepping into Jamerson's shoes.