Can you imagine if ALPHONSO JOHNSON had indeed become a member of GENESIS in 1978, after STEVE HACKETT left the group?? PHIL COLLINS wanted to audition ALPHONSO to take over the bass, while MIKE RUTHERFORD was to handle the guitar duties! I can only imagine what that '...AND THEN THERE WERE THREE' tour would've sounded like...WOW!!!
Man that brings back great memories when 17yrs. old in 1976 living on the southwest side of Detroit. While friends of mine were rocking to Bob Seger, Led Zepplen ect ect. I was listing to Return to Forever Weather Report and Alphonso Johnson. THANKS for the Memories rbassmanw!
As a bassist myself, I often wondered how he played so well without anchoring his right thumb to any part of the bass (watch closely). I played fretless bass because of his influence on me along with Jaco.
Know that what you are looking at. Everyone is always taking about Jaco this Jaco that. I love Jaco to, but this guy was doing stuff like this before Jaco. Just know your history he played with Billy Cobham when he was a teenager. Before anyone ever heard of Jaco.
Loved Jaco Pastorious very much, his timeless classic melodies no-one can take away from him - Teen Town, A Remark You Made, and the list goes on.
But it must be said, this song Bahama Mama marks the first time EVER that I heard the fusion-jazz fretless bass sound played like this, and actually shaped my ears in readiness for Jaco and Weather Report's "8:30" odyssey.
I'm so glad I found this - reminds me of being fresh out of Flying School with the world at my fingertips - literally
Loved Jaco Pastorious very much, his timeless classic melodies no-one can take away from him - Teen Town, A Remark You Made, and the list goes on.
But it must be said, this song Bahama Mama marks the first time EVER that I heard the fusion-jazz fretless bass sound played like this, and actually shaped my ears in readiness for Jaco and Weather Report's "8:30" odyssey.
I love the sound of that bass. A lot of it is in his technique, but that's a gr8 honking tone.
AJ influencing Jaco? Don't really think Jaco was influenced by bass players at all. If anything, he was influenced by composers (i.e. Duke, Gershwin, etc.) and R & B music (Bill Preston, Sam & Dave). Jaco was way more awe-inspiring than AJ, live and on recordings, in my opinion :-)
Jaco said himself he's been influenced a lot ,bass-wise, by Jamerson, Rainey, Jemmott, Odum, Sherrell, Bootsy and also Mingus, Chambers, Carter, La Faro...When you listen to Cucumber Slumber off of W.R.Mysterious Traveller,don't you even just consider he might have been influenced by that ? I love Jaco's bass playing as much as most of the music he wrote and you can prefer him to Alfonso if that's what you feel but you can't claim he's not been influenced at all on bass...
I had the privilage to work as a keyboardist with Alphonso on a record he produced for Mildred Douglas. I then joined Alphonso and Walfredo Reyes Jr. in a trio for about a year in the LA circuit. Al is a wonderful person and we became great friends. I learned a tremendous amount about music and performing from him. GO Alphonso!!
Listen to Alphonso on the album "Tail Spinnin" with Weather Report and then listen to him any time after 1976. The influence jaco had on him is really remarkable. He totally took the Jaco style and gave it his own awesome touch, though.
took the jaco style and gave it his own spin? ive got a ton weather report boots with aj on bass and have heard a lot of his playing post wr and i dont hear any jaco influence post 76. any cuts you could reference where we could hear it?
I believe AJ was Weather Report's first bass player, and Jaco followed him. You probably know that anyway, but to say "hegave the Jaco style his own spin" isn't giving Mr. Johnson his due.....
AJ was during the Black Market era, which was right when the band was replacing members. I've seen both with AJ and with Jaco, both great players, Jaco was more of a more prolific player and took more of a leadership type role, AJ was more of a sideman, even I love AJ, he is definitely on the list of the top bass players. He has three great solo albums. Moonshadows is a MUST HAVE album.
I think you have this turned around. AJ used a fretless bass before Jaco joined the band and had that sound even then. When Tail Spinnin came out AJ was the 3rd generation bassist after Miroslav n Chris White but he changed the sound of WR by then. Then Black Market came out w Jaco on two cuts. AJ had a deeper sound n bottom but Jaco changed the attitude n approach to modern electric bass playing. Both of them are innovators of the instrument as are the predecessors to them.
Alphonso Johnson played with Weather Report two or three albums before Jaco had national recognition or acclaim. Not only that, but Alphonso was playing fretless bass before Jaco became nationally known with Weather Report. I think Alphonso may of had influence on Jaco and not the other way around?
@ShangoDC Thank you sir for pointing that out. know your history before you start claiming heros. this man was out ther before JACO thank you. I love Jaco to death but he did not come up with that style fella's sorry.
Just come on again, let's think on this; was Stan's virbrato better? was the JP a touch more gentle, I think not. Livemutha oh yes you are right. Where are the young pretenders? Never keep the treasure buried.
Thanks for a great video showing a faultless Alphonso in action and for all the comments but please also remember Johnson recorded and played some great gigs with Santana from about 1985 until 1992 including awesome tour with Santana/Dylan
The great Alphonso, an unsung hero, right up there, so mellow, you hear so much of him in the mighty Stan the man and JP. Never forget the great Pops Popwell also and umteen other brilliant bassists of the innovative 70's and 80's
I have been trying to find this song for twenty years. When we (Detroit) lost our real jazz station (WJZZ), I never heard this song again. I've been humming it and, whistling it for that long. I never knew who played the Bass on it. I thought it was Jaco. Had no knowledge of Alphonso. Thank You!!!
Oh man I´m so thrilled by finding this vid. Thanks a lot, i used to listen to this track on vinil down here in Brazil when i was about 16 and starting on the bass. Would you happen to have also the track where they play fried bananas? Thanks again!!!
WELL , IVE BEEN LOOKING AFTER THIS TUNE FOR YEARS , HEARD IN VENEZUELA , IM PERUVIANN , LOVE YA AL , GOOD MEMMORIES AND THRILLED TO FOUND IT..PEACE ON EARTH , COMPASSION SOLIDARITY TOLERANCE , ALMOST NOTHING HA ? , WE AS A RACE HAVE TO ACHIEVE IT , OTHERWISE , WE ALL ARE PREDICTED TO DISSAPEAR ,4 UR KIDS AND MINE ....PEACE ON EARTH AGAIN ..
I've seen Alphonso with Weather Report and Billy Cobham's band several times, got all his solo CD's. he is one of my favorites. Totally underrated. Total original player/composer.
I wish he toured with a band doing the music from his first CD, that CD was off the hook!!
Yeah, back in the 70's Alphonso was pretty close to being right there with Stanley and Jaco. Extremely, underrated. I think one of the greatest Jazz fusion bassist and composers!
Have to agree , back in the 70,sI played the sh*t out of his Solo albums and Weather report. Another great player is Fernando Saunders ,very under rated as well .Check out his rig ,wow,full range in a SVT world.
Yeah, I remember Fernando Saunders on John Mc Laughlin's Electric Guitarist albums. I think he was playing fretless or had a fretless sound bass. His sound and tone was very nice.
does anybody know what bass guitar and effect is he playing here?thx
Sherlich68 1 month ago
yeahhhhhh
vivaelrock34 1 month ago
classic
AliothSenator 1 month ago
Very nice!
jay1beaux 2 months ago
This is one damn good session. The music and the players out of this world. Thanks so much for the beautiful song and music.
CoolCue1 3 months ago
Pra quem não conhece, esse é o Alphonso Johnson!
Bom dia a todos.
Barbatana2 4 months ago
i can play this =]
OhadBurshtein 4 months ago 2
Can you imagine if ALPHONSO JOHNSON had indeed become a member of GENESIS in 1978, after STEVE HACKETT left the group?? PHIL COLLINS wanted to audition ALPHONSO to take over the bass, while MIKE RUTHERFORD was to handle the guitar duties! I can only imagine what that '...AND THEN THERE WERE THREE' tour would've sounded like...WOW!!!
jabs1960 5 months ago
what a rhythym section!
TheRealTommyRock 9 months ago
Man that brings back great memories when 17yrs. old in 1976 living on the southwest side of Detroit. While friends of mine were rocking to Bob Seger, Led Zepplen ect ect. I was listing to Return to Forever Weather Report and Alphonso Johnson. THANKS for the Memories rbassmanw!
mrjubalo 9 months ago
THANK YOU I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR YEARS,USED TO GET HIGH AND LISTEN TO THE WHOLE ALBUM THANK YOU AGAIN!!
scientististheshit 11 months ago
the bassologie
astralification 11 months ago
As a bassist myself, I often wondered how he played so well without anchoring his right thumb to any part of the bass (watch closely). I played fretless bass because of his influence on me along with Jaco.
MrBlackbass59 11 months ago
That is awesome! Thanks for posting. I remember that tour well back in the early 80's. Alphonso Johnson and Billy Cobham were amazing.
greenqq1 1 year ago
Ladies and Gentleman the GREAT melodic soloing of the UNDERRATED ALPHONSO JOHNSON!!!
henniebogan1 1 year ago
YEAAAAHHHH...Great Video!! Bahama Maaammma!! Thank YOU for posting it!!
jeustor 1 year ago
THIS ALBUM WAS AWESOME! THANKS FOR POSTING
PhillyGregA 1 year ago
Mr. Bass player has some real tight stretch pants on, and they're showing everything he gots in the crotch!
durgaaa 1 year ago
i have a recording of mahavishnu orchestra doing it and it is really awesome Cobham is an animal on it. Bobby and the crazy feedback is awesome.
muddack 1 year ago
one of the best post ive seen...beautiful
neogen50 1 year ago
At 5:00 he goes off
darrisrobins 1 year ago
Know that what you are looking at. Everyone is always taking about Jaco this Jaco that. I love Jaco to, but this guy was doing stuff like this before Jaco. Just know your history he played with Billy Cobham when he was a teenager. Before anyone ever heard of Jaco.
albclef 1 year ago 2
Thanks for posting...(by the way it's Bob Weir...not Bob 'Wier')
gtz1975 1 year ago 2
@gtz1975 All fixed up now, Da what a dummy, no excuse from a Dead head of my ilk. Just checked spelling of ilk. Anyway thank you.
rbassmanw 1 year ago
@rbassmanw Good because that was really haunting me! STILL a GREAT performance none the less!
gtz1975 1 year ago
Man love it what kind of bass was that anyone know?
Azaan1016 1 year ago
Great solo, but I would have enjoyed it more if he had stayed on stage like a humble musician!
lepauvremec 1 year ago
How does it title??? that's great
pippo1234321 1 year ago
who is the one that clicked the thumb-down-button? ;)
gentl3man 1 year ago
I'm so glad I found this - reminds me of being fresh out of Flying School with the world at my fingertips - literally
airmanchairman 1 year ago
Loved Jaco Pastorious very much, his timeless classic melodies no-one can take away from him - Teen Town, A Remark You Made, and the list goes on.
But it must be said, this song Bahama Mama marks the first time EVER that I heard the fusion-jazz fretless bass sound played like this, and actually shaped my ears in readiness for Jaco and Weather Report's "8:30" odyssey.
I'm so glad I found this - reminds me of being fresh out of Flying School with the world at my fingertips - literally
airmanchairman 1 year ago
Loved Jaco Pastorious very much, his timeless classic melodies no-one can take away from him - Teen Town, A Remark You Made, and the list goes on.
But it must be said, this song Bahama Mama marks the first time EVER that I heard the fusion-jazz fretless bass sound played like this, and actually shaped my ears in readiness for Jaco and Weather Report's "8:30" odyssey.
airmanchairman 1 year ago
I love the sound of that bass. A lot of it is in his technique, but that's a gr8 honking tone.
AJ influencing Jaco? Don't really think Jaco was influenced by bass players at all. If anything, he was influenced by composers (i.e. Duke, Gershwin, etc.) and R & B music (Bill Preston, Sam & Dave). Jaco was way more awe-inspiring than AJ, live and on recordings, in my opinion :-)
bourgeoisbrats 2 years ago
Jaco said himself he's been influenced a lot ,bass-wise, by Jamerson, Rainey, Jemmott, Odum, Sherrell, Bootsy and also Mingus, Chambers, Carter, La Faro...When you listen to Cucumber Slumber off of W.R.Mysterious Traveller,don't you even just consider he might have been influenced by that ? I love Jaco's bass playing as much as most of the music he wrote and you can prefer him to Alfonso if that's what you feel but you can't claim he's not been influenced at all on bass...
Fjord76 1 year ago
como se llama la rola ?
wath is song ?
HAMACUA 2 years ago
That's a damn good rythm section.....ooo oo child........one of my favorite bassists and drummers.
spiderbass65 2 years ago 5
If this doesnt inspire you i dontk now what will!!
Alphonso is awesome!!!
AlllliD 2 years ago 2
I had the privilage to work as a keyboardist with Alphonso on a record he produced for Mildred Douglas. I then joined Alphonso and Walfredo Reyes Jr. in a trio for about a year in the LA circuit. Al is a wonderful person and we became great friends. I learned a tremendous amount about music and performing from him. GO Alphonso!!
iniziale 2 years ago 2
Awesome, AJ's a great player. Never noticed he had that thumb position!
pbanders 2 years ago 2
Great video of a great tune ! Alphonso Johnson is so inspiring ... And so is Cobham. Their interaction on ALiveMutherForYa is just undescribable.
Many thanks for this video!
VOLVO440 2 years ago
Listen to Alphonso on the album "Tail Spinnin" with Weather Report and then listen to him any time after 1976. The influence jaco had on him is really remarkable. He totally took the Jaco style and gave it his own awesome touch, though.
Josephdorf03 2 years ago
took the jaco style and gave it his own spin? ive got a ton weather report boots with aj on bass and have heard a lot of his playing post wr and i dont hear any jaco influence post 76. any cuts you could reference where we could hear it?
joeduranmusic 2 years ago
I believe AJ was Weather Report's first bass player, and Jaco followed him. You probably know that anyway, but to say "hegave the Jaco style his own spin" isn't giving Mr. Johnson his due.....
spiderbass65 2 years ago
No, Miroslav Vitous was before AJ.
AJ was during the Black Market era, which was right when the band was replacing members. I've seen both with AJ and with Jaco, both great players, Jaco was more of a more prolific player and took more of a leadership type role, AJ was more of a sideman, even I love AJ, he is definitely on the list of the top bass players. He has three great solo albums. Moonshadows is a MUST HAVE album.
Oneness100 2 years ago
@Josephdorf03
I think you have this turned around. AJ used a fretless bass before Jaco joined the band and had that sound even then. When Tail Spinnin came out AJ was the 3rd generation bassist after Miroslav n Chris White but he changed the sound of WR by then. Then Black Market came out w Jaco on two cuts. AJ had a deeper sound n bottom but Jaco changed the attitude n approach to modern electric bass playing. Both of them are innovators of the instrument as are the predecessors to them.
ignaciomoran 2 years ago
Alphonso Johnson played with Weather Report two or three albums before Jaco had national recognition or acclaim. Not only that, but Alphonso was playing fretless bass before Jaco became nationally known with Weather Report. I think Alphonso may of had influence on Jaco and not the other way around?
I just want to set the record straight!
ShangoDC 2 years ago
@ShangoDC Thank you sir for pointing that out. know your history before you start claiming heros. this man was out ther before JACO thank you. I love Jaco to death but he did not come up with that style fella's sorry.
albclef 1 year ago
Just come on again, let's think on this; was Stan's virbrato better? was the JP a touch more gentle, I think not. Livemutha oh yes you are right. Where are the young pretenders? Never keep the treasure buried.
TedRob1958 2 years ago
Thanks for a great video showing a faultless Alphonso in action and for all the comments but please also remember Johnson recorded and played some great gigs with Santana from about 1985 until 1992 including awesome tour with Santana/Dylan
sugardansico 2 years ago
The great Alphonso, an unsung hero, right up there, so mellow, you hear so much of him in the mighty Stan the man and JP. Never forget the great Pops Popwell also and umteen other brilliant bassists of the innovative 70's and 80's
TedRob1958 2 years ago
I have been trying to find this song for twenty years. When we (Detroit) lost our real jazz station (WJZZ), I never heard this song again. I've been humming it and, whistling it for that long. I never knew who played the Bass on it. I thought it was Jaco. Had no knowledge of Alphonso. Thank You!!!
john48224 2 years ago
neat! thanks to alphonso pioneer n the electric bass
Zaul2410 2 years ago
i used to play this tune in a band in the early 1991s great fun i must relearn it again.
RABCNESBITTT 2 years ago
if anyone has the videos for the 'alivemotherforya ' album..... thanks anyway, great music and great musiciens
rhungri 2 years ago 2
i just found found the "livemutha" album buried in my collection. brings back great memories. it was in heavy rotation when i was in college.
lys0810 2 years ago
I saw Alphonso play this same Jam on Yale Campus in New Haven in 81? with the Midnites, led me to pick up bass
pineconemonk 2 years ago 2
hahaha the guy at 4:24 sitting stoically in his seat and just staring at Alphonso playin and having a blast.
Ackamoracca 2 years ago 2
Well Suzanne this is a great performance, nice find.
bbopdlux 3 years ago 2
Oh man I´m so thrilled by finding this vid. Thanks a lot, i used to listen to this track on vinil down here in Brazil when i was about 16 and starting on the bass. Would you happen to have also the track where they play fried bananas? Thanks again!!!
araticum2 3 years ago 3
Very cool my friend and fellow bassist! No and I wish I did for sure.
rbassmanw 3 years ago
thanks again!!!
araticum2 3 years ago
Alphonso Johnson is my godfather!!!
iloveHM325 3 years ago 12
Thanks for commenting, I'm a big fan of his music.
rbassmanw 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
WELL , IVE BEEN LOOKING AFTER THIS TUNE FOR YEARS , HEARD IN VENEZUELA , IM PERUVIANN , LOVE YA AL , GOOD MEMMORIES AND THRILLED TO FOUND IT..PEACE ON EARTH , COMPASSION SOLIDARITY TOLERANCE , ALMOST NOTHING HA ? , WE AS A RACE HAVE TO ACHIEVE IT , OTHERWISE , WE ALL ARE PREDICTED TO DISSAPEAR ,4 UR KIDS AND MINE ....PEACE ON EARTH AGAIN ..
MARDIUNO 10 months ago
I've seen Alphonso with Weather Report and Billy Cobham's band several times, got all his solo CD's. he is one of my favorites. Totally underrated. Total original player/composer.
I wish he toured with a band doing the music from his first CD, that CD was off the hook!!
Oneness100 3 years ago 2
Yeah, back in the 70's Alphonso was pretty close to being right there with Stanley and Jaco. Extremely, underrated. I think one of the greatest Jazz fusion bassist and composers!
ShangoDC 2 years ago 2
Have to agree , back in the 70,sI played the sh*t out of his Solo albums and Weather report. Another great player is Fernando Saunders ,very under rated as well .Check out his rig ,wow,full range in a SVT world.
76alembic 2 years ago
Yeah, I remember Fernando Saunders on John Mc Laughlin's Electric Guitarist albums. I think he was playing fretless or had a fretless sound bass. His sound and tone was very nice.
theiamthesecret 2 years ago
I saw Fernando Saunders in the 70's playing with Yann Hammer and he was sporting a fretless P bass,through a massive Cerwin Vega Rig
76alembic 2 years ago
Alphonso is cool.
Oneness100 3 years ago 3
That is the Truth!
rbassmanw 3 years ago
Alphonso Johnson is hot! Weather Report
Beadbud5000 3 years ago
Ron
Awesome! Where you get this?
Beadbud5000 3 years ago
you would be amazed at my collection!
rbassmanw 3 years ago