Definition of a Slow Jam (James Jamerson, 1969)

The music industry has gotten away from glorifying the "slow jam". Today, corny ballads pose as slow jams, but they leave out one important component: the jam!

In essence a slow jam is a down-tempo love song that still maintains a prominent (even muscular) bassline and solid drum beat, with some degree of attitude attached.

Cheesy ballads might pose as slow jams but they are only love songs. It takes a solid groove to make a slow jam.

James Jamerson was a master of the slow jam groove.

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Music

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• slowjam
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[moongoon817]

He was the first bass maestro in popular music. The first bass thinker. He understood like no other where the bass fit in the complete harmony of the vocals and the music.This guy was a musical genius. He played off the tempo,the melody,the changes,the time signature,all at the same time.His instincts were mind boggling. Motown music was not a walk in the park to play and Jamerson breezed through those arrangements like it was nothing. He was the greatest of all time and still is!!!

[hamaduku]

WTF?!? James Jamerson and the Funk Brothers have single handedly played on more number one hits than ANYONE in the history of music. Undeniably so James Jamerson has the most recognizable sound of any musician . . . did I mention EVER?

[frednich9603]

@artfxl5 This is a composite picture of James Jamerson and his 2nd son

Joey. The Jamerson photo was from 1979 and Jamerson was 43 years old.

Joey is 43 now (this picture was taken after the Jamerson Tribute in

Charleston September 18th an 19th, 2003). The picture was taken by

Anthony McKnight when Joey Jamerson asked if he could pick Anthony's bass up.

When Anthony looked at him with the bass he got his camera and took the picture.

It was not posed to match the picture of James Jamerson.

[TheLambeGaming]

I'm not a huge fan of this type of music, but the bass is amazing. You can't help but appreciate this level of skill.

[SumTingWong1000]

I think a lot of his style in this kind of song came from the fact that the bass had no sustain at the time. Old roundwounds didn't ring like today's basses do, therefore it seems to me he had to fill a lot of dead space with good note choices.

[sspsllc]

The leave out the jam and the bread it goes on...

[jtfsucks]

@basslistic Well said.

[moongoon817]

Ahh yes the 'there are no absolutes theory'. Well when it comes to Jamerson you have a lot to consider. It is not a question of style but of substance and also historical significance. The before James and after James thing.Before James the bass was a less important factor in music. It was important to jazz improvisation,(and no disrespect to the great jazz bass musicians,but they got away with a lot of bad notes),but to pop music the bass was a restricted instrument.JJ changed all that...

[artfxl5]

walufo:

I live in the hills, they dug someone up and took his old Fender Bass. what I understand is the a band lost their bass player and needed a Bass Guitar to still play the gig. but, that was a nine years ago.

[john683011]

@artfxl5 The natural-finish bass is not a Fender, and that is not James Jamerson holding it. That model of Yamaha bass was not introduced until the 1990s--long after Jamerson died. He was an upright player foremost, and used the Fender bass because he could pick up gigs more easily by doubling up. His playing style and the setup of that bass were informed by his upright playing. He had maybe two Fenders he ever used, the most famous one being "The Funk Machine," a stock '62 sunburst P-Bass

[wa1ufo]

As a bass player, James played the nicest in the pocket grooves I have ever heard! I love you James and bless you for the inspiration you gave me! I just got a new Fender P Bass this week and hope to be buried with it!