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hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 382
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 4:40 pm:   Edit Post

In high school, Stanley Clarke was one of my absolute favorite bass players. I had almost all of his solo albums (hadn't yet managed to penetrate Return to Forever yet) on vinyl. I practically wore out my copies of School Days and Modern Man.

Not that I ever gave up on him, but I stopped listening to his solo stuff during college, though I finally got hip to Return to Forever! The only recent album of his that I have purchased is The Toys of Men which is good but I haven't really been able to get deeply into it.

Anyway, I finally remembered that I could download the old solo stuff from the Apple Store so I went on a bit of a frenzy yesterday, downloading the songs that I remember liking from my old LPs (all gone now). The big thing I noticed is THE SOUND - having owned a couple of Alembics I feel like I can hear something in his sound(s) that I wasn't aware of or took for granted before.

So what are your favorites? I'll give a couple:

Rock 'n' Roll Jelly from Modern Man: guitar by Jeff Beck, drums by Carmine Appice, crazy solo by Stanley!

Play the Bass 103 from Time Exposure: insane slap-fest with Louis Johnson, plus don't forget the piccolo parts

My Life from Find Out!: kind of an '80s revisitation of "School Days"

I've left some obvious ones out, but these to me are some of the gems buried in otherwise unremarkable albums - the beauty of the Apple Store! And to tell the truth, I ended up buying the entire Modern Man album because it was always one of my favorites - the interludes are beautiful, and some of the space themes are interesting.
dadabass2001
Senior Member
Username: dadabass2001

Post Number: 950
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 5:04 pm:   Edit Post

"Lopsy Lu" "Desert Song" and "The Dancer" were a part of regular rotation in my tape deck during the early/mid 70s.
Mike
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6945
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 5:39 pm:   Edit Post

Here's a nice little ditty: Medieval Overture
artswork99
Senior Member
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 440
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 5:43 pm:   Edit Post

All of the above and below!

"Basically Taps" - Stanley and Gregory Hines on "If This Bass Could Only Talk" has always been a favorite. "Life is Just a Game" is another.

(Message edited by artswork99 on August 23, 2008)
hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 383
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 9:15 pm:   Edit Post

I was looking for some older footage on YouTube - here's the Clarke/Duke Project doing "School Days" - looks like he's using a tenor bass, because notice where he plays the riff under the keyboard solo.

And check out this version of "Hot Fun" from 1977 - it's great to see the people whose faces I've seen on the inside of the I Just Wanna Play For You album.

And finally - this one I've never seen before, it's awesome - Stanley with Gregory Hines on the Arsenio Hall Show, doing stuff from If This Bass Could Only Talk

Oh, and thanks for the link to "Medieval Overture" Dave - the video is hilarious, and yet fitting!

(Message edited by hieronymous on August 22, 2008)

(Message edited by hieronymous on August 22, 2008)
bassman68
Junior
Username: bassman68

Post Number: 44
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 6:17 am:   Edit Post

Great choices guys, love the links.
Mine would be
School days- Anthemic!
Lopsy lu- Love the shuffle beat
Stans version of 'Born in the USA'- a bit 'leftfield', but hats off to the guy!
pauldo
Member
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 65
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 6:40 pm:   Edit Post

Wow - how do you answer a question like that?
Stan is "the Man" anything he touches is gold - I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at Shank Hall and he was the humblest, kindest, down to earth kind of guy you could ever wish to meet.

Rocks, Pebbles and Sand
Old Friends
Quiet Afternoon
and everything else that was already mentioned...
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6948
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 10:46 am:   Edit Post

Harry; the Hot Fun video was pretty cool!

And the Clarke/Hines thing was terrific!
3rd_ray
Member
Username: 3rd_ray

Post Number: 78
Registered: 2-2008
Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 11:10 am:   Edit Post

Tough question. Harry, if you don't have Vertu' or The Rite of Strings, I would definitely recommend them.

Some of my favorites are Renassaince and Anoche' from those CD's.

Children of Forever has always been another favorite.

Mike
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1234
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 2:12 pm:   Edit Post

I don't have rite of strings but do have the DVD of the concert with Al, Jean Luc Ponty and Stanley which is great.
Vertu is a wicked album.. Right up there with the fusion. Highly recommended. the last track Toys is a monster. I want to do that one on a future gig.


Jazzyvee
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6950
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 4:49 pm:   Edit Post

Vertu; beautiful!
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1236
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 5:07 pm:   Edit Post

I'm gutted I missed that gig Dave, that track is fantastic.
Jazzyvee
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6952
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 5:29 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks for reminding me of Vertu; I haven't listened to it in a while!
terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 568
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 1:21 am:   Edit Post

'Old friends' along with the bass anthem 'School Days'
'Dayride' from 'Modern Man'(I think)
'Jamaican Boy' from 'I Wanna Play For You'
Mind you I like the tongue in cheek funk of 'We Supply' from Rocks, Pebbles & Sand.
I didn't like any of that 80's mellow soft disco stuff, maybe he was trying to cut into the commercial side of things during that period.
Vertu itself is a vast combination of world music styles.
'Marakesh' is a great track from 'Vertu' along with the sonic onslaught of 'V-Wave'.
Really there are just too many to list!!!!
bigbadbill
Senior Member
Username: bigbadbill

Post Number: 449
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 - 5:22 am:   Edit Post

The entire Brown Album and Desert Song. The Brown Album is one of my favourite albums of all time, and it's the only solo bassist's album that comes anywhere near that sort of accolade (most solo bassist's albums I find completely snoresville).
bigbadbill
Senior Member
Username: bigbadbill

Post Number: 450
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 - 5:23 am:   Edit Post

Oops, double post...

(Message edited by bigbadbill on August 27, 2008)
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 1875
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 7:03 am:   Edit Post

'Brown album' shaun? If you mean the one with the brown bass on the cover it's called 'If this bass could only talk' and is indeed superb.

Graeme
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 1095
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 7:18 am:   Edit Post

I think he was referring to Stanley's first album which has the brown cover.

Keith
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 1878
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 7:26 am:   Edit Post

Ah, with vulcan princess and lopsy lu. Good choice.
Back to the tap dancing, it's interesting how different the songs are played to how I percieved (and learnt) them. I've been playing ITBCOT above the 12th fret - Stanley was playing it much lower so I guess he's using his piccolo bass. Same with the main chords in schooldays - I was running down an 'A' chord shape from the 12th fret for years - sounded right at the time;-)

Graeme
3rd_ray
Member
Username: 3rd_ray

Post Number: 82
Registered: 2-2008
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 9:42 am:   Edit Post

Stanley's first solo album was Children of Forever. It's one of my favorites. The brown one was second.

http://www.stanleyclarke.com/disc_pg.htm

Mike
bigbadbill
Senior Member
Username: bigbadbill

Post Number: 451
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, August 29, 2008 - 3:05 pm:   Edit Post

Yep, the one with Lopsy Lu etc. Must admit I always thought it was his first. My dad bought it for me the same day I bought Jaco's first; ironically I much preferred Stanley's, unlike many.
fandange
Junior
Username: fandange

Post Number: 11
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 1:50 pm:   Edit Post

STANLEY CLARKE SAYS OF HIS VERY FIRST ALBUM (CHILDREN OF FOREVER) THAT HE DOESN'T LIKE HIS PLAYING AND THAT HIS FIRST ALBUM IS " STANLEY CLARKE" LOPSY LU IS A GOOD SONG BUT MY 3 FAVORITES ONES ARE IN THE ORDER HOT FUN, HOT FUN ENDING, AND SCHOOL DAYS. JACKO, I DON'T THINK STANLEY PLAYED HIS CARL THOMPSON PICCOLO ON SCHOOLDAYS. I WOULD SAY HIS TENOR ALEMBIC(ADGC). WHAT DO YOU THINK? BEST REGARDS TO ALL FANS AND BUILDERS!!! the Tenor "Black Bass"
byoung
Senior Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 1081
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 5:19 pm:   Edit Post

Please don't take this wrong, but it is considered impolite to write in all caps (it is hard to read).
rockbassist
Intermediate Member
Username: rockbassist

Post Number: 155
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 7:59 pm:   Edit Post

I know that this is going to sound like blasphemy but I have never been a fan of Stanley Clarke and have only been a marginal fan of Jaco. I like Jaco's playing but do not care for his tone. I am more into the players who could walk and keep time as well. Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, Craig MacGregor from Foghat, John Deacon from Queen, Mel Shacher from Grand Funk Railroad, Tom Hamilton from Aerosmith, Scott Ambush, Adam Clayton from U2. I love Marcus Miller's tone and saw him live a couple of years ago. I also am not a fan of instrumentals. I find them boring and self indulgent. Sorry if I offended anyone
hieronymous
Senior Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 402
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 8:53 pm:   Edit Post

No offense taken! There are so many different approaches to the bass, and to music general, and that's the way it should be! I love Donald "Duck" Dunn, "Mudcat" Ward, Keith Ferguson (Fabulous Thunderbirds), George Porter Jr. (Meters), but I also like the virtuosos like Stanley, Jaco, Jack Bruce, Billy Sheehan, Oteil Burbridge, as well as odd players like Les Claypool, Mike Gordon, Phil Lesh, Mick Karn, etc.

There was a time when I was blown away by Stanley Clarke, then I stopped listening altogether. There was even a time more recently when I realized that he and Jaco were actually playing a lot of licks and it wasn't all spontaneous genius. But recently I've come back around and just get off on the energy, exuberance, and creativity of these virtuosic players.

RE: instrumentals - I'm the opposite, I prefer instrumentals! Vocals are fine, but for some reason I don't really hear lyrics - I had the hardest time memorizing the words for songs that I would sing...
fandange
Junior
Username: fandange

Post Number: 14
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 8:46 am:   Edit Post

ok I will write normally;I didn't know it was impolite; and for me it was more readable. Sorry.
mike1762
Intermediate Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 108
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 6:46 pm:   Edit Post

Kevin

A lot of the "bass heroes" that are discussed on this forum don't appeal to me either. I can appreciate the technical ability it takes to play some of the stuff, but I can rarely listen to those type songs from beginning to end. I guess I have a "pop" sensibility in that it has always been about "the song" for me rather than virtuosity. I will often hear one of these guys and pick-up on some technique that I like and take that away from the encounter. An example is Victor Wooten's slap/pop... it had never occurred to me to use my thumb to pop a string after slapping it. That opened-up a new area to explore.

CHRISTOPHE: DON"T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN OR WE WILL CONFISCATE YOUR CAP LOCK KEY!!! LOL!!!
ulf
Junior
Username: ulf

Post Number: 14
Registered: 5-2008
Posted on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 1:58 am:   Edit Post

For me, Stanley ist the best bassplayer of the world . Jaco, if still alive, Jaco and Stanley would be the best bass players.
Both have revolutionized the bass playing and bass sound.
Stanleys harmonic virtuoses and incredible bass playing and the way he uses the bass as a solo instrument, is unique.
one of my favorite songs is Wild Dog
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7041
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 7:59 am:   Edit Post

Christophe; no problem. All caps can be difficult to read for a lot of people, myself included. One of our members who works in advertising confirmed that advertisers have found this to be the case. On the internet, the convention is to reserve all caps for when YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE A POINT. The all caps in the last sentence really stand out, as if I were speaking louder. Thus on the internet, all caps has become synonymous with raising one's voice, i.e. shouting.
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 1910
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 4:40 am:   Edit Post

Cristophe - I think you're probably right - Tenor it is. Don't know why I thought it was piccolo.

Graeme
funkyjazzjunky
Intermediate Member
Username: funkyjazzjunky

Post Number: 198
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 12:39 pm:   Edit Post

I love 'I Want to Play for Ya' and 'I Wanna Play for You' and 'East River Drive'
oujeebass
Intermediate Member
Username: oujeebass

Post Number: 130
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 5:17 pm:   Edit Post

Mike, you would like Animal Logic in which Stanley plays pop like songs. I really like both albums myself.
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1252
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 5:33 pm:   Edit Post

I liked Animal Logic, but alas I found out about them by accident after it had all fizzled out.
Some nice tracks on their albums though.
hankster
Intermediate Member
Username: hankster

Post Number: 180
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 4:51 am:   Edit Post

Oops. Did I say John Carter? I meant John Clayton.

Rick
blackcrayon
New
Username: blackcrayon

Post Number: 1
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 7:43 pm:   Edit Post

@ Christophe & jacko:

I'm pretty sure Stanley played his standard tuned brown bass on the school days song, so jacko your bassline riff was probably correct :-) Then later on he switched to using his tenor basses for that song exclusively. I think he played the carl thompson piccolo on Quiet Afternoon (and maybe a little riff in Life is Just a Game) but i dont think he even had the tenor bass yet when recording that album.

I saw Return to Forever's last show of the tour, amazing, and I think Stanley was the star of the show. The only thing i actually didn't like was that he didn't go back to a standard EADG bass like he played back in the day- and he stuck with the tenor, which meant a lot of the bass parts i was used to had to be played an octave higher :-) Other than that... incredible!
hieronymous
Senior Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 431
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 10:24 pm:   Edit Post

+1 on a "regular" bass on the studio version of "School Days" - you can see him using the tenor (?) tuning in the video I posted above of the live clip by the Clarke/Duke Project.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7104
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, October 03, 2008 - 2:20 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Jay; welcome to the board!

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