Wednesday May 4, 2022 “Nowhere to Run” Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (James Jamerson) Bass
Partner in the foundation of any band for our rock & roll heaven group, along with the drummer is the bass player. Drums and bass, they both need to be on the same wavelength, in sync and drop into a groove without even thinking, they just need to feel it. And James Jamerson is the first and only bass player’s name that came to my mind when I thought about who should be in our band.
Jamerson was a driving member of the legendary Motown house band the Funk Brothers and according to fellow Funk Brothers in the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, Marvin Gaye was desperate to have Jamerson play on “What's Going On”, and sent several band members to find James at his favorite bars.
They eventually found James and brought him back to the studio but as a result of a long night of drinking he was struggling to stand up so he played the classic bass line while lying flat on his back, which Marvin Gaye was perfectly OK with.
It is a testament to his skill that he influenced a significant number of other four-string icons. Paul McCartney, Jaco Pastorius, Jack Bruce, Flea, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee and Bootsy Collins are just some of the bass playing legends that have cited Jamerson as an influence.
James Jamerson played bass on hundreds of hit songs and is responsible for some of the most distinctive and innovative runs of that era, so we happily add him to our rhythm section.
Stay safe and well…and OK maybe James Jamerson is not the best match for Keith Moon as they both had their demons but for each the focus would always be the music.