Jerry Jemmott Archives

There’s a new must-read book for bass players on the market as Jerry Jemmott has published his autobiography. Make It Happen!: The Life and Times of “The Groovemaster,” Bassist Jerry Jemmott features forewords by Chuck Rainey, Ron Carter, and Robert Trujillo, who all sing his praises. Jemmott’s bass playing has been on the radio for over five decades. He played...

Get ready for 52+ minutes of greatness. Aretha Franklin performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971, and the lineup was absolutely legendary: King Curtis, Jerry Jemmott, Cornell Dupree, and Bernard Purdie.

Today, Alex Lofoco is paying homage to the legendary Jaco Pastorius and the “Modern Electric Bass” educational video. Check out Alex’s transcription and analysis of Jaco’s “Jam In E”.

Like the rest of the world, we’re in mourning over the passing of the Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul’s incredible vocal talents put a stamp on her generation while also giving her music a timeless quality that continues to be relevant today. Her career had highs and lows, but she was always a staple of the music world. We’re...

I love all the footage from this 1971 performance by King Curtis & The Kingpins. The whole band is fantastic, and Jerry Jemmott shows us how it’s done. Here’s “Soul Serenade”. Be sure to also check out “Ridin’ Thumb” (my favorite of this excellent concert) and “Memphis Soul Stew“.

There is a memorable scene in the Modern Electric Bass instructional video from 1986, when Jerry Jemmott asks Jaco Pastorius who really influenced the development of his playing style. Without missing a beat, Pastorius starts riffing on some of Jemmott’s classic funk bass lines. He talks about how he would listen to the radio, and try to emulate the sounds...

If you love R&B, soul and jazz bass you know and love Jerry Jemmott, who popped up again on national TV recently backing Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin on The Late Show With David Letterman. A two-time Grammy winner, Jemmott was discovered by saxophonist/bandleader King Curtis, gained fame as a session player in the 1960s and started a solo career...

Last night, Aretha Franklin took the stage as musical guest on the Late Show with David Letterman. The Queen of Soul, now 72, sang her version of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” before she and the band segued into “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The legendary singer was once again backed by Jerry Jemmott, who began performing with Ms. Franklin...

Sometimes you just need a nice buttery groove to make your day. Here’s Jerry Jemmott making it happen with Aretha Franklin on the song “Make It With You” during her 1971 concert at Fillmore West.

Chances are, if you’re listening to a Soul hit from back in the day, you’re listening to Jerry Jemmott. In his prolific career spanning over 40 years, the bassist’s work helped shape the Atlantic Records and Muscle Shoals sounds. He has left his stamp on some generation-defining hits alongside musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, King Curtis, B.B. King,...

I’ve been listening to a ton of music with the great Jerry Jemmott lately and decided to check out some videos too. This one, which aired on The Late Show with David Letterman earlier this year, made me smile to see the bass legend still going strong. Really strong.

The Gregg Allman band is hitting the road for a Winter 2010/2011 tour that runs up and down the east coast, with bassist Jerry Jemmott. The group is making the trek in support of Allman’s upcoming album, Low Country Blues. The album, which actually features bassist Dennis Crouch, is a collection of cover songs by famous bluesmen, including Muddy Waters,...