James Jamerson Archives
James Jamerson: The Untold Story of Motown’s Bass Hero
Jaz Moss sent us his latest video, which is an incredibly well-done, detailed look at the work of James Jamerson. Jaz said it took three months of research to produce this retrospective on the Motown legend.
Marvin Gaye: Abraham, Martin and John
Today, we celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. For today’s video, I chose Marvin Gaye’s version of “Abraham, Martin and John.” Gaye was backed by the Funk Brothers, including the always excellent work of James Jamerson.
Paul Thompson: Climbing “Ain’t No Mountain” with James Jamerson
I could watch videos by Paul Thompson (aka pdbass) all day. The way he breaks down music is remarkable. In this clip, Thompson breaks down versions of “Ain't No Mountain High Enough,” and the incredible work of James Jamerson.
Nate Marsh: The Influence of Jazz on R&B Electric Bassists of the 1960s and 1970s
Nate Marsh graduated from Berklee in 2012 and just finished his Masters of Music at the University of Colorado. He’s published his thesis, “The Influence of Jazz on R&B Electric Bassists of the 1960s and 1970s”, which is publicly available.
Darling Dear: James Jamerson’s Bass Line Visualized
Leonardo van der Laat was inspired by Jack Stratton’s “visualization” videos of James Jamerson’s bass lines, so he set out to make his own. Check out Mr. Jamerson’s greatness on the Jackson 5’s “Darling Dear”.
Keep It Groovy: Learn To Play The Bass Line To “Ball Of Confusion” By The Temptations
If there’s one thing we know about Motown, it’s that the grooves are deep and bass legends like James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt have given us some incredible lines to learn from. Ryan Madora runs through “Ball Of Confusion” by The Temptations in this new “Keep It Groovy” bass lesson.
Paul Wolfe Publishes “Learning From James Jamerson” Instructional Book
Paul Wolfe of How-To-Play-Bass.com recently released an instructional book on how to play blues rock bass. Now he’s giving you tips to play like one of the greatest with “How To Play Bass – Learning From James Jamerson Vol. 1”.
James Jamerson’s Family Sets New Headstone Unveiling Ceremony
James Jamerson’s bass lines helped shape the sound of Motown and, in turn, the sound of R&B. The bassist, who passed away in 1983, will now have a proper headstone to match his legacy.
Keep It Groovy: How To Play The Bass Line To “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”
Ryan Madora has a new bass lesson series on No Treble. “Keep It Groovy” kicks off with a lesson on how to play James Jamerson’s bass line on The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”.
Michael Henderson Shines on Unearthed Marvin Gaye Instrumental Album
Marvin Gaye’s iconic album “What’s Going On” turned 50 this year, and Motown/UMe celebrated with a deluxe digital edition. However, fans will be interested to hear an accompanying album called “Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals” - with Michael Henderson on bass.
James Jamerson Featured on Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On Live”
Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” is a must-have album for bassists. Its songs are textbook examples of grooving by the late great Bob Babbitt and James Jamerson. Now you can hear Jamerson craft those bass lines in a newly reissued live album from 1972.
James Jamerson’s Family Starts GoFundMe to Raise New Headstone, Scholarship Fund
Without a doubt, James Jamerson is a huge figure in the history of the electric bass. His work on countless Motown hits inspired scores of bassists while creating the groove that made a generation dance. Now his family wants his burial site to have a headstone to match his legacy. Jamerson’s cousin Anthony McKnight has started a GoFundMe crowd-funding campaign...