Top 100 Bass Players

[Torgo]

I figured this would make a nice compaion piece to the guitarist thread.  Plus, I'm a bass player myself.   

Anyway: I figured I would kick things off with who I consider to be the greatest bass player to ever walk the face of the earth:

1) JACO PASTORIUS  (Weather Report, solo)

[Mr. DS]

2.) Flea - RHCP

[Torgo]

3)  TONY LEVIN  (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Liquid Tension Experiment, solo)

[Allhallowsday]

JOHN PAUL JONES   

[Rev. Powell]

Shoot, I was afraid this would happen.  I can only think of about 4 or 5 bass players who impress me, and 2 have already been named.

But you can't leave out

5. Ron Carter



A key member of Miles Davis' "second great quintet".  I saw him play with Javon Jackson at Sweet Basil's in NYC in the late 1990's, one of the great musical experiences of my life.  I was about 5 feet away from Ron.  He soloed for about 2 or 3 minutes on one song, though it seemed much longer because I kept expecting him to run out of ideas, and he'd manage to come up with something new.

Nice youtube with embedding disabled: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9RAk67X928.  This appears to be from the same time period I saw him live.

[Psycho Circus]

6) D.D. Verni - Overkill

[akiratubo]

7) Larry Graham - Graham Central Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_4tNot8-xk

[Allhallowsday]

Probably the most honored living bassist: PAUL McCARTNEY 

[Psycho Circus]

9. John McVie - Fleetwood Mac

[Allhallowsday]

CHARLES MINGUS 

[Psycho Circus]

11. Rudy Sarzo

[Torgo]

12)  GEDDY LEE   (Rush)

[Torgo]

13)  CHRIS SQUIRE   (Yes, ABWH)

[Torgo]

14)  STEVE HARRIS  (Iron Maiden)

[Psycho Circus]

15. Billy Sheehan