doug grigsby was a friend of mine. i remember when he got the teena gig...he wasn't the only one of course....but he was a king and a great brother. still saddened over his death...
Lady T was one of the greatest ever. She left us way too soon man but she left behind some of the greatest, most timeless tunes you'll ever dance or just listen too. God rest her beautiful Soul. 🙏🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️
I have always loved the bass line in all Teena's music, since my teen and young adult years in the 70-80s❣️ Bass is my favorite instrument and sound to listen to.
Lady T. She was unique. She was the epitome of "Great things come in small packages". A voice you can pinpoint in a room and even a cooler nature to boot, she is the Desire to Rick James' Fire. Arranger, Guitarist, Vocalist, Pianist, more importantly, funkateer... She was one of a kind.
The opening to "I Need Your Lovin" always brings back good childhood memories of family parties. My dad would usually start the party off with either this song, or Earth Wind and Fire's "Let's Groove". That EW&F album art was always cool.
Lady T was & still is ( R.I.P.) one of my favorite Artist/Musician/Singer... Emerald City-my favorite Album Work It- & You So Heavy Lips 2 Find U & Shadow Boxing: Favorite Singles.. well Portuguese Love & Love me down easy...also... And can't forget Ooo La La & Lover Girl.... You know what I just Love Me some she... 😂 Wait Behind the Groove too...
Hearing these riffs takes me back to my teenage years, when The Whispers, Slave, Cameo, The Brothers Johnson, ...as well as many others, graced the speakers of our boom boxes. If your box couldn't handle hard core bass, then you might as well leave it home! Teena Marie? Yea, she had her place right there up top! Oh, did I mention Bootsy Collins?
Haha... the boom box! Ripping a chunck out of your wallet for batteries that died within a couple of hours because... full force on the volume dial 🤣 I've seen Bootsy in the Netherlands, in Utrecht, killing it so daymn hard on the bass, it would litteraly shake your stumach! Man oh man, what a party (way back, in the eighties). And I was so, so blessed to see Cameo live in the eighties. My band.
I slept on 1st class love . Funky! Louis Johnson rip. Abraham laboriel was another amazing session player for her as well as james jamerson ,jr and nathan east ❤
Even if you couldn’t play a note your analysis of the material is such a tribute the artists, this was a joy to watch. The fact that you perform every baseline on a variety of instruments is just the gravy that makes this channel elite. Amazing work here my friend.
So much in agreement! I've JUST discovered you and your YT vids and am so in love with your instructive style of presentation! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Worth mentioning her last bassist, Doug Grigsby from Philly. Doug played on many Philly artist hits like Patti Labelle, Phyllis Hyman, Eugene Wilde and others. Check youtube for videos of him killing the bass on tour with Teena. Sadly Doug passed away last year.
Doug Grigsby just passed a few months back, I only msg'd a couple times before he got ill. I bought his old touring road case rack from his Body Count days, from a fella down by Philly. I got it sitting right next to me. It used to have Ice-T's nickname for him 'Griz' painted on it but the dummy before me removed it all. Still I got Doug and Body Count vibe in da house. RIP GRIZ
With you ALL THE WAY on your chosen time line. You always open my eyes, even further, with your thorogh and thoughtful analysis. I hadnt heard Jamerson until you MENTIONED IT. that was nice for me. ❤
I just finished having a "Teena Marie Marathon" playing her albums in which I have all of them (vinyl) all except the last which I have on CD 😊and I stumbled on your awesome channel👏🏼Love the content
Don’t know how this video appeared in my timeline, but I LOVE everything about it! I’m a huge Teena Marie fan and my favorite instrument is the bass guitar. I grew up spying on my father play his bass, imitating the greats, in our garage. As a little girl, Teena Marie and the bassist from ‘A Taste of Honey’ made me want to play the bass.
Oh D*MN -- I did not know that! That line is the BOMB! (I also loved the "machine gun" riff at the beginning of that song, but that was probably played on guitar.) Why am I always thinking RJ played all the bass lines?
@@rwjoyner Rick rarely touched a bass and when he did it was a Fender not a Rickenbacher he chose the Rickenbacher for the album cover because he said it looked cooler he was right about that part
Man, how can ya go wrong talking about bass lines from Lady T! And explain it so us non musicians can understand it! Good freakin job dude! Love the knowledge!
List is tight, but I'd add "Portuguese Love" as a strong bassline though it doesn't have the lead as the others, and "You Make Love Like Springtime", especially where the bassline subtly changes both in the end and in the Reprise. In fact, "Irons In the Fire" is just so good with gooey bass goodness.
Definitely "Square Biz"! My favorite bass line out of all of her songs! Not only because of the articulate execution of the thumps and pops, but what I noticed right away is that the bassist was NOT in 440 when he laid down this track, and that's what grabbed me immediately! I have been a fan of that bass line ever since!
One of my favorite Teena songs is You Make Love Like Springtime along with its reprise. I love the Jaco like bassline. Also, another unsung bassist in my opinion is Gary Granger from Pockets and the Jon Scofield Band in the 80s.
As a former professional drummer I am very proud of myself because I had picked out the top Tina songs that I thought would be on your list and to my delight they were ALL here! I love your channel and I love your passion! Thank you very much for this post!
Man…. I love your channel. Listening to Lady T and her “Sophisticated Funk” is one of the main reasons that I play bass today!! I knew about Allen , Oscar and Rick James of course. Between Michael Jackson albums ( Louis Johnson) , Chic ( Bernard Edwards ) , Sade ( Paul S. Denman ) and Lady T albums , this is surely why I favor StingRay basses. 🎶❣️🎵💜✨🎧
I'm so glad you put Gigalette in there, a very much underrated jam. I play it often with deep bass just to feel it. Great job man, keep up the awesome work!!!!! Bass in your face.
Thank you for recognizing all these great bass players too bad the world doesn’t know anything about them but thank you for bringing them out front!!!!!
Thank you for letting us know a little about those gentlemen. Teena Marie is one of my favorite singers of all time. The music she gave us and her vocals are amazing.
Every time I watch one of your videos I learn something about the bass and the musicians that play them. Please keep up the great work. Still Hoping that you do something on the great Slave bassist, Mark Adams.
@@pdbass great video, just came across some great bass groove. Check this out you won't regret it John Scofield live at the North Sea Jazz Festival • 13-07-1986 • World of Jazz (time 20:16 "Rule of Thumb") also just as good, 57:04 "The Nag" Gary Grainger bass, Rick Sebastian drums
Absolutely! Mark Adams, RIP His funk lines were so engaging and unique to him! Once Mark Adams starts playing, we all start moving! His bass reproduced out my Cerwin Vega & JBL speakers were undeniably full and authentic! I own All Slave recordings with Mark! We miss him too.🙏
Yes, PDBass! 70s, & 80s were Coming of Age themes of our lives! So many Great bands. So many Great musicians. We were very fortunate to have been alive during all those Glorious creative years! It was truly a blessing.🙏 If you ever heard Stanley Clarke and Lenny White jam live together in Funken Universe, would make a believer you were in the right place at the right time! Magical!🙏 Thx for all your vids giving homage to all the great bass players. I was just reminded here about the late and great Teena Marie! RIP. A multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist. She was amazing. Teena is surely missed.🙏
"I need your Lovin" = her best. I also love Square Biz. She had the Funk . . . No Doubt. The Stingray sounds killer. Great job. Enjoyed-it. This was Necessary. oNe LoVe from NYC
Man just hearing “It Must Be Magic” takes me back to running to a 7-11 & placing my quarters to “get next” on some video game! “Boogie bounce” ABSOLUTELY describes the sound of that time. 🎶
embarrassingly this was my first time listening to her songs, but dude, my mind is blown! What a GEM she was, and what a bass influence! 🤯🤯 “first class love” is truely her best, and by far, one of the most funkiest ever.
Pdbass Maaaaaaan, thank you sooo much for highlighting these unsung heroes.. This is one of the lost gems of knowing the musicians and all those people that were involved would be shown in the credits, and how cool it was to look at and in those albums, even photos, artwork, poetry, musicians at work in the studio. Etc…. Now that we have digital music, and no REAL physical album production, we don’t get to see all of the musicians who helped bring these artworks to life, even for new artists. How sad…
I love this channel!! Your enthusiasm and 100% musically (and historically), accurate breakdowns and analysis are the best!! Thank you for all that you share with us!
Square Biz to this day is still my JAM! Thank you so much for your analysis. I always wondered who played the bass on the tracks I love and since we don’t have access liner notes from vinyl records anymore, I really appreciate your research! 🎸✨
No doubt about it, Lady T Marie was the Queen Of Funk! She stayed true to her roots, it was like she was showing the world "Just Be You" doesnt require a skin color, its a sound that comes from within from the environment that you grow up in and around, she grew up in the hood out west, went to school with kids of all colors banging all kinds of music, so you hear even rock guitar solos in her pop and funk jams, she dated men of all colors, Teena was the epitome of a white woman that had broken away from white stereotypical bullshit and was just trying to enjoy her life and the world- Adele , Josh Stone, Taj Walkenfeld, are the three top white soul sisters carrying on what the great Teena Marie started: White Girl with a Black heartbeat! RIP LADY T❤
......NOT TO KNOCK ANY OF YOUR COMMENTS....."LADY TEE" HAS PORTUGUESE ROOTS (EVEN THOUGH YOUR ENVIRONMENT HAS AN INFLUENCE IN YOUR MUSIC INTEREST) ...BUT HER FATHER WAS A MUSIC COMPOSER AND HE WAS PORTUGUESE..THAT'S WHERE HER STYLE OF FUNK AND SOUL CAME FROM...HER BLOODLINE...SHE IS THE "LADY OF FUNK"...."CHAKA KAHN" IS THE QUEEN OF FUNK!....LADY TEE FACTZ!
I never knew that ostinato had a name. I love metal. When I hear an ostinato, usually in the upper or middle range, it really does something for me. When a song starts with it, flows through the chord progression, and it almost seems to reemerge at the end, ugh... Beautiful...
finally....a chennel that covers music that I don't see much coverage of. So many pioneers from the 60s 70s and 80s. Incredible musicians, producers, audio engineers. I mean we know what guitar string and drum sticks the Beatles used on their earliest hits lol. Nice to see the greats from the r&B soul and funk land get their due! Well done.
Behind The Groove is my personal favorite. That "Ozone", joint is another fave. Teena did a special performance for the fans before leaving us. Most excellent. Thanks. Peace.
Teena’s music was a big part of my life, such cracking dance tunes. Made you feel alive and certainly ready to groove on the dance floor, with the killer bass playing. Your presentations are always such a joy to watch and listen to 🙏❤️
Wow! Yes "Lady T" was it for me in my youth, that funky bassline from "Square Biz" was the truth!. Ironically I would unknowingly run into "Allen McGrier" in 2001 backstage at the Hollywood Bowl. Can't remember how we struck up a conversation about music or basses but I told him that I was bass player also. He said "you know that was me playing bass on Teena Marie's Square Biz." I was like Really?! Oh Snap! You really through me with that funky jam "Gigolette" by OZONE, I had forgotten about that one. Though I seem to remember OZONE for their more rock / new wave oriented songs like "Lil' Susie" and "Glasses." It is to note however that "Ray C. Woodard" lead singer for OZONE sounded suspiciously like "Brian O'Neal" the lead singer from The Bus Boys on those tracks.
Not a bad for a “young guy.” I think all of my favorite Lady T bass lines are up here though in a different order. “Gigolette” has been my #2 for years, one of my favorite warmup cuts. “Square Biz” is my #1 largely because it was my intro to Teena. Lady T had some awesome bass players at her disposal during her Motown days (I was never a fan of her post-Motown work). I lived in Buffalo long enough to learn about the Rick James legacy, and I can appreciate the deep dive. Keep up the good work, just be careful of the vultures up here who’ll write down everything you say, put in a book and pass it off as THEIR research, and try to SELL this same information back to us.
A year late to the party on this video, but I was so happy to see Gigolette by Ozone near the top of your list, and I agree, an absolute slap bass hidden gem. For me one of the things that makes it unique from a lot of slap bass lines is that even with the percussive attack, there's still the kind of low-end energy you'd get from playing fingerstyle. I always wondered if maybe he was playing through a sub-harmonic synth pedal or if a similar effect was added during mixing to give it that real deep growl.
I had rhe pleasure to sit and chat with Doug Grisby at my cousin's kitchen table (my cousin played percussion for Lady T for a while). I learned so much from those 5 minutes just chatting.
Great list. All Teena Marie songs are bass gems but you forgot one of her greatest songs...365🔥🔥🔥 a great song that showcases how musicians with first class chops come together and make a song great💯 plus it's one of the few times Melvin Franklin did vocals outside of the Temptations.
Teena Marie was one of those artists that I somehow missed for years until I had to learn SquareBiz for a band I played with for a while. Such a great, fun bass line to chart and learn. Always a good day when you find new, great music.
She was the Baddest Female, if I can say white lady to EVER do funk, soul music Period. I'm 55yrs old I remember ALL her stuff. Irons in the Fire, It must be Magic etc. She wrote, played song and produced her own stuff. I Can write forever bout her stuff. Her "Pen" work is unmatched and can sing. She should be studied her catalog is AMAZING. I named my 10 speed back in the day Lady-T. Man your work is Outstanding. You give people the Shine who should have gotten it long ago. Outstanding Job. I LOVE your stuff!. Keep it coming. And you put Gigolette STOP IT!!! my man. we use to do a dance back then called the Gigolo. Maybe next on your hit list should be Cameo or Slave. Mark Adams was another Monster. Thanks for your work
I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. RJ. But i have to admit to myself, i think he had a MAJOR part in ensuring STONE CITY BAND didnt fly. We KNOW they could have/should have.
One of the best contribution on You Tube Music section. Scores, bass lines, bassists' history. Explanation: clear, appassionate, useful. Thanks and bravo!!!!
I love ALL of these songs and have them ALL on Vinyl LPs. This is my first time seeing your videos and I’m digging it! “I Need Your Loving” is 🔥🔥🔥 “It Must Be Magic” is an absolute favorite of mine! I’m NOT a guitarist (I’m a DJ and played drums most of my life) but love a dope Bass player. Lady T had some of the best grooves!
Golden Years in music! I was blessed to be in my prime during those years. Music please... "Behind the Grove"..... LOVE LOVE LOVE everyone sounds and RIP Teena Marie... You were one of the best in my opinion. Plain n simple
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! Lady T's music was High School and College for Me in those days. Discovered your video on my RUclips Page. So I had to watch. And I got to admit, I was in tears. Though I have to be honest and say that it wasn't until some years after those MOTOWN records, I learned that neither Teena Marie, nor Rick James played Bass on those tunes you analyzed. And I was an extensive reader of Liner Notes since Childhood. But those were mostly Jazz Records my (late) GrandFather had. Rock I did on my own. One of the thing I have to say about Lady. During a period in which Record Companies were practically "forcing" many Black Artists to "Cross-Over" to reach Mainstream (ie White) audiences, as a White Artist, Teena Marie NEVER disregarded or gave up on her Black Audience. That's why WE still love Her to this day. Whenever "SQUARE BIZ" comes on my job's piped-in Music System, I get into "Air-Bass" Mode (didn't have any discipline for learning instruments. So I ended up doing Radio for 15+ years instead). My extremely younger co-workers look at Me like "There's My Eccentric Uncle Again!". But quite a few of them do come up to Me about Music stuff. I've become "That Guy" at My job. So Yeah. "SQUARE BIZ" is Definitely FIRST! Followed by "BEHIND THE GROOVE". Then "REVOLUTION". I honestly didn't dig the EPIC/CBS Records so much. I just felt that NOTHING in those releases matched her MOTOWN output. All This Said, Paul, Again, Thank You for giving a Grown Man some Tears of Joy Memories.
I had never even heard of Teena Marie. This video was an eye-opener. Thank you also for the bass clef transcriptions. I'm going to put those into TAB so I can use them more readily, and then proceed to try some of those bass lines. (Just kidding friend. I will suffer through the bass clef in faith that it is indeed worth it.) This is really great stuff and it's brand new to me so I'm really enjoying it. As far as funk and R&B, before this I knew some Parliament and Curtis Mayfield and that was about it. I don't know if "I can't get enough of your love babe" by Barry White counts but I knew that one too. But this stuff here is pretty cool. I guess it was underground all these years, or I just never found the right radio station. I think "I need your lovin'" is my favorite. It's kind of robotic in a really pleasant way. It has an 80's sound without being obnoxious. Very nice. So good to share good stuff. Thanks and God bless.
Before I started the video, I already had in mind MY favorite Lady T bass line -- "Square Biz". I used to play along with a lot of bass lines in my day, and I always had a ball with this one. But boy did you open my eyes to the folks that actually PLAYED these lines! I always though RJ did all the bass work for Lady T -- I guess I was too lazy to actually read the credits on her albums. Your #1 has now become MY #1, and "Square Biz" will have to the take the #2 spot from now on. Thank you pdbass!
I Need Your Loving - that bassline grabs you at the intro and NEVER lets go! Propels the song like a locomotive. And props to the engineer for mic’ing it the way he did and giving it the bottom that it has.
IMHO you missed out on Portuguese Love. The samba groove is otherworldly. Revolution was a little rock tinged but very enjoyable. Tune In Tomorrow was also missed. Her jazz chops are indisputable. Work It from Naked to the World CD is a sure groove. Call Me reunites her with Rick James with a bass line that will make you dance. Baby, I'm Your Fiend took me there in a really fantastic way. There are others but I'm gonna let other perps have some fun. 🍻
McGrier had ridiculous tone on that Music Man. I just have to add "Chains" from the "Irons" album. It's just too funky. When you gonna do top 10 GQ Basslines? Keith Crier is such an underrated bass player. Hope you're well and thanks for this.
The bass ballads are iconic. My faves are Portuguese ❤, shadow boxing , dear lover , oo la la la and out on a limb
doug grigsby was a friend of mine. i remember when he got the teena gig...he wasn't the only one of course....but he was a king and a great brother. still saddened over his death...
I love your history of iconic basslines and under mentioned and famous bassists ❤
Lady T was one of the greatest ever. She left us way too soon man but she left behind some of the greatest, most timeless tunes you'll ever dance or just listen too.
God rest her beautiful Soul. 🙏🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great to see Teena Marie and all the musicians she worked with get some deserved recognition… A class act!
I have always loved the bass line in all Teena's music, since my teen and young adult years in the 70-80s❣️ Bass is my favorite instrument and sound to listen to.
Lady T. She was unique. She was the epitome of "Great things come in small packages". A voice you can pinpoint in a room and even a cooler nature to boot, she is the Desire to Rick James' Fire. Arranger, Guitarist, Vocalist, Pianist, more importantly, funkateer... She was one of a kind.
Well said indeed!
Well said!
'Behind the Groove' is the Funkiest bass line ever !!! i love it to death .RIP Lady T for sure she left us too early .
The opening to "I Need Your Lovin" always brings back good childhood memories of family parties. My dad would usually start the party off with either this song, or Earth Wind and Fire's "Let's Groove". That EW&F album art was always cool.
Lady T was & still is ( R.I.P.) one of my favorite Artist/Musician/Singer...
Emerald City-my favorite Album
Work It- & You So Heavy
Lips 2 Find U & Shadow Boxing: Favorite Singles.. well Portuguese Love & Love me down easy...also... And can't forget Ooo La La & Lover Girl.... You know what I just Love Me some she... 😂 Wait Behind the Groove too...
Work It is one of my special songs. Love that tune.
Oh yeah " Square Biz" and " I Need Your Lovin "! Definitely some of the greatest Bass lines ever recorded!!!!
I hope he has one on SLAVE and AURRA
This is not something I expected to see in my YT notifications today, but I'm so grateful that it did.
Hearing these riffs takes me back to my teenage years, when The Whispers, Slave, Cameo, The Brothers Johnson, ...as well as many others, graced the speakers of our boom boxes. If your box couldn't handle hard core bass, then you might as well leave it home! Teena Marie? Yea, she had her place right there up top! Oh, did I mention Bootsy Collins?
Slave! Doesn't seem to be well known, but let's have a Mark Adams episode..... Funky as anything.
That's because many of US couldn't afford 18 "D" batteries to put in those damn things. LOL
Hell. The JVC I had didn't go beyond six. LOL
Haha... the boom box! Ripping a chunck out of your wallet for batteries that died within a couple of hours because... full force on the volume dial 🤣
I've seen Bootsy in the Netherlands, in Utrecht, killing it so daymn hard on the bass, it would litteraly shake your stumach! Man oh man, what a party (way back, in the eighties). And I was so, so blessed to see Cameo live in the eighties. My band.
Slave - my love for that group was just near religious. I would love to hear Pdbass’s take on the group and the sound they produced.
Just got through listening to SLAVE this evening ❤
Thank you for sharing this beautiful legend and the bass musicians that truly supported her and raised her success to great heights!
ALLEN MCGRIER THAT'S MY FRIENDDDDDDD ❤️❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻😍😍😍
"Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party" Gigolette was a great choice
I slept on 1st class love . Funky! Louis Johnson rip. Abraham laboriel was another amazing session player for her as well as james jamerson ,jr and nathan east ❤
Loooove Teena. Too bad I didn't pay closer attention back in the day.
Even if you couldn’t play a note your analysis of the material is such a tribute the artists, this was a joy to watch. The fact that you perform every baseline on a variety of instruments is just the gravy that makes this channel elite. Amazing work here my friend.
Thank you--I always appreciate your comments, SATAN!
So much in agreement! I've JUST discovered you and your YT vids and am so in love with your instructive style of presentation! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Worth mentioning her last bassist, Doug Grigsby from Philly. Doug played on many Philly artist hits like Patti Labelle, Phyllis Hyman, Eugene Wilde and others. Check youtube for videos of him killing the bass on tour with Teena. Sadly Doug passed away last year.
Thanks for the tip
My man Doug! 👍🏾
Doug Grigsby just passed a few months back, I only msg'd a couple times before he got ill. I bought his old touring road case rack from his Body Count days, from a fella down by Philly. I got it sitting right next to me. It used to have Ice-T's nickname for him 'Griz' painted on it but the dummy before me removed it all. Still I got Doug and Body Count vibe in da house. RIP GRIZ
💯 🔥🔥🔥
🙏🏾
With you ALL THE WAY on your chosen time line. You always open my eyes, even further, with your thorogh and thoughtful analysis. I hadnt heard Jamerson until you MENTIONED IT. that was nice for me. ❤
I just finished having a "Teena Marie Marathon" playing her albums in which I have all of them (vinyl) all except the last which I have on CD 😊and I stumbled on your awesome channel👏🏼Love the content
Don’t know how this video appeared in my timeline, but I LOVE everything about it! I’m a huge Teena Marie fan and my favorite instrument is the bass guitar. I grew up spying on my father play his bass, imitating the greats, in our garage. As a little girl, Teena Marie and the bassist from ‘A Taste of Honey’ made me want to play the bass.
Man, these are all killer. I notice you continually talk about space. So important. So good.
I will never forget her debut on Soul Train, and that baseline on I Need Your Lovin, unbelievable.
Thats my choice tina tune
Yes I forgot that I had heard her on "The Train".
i might be wrong but wasn't she on Soul Train with Sucker For Your Love first? She was on with Rick when she did that.
@@gtizzle7606 Good question. I'm not sure. I just remember the hype afterwards.
@@gtizzle7606 Yes
Oscar Alston is extremely underappreciated especially for the bassline on Bustin Out by Rick James
Bustin Out is the MOVE!!!
I agree with you! I love Oscar's playing on the Rick James songs including " Super Freak " , " Glow", and " Moonchild " !!!!
Oh D*MN -- I did not know that! That line is the BOMB! (I also loved the "machine gun" riff at the beginning of that song, but that was probably played on guitar.) Why am I always thinking RJ played all the bass lines?
@@rwjoyner Rick rarely touched a bass and when he did it was a Fender not a Rickenbacher he chose the Rickenbacher for the album cover because he said it looked cooler he was right about that part
Man, how can ya go wrong talking about bass lines from Lady T! And explain it so us non musicians can understand it! Good freakin job dude! Love the knowledge!
List is tight, but I'd add "Portuguese Love" as a strong bassline though it doesn't have the lead as the others, and "You Make Love Like Springtime", especially where the bassline subtly changes both in the end and in the Reprise. In fact, "Irons In the Fire" is just so good with gooey bass goodness.
Yessss to Portuguese Love for sure!!
I need your lovin , is my favorite bass line from a Lady T song.
Spot on great licks for sure. When music still had musician's playing together and not just mixed together.
Definitely "Square Biz"! My favorite bass line out of all of her songs! Not only because of the articulate execution of the thumps and pops, but what I noticed right away is that the bassist was NOT in 440 when he laid down this track, and that's what grabbed me immediately! I have been a fan of that bass line ever since!
Incredible work-up. Thank you. Allen McGrier is it.
If you listen to 1979 Narada Michel Walden "I Shoulda Loved Ya" the Bass line sounds like Gigollete....
no question - Square Biz - even if all the other ones are also killing. Thank you for that wonderful tutorial with all background information!
I love the bass guitar sound. Very seductive instrument.
One of my favorite Teena songs is You Make Love Like Springtime along with its reprise. I love the Jaco like bassline. Also, another unsung bassist in my opinion is Gary Granger from Pockets and the Jon Scofield Band in the 80s.
As a former professional drummer I am very proud of myself because I had picked out the top Tina songs that I thought would be on your list and to my delight they were ALL here!
I love your channel and I love your passion! Thank you very much for this post!
My favorite bassline from Teena Marie is ' Square Biz '
Man I saw her at Jazz Fest in New Orleans years ago. The whole crowd was singing every word to every song. What a performance.
I’m glad you highlighted Behind the Groove & I Need Your Lovin. 80s R&B was a golden age of great bass lines.
i love her music because of the funky rhythm and bass line
Man…. I love your channel. Listening to Lady T and her “Sophisticated Funk” is one of the main reasons that I play bass today!!
I knew about Allen , Oscar and Rick James of course.
Between Michael Jackson albums ( Louis Johnson) , Chic ( Bernard Edwards ) , Sade ( Paul S. Denman ) and Lady T albums , this is surely why I favor StingRay basses. 🎶❣️🎵💜✨🎧
I'm so glad you put Gigalette in there, a very much underrated jam. I play it often with deep bass just to feel it. Great job man, keep up the awesome work!!!!! Bass in your face.
Lady T lives on! those bass lines are some of the greatest ever !!!!!!!
Thank you for recognizing all these great bass players too bad the world doesn’t know anything about them but thank you for bringing them out front!!!!!
Love Lady T!! Lovergirl is my favorite! Saw her in concert before she left us! Won the tickets on the radio station!
Thank you for letting us know a little about those gentlemen. Teena Marie is one of my favorite singers of all time. The music she gave us and her vocals are amazing.
Every time I watch one of your videos I learn something about the bass and the musicians that play them. Please keep up the great work. Still Hoping that you do something on the great Slave bassist, Mark Adams.
For sure! Thank you for watching! 🙏🏽
@@pdbass great video, just came across some great bass groove. Check this out you won't regret it
John Scofield live at the North Sea Jazz Festival • 13-07-1986 • World of Jazz
(time 20:16 "Rule of Thumb")
also just as good, 57:04 "The Nag"
Gary Grainger bass,
Rick Sebastian drums
Saw Slave live, Mark Adams= master class.
RIP Mark.
Absolutely! Mark Adams, RIP
His funk lines were so engaging and unique to him! Once Mark Adams starts playing, we all start moving! His bass reproduced out my Cerwin Vega & JBL speakers were undeniably full and authentic! I own All Slave recordings with Mark!
We miss him too.🙏
Yes, PDBass! 70s, & 80s were Coming of Age themes of our lives!
So many Great bands. So many Great musicians.
We were very fortunate to have been alive during all those Glorious creative years! It was truly a blessing.🙏
If you ever heard Stanley Clarke and Lenny White jam live together in Funken Universe, would make a believer you were in the right place at the right time! Magical!🙏
Thx for all your vids giving homage to all the great bass players.
I was just reminded here about the late and great Teena Marie! RIP. A multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist. She was amazing. Teena is surely missed.🙏
When i first heard Teena Marie 22 days ago in a Duett with Rick James i Was Blown Aways i was Like Wow what Quality R n B Music.
Tina had the funkyest bass lines ever in the 80's
"I need your Lovin" = her best. I also love Square Biz. She had the Funk . . . No Doubt. The Stingray sounds killer. Great job. Enjoyed-it. This was Necessary. oNe LoVe from NYC
Man…THIS is a masterclass! You are amazing at dissecting bass lines! Thank you for your videos!!
Man just hearing “It Must Be Magic” takes me back to running to a 7-11 & placing my quarters to “get next” on some video game! “Boogie bounce” ABSOLUTELY describes the sound of that time. 🎶
embarrassingly this was my first time listening to her songs, but dude, my mind is blown! What a GEM she was, and what a bass influence! 🤯🤯 “first class love” is truely her best, and by far, one of the most funkiest ever.
Pdbass
Maaaaaaan, thank you sooo much for highlighting these unsung heroes.. This is one of the lost gems of knowing the musicians and all those people that were involved would be shown in the credits, and how cool it was to look at and in those albums, even photos, artwork, poetry, musicians at work in the studio. Etc….
Now that we have digital music, and no REAL physical album production, we don’t get to see all of the musicians who helped bring these artworks to life, even for new artists. How sad…
Lady T. Is one of my favorite Artist. Allan Mcgrier is one my favorite bass player. Tina music and bass lines was always funky.
I love this channel!! Your enthusiasm and 100% musically (and historically), accurate breakdowns and analysis are the best!! Thank you for all that you share with us!
Square Biz to this day is still my JAM! Thank you so much for your analysis. I always wondered who played the bass on the tracks I love and since we don’t have access liner notes from vinyl records anymore, I really appreciate your research! 🎸✨
No doubt about it, Lady T Marie was the Queen Of Funk! She stayed true to her roots, it was like she was showing the world "Just Be You" doesnt require a skin color, its a sound that comes from within from the environment that you grow up in and around, she grew up in the hood out west, went to school with kids of all colors banging all kinds of music, so you hear even rock guitar solos in her pop and funk jams, she dated men of all colors, Teena was the epitome of a white woman that had broken away from white stereotypical bullshit and was just trying to enjoy her life and the world- Adele , Josh Stone, Taj Walkenfeld, are the three top white soul sisters carrying on what the great Teena Marie started: White Girl with a Black heartbeat! RIP LADY T❤
......NOT TO KNOCK ANY OF YOUR COMMENTS....."LADY TEE" HAS PORTUGUESE ROOTS (EVEN THOUGH YOUR ENVIRONMENT HAS AN INFLUENCE IN YOUR MUSIC INTEREST) ...BUT HER FATHER WAS A MUSIC COMPOSER AND HE WAS PORTUGUESE..THAT'S WHERE HER STYLE OF FUNK AND SOUL CAME FROM...HER BLOODLINE...SHE IS THE "LADY OF FUNK"...."CHAKA KAHN" IS THE QUEEN OF FUNK!....LADY TEE FACTZ!
I never knew that ostinato had a name. I love metal. When I hear an ostinato, usually in the upper or middle range, it really does something for me. When a song starts with it, flows through the chord progression, and it almost seems to reemerge at the end, ugh... Beautiful...
Ostinatos are one of my favorite things too - finally learned what it was named last year. Feels good, eh?
finally....a chennel that covers music that I don't see much coverage of. So many pioneers from the 60s 70s and 80s. Incredible musicians, producers, audio engineers. I mean we know what guitar string and drum sticks the Beatles used on their earliest hits lol. Nice to see the greats from the r&B soul and funk land get their due! Well done.
You dig it 🤩
Behind The Groove is my personal favorite. That "Ozone", joint is another fave. Teena did a special performance for the fans before leaving us. Most excellent. Thanks. Peace.
That Ozone joint, Gigolette, is my workout song!!!
After reviewing the the video, a year later, I still agree in my judgement. Thanks PD Bass. 😆
As a boy Teena Maria was a phenomenal Soul Sister! I love Teena Marie's "I Need Your Lovin'" and "Behind the Groove'
My favorite is 'Out on a limb'. Simply one of the most melodic bass lines I ever heard and a joy to learn/play.
The Bass Line from "Playboy" is still one of my favorite Bass Lines🤘🏿🖤⚘️
God this woman could sing. Saw her live In Brooklyn Summer Concert Series in the park in the late 90's. Her voice was relentless.
Teena’s music was a big part of my life, such cracking dance tunes. Made you feel alive and certainly ready to groove on the dance floor, with the killer bass playing. Your presentations are always such a joy to watch and listen to 🙏❤️
Wow! Yes "Lady T" was it for me in my youth, that funky bassline from "Square Biz" was the truth!. Ironically I would unknowingly run into "Allen McGrier" in 2001 backstage at the Hollywood Bowl.
Can't remember how we struck up a conversation about music or basses but I told him that I was bass player also. He said "you know that was me playing bass on Teena Marie's Square Biz."
I was like Really?! Oh Snap! You really through me with that funky jam "Gigolette" by OZONE, I had forgotten about that one. Though I seem to remember OZONE for their more rock / new wave oriented songs like "Lil' Susie" and "Glasses." It is to note however that "Ray C. Woodard" lead singer for OZONE sounded suspiciously like "Brian O'Neal" the lead singer from The Bus Boys on those tracks.
Not a bad for a “young guy.” I think all of my favorite Lady T bass lines are up here though in a different order. “Gigolette” has been my #2 for years, one of my favorite warmup cuts. “Square Biz” is my #1 largely because it was my intro to Teena. Lady T had some awesome bass players at her disposal during her Motown days (I was never a fan of her post-Motown work). I lived in Buffalo long enough to learn about the Rick James legacy, and I can appreciate the deep dive. Keep up the good work, just be careful of the vultures up here who’ll write down everything you say, put in a book and pass it off as THEIR research, and try to SELL this same information back to us.
I love the bass line on Midnight Magnet. Could elaborate on this one soon 🤔
When I was younger, I used to have friends who knew all the cool shit I hadn't heard. You're filling that void for me now! Thanks!
A year late to the party on this video, but I was so happy to see Gigolette by Ozone near the top of your list, and I agree, an absolute slap bass hidden gem. For me one of the things that makes it unique from a lot of slap bass lines is that even with the percussive attack, there's still the kind of low-end energy you'd get from playing fingerstyle. I always wondered if maybe he was playing through a sub-harmonic synth pedal or if a similar effect was added during mixing to give it that real deep growl.
I had rhe pleasure to sit and chat with Doug Grisby at my cousin's kitchen table (my cousin played percussion for Lady T for a while). I learned so much from those 5 minutes just chatting.
Love this thank you, more please. Huge fan. Almost got her signed to a record label in the 90’s. Rode in her Jaguar. Priceless.
Great list. All Teena Marie songs are bass gems but you forgot one of her greatest songs...365🔥🔥🔥 a great song that showcases how musicians with first class chops come together and make a song great💯 plus it's one of the few times Melvin Franklin did vocals outside of the Temptations.
All Great Master Bassist and Monster Basslines. That Behing tge Groove is a Signature
Teena Marie was one of those artists that I somehow missed for years until I had to learn SquareBiz for a band I played with for a while. Such a great, fun bass line to chart and learn. Always a good day when you find new, great music.
I LOVED Teena Marie!!! Total LEGEND! Thanks for this list.
my early childhood in a nutshell: roller skating, teena marie, chaka, and grandmaster flash.
She was the Baddest Female, if I can say white lady to EVER do funk, soul music Period. I'm 55yrs old I remember ALL her stuff. Irons in the Fire, It must be Magic etc. She wrote, played song and produced her own stuff. I Can write forever bout her stuff. Her "Pen" work is unmatched and can sing. She should be studied her catalog is AMAZING. I named my 10 speed back in the day Lady-T. Man your work is Outstanding. You give people the Shine who should have gotten it long ago. Outstanding Job. I LOVE your stuff!. Keep it coming. And you put Gigolette STOP IT!!! my man. we use to do a dance back then called the Gigolo. Maybe next on your hit list should be Cameo or Slave. Mark Adams was another Monster. Thanks for your work
I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. RJ. But i have to admit to myself, i think he had a MAJOR part in ensuring STONE CITY BAND didnt fly. We KNOW they could have/should have.
Excellent video. Her catalog is great. One of my faves is Behind the Groove!
I've never heard of Teena Marie or any of these bassists. Thank you for the education. Amazing playing too.
How did I miss this artist?? I'm digging the heck outta this!!
Teena Marie (The Vanilla Child) was a genius. Check out her "whole discography!
@@juliansevin9109 for sure! I have some catching up to do!
One of the best contribution on You Tube Music section. Scores, bass lines, bassists' history. Explanation: clear, appassionate, useful. Thanks and bravo!!!!
I love ALL of these songs and have them ALL on Vinyl LPs. This is my first time seeing your videos and I’m digging it!
“I Need Your Loving” is 🔥🔥🔥
“It Must Be Magic” is an absolute favorite of mine! I’m NOT a guitarist (I’m a DJ and played drums most of my life) but love a dope Bass player. Lady T had some of the best grooves!
Great list! Behind the Groove is my number one and Square Biz is my number two.
Golden Years in music! I was blessed to be in my prime during those years. Music please... "Behind the Grove"..... LOVE LOVE LOVE everyone sounds and RIP Teena Marie... You were one of the best in my opinion. Plain n simple
I was always a Teena Marie fan but had not realized how much the bass was upfront and featured on so many of her songs.
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!
Lady T's music was High School and College for Me in those days.
Discovered your video on my RUclips Page. So I had to watch.
And I got to admit, I was in tears.
Though I have to be honest and say that it wasn't until some years after those MOTOWN records, I learned that neither Teena Marie, nor Rick James played Bass on those tunes you analyzed. And I was an extensive reader of Liner Notes since Childhood. But those were mostly Jazz Records my (late) GrandFather had. Rock I did on my own.
One of the thing I have to say about Lady. During a period in which Record Companies were practically "forcing" many Black Artists to "Cross-Over" to reach Mainstream (ie White) audiences, as a White Artist, Teena Marie NEVER disregarded or gave up on her Black Audience. That's why WE still love Her to this day.
Whenever "SQUARE BIZ" comes on my job's piped-in Music System, I get into "Air-Bass" Mode (didn't have any discipline for learning instruments. So I ended up doing Radio for 15+ years instead). My extremely younger co-workers look at Me like "There's My Eccentric Uncle Again!". But quite a few of them do come up to Me about Music stuff. I've become "That Guy" at My job.
So Yeah.
"SQUARE BIZ" is Definitely FIRST! Followed by "BEHIND THE GROOVE". Then "REVOLUTION".
I honestly didn't dig the EPIC/CBS Records so much. I just felt that NOTHING in those releases matched her MOTOWN output.
All This Said, Paul,
Again,
Thank You for giving a Grown Man some Tears of Joy Memories.
Thank you for this video!
i couldn't agree more with your opening statement
I had never even heard of Teena Marie. This video was an eye-opener. Thank you also for the bass clef transcriptions. I'm going to put those into TAB so I can use them more readily, and then proceed to try some of those bass lines. (Just kidding friend. I will suffer through the bass clef in faith that it is indeed worth it.)
This is really great stuff and it's brand new to me so I'm really enjoying it. As far as funk and R&B, before this I knew some Parliament and Curtis Mayfield and that was about it. I don't know if "I can't get enough of your love babe" by Barry White counts but I knew that one too. But this stuff here is pretty cool. I guess it was underground all these years, or I just never found the right radio station.
I think "I need your lovin'" is my favorite. It's kind of robotic in a really pleasant way. It has an 80's sound without being obnoxious. Very nice.
So good to share good stuff. Thanks and God bless.
Before I started the video, I already had in mind MY favorite Lady T bass line -- "Square Biz". I used to play along with a lot of bass lines in my day, and I always had a ball with this one. But boy did you open my eyes to the folks that actually PLAYED these lines! I always though RJ did all the bass work for Lady T -- I guess I was too lazy to actually read the credits on her albums. Your #1 has now become MY #1, and "Square Biz" will have to the take the #2 spot from now on. Thank you pdbass!
I KNEW you had to have , Playboy, on there!! 😏
Dude your insight and analysis is SPOT ON!! I’m gonna go back and listen to all of your videos. That’s amazing Stuff you’re cooking up!
Do Proceed!!
I Need Your Loving - that bassline grabs you at the intro and NEVER lets go! Propels the song like a locomotive. And props to the engineer for mic’ing it the way he did and giving it the bottom that it has.
IMHO you missed out on Portuguese Love. The samba groove is otherworldly. Revolution was a little rock tinged but very enjoyable. Tune In Tomorrow was also missed. Her jazz chops are indisputable. Work It from Naked to the World CD is a sure groove. Call Me reunites her with Rick James with a bass line that will make you dance.
Baby, I'm Your Fiend took me there in a really fantastic way. There are others but I'm gonna let other perps have some fun. 🍻
McGrier had ridiculous tone on that Music Man. I just have to add "Chains" from the "Irons" album. It's just too funky.
When you gonna do top 10 GQ Basslines? Keith Crier is such an underrated bass player. Hope you're well and thanks for this.