#719 James Alexander of the Bar-Kays & Favorite Bass Lines
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions
4.3 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 6 September 2019
⏱️ 58 minutes
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Summary
This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by legendary funk and R&B bassist James Alexander of the Bar-Kays. They discuss his early days as a pivotal part of the Stax Records house band in Memphis and the enduring legacy of 1971's Shaft Soundtrack, which featured the Bar-Kays as the backing band. Then, Jim and Greg share some of their favorite bass lines (as well as the songs' players). Bass players usually aren't the flashiest members of a band, but they're a pivotal part of its heartbeat.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | So now, ladies and gentlemen, this is sound opinions. I'm Greg Cott. |
| 0:26.0 | And I'm Jim Deregadas. |
| 0:28.0 | This week we talked a legendary funk and R&B bassist James Alexander of the Barquays about his days it stacks records in Memphis |
| 0:36.0 | and the enduring legacy of 1971's Shaft Soundtrack. |
| 0:41.3 | I was just turning 21 in 1971. We're still talking about this thing. |
| 0:47.0 | And while on the topic of the bass, we share some of our other favorite baselines from the four tops to talking head. |
| 0:54.0 | That's all coming up on sound opinions. |
| 0:59.0 | You're listening to sound opinions and this week we are all about that bass. |
| 1:05.8 | That bass, Greg. |
| 1:06.8 | You know the guitarist and the lead vocalist they always get the spotlight all the |
| 1:17.0 | attention the guitarist get the solos but there is no such thing as a great |
| 1:21.0 | band without a great rhythm section. |
| 1:23.5 | Drums, we gave the drummer some a while back on sound opinions and bass. |
| 1:28.2 | You know, what's special about those four strings is. |
| 1:31.0 | It is the rhythmic foundation on which the entire song is built but a |
| 1:34.9 | great basis can also really sneak his or her way into your head with something |
| 1:40.5 | that's very melodic and I'm so excited. |
| 1:44.0 | Later in the show we're going to give some of our favorite |
| 1:46.6 | super memorable baselines, but first we are going to talk to one of the all-time |
| 1:50.4 | masters of that instrument, James Alexander. That's just a taste of Soul Finger, the 1967 breakout hit for the Memphis soul and funk band, The Barquets. |
| 2:17.0 | On the bass is James Alexander. |
| 2:20.0 | The Barquets played a pivotal role in Stax Records Studio System, eventually replacing |
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