Miller, Pastorius, and Wooten

[DWBass]

I favor Marcus as well. Probably because I'm an older cat and grew up listening to old school funk, soul and Motown and I feel his style is the most accessable out of the list. I dig cats like Nathan East, Scott Ambush, Jimmy 'Flim' Johnson, Wilton Felder, Bootsy, Larry Graham, Louis Johnson, Mark Adams, Nathaniel Phillips and even Japanese bassist,Tetsuo Sakurai!

[Andrzej]

I listen to Jaco more than Miller or Wooten.  I started playing fretless before I moved onto fretted and Jaco was a big inspiration for me back then.  I love Miller's playing, especially all the stuff he did with Miles Davis.  My own personal bass tone is really modeled on his, so I could say that Miller has had an influence on my playing.  Wooten...hmmm...I admire his playing, but at a distance.  That guy frightens me!  I don't own a lot of Wooten material.  His style is somewhere that I don't feel compelled to explore.  I admire the guys talents...I really do, but as impressive as his skills are to me I never had the urge to sit down and study him.  I love his melodies and grooves, but all the slap, natural harmonic and tapping tricks I could live without.  My friend Jon is a very skillful player and loves Wooten.  A few years ago, he showed me how to play a lot of his tricks such as the thumb up/down double slap technique and how to play some of his crazy solo's using that technique.  I can do that very confidently, but I very rarely find a use for it other than showing off on a bass store whilst I am test driving some gear!  Wooten has elevated these kinds of techniques and made it into an art form and I do enjoy listening to his playing and I identify him as one of the best out there, but I don't feel that his techniques are a necessity for my every day playing and what I have learnt from him hasn't really influenced my own style.  Everyone has their own tastes and influences for various reasons.  I have always been suprised that Wooten hasn't rubbed off onto me as much as I thought he would.     

[grouchojohn]

I agree with Willie.  Each one of these cats bring something different to the table.  So you will find a lot of us "Old School" bassist are uncomfortable with saying who's best because we all have different elements to add to the mix.  And if I said one is better then that's a sign of disrespect in my mind.  For example I had a keyboardist to ask me to slap because that's what he liked.  He didn't understand that "I do what I do" and don't try to mimick any one.  So I used a "Tappng" technque that I use that "sounds" like a typical slap.  He had no clue as to what I was doing.  I said all that to say, I look at each player and find something I like in them regardless of skill level.
Peace
Groucho 

[phatstrings]

It's got to be WOOOOOOTEN!! Marcus miller is older and very experieced, Jaco changed the history of the bass, but
Victa? he's a mystery! He was created to play the bass and has made improvements on whatever anyone has done on the bass.
He plays any music style and i love him cus he awes everone including  other musicians who plays other instruments.
 

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

All three have carved their own niche into the art of playing the bass.  But it's really hard to single out one as an absolute favorite.  I mean how can you leave out the man the invented thumpin' and pluckin' on the bass.  The great Larry Graham.  I'm sure they all had an influence on the three that this post is about. 

Now I can give greatr points about all 3 such as.......

Marcus Miller:  He is immortalized on recordings by Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, Miles Davis, The Jamacia Boys, etc.  His solo intro to David Sanborn's "Run For Cover" is one of my all-times faves.  That is one of my "test songs" when I try out a bass in the store.

Jaco:    "Portait of Tracy" is absolute genius.  Who would have ever thought to compose an entire song out of harmonics, and more?  One of the most beautiful songs ever written.  Go on YouTube and see how many players have taped themselves "ATTEMPTING" to recreate this masterpiece. 

Victor Wooten:    I met this man.  I was actually nervous.  This man made everybody get on the ball.  A crazy amount of talent.  I feel he took over where Jaco left off.  I went to a Prince afterparty after one of his shows.  Victor Wooten was in the house.  Prince called him up to sit in.  Wooten was so funky, he had Prince making the "OOOOOOOOOO" face.  Now if you can make Prince go nuts, you are a bad man.


I can go on and on about many other basses, but i would then have to jack this post.  I will not do that.  I feel you on loving the work these men have done.  I just can't choose one though.  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard.
 

[lockslie1]

Bass alone?, I gotta go with Vic Wooten...as Bigfoot Bigthumb stated, I have have also met Vic Wooten on several occasions and he is an absolute monster, and he is very versatile as far as the bass goes. From a few concerts with Dave Matthews band, to Bela Fleck, to gospel albums, to Jaco's big band songs. His version of Donna Lee is crazy too!! If this was for overall musicality then I would go with Marcus, because he plays so many instruments and can basically do a whole album by himself,bass, drums. keys, and horns you name it at a high level of skill with no outside help. Imagine if Jaco was still around though....He would be untouchable.