It’s All About That Bass!
Updated: Jul 12
By Tony Anderson — The High Note Insider
The Supreme Six Who Built the Foundation of Soul, Funk, and Jazz**
If the ingredients of a classic R&B or jazz song were a steamy bowl of gumbo, here’s how I’d break it down:
The lead guitar and keyboards are the spices.
The horns bring the protein.
The drums are the okra, binding everything together.
But the bass? The bass is the roux — the heart, the soul, the rich foundation upon which every other flavor depends.
Just like gumbo, the roux sets the tone. It gives depth, warmth, and body. Without it, everything else falls flat.
Today, we’re diving into the histories, instruments, and techniques of six legendary bass players — six “master roux makers” who shaped the sound of classic R&B, funk, and jazz.
I call them The Supreme Six: Larry Graham, Marvin Isley, Bootsy Collins, Verdine White, Louis “Thunder Thumbs” Johnson, and Paul Chambers.
Larry Graham — The Father of Slap Bass
Larry Graham
Larry Graham didn’t just play bass — he revolutionized it.
Born August 14, 1946, he joined Sly and the Family Stone in 1967 and stayed until 1972, laying down the foundation of funk as we know it. Later, with Graham Central Station, he refined the slap‑and‑pop technique that would influence generations.
Signature gear:
Early years: Fender Jazz Bass
Later: Moon Larry Graham Signature Model
His deep, percussive slap paired with sharp popping accents became the blueprint for funk bass. Prince admired him so deeply that he considered Larry both a mentor and a spiritual guide.
Marvin Isley — The Quiet Architect of the Isley Groove
Marvin Isley
Born August 18, 1953, Marvin Isley was the youngest member of the legendary Isley Brothers — masters of gospel, jazz, R&B, and funk.
His bass work in the ’70s and ’80s became the heartbeat of the Isley sound. His tone on classics like “For the Love of You” and “Between the Sheets” was buttery, warm, and unmistakably smooth.
Signature gear:
Fender Jazz Bass
Later: Alembic basses for that round, melodic, slow‑dance‑ready sound
Marvin’s deep‑pocket playing made us fall in love — sometimes with the music, sometimes with whoever we were holding on the dance floor.
Verdine White — The Elegant Fire of Earth, Wind & Fire
Verdine White
Verdine White, born July 25, 1951, discovered the double bass at 15 and studied classical technique before learning electric bass from Louis Satterfield of Chess Records.
Verdine brought joy to the bass. His tone was bright, singing, and melodic — almost like a lead instrument.
Signature gear:
Fender Jazz Bass
Music Man StingRay
Yamaha BB Series
His fast runs, expressive phrasing, and energetic presence helped define Earth, Wind & Fire’s uplifting, celebratory sound.
You don’t just hear Verdine — you feel him.
Bootsy Collins — The Funkadelic Space Bass Commander
William “Bootsy” Collins
William “Bootsy” Collins, born October 26, 1951, launched his career with The Pacemakers before James Brown hired the entire band in 1970.
Bootsy was only 18 when he played on Brown’s iconic tracks:
“Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”
“Super Bad”
“Soul Power”
Bootsy didn’t just play bass — he created a cosmic persona around it.
Signature gear:
Custom Star‑Shaped Space Bass
Early years: Fender Jazz Bass
Later: Warwick Bootsy Collins Signature
On a personal note: in the mid-1970s, my friends and I would sprint to our local record store for the latest Bootsy release. I’d drop the needle on that shiny vinyl and instantly be transported by a sound that was outrageous, rubbery, and cosmically funky.
Bootsy’s influence ran so deep that his catchphrases became part of our daily vocabulary. Instead of saying “yes,” we’d shout, “Yaba Daba Booootsy Baby!”
I went to an all-male Catholic high school at the time. One day, when the teacher asked the class a question, we all yelled, “Yaba Daba Booootsy Baby! ”in unison.
The principal — a respected priest — walked through our classroom later that week, quietly observing us like he was checking for signs of possession. Bootsy had us that funky.
Louis “Thunder Thumbs” Johnson — The Human Power Plant
Louis “Thunder Thumbs” Johnson
Louis Johnson (April 13, 1955 – May 21, 2015) was one half of The Brothers Johnson and one of the most in-demand session bassists of the ’70s and ’80s. His explosive slap technique earned him the nickname “Thunder Thumbs.”
His Music Man StingRay — with its active electronics — gave him that bright, punchy, cutting tone heard on:
The Brothers Johnson’s “Stomp!” and “Strawberry Letter 23”
Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall and Thriller
Louis also played Fender Precision Basses early in his career, but the StingRay++ became his signature weapon. His machine-gun thumb strikes on “Get the Funk Out of My Face” remain some of the most iconic slap bass moments ever recorded.
Paul Chambers — The Poet of the Jazz Bass
Paul Chambers (1935–1969), born in Pittsburgh, became one of the defining voices of the double bass in 1950s and ’60s jazz. As a member of Miles Davis’s First Great Quintet and later the Wynton Kelly Trio, Chambers recorded over 100 albums as a sideman and about a dozen as a leader.
Originally trained on classical bass, he switched to double bass around 1949. His tone was warm, centered, and impeccably pitched. Paul mastered the hard-bop walking bass line — strong quarter notes, smooth voice-leading, and melodic, stepwise motion.
He was also known for his arco (bowed) solos, which were lyrical, horn-like, and technically demanding. These solos often appeared on his own albums and showcased his classical training and expressive depth.
The Supreme Six — Masters of the Musical Roux
So, there you have it — my personal “Supreme Six,” the greatest Roux Masters of classic R&B, funk, and jazz. Just as a gumbo’s roux forms the foundation of its flavor, the bass forms the foundation of the groove.
And these six laid it down better than anyone.
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