James Jamerson Jr, RIP 23Mr2016

[dew002]

James Jamerson Jr. has passed on in Detroit, after lingering illnesses.
Details are forthcoming.
Ralph, Russ, myself, and a few other Motown alumni and friends met at the Mediterranean Grill in Livonia abt 2005 or 06 and James played along with Dennis Coffey and others. He was not feeling well back then.
Will post updates with new info.
Dew

[marv2]

I am so very sorry to hear this. He was a young man. God rest his soul. Condolences go out to the Jamerson Family.

[StuBass1]

RIP James my friend...

[Jerry Oz]

What a year for losing musical artists. For those who appreciate icons in the industry, James Jamerson has impacted popular music and R&B [[arguably) more than David Bowie, Natalie Cole, and Lemmy Kilmister. And that is certainly not meant to be disrespect to those great artists, but had Jamerson had his name on the sleeve of all the albums he impacted, he'd be much more appreciated than he was. That band was as tight as any outfit will ever be and his footprint on it was huge. My prayers go out to his family and friends even as my gratitude goes out to him at this sad time.

[StuBass1]

What a year for losing musical artists. For those who appreciate icons in the industry, James Jamerson has impacted popular music and R&B [[arguably) more than David Bowie, Natalie Cole, and Lemmy Kilmister. And that is certainly not meant to be disrespect to those great artists, but had Jamerson had his name on the sleeve of all the albums he impacted, he'd be much more appreciated than he was. That band was as tight as any outfit will ever be and his footprint on it was huge. My prayers go out to his family and friends even as my gratitude goes out to him at this sad time.

Just for point of clarification...James Jamerson lll [[known as Jr) passed away yesterday. His father, James Jamerson ll was the legendary Motown bassist who revolutionized the instrument, passed away in 1983. James Jr was a fine bassist in his own right and carried on his dad's tradition.

[Jerry Oz]

Just for point of clarification...James Jamerson lll [[known as Jr) passed away yesterday. His father, James Jamerson ll was the legendary Motown bassist who revolutionized the instrument, passed away in 1983. James Jr was a fine bassist in his own right and carried on his dad's tradition.

And that's what happens when you wake up, read bad news, and post before the fog lifts. [[I thought he looked awfully young in the photo that you posted.) Thanks, StuBass. It's still an awful time for his family.

[StuBass1]

And that's what happens when you wake up, read bad news, and post before the fog lifts. [[I thought he looked awfully young in the photo that you posted.) Thanks, StuBass. It's still an awful time for his family.

Understood Jerry...I wake up that way most days...

[dew002]

A snippet from http://www.notreble.com

Very sad news to report today: James Jamerson, Jr. has passed away at the age of 58. A cause of death has not been announced, though he had been ill for some time.

Jamerson followed in the footsteps of his father, the legendary Motown studio musician, as a bassist. In fact, much of his childhood was spent around Motown’s Studio A, where Jamerson, Sr. recorded many of the iconic bass lines we know him for. It wasn’t until his late teenage years that he realized his father’s work affected so many people.
More to this at http://www.notreble.com

[soulwally]

A snippet from http://www.notreble.com

Very sad news to report today: James Jamerson, Jr. has passed away at the age of 58. A cause of death has not been announced, though he had been ill for some time.

Jamerson followed in the footsteps of his father, the legendary Motown studio musician, as a bassist. In fact, much of his childhood was spent around Motown’s Studio A, where Jamerson, Sr. recorded many of the iconic bass lines we know him for. It wasn’t until his late teenage years that he realized his father’s work affected so many people.
More to this at http://www.notreble.com

Anyone remember Chanson, Jamerson Jr's band with David Williams? I have their Don't Hold Back single from 78.

[dew002]

Update via Detroit Free Press

Family members, friends and Motown fans are mourning the death of bassist James Jamerson Jr., who took inspiration from his gold-standard father to become a musical powerhouse in his own right.
Jamerson, who for years battled the spinal condition ankylosing spondylitis, died Wednesday in Detroit. He was 58.
A public viewing will be held 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 1 at James H. Cole Funeral Home on West Grand Boulevard — next door to the Motown studio where his father and namesake, the late bassist James Jamerson, worked in the 1960s as part of the Funk Brothers house band. [[The elder Jamerson died in 1983.)
A funeral service will be held April 2 at a church to be determined, family members told the Free Press

[scatman44]

Folk don't realize how funky that Chanson "Don't Hold Back" track is........

1. The way he plays along David Williams' guitar and the scat!

2. The way he comes in, chromatically, from off the breakdown, sounding just like pops!

3. The reverse octave technique knocks me out!

Him and Williams should have been the West Coast version of Chic [[or were they still in Detroit?). But Chanson as a band, "Don't Hold Back" was one and done! Looks like a classic case of one entity having a more powerful record label than the other!

[drewschultz88]

Jamerson was a great musician and a good friend. I wrote a short article for this blog, and put together a compilation of interview snippets with Jamo talking about the universality of music. He is definitely missed!!!

http://detroitsoulmusic.com/jamerson/

[marv2]

Folk don't realize how funky that Chanson "Don't Hold Back" track is........

1. The way he plays along David Williams' guitar and the scat!

2. The way he comes in, chromatically, from off the breakdown, sounding just like pops!

3. The reverse octave technique knocks me out!

Him and Williams should have been the West Coast version of Chic [[or were they still in Detroit?). But Chanson as a band, "Don't Hold Back" was one and done! Looks like a classic case of one entity having a more powerful record label than the other!

Believe me and a lot of my friends know! I bought the album just for that track [[Don't Hold Back...If It Feels Good Do It!).

[broly]

Believe me and a lot of my friends know! I bought the album just for that track Don't Hold Back...If It Feels Good Do It!).

nice to see the love for david williams, who is definitely on my "rushmore" of guitarists.

it's a shame there is not much footage of him playing, given who he was playing for.

this is the best [[and only) one i found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixAB5m5bpW0

even then, i had to dig into the "bad" videos to see him play that riff on "smooth criminal" to confirm he was using his pinkie as a mute.

i haven't seen many speak of his playing.
i may be crazy but i like david williams more than hendrix