[neekomax]

I'll make you sorry you asked... 

Mine are a little sampler of what I've been listening to lately, so they're all over the map. I'm really into bass that's palpable in your body, but is clean and tasteful. I'm giving Spotify links here for each, as I think that streaming it to your system is the best way to discover new music without having to listen through computer speakers. Airfoil, people!

1. Pretty much any track off of "The Interlochen Concert" by Peter Erskine (drums), Alan Pasqua (piano), and Derek Oles (bass). Fabulous bass recording throughout. If you want to know if your system is tight, see how it deals with the pedal tone the bass plays when it comes in after the first minute of "Autumn Rose".

http://open.spotify.com/track/1crlIRZ6E3fzekEtbsSAX0

2. "Rimshot (Intro)" from Baduizm Live, Erykah Badu. Milestone live recording, shows what  just keys, bass, drums, a (phenomenal) lead singer, and 3 backup singers can do in a live situation. Takes balls. The bass here is perfectly present, round, and very tastefully played. Starts with a shout out to Miles Davis, band playing "So What", with the backup singers singing "Baa-du" where the horns should be, as Erykah takes the stage. Awesome.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7wOQ7QVcQtAxcAbCrelhJy

3. "Flashback" by New Zealand electro/reggae/soul collective Fat Freddy's Drop. What a beautiful song... The bass is huge, it'll test your system for sure.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0GjlakfSIGvTZ8DXwumR0r

4. "Baptize Me" from the original cast recording of  the musical "The Book of Mormon". It's a funny, earnest duet full of sexual innuendo about a Mormon missionary baptizing his African crush. The bass comes in after the first minute or so. Great, tasteful playing and a fantastic bass recording,  warm and tight (oops, the sexual innuendo must be rubbing off. Dammit, there it goes again  .).

http://open.spotify.com/track/2PUYJXMvq8e6QoFY6jE5j0

5. One of the best, most overlooked bass players and composers/producers in the world, IMHO, is Me'shell Ndegéocello. Many of her songs have great bass, but two that come to mind are "Dead Nigga Blvd." (Parts 1 & 2, same groove) on the album "Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape", and "Good Intentions" from the album "Comfort Woman"

http://open.spotify.com/track/3ctabarwHgGd8htNAwCnqD

http://open.spotify.com/track/6RO88UVLwHYGsOY3zpUMGq

6. "Forget About It", Alison Krause & Union Station, Live (Disc 1). Another unforgettable bass drop, I try and listen to this when evaluating other peoples' systems for bass output, balance, and quality. This is proabably one of those 'audiophile' favorites, so you guys probably know it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMmpBsIzaB8

*7. Special mention must be made of the a cappella group Pentatonix's cover of "Somebody that I Used to Know" (Gotye). I know, there are a gazillion covers of this overplayed song, but the 'bass player' in this group (and he deserves the title) does a bassline with his voice that is UNBELIEVABLE. Here it is on YouTube. Listen with cans or on a real system, you will literally not comprehend what you're hearing. They also claim this was recorded in a live take. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOKuAigsrec

[Geardaddy]

Christian McBride
Renaud Garcia-Fons

[Chazro]

Lot's of great picks so far.  Allow me to throw out a few! 

So many favorites in so many genre's but I'll pick a couple of Fusion Jazz basstronauts!

I saw Rob Wasserman's name before.  He actually did a Fusion date playing a 6-string upright electric bass - Cosmic Farm - A fun, solid record, more Rock than Jazz with a fat, deep, & full bass sound.

An old favorite is actually one of the 1st CD's I ever bought in '84!  One of it's many highlights is the bass playing.  Joe Beck - Friends Features Mark Egan on a dbl-neck 4 & 5 string electric bass and Jay Leonhart on acoustic playing together!  Another reason I love this record are the bandmates that I have SO many recordings by; the late Joe Beck, Don Grolnick, and Michael Brecker (RIP brothers).  Add in Leonhart and Steve Gadd and stir!;)  While not being the ultimate deep bass recording, it's absolutely one of the most melodic, a word that should be used more when discussing bass properties.

Front Page featuring Bireli Lagrene, Dennis Chambers, and the great Dominique Di Piazza.  One of a group of bass players that IMO has Jaco-level bass chops.  The thing that separates Jaco from ALL other bass players were his composing chops (IMHO of couse!).  Di Piazza's a monsta electric bassist!

Another monsta electric Bassist from outside the U.S.; Yiorgos Fakanas recorded a record with legendary bassist Anthony Jackson - Interspirit - featuring Dave Weckl, Frank Gambale, Mitch Forman & friends.  Virtuoso bass playing coupled with Fakanas writing ability, I'd say his voicings are reminiscent at times of Frank Zappas Waka-Jawaka/Grand Wazoo days!

One of my favorite Fusion recordings is by Jing-Chi - 3D.  Featuring Robben Ford, Vinnie Colaiuta & the great Jimmy Haslip from Yellowjacket's.  Sounding totally unlike ANY Robben Ford or Yellowjacket record.  The artwork on all 3 Jing Chi CD's is reminiscent of the psychedelic 60's album artwork (think Cream's Disraeli Gears) and the music has that kind of free-wheeling rock jam vibe, great stuff.  Made moreso by the fact that all 3 of these guys are prodigious studio hounds that can, and have, played any style of Jazz and beyond.  Haslip is one of the deepest in-the-pocket bassists around!

Can't go wrong with Christian McBride's Live At Tonic.  Simply one of the greatest bass player's of our or any generation!  He excels on both acoustic and electric, not too many do.  One of my favorite Mcbride recordings was the live record he made with Sting - All This Time, not only for the superior musicianship, the music takes on a a special poignancy when one takes into account that it was recorded on 9/11/01.  The documentary of this concert shows Sting having a group meeting to decide whether or not to cancel the date, and the band played on!

Carles Benavent - Aigua - Extraordinary electric bassist from Spain known for his collaborations with Paco De Lucia & Chick Corea.  The record features Gil Goldstein and Othello Molineaux and has a very Jaco-ish tone.  Much like Hendrix has a signature sound, so does Jaco, and sometimes it's not done well, sometimes it is.  This time it absolutely is!

Another big favorite is Greg Mathieson/Michael Landau/Vinnie Colaiuta/Abraham LaBoriel - Live At The Baked Potato - A fantastic blowing session recorded on a dbl CD allowing all the studio vets plenty of space to shine.  LaBoriel's a master (than again, everyone I've mentioned is!) Sensitivity, dynamics, perfect tone, and comfortable in any genre.  This is a great record!

Whew!  Went way long and that was just me picking a quick handful.  Of course, if you wanna hear the ultimate in melodic/singing bass playing you need look no further than Marvin Gaye's What's Going On featuring the great James Jamerson!

[Chazro]

....I forgot the ultimate thunda thumbs and lightnin' licks bass extravaganza!

SMV - Thunder - featuring Stanley(S) Clarke, Marcus(M) Miller, & Victor(V) Wooten!  Thunder indeed, 'nuff said!;)

[thunderbrick]

If we are talking upright bass, there's some great sounds on Pentangle's self-titled LP.

[FullRangeMan]

Suddenly began to like the double bass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T93WcrvtVj4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCUIiBkwPEY

[kevin360]

I guess the answer to this question depends upon whether it refers to 'the bass' or deep notes. My first entry in this thread addressed the former, but here's a recent favorite example of the latter. This recording is pretty much filled with seriously deep, powerful tones. Several of the songs stand (in my opinion) among the very best Maynard has ever sung.



http://www.amazon.com/Conditions-my-Parole-Puscifer/dp/B005KCGIUY/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1362868092&sr=1-1&keywords=puscifer

You gotta love that the prison number on his shirt has a last sequence of - BR549 (I find it rather funny ).