The 5: Studio Musicians/Session Players

This Week on The 5:  Brilliant Studio Musicians

You know the songs, but do you know the musicians behind them? Studio musicians play a key role in creating the track that will stand the test of time. Here’s 5 essential session players that made the songs that we all hum, sing or tap on the table to.  In case you’re wondering, yes there will be a part two.

1.  James Jamerson

The greatest bass player of all-time. Jamerson played on just about every Motown hit from 1959 to 1973 and his inprint is felt on all of them. The thunderous bass lines to ‘Dancing In The Street’, ‘Shotgun’, and ‘Uptight’ sound like brand new cars rolling out of the assembly line. Jamerson’s work was so pronounced that the singers would use them as the basis for their vocals. This is best displayed on Stevie Wonder’s classic ‘I Was Made To Love Her’. It’s practically a duet. Check out this remix and you’ll see genius in action.

Jamerson also  did all of the early work on a double bass and later work with a Fender Precision Bass. According to various members of The Funk Brothers, Jamerson recorded the epic bass line to Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Goin’ On’ flat on his back – and hung over. Using just his right index finger, a double bass, and later a Fender Precision Bass, James Jamerson set the standard in which all great bass players are measured.

2.  Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie

You know you’re a bad ass when they name a shuffle after you (The Purdie Shuffle). Even more so when equally badass drummers like John Bonham, Jeff Porcaro are doing variations of the Purdie Shuffle and not quite getting it right (Bonham on ‘Fool In The Rain’, Porcaro on ‘Rosanna’). Here’s a very short list of artists he’s recorded with (he’s appeared with over 3000): Miles Davis, James Brown, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Todd Rundgren, Hall & Oates, and Steely Dan just to name a few. Purdie was Franklin’s musical director from 1970 to 1975 and their collaboration peaked with the ultra funky ‘Rock Steady’. Purdie also left a considerable mark on the classic Steely Dan albums The Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho. The drummer’s drummer.

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3.  Steve Gadd

Best known for his work with Paul Simon – most notably on the hit ’50 Ways To Leave Your Lover’, Gadd has also worked with Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Joe Cocker, Kate Bush, Carly Simon and Jon Bon Jovi, among many others. Gadd’s explosive drum work also highlights the title track to Steely Dan’s pitch perfect Aja album. At one point, Gadd was in such high demand that Frank Zappa used it a basis for a song (‘A Little Green Rosetta’). Whether its rock, jazz, blues, funk or experimental, Steve Gadd can play it all.


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4.  Jim Keltner

If there was a rock n roll version of Zelig, Jim Keltner is it. He was the drummer of choice for the post-Beatles albums and tours for George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon. Keltner’s list of credits reads like a who’s who of the what-what since 1970 working with everyone from Bob Dylan (played drums on ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door), Simon & Garfunkel, CSN, Steely Dan to Rufus Wainwright and Fiona Apple. Keltner was a de-facto Traveling Wilbury (his name was Buster Sidebury), a member of the short-lived supergroup Little Village (which featured John Hiatt, Nick Lowe and Ry Cooder) and was the drummer for The Thorns, another supergroup features power popsters Matthew Sweet, Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge. THE quintessential rock n roll sideman.

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5.  Marv Tarplin

Guitarist Marv Tarplin was Smokey Robinson’s right hand man, supplying the riffs behind some of The Miracles (and later Smokey solo) biggest songs. For The Miracles, he composed the legendary opening riff to ‘The Tracks Of My Tears’, and co-wrote ‘Going To A Go-Go’, ‘The Love I Saw In You Is Just A Mirage’ and ‘My Girl Is Gone’. Tarplin also co-wrote and played on hits for Marvin Gaye (‘I’ll Be Doggone’, ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’) The Four Tops (‘Still Water’) and Smokey’s biggest solo hit, ‘Cruisin’. There was a reason Smokey never recorded or took to the stage without Tarplin – he was the X factor in it all.