WHO’S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 10 VICTOR WOOTEN

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist’s who are in My “Who’s the Greatest Funk Bass Player” Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, its been Running for a Few Month’s, so if You haven’t already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post’s, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week, This Week is the 10th and Last Artist on the List! 

ARTIST NUMBER 10…………..VICTOR WOOTEN

Victor Lemonte Wooten was Born on 11th September 1965 in Mountain Home, Idaho USA.

His Parents Pete and Dorothy Wooten were in the Military!

Victor was the Youngest of 5 Brothers, they Moved to Hawaii when Victor was Very Young.

All the Brothers were Musicians, and Victors Brother Regi Learned him to Play the Bass at the age of 2 Years.

By the Age of 6, Victor was in a Band, formed by his Bothers which was Called “The Wooten Brothers” 

They Toured Night Clubs and Theatres as a Support Act, they Supported Curtis Mayfield and his Band. 

By an Early Age, Victor had learned to Play the following Instruments: Bass, Double Bass and the Cello.

Before he had Left High School, The Wooten Brothers had been the Opening Act for Various Soul, Funk and Jazz Bands, such as War, Ramsey Lewis, Stephanie Mills,  Maze, Dexter Wansel and The Temptations! 

The Wooten Brothers Released their One and Only Album in 1985!

Victor Wooten was a Founding Member of the Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones in 1990, they Released their Debut Album in that Same Year, it was “Self Titled”

The Band has now Released 14 Albums from 1990 to the Present Day, the Last One being  2012, VW has also been involved with ” 2 Albums with “Bass Extensions” 2 albums with “Vital Tech Tones” and One with “Greg Howe”

He has also Released 9 Solo Albums, between 1996 and 2012,

but the Best Project he has been Involved with, was S.M.V Back in 2008, he Recorded  and Toured with Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller!

Over the Last Few Years Victor Wooten has Won Many Awards for his Bass Playing including “Bass Player of the Year” by the Magazine “Bass Player” in Fact he Won this Award for 3 Years Running, No other Bass Player has Ever Achieved this, he has also won 5 Grammy Awards!

A Selection of Victor Wooten Tracks

The Full Album by SMV… THUNDER

Victor’s Jam Live!



SMV PLAYING THUNDER LIVE, VICTOR WOOTEN, MARCUS MILLER AND STANLEY CLARKE



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WHO’S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 8 MARK KING

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist’s who are in My “Who’s the Greatest Funk Bass Player” Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, its been Running for a Few Month’s, so if You haven’t already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post’s, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week! 

ARTIST NUMBER 8…………..MARK KING

Mark King was Born on 20th October 1958 in Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK.

His Father “Raymond” was a Dairyman on the Island.

Mark King went to the Cowes High School, while at School, he was Encouraged by his Music Teacher to be a Drummer, which he thought, he could make a “Living” out of!

Mark King was in a Band while at School, they were Named “Re-Flex” but his School Life was to come to an early End, when he was 17, when one Day he Turned up for School in a Pair of Jeans, and was Told by his Head-master “that he School days were Over, and he had to Leave!

After this “King” Left Home and Stayed at a Friends House, Sleeping on the Floor!

Within a Couple of Weeks, he had found a Job, Working on a Production Line, but this was Not to Last too Long, when he Found himself another Job, as a Milkman!

At the Age of 19, in 1977, he Left the Isle of Wight and Headed for London, where he Hoped to find a Job in Music!

He found himself a Job in Music, but it was Working in a Music Shop, Called “Macari’s” as he was a Drummer, he had hoped to Sell Drums, but “Macari’s” did not Sell Drums, but he did see they sold “Bass Guitars” so he told them he could Play the Bass!

So he got the Job, of Selling Bass Guitars and Coffee Boy, so after this, Mark king Started to Learn “How to Play the Bass”

By 1979, he had Formed a Band with Mike Lindup and 2 Friends from the I.O.W, Phil and Boon Gould, they called themselves “Level 42”

At One of their earlier Gigs, they were Spotted by “Andy Sojka” who at that time was Head of an Small Independant Label called “Elite Records” they were Signed up, by the Following Year in 1981 “Level 42” were Signed by “Polydor Records”

After a Couple of Single Releases, without any Success, the Song “Love Games” was Released in 1981, and it was their First Top 40 Hit in the UK, it also Marked “Level 42’s” First “Top of the Pops” Appearance!

After this, Level 42 had Several Years of Hit Records in the UK and Around Europe, they also had 4 Hits in the US, the biggest being “Something About You” which Reached Number 4 on the US Dance Chart.

Mark King had also had 5 Solo Albums over the Years, and at Present is back in “Level 42” with “Mike Lindup” still Touring, and there is Talk of a New Album in 2014!

I saw Mark King and Level 42 back in 1984, it was a Great Show, I Suppose this was when “Level 42” were getting Toward’s their Best, Mark King is by Far “The Best Bass Player in the UK”

My Favorite Level 42 Album is Standing in the Light and my Favorite Single is The Sun Goes Down (living it up).

      Here’s the Full “Standing in the Light” Album:

HERE’S “THE SUN GOES DOWN (LIVING IT UP)

LEVEL 42 DISCOGRAPHY

11 STUDIO ALBUMS

8 LIVE ALBUMS

6 COMPILATION ALBUMS

33 SINGLES 

MARK KING DISCOGRAPHY

5 STUDIO ALBUMS

2 SINGLES

HERE’S A SELECTION OF THE BEST OF LEVEL 42

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A BIT OF BASS SLAPPING BY MARK KING

>WHAT’S UP NEXT!!!!!!!

>

As Reader’s of this Blog will know, I generally do a Bi-Weekly Feature on a Different Artist or Band, I went all out to finish these Just before the Christmas Period, I Concluded Bio’s on The Isley Brothers, Maze and Barry White.


I have been thinking of what to do next, on this Blog, I really wanted some sort of stuff that I have not seen on Music Blogs Before!  for Example:

1) A Selection of the Best Music from an Artist or Band, with some Info on the Songs, the Band, the Music etc. 

2) A Compilation of the Best Music from a Certain Record Label, say Stax, Atlantic or Salsoul, again with Info on the Band/Artist and the Tracks!


3) A Selection of “The Best Of”,  Sax Players, Bass Guitarists or Drummers! 

4) Bio’s on Certain Producer’s,  Jam and Lewis, Willie Mitchell or George Clinton!


Anyway thats a few of my Ideas (perhaps you have an idea!), I shall start One or the other Subjects this Week, in Time for the Next Musical Section/Week of this Blog!


Here’s some Stax Stuff! this maybe the way I’m Going!
http://assets.mixpod.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=75162051&path=2011/01/09

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