Favorite bass solos
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Top 10s and lists
Forum Description: List all your favourites here
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=128742
Printed Date: August 03 2025 at 17:26
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Topic: Favorite bass solos
Posted By: WJA-K
Subject: Favorite bass solos
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 00:28
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The bass often is the least prominent instrument. I know there are exceptions, like how Chris Squire elevated the sound of Yes. But still, it's not often you find bass solos (in my experience at least). What are great bass solos in prog music? You may help me to open some new doors for me!
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Replies:
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 01:10
Here are a few that I can think of off the top of my head, with timecodes for when they start  Weather Report - Teen Town (the entire song basically) Opeth - Advent (9:30) Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy (8:30) Hiromi - Warrior (6:41) Death - Cosmic Sea (2:32) Cynic - Textures (2:25) Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (8:30); very simple but effective Vektor - Psychotropia (4:47); fantastic trade-off solo between guitar and bass Hope this helps! ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: WJA-K
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 01:47
Thank you for that list!
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Necrotica wrote:Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 02:30
No problem! Just remembered a few more as well: Return to Forever - The Romantic Warrior (3:19) Behold... The Arctopus - You Will Be Reincarnated as an Imperial Attack Spaceturtle (1:45) Spiral Architect - Insect (:30) though to be honest, their entire Sceptic's Universe album is basically one giant bass solo Between the Buried and Me - Viridian (:45) ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 03:39
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I like the bass playing by Tony Reeves in Melange by Greenslade, very melodic and atmospheric. The solo starts around the 2 minute mark: ------------- "And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!" "He's up the pub" |
Posted By: Ronstein
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 04:47
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For me the words 'Bass' and 'Solo' shouldn't ever appear the in same sentence! (Ditto for 'Drum')
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Posted By: WJA-K
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 05:00
We all have our preferences!
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Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 07:48
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Jaco Pastorius - Portrait of Tracy Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report) - A Remark You Made Colin Hodgkinson (Back Door) - 32-20 Blues Ray Brown (Oscar Peterson Trio) - Night Train John Entwistle (the Who) - Substitute John Entwistle (the Who) - My Generation John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) - Lemon Song Geddy Lee (Rush) - YYZ Roger Glover (Deep Purple) - Fireball Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) - NIB ------------- 
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 08:03
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Louis Johnson (1955-2015): a former member of the George Duke Band and one half of the Brothers Johnson. |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 08:03
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Allan Holdsworth - Panic Station (my fave) Bryan Beller - Thanks in Advance Evan Brewer - My Itinerery (the entire album) Bass is the main instrument and covers melody, harmony and solos Antoine Fafard - several Yes - The Fish If I think of more they'll be posted. |
Posted By: WJA-K
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 08:28
| Brilliant ones! Thank you. |
Posted By: WJA-K
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 08:32
| Myself, I'd like to give an honorable mention to Anonymus Two, 6'20" to 12'45"" (Focus) |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 09:26
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Great suggestions above! I love me some bass soloing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Many of these are prog extreme metal Funk metal bands often emphasize bass over guitar Infectious Grooves perhaps the most technical -------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 10:19
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 15:34
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Richard Bona has been around forever it seems yet not as well-known as he should be. He's played with everybody, probably most notable would be with Joe Zawinul with the Zawinul Syndicate. |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 15:54
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Geddy Lee : Subdivision Chris Squire : Roundabout/Heart of the Sunrise Hans Peter Matzol (Eloy) Mysterious monolith |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 16:19
| Ralph Armstrong from the Jean Luc Ponty band : Egocentric molecules ( awesome) |
Posted By: Heart of the Matter
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 18:46
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Glenn Cornick: Bouree Pedro Aznar: Eiti-Leda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u6lV9kRJvE" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u6lV9kRJvE |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: March 31 2022 at 19:50
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I've always liked Geddy's bass solo (3:15 - 3:30) in this underrated Rush tune! ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: April 01 2022 at 03:31
| Kasim Sulton on Utopia's 'Singring and the Glass Guitar' |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: April 01 2022 at 04:38
 Speaking as a bass player, I tend to agree but the one that springs to mind is the one from "Ritual" from TFTO.
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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: April 01 2022 at 14:31
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If you're okay with a sax solo, but not a bass solo, you just might be nuts. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: April 01 2022 at 15:21
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Gotta mention, Helmut Koellen's cool bass solo work in the middle of Triumvirat's Mister Ten Percent suite at 6:53 timing into things-love it! |
Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: April 01 2022 at 16:02
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In contention for best facial expressions while playing a bass solo, a young Jonas Hellborg while in the Mahavishnu Orchestra. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: April 01 2022 at 16:09
Posted By: Stressed Cheese
Date Posted: April 02 2022 at 15:12
| I like Ralphe Armstrong's bass solos on Ponty's albums quite a bit, especially on Egocentric Molecules from Cosmic Messenger and The Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea - Part III on Enigmatic Ocean. Both are tucked away in the final tracks on their respective albums, and that always makes for a breath of fresh air after all the violin/keys/guitar workouts on the rest of the album, and for me personally something to look forward to. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: April 17 2022 at 12:41
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That little thing Mike Rutherford does towards the middle of Can-Utility and the Coastliners. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: April 17 2022 at 12:44
   ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 17 2022 at 13:15
I saw that live in 1979 , an absolute momentous solo, Ralphe was groovin' big time, red jumpsuit and sunglasses, a sheer delight. One could see the smile for miles  ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: April 17 2022 at 23:51
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Great responses! One of my all-time favorite bass solos is Jeff Berlin's blazing solo in this song, check out 1:39! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: Hiram
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 03:08
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Pekka Pohjola - Strange Awakening. The solo starts around 3:45. Bass is the manly version of guitar.
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 08:46
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Kurt Barabas on bass.....Boom!
------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 08:59
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Krzysztof Wyrwa of Polish band Millenium ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: The Anders
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 11:18
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Well there's always My Generation... |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 12:59
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the best prog bass solos can be found in jazz-rock/fusion. I am not quite certain which one I prefer, but perhaps this one: https://tinyurl.com/5n7j978y" rel="nofollow - https://tinyurl.com/5n7j978y the bass solo starts at the 3 minutes mark -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 13:06
one of my all-time faves.... ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 13:09
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Hansford Rowe, brilliant line and variation ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 13:17
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The terrific Mick Karn (RIP) , featuring a young Steve Wilson on guitar ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 18 2022 at 13:43
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And one more, the ridiculously talented Percy Jones ! ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: deafmoon
Date Posted: June 06 2022 at 05:28
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I'm not a bass player so don't know enough about bass solos. However, I can give you a few prog bassists that you should check out if you haven't already. Obviously, Chris Squire of Yes. Jon Camp of Renaissance. Ray Shulman of Gentle Giant. John Glascock of Carmen and moreso, Jethro Tull. John Wetton of King Crimson. ------------- Deafmoon |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: June 06 2022 at 06:07
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Al Di Meola - Race With Devil On Spanish Highway ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: June 06 2022 at 06:11
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Something by Jeff Berlin from Bruford's Gradually Going Tornado has already been posted, reminding me that this is one of my favourite bass parts ever (some of which probably qualifies as solo). |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: June 06 2022 at 06:33
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Hellmut Hattler is maybe most impressive not when soloing but when filling the rhythmic space with his grooves. A bit of solo and otherwise impressive bass playing here: |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: June 06 2022 at 07:52
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I even collect albums by my favorite bass players (Miroslav Vitous, Barre Phillips, Richard Davis, François Rabbat, Ahmed Abdul-Malik, Gary Peacock mm...) but can't for the life of me remember such a thing as favorite bass solo. |