Rhythm Sections

[bob g]

Is there a better rhythm section than Baker and Bruce of Cream?

I listened to the live at the Fillmore version of Spoonful through more than half of my six bench top sets tonight. While Clapton gets the spotlight the other two are fantastic. So, who is better?

.

[hamburgerfan]

Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.

[bob g]

Hmm. Good one. I'm not sure if they are better, not that one can say definitively anyway, but a lot of people think that Ozzie is Black Sabbath. Not so, they don't have the 'sound' without Butler and Ward, for sure. And without that 'sound' Ozzie is just another singer.

[rumblefish]

Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor from Tool are pretty bad ass.

Stewart Copeland and Sting were pretty good. Stewart Copeland and Les Claypool in Oysterhead.

The Mars Volta on De-Loused in the Comatorium, they've gone through a few drummers so not sure who it was on the album but Flea was the bassist.

Carter Beauford and Stefan Lesssard from Dave Mathews band are pretty good.

I've always liked Eric Avery and Steve Perkins from Jane's Addiction too.

[rumblefish]

Coheed and Cambria, has always had a really good rhythm section, Even though it's been somewhat revolving.

[Root]

James Jamerson and Benny Benjamin played on TONS of Motown recordings for all of the various artists. Prolific, despite being very short lived, talented, innovative, and tragically unrecognized.

Rocco Prestia, David Garibaldi, and Chester Thompson of Tower of Power. Mind blowing precision and technical prowess.

[Chebass88]

Is there a better rhythm section than Baker and Bruce of Cream?

....

I don't know if I'd say "better", but here are a few rhythm sections I like:

George Porter, Jr & "Zigaboo" Modeliste of the Meters

The Funk Brothers (with Jamerson on bass)

Tower of Power - Rocco Prestia & David Garibaldi (okay, & Chester Thompson too) - "Knock Yourself Out" from "Live & in Living Color" is super awesome. I saw them in Alexandria, VA a couple of years ago. It must have been pretty hot on stage - they pushed the tempo of every song by about 10-20 bpm & played it perfectly. Solid. It helps that they have been playing together for DECADES.

Rodney "Skeet" Curtis & Dennis Chambers on Maceo Parker's "Roots & Grooves" album.

?uestlove & Leonnard "Hub" Hubbard - the Roots (not the current lineup). Always super tight. I saw them play in Philly back in 2005 - wow. Other examples include "Do ya want more?" (a good example of Hub playing some upright), "Jay-Z, MTV unplugged", etc.)

For impressiveness & taste combined - Patrick O'Hearn & Terry Bozzio when playing with Zappa. A great example is the "Baby Snakes" DVD, where O'Hearn is playing a fretless & Bozzio is playing in his underwear. Also heard on the "Leather" album, disc 3, track 3, "The Ocean is the Ultimate Solution".

[Root]

George Porter, Jr & "Zigaboo" Modeliste of the Meters

One guy swings and one guy doesn't. Feels like it's gonna fall apart at any moment, but somehow keeps together perfectly. Jus' plain funky.

For impressiveness & taste combined - Patrick O'Hearn & Terry Bozzio when playing with Zappa. A great example is the "Baby Snakes" DVD, where O'Hearn is playing a fretless & Bozzio is playing in his underwear. Also heard on the "Leather" album, disc 3, track 3, "The Ocean is the Ultimate Solution".

"Ocean" is one of my absolute favorite Zappa adventures. Amazing that you would cite that particular tune...it's pretty obscure.

An interesting story: One time, I was taking a shit in a dive bar (emergency), when Ike Willis came into the bathroom singing "My guitar wants to kill your mama" at the top of his lungs, and peed right next to me on the other side of the divider. It was like my own little concert.

[Chebass88]

...
"Ocean" is one of my absolute favorite Zappa adventures. Amazing that you would cite that particular tune...it's pretty obscure.

An interesting story: One time, I was taking a shit in a dive bar (emergency), when Ike Willis came into the bathroom singing "My guitar wants to kill your mama" at the top of his lungs, and peed right next to me on the other side of the divider. It was like my own little concert.

This is awesome. Only a true Zappa fan would recognize a) the tune, and b), the voice of Ike Willis.

[Joe Murphy]

I'm a little amazed (and disappointed) I get to contribute Entwistle and Moon as my first post. Add to that almost any decent jazz trio... Plus (in no particular order) Jaimoe, Trucks, Oakley and G. Allman and/or D. Allman/Dickey Betts.