Best rhythm section

[the_edski]

I've seen that there have been threads for best guitarists, bassists, drummers, singers, etc. So I thought I would start yet another friendly list/discussion. Who in your opinion makes (or made) up the best or tightest rhythm section of a band? (The standard section would be drums, bass and keyboards, feel free to expand or contract if you wish).

I will start it off with 2 bands.

Fleetwood Mac: Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Flea on bass and Chad Smith on drums.

Discuss!

 

[Nick Danger]

How about an old school rhythm section:

Count Basie Orchestra - Walter Page on bass, Jo Jones on drums and the great Freddie Green on guitar.

Nick

 

[beginish]

The Dead with Billy Kreutzman on Drums, Mickey Hart on Percussion and Phil Lesh on Bass.

 

[JaDo]

Malcolm, Phil, and Cliff

 

[malocchio]

Lionel Hampton All Stars ,Bar-Kays, HI records house band.

 

[i_shaved_something]

Geezer Butler/Bill Ward

 

[oc_in_fw]

John Paul Jones and John Bonham. Enough said.

 

[oc_in_fw]

as to the RHCPs:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr_uHJPUlO8

 

[auk1124]

Deep Purple. Just take a listen to Hush or Kentucky Woman. Great rhythm section.

 

[maxman]

Listen to some old Funk guys if you want to hear a tight rhythm section.
I had a friend who was really into funk. I don't know any of the names, but he showed me how awesome funk could be.

Now, I do know that Stevie Wonder had an awesome rhythm section.
I'll back Zep and Sabbath too.
When I saw Sabbath with the original lineup many years ago I was blown away at how tight they were.

 

[saf]

THe Blues Brothers Band no joke

 

[rushchairman]

Booker T and the MGs

the single greatest rhythm section in the history of rock and roll.

 

[oc_in_fw]

THe Blues Brothers Band no joke

They had some heavy hitters in that group

 

[joshua1970]

so many good ones already mentioend IMO - in *addition* to what's above (I'll second ALL of them! lol)

how about:

Jazz - Ron Carter/John Williams (Miles Davis Quartet) or Eugene Wright/Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck)

Fusion - Weather Report in late 70s w Jaco Pastorius/Peter Erskine on drums

classic rock - Entwistle/Moon (The Who)

prog rock/other - Peart/Lee (Rush) Waters/Mason (Pink Floyd)

R&B/Bay area funk -Rocco Prestia/David Garibaldi (Tower Of Power)

90's rock - Paul D'Amour/Danny Carey (Tool)

metal - Tom Araya/Dave Lombardo (Slayer) or John Myung/Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

punk - Mike Watt/George Hurley (Minutemen), Darryl Jennifer/Earl Hudson (Bad Brains)

post/punk - Christopher Steen & Dave Sandstrom (The Refused) Juan Alderate and John Theodore (Mars Volta) and Dan Auerbach/Pat Carney (The Black Keys)

reggae - too many to name... etc etc etc


we are blessed with some great tune-age!!

 

[wimbouman]

Medeski Martin & Wood

 

[The Knize]

There are so, so many. The Meters come to mind, and I would say that every member of that band was part of the rhythm. Little Feat, maybe.

Every version of the Funk Brothers. Any random James Brown back-up band. Ear, Wind and Fire. The Ohio Players. Tower of Power for sure. Certainly the Blues Brothers back-up band and every other project those folks were involved in. Any random Steely Dan line-up.

Hard to think of Bill Wyman as being that great a bassest, but the Stones have certainly benefited from getting things right in the engine room.

I agree, too many to name for reggae but the Wailers line-up on Catch a Fire comes to mind.

Word re the Bad Brains!

 

[jva59]

Absolutely! Not to mention the Count himself on piano. More recently in reggae and related genres: Sly and Robbie backing just about everyone.

Would the Bass and Drums in a Jazz piano trio count as a rhythm section? If so, Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian with Bill Evans deserve a mention.

How about an old school rhythm section:

Count Basie Orchestra - Walter Page on bass, Jo Jones on drums and the great Freddie Green on guitar.

Nick

 

[jva59]

Bootsy Collins backing James Brown deserves special mention.

There are so, so many. The Meters come to mind, and I would say that every member of that band was part of the rhythm. Little Feat, maybe.

Every version of the Funk Brothers. Any random James Brown back-up band. Ear, Wind and Fire. The Ohio Players. Tower of Power for sure. Certainly the Blues Brothers back-up band and every other project those folks were involved in. Any random Steely Dan line-up.

Hard to think of Bill Wyman as being that great a bassest, but the Stones have certainly benefited from getting things right in the engine room.

I agree, too many to name for reggae but the Wailers line-up on Catch a Fire comes to mind.

Word re the Bad Brains!

 

[joshua1970]

There are so, so many. The Meters come to mind, and I would say that every member of that band was part of the rhythm. Little Feat, maybe.

Every version of the Funk Brothers. Any random James Brown back-up band. Ear, Wind and Fire. The Ohio Players. Tower of Power for sure. Certainly the Blues Brothers back-up band and every other project those folks were involved in. Any random Steely Dan line-up.

Hard to think of Bill Wyman as being that great a bassest, but the Stones have certainly benefited from getting things right in the engine room.

I agree, too many to name for reggae but the Wailers line-up on Catch a Fire comes to mind.

Word re the Bad Brains!

once I posted I instantly thought of -w/o naming names: Earth Wind & fire, WAR (early 70s) James Brown, Sam & Dave, Parliament/funkadelic, Sly & family stone, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters era- WOW!!

spot on w Little Feat & meters... The Roots. just so many epic musicians.

 

[joshua1970]

Absolutely! Not to mention the Count himself on piano. More recently in reggae and related genres: Sly and Robbie backing just about everyone.

Would the Bass and Drums in a Jazz piano trio count as a rhythm section? If so, Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian with Bill Evans deserve a mention.

exactly!!! on all counts -the count as part of the rhythm section, Bill Evan's trio... Sly & Robbie

Bootsy Collins backing James Brown deserves special mention.

HELLS YEAH!

it's Bootsy baby!


and think of the countless rhythm guitarists we are overlooking who are essential parts of some rhythm sections, and those who use keys as such, and other instruments - banjo, horns ad infinitum


2 words: FRANK & ZAPPA