CDs with heavy, fast bass and/or long drum solos


Due to a variety of circumstances, I find myself in the position of needing to break in the woofers below 80hz of my primary speakers (VSA VR-7s). Any good, well-recoded CD's or points to an existing thread on this would be appreciated

I heard a disc from Norway at RMAF on the 4th or 5th floor of the Atrium tower that was incredible, but can't remember the name of the disc. It was playing pretty loud, so I'm sure a number of others heard it as well. If anyone wrote down the name of that disc, please reply here.

ALso please note - I am not interested in Test discs or warble tones - I want real music.

Thanks a bunch
fplanner2010
Hunter Jennifer Warnes, Maceo Parker Roots & Grooves has a nice Dennis Chambers drum solo lots of bass drum triplets.
Try also Duran Duran Strange Behaviour, Frankie goes to Hollywood, Homage to Duke by Dave Grusin (Harvey Mason on Drums)
I was also going to mention "The Hunter". Also the track "We Belong Together" by Rickie Lee Jones as well as several on Peter Gabriel's "Last Temptation" soundtrack would be useful.

Marty
If you want a truly amazing percussion performance, seek out the Iranian father/son trio's album:

Qalam Kar, by Trio Chemirani

It has all the qualities you are looking for and soundstaging in spades.
Try Marcus Miller M2, trouble is, you won't want to take it off.

Indeed - Nils Landgren "Da Fonk" - on the 5000 miles CD has stupendous bass from Marcus Miller - but be careful it could destroy the small woofers (the voice coils can get very hot on this number as Marcus really lets loose - it may be safer to send those frequencies to a sub).
Check out the first CD of the group the Supreme Beings of Leisure. Also, a CD called (WorldBeat, world music for a new millenium) the song midnight. a Huge continous pounding bass line.
I second MoFi's suggestion of the Sheffield disk. It is available from Acoustic Sounds in both cd and xrcd form.

Following the release of the Sheffield Track Record in 1982, which is one of the two originally direct-to-disk lp's which are included on the cd and xrcd (the other being the Sheffield Drum Record), Harry Pearson proclaimed it to be "absolutely the best sounding rock and roll record ever made." I think that a good case could be made for that still being true today.

Regards,
-- Al
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Kazumi Watanabe - (Mobo I, Mobo II, Mobo III Splash)
Marcus Miller Bass
Will Lee Bass
Omar Hakim Drums
Steve Jordan Drums
Sly Dunbar Drums
Kazumi Watanabe Guitar, Synth

Soulive - (Doin' Something, Steady Groovin')
Killer Organ, Drums, Guitar and Horns

Yellowjackets - (Shades)
Ricky Lawson Drums
Jimmy Haslip Bass
Robben Ford Guitar
Russ Ferrante Keyboards

John Mayer Trio
Steve Jordan Drums (Killer Drum Tracks)
John Mayer Guitar (Killer Guitar solos)
I forgot Jimmy Smith's (w/Stanley Turrentine) "Prayer Meeting". It's an RVG, so some here may disapprove, but I think it's a very fine quality recording of Jimmy Smith organ music, and - if you like this kind of stuff - the program materal is absolutely fantastic.

Marty
I concur with the Marcus Miller suggestions and was going to mention Bela Fleck's CDs (like Flight of the Cosmic Hippo).

BUT, if you want to test the limits of your loudspeaker's bass response and push those woofers, I suggest you run a little S.M.V. through it. "S.M.V" stands for Stanley Clark, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten and their appropriately named 2007 release "Thunder". It's a killer.
One of the strongest low frequency energy I have heard is on the David Bowie track Im afraid of Americans. From Earthling.
hi there-I'm actually a professional bass player..recorded a cd w/ band called Planet X (Quantum is the title)..Myself and Jimmy Johnson-LOTS of insane drumming and bass too..
You could check out Gary Willis-specifically "Actual Fiction"-mixed quite bass hot-killing bassist, and friend of mine, with Kirk Covington on drums..Kirk played w Joe Zawinul (Weather Report) and in Tribal Tech...
THIS is NOT a commercial plug!- I wont make a dime if you decide to buy any of these-just thought you might find of interest-And it seems many posts are on the more traditional side..This is some less known stuff..
ALSO--Wayne Krantz's new cd-Krantz, Carlock & Lefebvre,-insane!-
Keith Carlock is one of the most incredible drummers-with a super huge bass drum sound...Thoroughly recommended..
Mastered by Scott Kinsey-a true genius on the keyboards..Really outstanding..Kinsey was also in Tribal Tech-we play sometimes round the LA area..
Lastly, Avishai Cohen-acoustic (mainly) bassist.."Gently Disturbed"-truly exciting and cutting edge-w Mark Giuliana on drums...Bass sound to die for-very upfront..And great MUSIC more importantly..
Cheers
R
second B fleck --flight of the cosmic hippo and sheffield drum record also holly cole-- jersey girl and soundtrack from the movie crimson tide --also Isotec burn in cd
Don't mean to get the thread off track, but glad to see a professional musician (R) weigh in with some recommendations. I have Planet X Quantum, as well as the Live CD and Moon Babies (?, maybe not the right name). Definitely intense music, with awesome levels of musicianship all around--Holdsworth, Donati, and of course R. I'm a guitar player, but very much into bass as well--all Victor Wooten's stuff, and lately Brian Bromberg. I'll have to check out some of the other things mentioned.
ONDEKOZA: Dotou Banri (Long Journey of the Surging Wave) JVC XRCD2 (SVCD-1027)
Ello Oneprof-
Ah-well, Quantum is me ("R" is for Rufus...Phipot by the way, as you may know from that cd..) and the disc also heavily features incredible Jimmy Johnson...

I also agree the Bela Fleck stuff is cool...I also recommend Bela Fleck w/ bassist EDGAR MEYER...
And on the subject of Edgar Meyer..
His interpretation of Bach' s Cello Suites is fabulous-and plumbs some seriously low frequencies..
Great recording too-on Sony/CBS I think....
Also-as others mentioned...Marcus Miller is always superb...M2 -great-and also check out his "The Sun Don't Lie" cd...Japanese version has bonus track...(Maybe it sounds better too??...I don't know though as i only have the Japanese version!)
ALSO..perhaps of interest-6 String Bassist Anthony Jackson..his work with Michel Camilo's trio is outstanding..He also occasionally employs a low 'A" de-tuning-a whole step below the regular pitch on his B string on many recordings...A huge sound.
Its a little dated-80s production-but Dave Weckl's "Masterplan" cd ( with A.J...) is available cheap on amazon etc..and there's some incredible bass and drum interplay-and two staggering Michael Brecker sax solos--How 'bout that?
Lastly (!!) Eyewitness-Steve Khan's group-feat..A.J. and the most fabulous Mr.Steve Jordan-twenty years before(!!!) he landed the John Mayer gig...
I would recommend "Casa Loco" and "Blades"- (live in Japan...)
Cheers!!
Rufus
The VERY BEST CD recording of drums and bass that I have heard is almost impossible to find. But it is incredibly dynamic.
The tune is called "Boxenkiller".
I am told it was on a Focal Lab sampler CD.
Good luck finding it.
RUSH!! Exit...Stage LEFT!
RUSH-A Show Of Hands! RUSH-All The Worlds A Stage!
Do you live under a ROCK?
It`s RUSH!
For one of the lowest bass and dynamic records try Mickey Hart Dafos. For a driving bass line try Public Image Limited the metal box (film canister).

If the first one hundred DB suck why continue.
Bob
Dafnis Prieto - One of the top 10 (5?) drummers living today. Has 4 releases out with the latest just released; 'Live at the Jazz Standard' is simply amazing!
Try this Burmester sampler with great music and track #10 is where the heavy bass is. http://www.musicdirect.com/product/74752

Good luck
Tower of Power Soul Vacination - Diggin' on James Brown has some great funky bass.
I second Marcus Miller and Anthony Jackson for excellent bass performance. Or if you feel like testing the limit of the woofer, I'd highly recommend Tchaikovsky 1812. Telarc issued SACD with Erich Kunzel and Cincinatti Pops has thunderous cannon fires that will stress test the power amps and woofers.
If you feel like testing the limit of the woofer, I'd highly recommend Tchaikovsky 1812. Telarc issued SACD with Erich Kunzel and Cincinatti Pops has thunderous cannon fires that will stress test the power amps and woofers.

Careful with that one! :)

When it was initially released, on LP in the early 1980's iirc, you could literally see where the cannon shots occurred by looking at the record, from even a foot or two away. On some of the shots the grooves made nearly a 90 degree angle, and the record was untrackable on many and perhaps most systems.

Reviewer comments abounded cautioning people that if they didn't keep the volume down they risked blowing up their speakers, and perhaps the amp as well. There is not only enormous low frequency energy, but enormous high frequency energy as well, during the initial "crack" of the cannon shots.

I think they may have ultimately remastered it and tamed it somewhat.

Regards,
-- Al
Al,

Yes careful is the word. Sony/Philips/Telarc have demoed their SACD's at Audio Engineering Society conventions a few times but only on what is pretty much a full fledged main monitor studio system (capable of continuous 121 db SPL with a good 10 db of headroom). The dynamics are not for the faint of heart.

That disc should have a warning on it!
A lot of good music was released in 1982 to 1984 that has these characteristics. Shadorne mentions Frankie. Second that. I also like the remixes done for Bruce Springsteen in 1984 for "Born in the USA" by Arthur Baker. Also, the 1982 dance mixes of the Clash, including "This is Radio Clash". These have been placed on many of their compilations. Great drums can also be found on Joni Mitchel's "Dreamland" and I love the rhythm section of Midnight Oil on their remixes of the "Power and the Passion".
Thinking about that period of the 80's - and yes Radio Clash on pirate satellite was AWESOME.

I've been thinking about you - London Beat (great bass riff)
Slave to the Rhythm (Hot Blooded Mix) - Grace Jones
Situation - Yaz

If you can get HIBIAS records "Old School Nation" series or look up Grand Twelve Inches by Ben Liebrand then you will find many good extended mixes that have preserved the amazing dynamics that you used to get on the old 12" 45 RPM singles that were prized by me and everyone else during that period.

Good Times - Chic
Super Freak - Rick James
We are family - Sister Sledge
She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult

...but you HAVE to find the 12" remixes - as THESE are the ones with the proper dynamics...remember the albums were often compressed to fit on a 33...

Check out HIBIAS records is a small outfit in Canada dedicated to dance club stuff (they process the bass on old 12" singles and give it a fantastic sound) - so you get the proper dynamics for professional quality systems at night clubs and not the reduced/compressed versions designed to play on ordinary consumer stereos or in a car or on radio...
the great jazz trio-at the village vanguard. tony williams drum kit should take your head off, and give the speakers a workout.
Eryika Badu, Baduism, has deep synth bass and bass drum. I like the music too. That's nice for a change, isn't it?
Tony Williams is awesome - he has inspired a new generation of fantastic drummers like Cindy
1984(?) I sat in front of Tony Williams (Marsellis Bros, Ron Carter, Herbie H.)
Tony Williams could play drums and sound like an orchestra. Incredible.
Checkout - 808s and Heartbreak with Kanye West. The way the system handles track 5 is nice check up.
Shardone, the new Cult - Love reissue has the "She Sells Sanctuary" 12" remastered as well, and....

It does not sound as good as the original 12" remix that somehow I still own, and it is in pristine shape.

I think the vinyl was definitely better back then. This record is 23 yrs old, has seen MANY parties in college and grad school, and then has been in storage for about 19 yrs, and it still sounds great.

Excellent call. Playing this again made me go out and buy some other of my fav 12" mixes and I am shocked at how great they sound:

The Smiths "How Soon is Now?"

Stone Temple Pilots "Sex Type Thing"

Depech Mode "Master and Servant"

The Cult "Rain" - talk about dynamics and bass

good call Shardone
We were playing the Sheffield album that I had just remasterd in DXD format in room 433. We got lots of good reviews from that one
cozzy powell and alphonse mouzon as well as billy cobham all great drum records.

BASS WORKOUT: Uberzone, Idiology.

Nuts. I have ~3000 cds and nothing is this low/fast.
You might like Steve Fisk-999 Levels of Undo, (Fisk is from the instrumental rock band Pell Mell). It has huge low end electronic slabs and convoluted percussion that should give any speakers a workout... strangely, you can get this for around $1 plus postage from half.com or eBay.
Art Blakey records that have Night in Tunisia with long runing times.

Also, Billy Cobham; Spectrum.