Joy and Precious Memories: A History of Pop Music Told Through the Eyes of an Electric Bass Player [CharWalt Publications]
By Chuck Rainey

Chuck Rainey has sat in some of music’s most hallowed chairs over the course of his remarkable career as a first call session musician and a cornerstone figure in establishing the language of R&B bass playing. Thanks to his blessed longevity and photographic memory, he places us in that very seat in his captivating autobiography, Joy and Precious Memories: A History of Pop Music Told Through the Eyes of an Electric Bass Player. At the urging of Rickey Minor, and with the invaluable editing assistance of music journalist Rod Taylor (a Bass Magazine contributor), Rainey made a nine-year commitment to tell his story over a whopping 521 pages (broken into eleven “journeys”), rife with over 100 photographs. The details of his early life in Ohio are recalled vividly, and the book truly takes off when he straps on his first Fender Precision in 1963—a ’61, bought with a Fender 50-watt amp, all for $350, at Dusie’s Music in Youngstown.

From there, the magical bass moments begin to flow: At a regional gig in Cleveland, Chuck runs into “Jamo” (a.k.a. James Jamerson), who offers the use of his amp, beginning their friendly relationship. Moving to New York City soon after, he discusses the origin of his patting the E and A strings to emulate organ bass, and goes into detail about seeing bassist Mervin Bronson use upper-register chords with open strings—something he adopts as a key component of his style. He develops his index finger back-and-forth technique while doing a rock record for the Fugs. He meets and befriends Charles Mingus, who sits in on Chuck’s bass during a King Curtis gig, playing it vertically on a stool! He meets Gotham upright veterans Milt Hinton and George Duviver, who are enthusiastic about the electric bass, and Ron Carter, who at the time is not. He meets a shy Paul McCartney on the Beatles’ infamous U.S. tour in 1965, gets close to Ray Brown while sharing Quincy Jones gigs, and becomes friendly with Jaco in early-’80s New York City.

And then there are the bandleaders and legendary sidemen he encounters on gigs, recordings, and jams: King Curtis, the Beatles, Ike & Tina Turner, Jimmy Hendrix (who does a stint in Curtis’ band), Stevie Wonder, Chuck Berry, Janis Joplin, Louis Armstrong, Harry Belafonte, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Ray Charles, and James Brown (who tries to tell him to pluck a part with his thumb), and of course he relates his Steely Dan saga. Along with tales of the classic albums he played on are lesser known dates, like a killer all-star N.Y. studio players side of Motown covers called The Albino Gorilla [Kama Sutra, 1970], a jazzy Lena Horne album he’s particularly proud of, Ringo’s first solo record, and a London session on which Chuck might have played on Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”!

The enthralling stories continue when Chuck moves to Los Angeles in the early-’70s, including record dates with Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and the Jackson Five session for “Dancing Machine,” as well as film and TV scores with guitarist Tommy Tedesco. Chuck also establishes his educational side through his stint at B.I.T. and his method book. Post-L.A., we follow him to Texas, Florida, Colorado, back to both L.A. and N.Y., and to his current home turf outside of Dallas. All of his solo records are recounted, too (including the debacle behind his debut, The Chuck Rainey Coalition). Like many, Chuck’s journey is littered with financial, marital, and (later-in-life) health problems. Friends rip him off. Yet throughout, Chuck displays a tremendous amount of humility, accountability, positivity, gratitude, and an indomitable spirit that’s both enlightening and inspiring. If you’re a music fan, especially one who plays bass, Joy and Precious Memories is an absolute must read. (CJ)

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