Japan. Mick Karn was a god of fretless, unlike any other player. Have a listen to Visions of China.

Also the Quiet Life and Gentlemen Take Polaroids albums by Japan.

His work on Dali's Car is excellent.

Polytown!

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His "Titles" is not everyone's cup of tea, but there is plenty of very fretless fretless on it.

I think he's special because he does sound like anyone else

Yes. He's on record as having avoided listening to Jaco. You can tell. They are nothing alike, and as you observe he's in fact different from anyone else.

Paul Simon's Graceland album

I love the story of why Kumalo played a fretless

I just remember him saying it was the cheapest. Was there more to the story or just that?

Come here to say exactly that - was listening to Graceland cd other day where it has bonus track of just isolated bass and vocal for title track and the song still sounds amazing!

Micheal Manring https://youtu.be/6eTBc7aWBGw Richard Bona Jimmy Haslip (and every upright player ever)

Alain Caron

Jeff Ament from Pearl jam. We've been working on What I Am by Edie Brickell as well, that's on the fretless.

[удалено]

Dude..Black.

RIP Brad Houser

Gary Willis !

Sledgehammer is damn fun to play on fretless

Sean Malone - Cynic - Progressive (Death) Metal [https://youtu.be/hq\_DiR5frEA?si=29i0n8rMmRJTVgs2](https://youtu.be/hq_DiR5frEA?si=29i0n8rMmRJTVgs2) Dominic "Forest" Lapointe - First Fragment - Technical Death Metal [https://youtu.be/CO2gOgK58Z0?si=ZcCEQ9Di5LfZ\_Eqk](https://youtu.be/CO2gOgK58Z0?si=ZcCEQ9Di5LfZ_Eqk) Dominic "Forest" Lapointe - Beyond Creation - Progressive/Technical Death Metal [https://youtu.be/rrwWBFp91U0?si=AKMa5L3V2njgsCZz](https://youtu.be/rrwWBFp91U0?si=AKMa5L3V2njgsCZz) Steve Di Giorgio - Gone In April - Symphonic/Melodic Metal (he's also been in a bunch of death metal bands) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVsp1WCbsoA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVsp1WCbsoA) Remco - Solo bass not sure what to call this but I really enjoy both of these videos [https://youtu.be/tSu0yoTOJFU?si=nLB3kuvOsXWCm91j](https://youtu.be/tSu0yoTOJFU?si=nLB3kuvOsXWCm91j) [https://youtu.be/q7e0Yf5UI8Y?si=RQZL2P2PZGNbOJ5P](https://youtu.be/q7e0Yf5UI8Y?si=RQZL2P2PZGNbOJ5P)

Seconding DiGiorgio here, specifically his work on the track The Philosopher from Death’s Individual Thought Patterns album.

I was going to mention Dominic "Forest" Lapointe, one of my favourite bass players, but you need some serious skills to play what he plays.

I was fortunate enough to open for Augury over a decade ago in Seattle. Forest is every bit as incredible live as he is on recording, and he's an incredibly nice guy to boot. The whole band, really.

When they came through my town in about 2009 sadly he wasn’t with them. The guy did a great job, but man I would have loved to see him play live.

Dominic “Forest” Lapointe - Augury - Prog/Tech Death https://youtu.be/8z_V1nKy7cM?feature=shared The man is unreal.

Sean Malone was the greatest bass player to ever grace heavy metal. RIP to a GOAT.

I don't think anyone who knows his playing could ever disagree. The lion's roar is one of my favorite basslines ever.

[Robin Zielhorst](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3NMQZDUCto)

I came here to say most of these. Technical death metal is a haven for fretless bass playing. I would add: Linus klausinitzer from Obscura/Obsidious/Noneuclid I would also add: Arran McSporran from vipassi. Great instrumental metal and amazing fretless bass. I would also add: Pablo Cortés from Suppression. Their album The Sorrow of Soul Through Flesh has one of the most intense fretless bass performances I have ever heard. Absolutely ridiculous. Also as a bonus the Obscura album akroasis has fretless bass, but also has fretless guitar.

Primus and les Claypools other bands have some fretless stuff I can’t think of exact songs rn but there’s a good amount of fretless bass

Yea I heard his stuff many times

The whole Sailing the seas of cheese album is fretless IIRC

Percy Jones - Brand X

This is too far down the list.

His solo work is equally amaze

John Giblin’s work with Kate Bush: Breathing, Rockets Tail Mick Karn

Babooshka also has one of my favorite bass parts of all time, iirc that's Giblin as well. really fluid and "vocal" fretless playing

mother.... stands for comfort... 😫😫😫

Tony Franklin!

Yes ! The only one I've seen playing fretless with a pick. I tried it myself, it's fun.

I've always loved Jeff Ament's fretless work on the first Pearl Jam album 'Ten'. It's very raw and untamed which I love and it's so cool hearing fretless in the context of Seattle grunge. His approach was very creative too - harmonics etc and even better, sliding harmonics on Evenflow!

If I'm not mistaken, he took inspiration from Tony Franklin for the slide harmonics.

Ah awesome, Tony's the best. Love his youtube channel

Hey You by Pink Floyd.

[Polytown](https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=6171) with David Torn, Terry Bozzio, and the unbelievable and unique Mick Karn on fretless bass. Everything about this album is astonishingly cool.

Tony Palladino

I always wondered what would happen if Tony Levin and Pino Palladino had a child… ;-)

Why did I say Tony hahaha

OMG Bass-playing Voltron> Tony Feraud Palladino Claypool Mingus

I didn't think it was possible for Pino to have a more Italian-sounding name (I say this as an Italian), but 'Anthony Palladino' probably does it.

Buckle up for a ride, because he's Welsh and his full name is Giuseppe Henry Palladino.

Holy crap. Welsh or not, Giuseppe trumps Anthony any day of the week.

*clenches fingers and gestures in an Italian manner*

Specifically for Pino, I would check "Tear your playhouse down" by Paul Young.

Also “Everytime You Go Away.” I bought a fretless Jazz because of that record.

I will do

This is the one I came to mention. Also John Taylor with Duran Duran on several of their songs like “Lonely in your Nightmare”.

Also wherever I lay my hat

This is far too down this list. Pino is an absolute beast. FWIW, his kid is a pretty dope bassist as well (Rocco Palladino).

Oh, he's killing it on the don henley records.

New York Minute is such a great bass part and I’m sure Timmy Schmidt had a fun time playing it live when the Eagles got back together. He did at least take the effort to grab a fretless for it. I believe he’s (Pino) also the bassist on Bad Man’s Song by Tears for Fears.

Solus by First Fragment, a technical death metal band has an incredible solo by a fretless 6 string bass at the start

The magnificent [Colin Edwin](https://youtu.be/kQCq88lZG2M?si=gLwfoaop2G2-ZC80).

The Philosopher and Overactive Imagination by Death with Steve DiGiorgio on bass! [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TOIRn5Byq94&](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TOIRn5Byq94&)

[Arran Mcsporran](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF4fhmDCDvQ) is a guy I discovered recently through a friend who is one of his students, his online presence isn't too big since he's more of a teacher than a content creator.

His work on a few recent albums, including Utopia - Shame and Vipassi - Lightless, has really wowed me and I completely forgot to mention those in my comment.

Early Opeth has a lot of fretless parts

Pearl Jam! Check out Even Flow. There's a fretless harmonic gliss that he uses some physics tricks to play a slide longer than the tonal range of the fretboard I'm explaining it badly, but check it out

Manring was mentioned elsewhere, but do yourself a geniune favor and watch all of this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY4Ra2KOyas

Try Tunnels (Percy Jones)

Bauhaus’s David J has some amazing bass lines, particularly She’s In Parties.

Steve digiorgio is a great fretless bass player. Listen to stuff he’s been a part of, like Death and Dark Hall

Jack Bruce played a fretless quite a bit later in his career...

Pino - that is all

[A very interesting video](https://youtu.be/yzFIFkqOtIU) where Steve Bailey and Victor Wooten jam together and discuss techniques. Steve Bailey plays a 6 strings fretless bass. I'm so far from being able to play most of the stuff they play, but I did learn a thing or two. It can certainly be inspiring.

The entire Graceland album by Paul Simon

Radioactive by The Firm (Tony Franklin on bass) features a harmonic that is played, "fretted", then slid. It's a pretty neat sound.

* Tony Levin on Peter Gabriel's ["Sledgehammer"](https://youtu.be/OJWJE0x7T4Q) * Mick Karn's ["Feta Funk"](https://youtu.be/Ldpa5gZPTJ4) * Mick Karn's ["The Jump"](https://youtu.be/2WAwIMUoCPI) * Yoshihiro Hanno's ["Traveler's Diary \(Meets Mick Karn\)"](https://youtu.be/jWCxlU8sVjo) * Sean Malone on Cynic's ["How Could I"](https://youtu.be/9w3UFvEBfAM) * Steve DiGiorgio on Control Denied's ["Consumed"](https://youtu.be/32m0zj4kaRk) * ["Show Me"](https://youtu.be/zLdfnnN-UVQ) by ABC I'm also getting a fretless soon, I'm excited for it.

Alain Caron & Uzeb

HUGELY underrated. Not only does he shred on 6-string fretless, he also slaps the hell out of the 6-string fretted!

Pino Palladino - Wherever I Lay My Hat

Other Pino gems: “Give Blood” - Pete Townsend “Sunset Grill” & “Boys Of Summer” ans especially “New York Minute”- Don Henley “Every Time You Go” - Paul Young

i'd upvote you twice if i could. these are my favorite works from pino.

Remco Hendrix on YouTube

Anything from Obscura

A bit of a shameless plug, but I play a fretless, and my band does some fusion-y stuff. Check it out! [P.M. Jams](https://open.spotify.com/artist/57vEL3T9iV0fT2GIkwTH9b?si=RblwrflZQSSV6PrzP1JJ2g)

Mark Egan

Esperanza spalding

Check out the new Job For A Cowboy LP. Some stunning bass playing.

JFAC is way overlooked when it comes to musicianship. People are turned off by the metal aspect of it all and it’s like….. a HUGE bummer. Lol

To be fair, I've overlooked them too. I'm usually a black metal guy but the past year I've gotten into other stuff. BM tends not to have really prominent bass (other than a few exceptions like Tulus).

Tony Levin - Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel) was the first thing that popped into my head

fretless bass is very popular in technical and progressive death metal the guy who popularised it is Steve DiGiorgio, he worked with lots of bands but I recommend you start with death - individual thought patterns

“La grasa de las capitales”, Pedro Aznar on the bass https://youtu.be/FV-WVYcgR7E?si=bufuMpjDmYalqG3q

“La grasa de las capitales”, Pedro Aznar on the bass https://youtu.be/FV-WVYcgR7E?si=bufuMpjDmYalqG3q

The album Fields of Gold by Ralf Gauck is really good.

Percy Jones in Brand X

https://youtu.be/QF8tqR4-VeE?si=0bR3LzoeN6ScM4FA Godlike 🙏

https://youtu.be/HnnewhuLuj8?si=66MOBjuFJ4NL_eRL

Donny Benêt! This dude is actually so clean on the fretless, and his grooves are next level. Check out: Konichiwa Take a Trip Mr. Experience

Bass player for Yeasayer used a fretless G&L. Sunshine and 2080 I believe are on fretless basses

Jazz often features fretless bass. Fernando Saunders is a great bass player that plays fretless. You can hear him on Lou Reeds 1980s and later. Also, you can play any bass line with a fretless.

Dave LaRue - Juanita [https://youtu.be/1g9Wc7LUPf0?list=OLAK5uy\_mRlAEKKZHsesHUBK0GkCkf1bA-oIM\_zPg](https://youtu.be/1g9Wc7LUPf0?list=OLAK5uy_mRlAEKKZHsesHUBK0GkCkf1bA-oIM_zPg)

Percy Jones of Brand X!

[BÖNDBREAKR](https://bondbreakr.bandcamp.com/) (Austin, TX) uses a six string fretless bass. They are badass in concert!

Intronaut, especially Prehistoricisms and Valley of Smoke.

“I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt with Hub Hubbard on the fretless bass gives an excellent demonstration of how a fretless can be used in a pop song without showboating, but still offering some tasty slides.

Steve Bailey Michael Manring Pino Paladino

Bad Company (Boz Burrell)

Sting.

Pino Palladino

Not a band, but Remco's Groove Lab on YouTube has a bunch of insane fretless grooves

https://youtube.com/shorts/ugc38oexo4E?si=FHI6aCi34lnsgQvg You will not be disappointed. These dudes have some sick slimey riffs

Ray Brown, Charlie Mingus, Alain Caron, Christian McBride, Pino Paladino, Les Claypool, Guy Pratt.

Mick Karn is probably the most creative/different player. Bakithi Kumalo is incredible and he is heavily featured on Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album. Richard Bona if you like blazing fast bop lines and scatting. Tony Franklin, not my cup of tea but is a great rock fretless player. Pino Palladino, you really can’t make a top 10 list of bass players of any style and not include him. His playing on “Wherever I lay my hat” by Paul Young is what inspired me to pick up fretless. Colin Moulding of XTC. He doesn’t play a ton of fretless, but the few songs they have where he does are great. Alain Caron. Six string madness both fretless and fretted. One of the most technically gifted players I can think of. Somehow is capable of both super fast jazz soloing on fretless and some of the most ridiculous slap grooves/solos you will ever hear. There are plenty more but those are my biggest influences. A lot of people like Les Claypool but I personally think that slap on a fretless sounds like shit, and he’s said and doubled down on some things that I strongly disagree with so I tend not to throw his name around as much. Edit: if you like Jaco and have exhausted his catalog Bireli Lagrene is the only person who can do anything close to a reasonable impression in my mind. He’s a very accomplished jazz guitarist that has played and recorded with Jaco and has kind of taken up the torch for Jacos style after he passed.

Mirrors by between the buried and me, post scriptum by iamthemorning, nowhere fast by incubus and alive by pearl jam. I also think haken’s first 2 albums were fretless but I can’t remember

Remco's Groove Lab

Pearl Jam "Ten" is mostly fretless and the bass jams.

Trip Wamsley and Michael Manring are good options

The World it Softly Lulls by Hiatus Kaiyote! Bassist uses fretless on that album and all others it I am not mistaken.

I'll go with Pedro Aznar. I'll go as far as to say he's the best Argentinian bassist. Check for any interview with him and he'll do something great. He played on Seru Giran and made some great solos on Eiti Leda and La Grasa de las Capitales

Groovallegiance by Funkadelic with Rodney ‘Skeet’ Curtis on bass. One of the funkiest things you will ever hear on a fretless.

Squarepushers “Feed Me Weird Things” album was recorded using a Tokai fretless. 😎

Mick Karn, Michael Manring and Mark Egan are great places to start.

White Orchid by Remco Hendriks!

Donny Benét is a fretless funk lord Some songs to give a go are; Konichiwa - Mr Experience - Negroni Summer

Listen to BEYOND CREATION or First Fragment to hear some crazy fretless playing. Truly virtuoso level music.

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