Quoted from Hazoff:Well the best musicians on this planet are usually, no I take that back are always unknown cause they play music no one wants to hear. Tends to be too complicated and then live just a show off fest. The trio of Victor W. Greg H and Denis C. called Extraction is glorious fusion based album that most people wouldn't like. Geddy with the likes of Geezer and few others are just as talented but chose a different path. I mean how u do u define "better bassist" I'm a bass player, hate slapping can't get into it at all, not needed for the style music I like to play but Mr. Wooten is a master, also bass solos? shouldn't exist in my opinion. I doubt he has my attack however, he certainly doesn't have Geddy's song writing talent for bass lines, Take J Pastorious, no one today knows who he is but most people know Flea, I like Jaco and some of his music but its hardly regular listening then again neither is RHCPeppers, GnR is a hair band from the late 80's to early 90's and they did it well but I doubt they survive the test of time. Rush will.
Well said. How do you even define a great musician - can play extremely fast, can play complex rhythms, never loses the beat, always knows where they are in a piece, can hear a piece once and play it, can adapt to changing time signatures, can play a piece in different keys, can read music extremely well, plays music which people enjoy listening to, plays soulfully, can compose great music, has deep knowledge of music theory, can improvise well, can fit in with many different group play situations...and on and on. Probably nobody can do it all well. Maybe somebody like Herbie Hancock - he could jam with GnR or Rush I'll bet. And no one knows J. Pastorius !! If for no other reason he'll be remembered for the opening lines of Birdland !