Anything by Jack Bruce still holds true. Grand Funk with Mel Schacher.

I would have to say that the first Gov't Mule album, "Gov't Mule", is one of my favorites. Allen Woody (R.I.P.) was my favorite player of all-time. Also pick up any of the Cream albums. Can't go wrong with Jack Bruce. As far as simple but effective bass playing, check out "Amorica" by The Black Crowes. Johnny Colt was great at playing for the song. And that is all I have to say about that!

Two words Mark King. He is one of the best bass players on earth. Anything by level 42 is a must is every bass players collection.

I think that the best bassist out there today is Alain Caron, based on his flawless technique and superb musicianship. There are bassists out there who are technical monsters but their lines are just fast crap. Caron's solos would sound just as cool on a saxophone. Check out some of the ballads he plays on "Play".

Must own bass albums:
Aja-Steely Dan
Heavy Weather-Weather Report
Mysterious Traveler-Weather Report (not Jaco, but beautiful album)
Village Vanguard-Bill Evans Trio
A Love Supreme-God
Anything with Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, or Jimmy Garrison on it.

Giants Steps is a must then i would say the first Jaco, A Show of Hands and one Alain Caron album and if you dont now what im talking about go hide yourself!

here's my picks for any rock/metal/"metal genre of the week" aspiring bassists:

undertow - tool (actually every tool album is essential listening for any bassist - paul and justin touch on varying genres while still holding their unique and powerful sound and tone)

master of puppets - metallica (definitely a must listen for any metalhead. "orion" is powerful proof that melody can be an awesome weapon in the heavy metal genre as well as the "wall of sound" approach to playing.)

every black sabbath album (ozzy years of course. geezer is the king of heavy fills and holds his own amongst a sea of ferocious riffs, off the wall drumming and high pitch wailings.)

van halen i and ii (see black sabbath explanation above. michael anthony = very underrated)

self titled - rage against the machine (while all their albums are beautiful examples of hardcore bass attack, i still think this album is on such a higher platform. the bass work is tight and to the point - something sadly missing in a lot of harder music today.)

sound of white noise - anthrax (when you can hear and feel the bass over the mad antics of scott ian and charlie benante, you've got to be doing something right. a definte "must have" in my opinion. frank bello = very underrated)

there's tons of others, but i know i couldn't live without the albums mentioned above.

if you like punk you should listen to any nofx cd but the decline is a must have its 18 min long and extremly crazy

Here is my "must have" albums

Deep Purple, Purpendicular, Roger Glover.
Especially the songs "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" and "Loosen My Strings"

Pink Floyd, Pulse, Guy Pratt. Excellent bass playing. This man set his mark on the music of Pink Floyd.

At last two classics with Queen, John Deacon
The Works "RADIO GA GA" and The Game "ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST"

Svein Erik

everything by black sabbath, ozzy, and cky