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Archive for June 2010 - Page 5

Xiaohe Shi: A Bass Song About Beijing
Bass Videos

Xiaohe Shi: A Bass Song About Beijing

Xiaohe Shi is a Chinese bass player living in Germany. This is his bass song about his hometown Beijing and about how a lot of its history, culture and tradition was lost in the building of the modern big city.

Bass Gear

Gear Watch: The Uni-Stand

Bassist Reginald Means has created a product to help alleviate amp-tilting woes: the uni-stand. Means wanted to develop a device to let bassists easily position their amplifiers to best monitor their sound. He is a machine tool technology instructor and brought his vision to life. After years of prototyping it is now available. “I got tired of bending over and...

Summer NAMM

Leaving for NAMM

Kevin and I are loading up the notreble-mobile with lots of tunes, snacks and a bunch of No Treble stickers and heading south today for the big Summer NAMM show. It is a 10 hour drive (each way!), and it’s a sacrifice we’re willing to make so we can cover all the new bass stuff. If you’re going to be...

Concerts & Tours

Primus Gears Up for 2nd Annual Oddity Faire Tour

After announcing a summer tour, Primus will also be taking part in the 2nd annual Oddity Faire Tour, which is being billed as a “freak show like no other.” The tour is a multi-medium event, including musicians as well as other performers. The acts joining the trio for the trek will be rotating throughout the tour, but Mariachi el Bronx,...

Ask Damian Erskine

Ask Damian Erskine: Saying Less With More

Q: I’ve recently found myself really inspired by guys who play a lot less notes and leave a lot more space in the music, in particular Charlie Haden. I was wondering how you would approach playing less/leaving more space yet still creating a bass line that is interesting, enjoyable and challenging to play? I was also wondering if you thought...

Bass Videos

Keith Horne: Bass Solo on Miles Davis’ “All Blues”

This is the great Keith Horne soloing over the Miles Davis tune “All Blues”. Check out his amazing slap bass technique on that 6-string strung upside down!

New Albums

Mike Watt’s Floored by Floor Announces Debut Album

Punk legend Mike Watt’s supergroup project, Floored by Four, has announced that they will be releasing a self-titled debut album, due out September 28 on Chimera Records. This will be their first recording together, a little over a year after their first live performance. The other band members include Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, former Cibo Matto keyboardist Yuka Honda and...

Reader Spotlight: Dirk McNasty
Reader Spotlight

Reader Spotlight: Dirk McNasty

Meet bassist Dirk McNasty, our player in the spotlight for June 15th, 2010. Bio: As bassist for The Underground Blues Division, I’ve been fortunate enough to share stages with some of my heroes, such as, Chris Duarte, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and Steve Cropper. After years of playing, I’m finally in the band I’ve always dreamed of and couldn’t be...

A Review of “The Stanley Clarke Band”
Reviews

A Review of “The Stanley Clarke Band”

In The Stanley Clarke Band, the great bassist has released a record which is the heir to the halcyon days of School Days, Stanley Clarke and Journey to Love. There are some extended, electric fusion pieces and a range of fresh sounding music. As the title hints, it’s very much a band record: Stanley’s line up features exciting young players...

Bass Videos

Grzegorz Kosi?ski: Mozart’s Turkish March

I’ve seen a few renditions of Mozart’s Turkish March done on bass, but this one is my favourite so far. It is performed by Grzegorz Kosi?ski on his Spector 5-string. This must be very tiring on his right arm to play though as he (for the most part of the song) only uses one finger on his right hand!

New Albums

Ray Riendeau to Release New Solo Album, “Atmospheres”

Eight years since his last solo effort, Ray Riendeau is set to release his latest. Atmospheres will release this summer, after two years of work. The music blends fusion, jazz, rock and electronica and features a big supporting cast, including guitarists Alex Machacek, Nat Janoff, Marco Sfogli, Greg Koch, Jeff Kollman, Ron Jarzombek, Derek Taylor, Rob Michael and Ward Aycock;...

Player News

Esperanza Spalding Re-Invents Young Jazz Education

In a recent article by the LA Times bassist Esperanza Spalding revealed how she is teaching young children about jazz in new and engaging ways with band mate Leo Genovese. She has introduced free jazz improvisation to young children with a Cops & Robbers spin: Leo musician plays a lead, and Spalding tries to catch him – if she succeeds...