Archive for November 2010 - Page 6

Tango bass master Pablo Aslan has just released a new collaborative album with Paquito D’Rivera. Tango Jazz: Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center features Aslan as both bassist and musical director during the March 2010 concerts in New York City from which the album is compiled. D’Rivera, who is one of the most esteemed Latin Jazz alto sax/clarinetists in the...

Tech 21 has unveiled their new VT Bass 300 amp, based on their SansAmp Character Series VT Bass pedal. The box, which is rated at 300 analog watts, features two channels that can be dialed in from clean to completely overdriven. You can choose between the two or combine them using the included footswitch. The footswitch also allows for silent...

Q: I wanted to know if you have any advice for players like me who still work a full time 9-5 but want to eventually move to playing professionally. My goal is to session/sideman and teach, but opportunities are harder to come by and I’m having trouble getting my foot in the door. A: Man, it’s a tough biz! A...

When Thomas “MarloweDK” Risell tries out new gear, cool stuff happens. Here’s MarloweDK test driving a MXR M82 bass envelope filter.

Producer/guitarist Daniel Lanois’ band Black Dub has released its debut self-titled album. The 11-track outing features the slick grooves of bassist Daryl Johnson, who seamlessly follows the band as they subtly mix rock, funk, soul, and reggae styles into their own unique sound. The group’s quartet setting allows Johnson to really stretch out with some tasty fills without losing their...

Meet Steve Harris, a bassist from Long Beach, California, and our bassist in the spotlight for November 9, 2010. Bio: A former bar band road dog, I came to L.A. to be a rock star. I did the strip big hair band thing. When grunge hit, I went back to my first love – playing jazz. I now have my...

A new album featuring a bassist, producer, composer Marcus Miller is scheduled for release in early 2011. A Night In Monte-Carlo, recorded in 2008, is a unique-sounding record featuring songs composed and/or arranged by Miller, for a concert commissioned in Monaco. On the recording, Miller leads his quartet and is backed by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. Special guests include trumpeter...

Even Doug Wimbish‘s sound checks are cool. Here’s Doug at Southern Studios in London, back in 1990.

A 1960 Fender Precision bass belonging to the late Bill Black is being sold at the Heritage Auctions Beverly Hills Signature Music & Entertainment Auction, to be held November 13th and 14th. Black, who passed away in 1965, is best known as Elvis Presley’s original bassist, playing with the icon through the 1950s. Black was also a pioneer of Rockabilly,...

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea has teamed up with Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn on yet another supergroup. Albarn reports that the band also includes Afrobeat drumming master Tony Allen and some of his “favorite African musicians will be involved also.” They are mostly done recording an album, though they still don’t have a name. “Flea of course is an...

Sometimes really great bass playing flies under the radar and doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Here is a round up of some indie albums that you may have missed. Artist: Dangered Ace Album: GoTenGo Genre: Hard Rock Bassist: Paul Ranieri The Scoop: Describing themselves as playing the “essence of big band through the power of heavy rock,” Dangered Ace...

Alain Caron is making it look easy in this live solo clip from a Uzeb concert performance. Uzeb was a Canadian band, active from 1976 until 1992.