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Archive for April 2011

Pete Townshend: “Give Blood” Live, with Chucho Merchan
Bass Videos

Pete Townshend: “Give Blood” Live, with Chucho Merchan

Here’s Pete Townshend and one big band performing “Give Blood” live, with Chucho Merchan on a fretless Steinbergers bass. Also of note is Simon Phillips on drums and David Gilmour on electric guitar. Merchan has performed with the Eurythmics, The Pretenders, Thomas Dolby, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Bryan Adams, Kirsty MacColl, Jaguares and Everything But the Girl. The tune, which...

Phil Palombi Releases RE: Person I Knew
New Albums

Phil Palombi Releases RE: Person I Knew

Bassist Phil Palombi has just released RE: Person I Knew, a tribute to bass legend Scott LaFaro who tragically died in a car crash in 1961. Palombi recruited former Bill Evans drummer Eliot Zigmund and pianist Don Friedman, who was LaFaro’s roommate, to fill out the trio. The ties don’t end there, as Palombi got the unique opportunity to use...

BOSS Releases Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
Bass Gear

BOSS Releases Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder

BOSS has released the Micro BR BR-80 digital recorder, a portable audio station that combines an 8-track multi-track recorder, an eBand for practice, and a live recording mode. In addition to a 1/4” input and 1/8” line-in, the device features a built-in stereo condenser microphone for live to 2-track recording. All recorded material is tracked directly to the SD/SDHC memory...

Matthew Lowrie: Four Brothers Bass Loop Jam
Bass Videos

Matthew Lowrie: Four Brothers Bass Loop Jam

Bassist and Facebook friend Matthew Lowrie shared this video with us. Lowrie is performing (and teaching) Janek Gwizdala‘s “Four Brothers”. Near the end of the video, Lowrie breaks down the melody, if you want to follow along.

Bastian Weinhold Releases “River Styx”, with Linda Oh
New Albums

Bastian Weinhold Releases “River Styx”, with Linda Oh

Drummer Bastian Weinhold has released, River Styx, his debut as a band leader and featuring Linda Oh on bass. The self-funded album was recorded during a one day session in March 2010, in Brooklyn, NY, with Adam Larson on tenor sax, Pascal Le Boeuf on piano/Rhodes and Nils Weinhold on guitar, in addition to Weinhold and Oh. “River Styx reflects...

Marcus Miller To Tour With George Duke and David Sanborn
Concerts & Tours

Marcus Miller To Tour With George Duke and David Sanborn

Marcus Miller will be joining keyboardist George Duke and saxophonist David Sanborn for an extensive U.S. tour starting in Orlando, Florida and winding through the country to end in Hollywood, California. The trio, who will be performing as DMS, promise to bring a mix of funk, jazz and blues to the masses. Each member had crossed paths with each other,...

Understanding the Vintage Ampeg SVT Sound and Dating Your Gear
Bass Gear

Understanding the Vintage Ampeg SVT Sound and Dating Your Gear

Esteban St. James of Von Saint Design is a bass lover like the rest of us, but even deeper his passion lies in vintage Ampeg SVT gear. He sent us Parts 1 and 2 of a 4-part YouTube series he made about the classic equipment. Part 1 deals with what “the sound” is and how to get it, while Part...

Steve Morse Band: Sleaze Factor Live with Dave LaRue
Bass Videos

Steve Morse Band: Sleaze Factor Live with Dave LaRue

Recorded live in Baden-Baden, Germany in 1990, here’s the Steve Morse band with Dave LaRue performing “Sleaze Factor”. LaRue takes some nice solo breaks during this tune.

Electric Bass Method Complete
Sheet Music & Instruction

Electric Bass Method Complete

Bassist and educator David Overthrow has released Electric Bass Method Complete, a comprehensive method book published by Alfred Music Publishing in conjunction with the National Guitar Workshop. The method offers basic to advanced techniques, starting with the basics of the instrument, reading music and building bass lines to intermediate concepts such as using scales, slap and pop techniques, string muting,...

Bud LeCompte Unveils V-Groove Basses
Bass Gear

Bud LeCompte Unveils V-Groove Basses

Bass builder Bud LeCompte has just unveiled a new line of vintage style basses under the moniker V-Groove Basses. The new models include the Nola and Provision basses, available in 4 and 5 string versions. Though custom options are available, the basses come standard with alder bodies and three piece 1/4 sawn maple necks. The fingerboards are either maple or...

Past the Point of Unknowing
Ask Damian Erskine

Past the Point of Unknowing

Q: I tend to hit a wall while practicing over a tune, where I don’t know what else to play. I know you’ve explained some chordal exercises and other ways to expand one’s vocabulary, but do you have any other thoughts about what to play when you just don’t know what to play? A: Actually, yes. We all hit a...

Marcus Miller: Purple Haze
Bass Videos

Marcus Miller: Purple Haze

During a recording of David Sanborn and Friends Super Session in 1998, Marcus Miller (the program’s musical director) showcased his take on Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze”.