Archive for August 2011 - Page 3

Felix Pastorius (the son of Jaco Pastorius) plays some funky bass with Jeff Coffin and the Mu’tet in this live performance at the Rio Rock and Blues Club in Rio de Janeiro. If you dig that, you might want to check out the group’s new album, Live!.

Avant-garde jazz bassist/composer Mark Dresser has teamed up with vocalist Jen Shyu to release Synastry, an intimate duo album that explores the possibilities of jazz bass and voice. Shyu, who sings in English, Mandarin and Vocalese on the record, says their chemistry is part of what makes the project so special. “When Mark and I did our first session, we...

Fender has released the T-Bucket Bass, the first four-stringer in their Hot Rod Design series. The acoustic bass guitar includes a Fishman Isys III pickup system for amplification, complete with a three-band EQ, onboard preamp and tuner. Finished in a classic three-color sunburst, the T-Bucket features a flame maple top with scalloped X bracing and mahogany back, sides and neck....

Q: I recently had a stolen instrument scare. It got me wondering, what do you and other working professionals do? With all your traveling, I’m sure it’s a small worry in the back of your mind. What do you use to ensure the safety of your gear? Do you have instrument specific insurance or some other option? I think a...

I’ve been listening to a ton of music with the great Jerry Jemmott lately and decided to check out some videos too. This one, which aired on The Late Show with David Letterman earlier this year, made me smile to see the bass legend still going strong. Really strong.

Dio Disciples, a band formed as tribute to the late vocalist Ronnie James Dio, has announced their first U.S. tour. Fronted by singer Tim “Ripper” Owens, the band is made up of alumni from Dio’s band, including bassist Rudy Sarzo, drummer Simon Wright, guitarist Craig Goldy and keyboardist Scott Warren. The tour starts in Poughkeepsie, New York in late September...

Meet Kristoffer Carter, a bassist from Akron, Ohio who regularly headlines solo bass looping shows around Ohio and Chicago. Kristoffer is our bassist in the spotlight for August 23, 2011. Bio: Kristoffer Carter came up through the Cleveland, OH music scene as the touring bassist for ska rockers The Twistoffs, then reinvented himself as a laser-focused pop songwriter. The result...

Upgrading the Lab Rat: Bridge Replacement I have a bass I call the Lab Rat. It’s a really cheap Jaguar knock off I bought to experiment with some ideas I’d been kicking around. I’ve upgraded all the electronics already, and we’ll briefly go over some of that in future articles. I’m on to the hardware phase now, and today is...

A new week, a new question taken from the Player Spotlight questionnaire (open to all bassists, by the way). The question this week: What’s in your gear list? Tell us about your gear! Answer below in the comments, or on our Facebook page.

Here’s a nice inside look at the Peter Erskine New Trio performing “Every Tomorrow” from their new album, Joy Luck. This is the first project between uncle (Peter) and nephew, bassist (and No Treble contributor) Damian Erskine. “Every Tomorrow” was written by the other member of the trio, pianist Vardan Ovsepian. Also cool: bassist Janek Gwizdala filmed this video.

A new documentary about the genre-defying band Fishbone is making its way around the country in select screenings, with a DVD release in the works. Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone follows the band’s career, from their formation in South Central Los Angeles and rise to fame to struggles and their current day affairs. The film focuses much attention on...

3Leaf Audio has released the PWNZOR Optical Compressor, a new high-fidelity design that also nods to classic compressors with a Vintage switch. The pedal’s internal charge pump circuitry turns power from a standard 9-volt supply into 18-volts to provide more clean headroom. 3Leaf also included their new relay bypass system for clickless switching, which automatically switches to bypass mode if...