Top 10: Jaco’s 60th Birthday Celebration Plus the Best Bass Lessons, Videos and Gear of the Week
Last week we celebrated Jaco Pastorius’ 60th birthday with our own tribute and the most popular Jaco videos we’ve featured here on No Treble over the years. Readers responded with their own stories, making this quite a celebration for the bassist who changed it all, and who we dearly miss.
On the lessons front, Thomas “MarloweDK” Risell returns with his Practical Theory: Improvising over a Minor 7 Chord. This one had bassists buzzing (and practicing) all over the globe. Damian Erskine’s column, Improving Your Sight Reading: A Guide to Better Reading on the Bandstand also made the top 10.
In addition to the great Jaco videos we featured, readers loved three others which made the top 10: featuring Doug Johns, Andrew Gouche and Viaceslav Svedov each doing their thing.
Plus our bass of the week, and some app recommendations for the traveling bassist. Here is our top 10 for the week of November 27 – December 3, 2011.
1. Viaceslav Svedov: “Tom Sawyer” All-Bass Cover
Viaceslav Svedov slows things down a bit (for him) with this awesome all-bass cover of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”, in his latest video. This guy can do it all.
2. Practical Theory: Improvising over a Minor 7 Chord
Today, I’m kicking off a new Practical Theory lesson series, starting with an approach to improvising over a minor 7 chord. In the video below, I demonstrate a solo groove before describing the approach. In jazz, funk and rock, if a solo section consists of a static minor 7 chord, most often the Dorian minor…
3. Improving Your Sight Reading: A Guide to Better Reading on the Bandstand
Q: I’m at the point where I’m handling lead sheets better on gigs, but I sometimes get lost and/or second guess myself, usually resulting in me getting lost. Do you have any tips for becoming a good sight reader? A: Reading chord charts, and especially written notation, is one of the most useful tools you…
4. Useful Apps for the Traveling Bassist
I’ve been traveling quite a bit this year, and I’ve come to rely heavily on a few different apps on my iPad and/or iPhone. I thought I’d share a few of my favorites that I haven’t touched on here already. (If you want to check out my previous recommendations, you can check them out here)….
5. Top 10: The Most Popular Jaco Pastorius Videos on No Treble
We’ve featured a lot of Jaco Pastorius videos in our 2+ year existence. We looked back at the top ones based on views, to come up with this special Top 10 list, in honor of Jaco’s 60th birthday today. Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts below. 1. Jaco Pastorius: Unreleased “Teen Town” Live…
6. Jaco at 60: Remembering the Legend
Sixty years ago today, the world’s greatest bass player was born. Jaco Pastorius didn’t start out that way, following his father’s footsteps and taking up the drums. But as luck would have it, he did eventually pick up a bass guitar, and a few years later, he changed the world of electric bass forever. Jaco…
7. Doug Johns: “Pocket Fulla Nasty” – Live
What the world needs is more Doug Johns videos… especially like this one. Here’s Doug with drummer Chris Ceja, performing “Pocket Fulla Nasty” live at CPE Sound in Chicago, IL. The tune can be found on the 2008 release of the same name. Be sure to check out our interview with Doug (after the video,…
8. Bass of the Week: Jerzy Drozd Barcelona
Luthier Jerzy Drozd’s Barcelona design was made in collaboration with famed flamenco bassist Carles Benavent, who spent time playing with Paco de Lucia, Chick Corea and Miles Davis. The bass, named after the city they both live in, is built after Benavent’s unique playing style. “With the help of Carles, I tried to design the…
9. Andrew Gouche: You Brought the Sunshine
Here’s an awesome clip of Gospel bass guru Andrew Gouche, getting funky in church with some serious talent including saxophonist Donald Hayes with Tim Carmon, Gorden Campbell, Vadim Zhilberstein, Jackie Gouche, Tracy Brown, Chris Bolton, Mavuto Carpenter and Theresa Jones. Gouche masterfully backs up each player, building their solos to incredible heights while getting his…
10. Jaco Pastorius Big Band: Three Views of a Secret, Live
One of the greatest tunes ever composed, and no stranger to Jaco Pastorius fans. Continuing our celebration of Jaco’s 60th birthday, enjoy:
