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Archive for February 2014 - Page 7

OoN Releases “Polaris”
New Albums

OoN Releases “Polaris”

Electric bass and bassoon may seem like a strange duo setting, but OoN is proof that the instruments blend quite nicely. The group, which consists of the fabulous Ariane Cap on 6-string bass and bassoonist Paul Hanson, has released their debut album, . Named for the North Star, the album showcases a range of styles, from jazz to rock to...

Flea Makes Statement on Red Hot Chili Peppers Super Bowl Halftime Show
News

Flea Makes Statement on Red Hot Chili Peppers Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Red Hot Chili Peppers received a lot of heat for their performance during the Super Bowl halftime show, and not in a good way. Social media was buzzing after a picture of Flea’s unplugged bass from the show proved the band was only miming to a pre-recorded version of “Give It Away.” After a few days of outrage, Flea...

New Steps Ahead: “Wishing Well”, with Richard Bona
Bass Videos

New Steps Ahead: “Wishing Well”, with Richard Bona

What Richard Bona can do with a bass is pretty much supernatural. Here’s New Steps Ahead performing one of Mike Stern’s tunes, “Wishing Well,” which features Stern and Bona prominently before the rest of the band kicks in. That band also includes Mike Mainieri on vibes, Bill Evans on sax, and Steve Smith on drums. So so good.

Sunn o))) and Ulver Team Up for “Terrestrials”
New Albums

Sunn o))) and Ulver Team Up for “Terrestrials”

Metal drone band Sunn O)))’s collaboration with Norwegian metal/heavy chamber group Ulver, , is summed up in this passage from Drowned in Sound: “This might be the closest you can get to ‘new age’ while remaining a heavily tattooed riff-worshipper.” Bassist Greg Anderson of Sunn O)))’s augmented bass feedback is featured on the “Western Horn” movement of the three-movement record....

Bass of the Week: CG Lutherie Sequel 5-String Hollow Body Fretless
Bass of the Week

Bass of the Week: CG Lutherie Sequel 5-String Hollow Body Fretless

I got a tip to check out CG Lutherie, a French bass builder, and I’m glad I did. The company’s Sequel bass is an interesting take on a hollow body with multiple sound holes on the bass side of the instrument. This 5-string fretless Sequel is built with a black limba body a neck of garapa and rosewood. It’s tied...

Radial Announces Bassbone OD Pedal
Pedals & Effects

Radial Announces Bassbone OD Pedal

Radial Engineering has updated their ToneBone series of pedals with the Bassbone OD, a bass preamp with two input channels and a built-in overdrive. The new pedal builds on the original Bassbone with several new features in addition to the overdrive such as a mute footswitch and the option to keep the effects loop active at all times. Each channel...

Unidentified Flying Project: There is a Dream, with Pino Palladino
Bass Videos

Unidentified Flying Project: There is a Dream, with Pino Palladino

Songwriter Simon Wood Harris has been busy working on a project with some awesome musicians and goals. Described as “the pursuit of dynamic energy, the hope of the edge of perfection and the promise of an insight into the minds of the great musicians,” SWH’s Unidentified Flying Project has put out their first video. “[I] started to consider the idea...

The Funky Knuckles Return With “Meta-Musica”
New Albums

The Funky Knuckles Return With “Meta-Musica”

Jazz fusion band The Funky Knuckles has a true Dallas sound, according to bassist and band leader Wes Stephenson. “It’s the feel for funk, hip-hop and gospel, to which we add the elements of jazz and improvisation,” Stephenson tells The Dallas Morning News. The second album from the group composed of seasoned music industry sidemen (Stephenson has performed with Erykah...

Warwick Unveils 2014 Limited Edition Fortress Bass
Basses

Warwick Unveils 2014 Limited Edition Fortress Bass

Each year, Warwick releases the latest in their Limited Edition series of basses, and this year the company has announced the 2014 Limited Edition Fortress Bass. The model, which comes in 4- and 5-string versions, is limited to only 100 instruments in the world. The bass is built around a swamp ash body with a stunning 3/8″ birdseye poplar top...

Thoughts on “Making It” in the Music Business
Ask Damian Erskine

Thoughts on “Making It” in the Music Business

Q: I’m a bass player in Chicago. I’m 17 and have been playing for 10 years. I’ve always wanted to be a bass player and I always will be. I wanted to ask you about being a bass player in today’s society. When you listen to interviews with older bass players, they say they played in a couple bands, did...

Marcelo Yakko & Stuart Hamm: Arpegius Love
Bass Videos

Marcelo Yakko & Stuart Hamm: Arpegius Love

Bassist Marcelo Yakko sent us this wonderful tune he wrote and recorded on his album, Pulse. As a bonus, the great Stuart Hamm plays on the track as well, including taking a solo. Marcelo indicates through the video which bassist is taking the lead. Such a great tune, with double the bass goodness. Check out more from Marcelo on his...

Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang Releases “Four Foot Shack”
New Albums

Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang Releases “Four Foot Shack”

So what do you call a group with one bass, one guitar, and a beat provided by a tambourine-type thing? You’d call it Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang, composed of Primus leader/bass monster Claypool and guitarist Bryan Kehoe. It’s a departure from Primus’ freewheeling, iconoclastic funk — kind of. Duo de Twang’s first album , is, as you would imagine...