Archive for September 2015 - Page 3

Guitarist John McLaughlin and his band the 4th Dimension, featuring Etienne Mbappe (solo, Ultramarine, Zawinul Syndicate) on bass. has released Black Light, an album of eight original tunes. According to McLaughlin, the album “has opened a portal that is neither jazz nor rock, nor Indian nor blues, and yet all of these: it’s an open door. ” Here’s a little...

JHS Pedals has announced the Muffuletta, a fuzz pedal that replicates five classic Big Muff circuits plus an original version without any digital signal processing or emulation. The pedal has four controls: Volume, Sustain, Tone, and Mode. The “JHS” mode is the company’s original take on the circuit and is described as more powerul, less compressed, and the best suited...

Q: What does one do about practice when you just don’t feel like playing and can’t get into it? Do you walk away for a few days or force yourself to play? A: Everyone likely has a different approach, but I have a few things that I try to do before throwing in the towel and taking a break. But...

Abnormal Thought Patterns recently released Altered States of Consciousness, a 7-track collection of instrumental prog-metal that will blow your hair back. The group, anchored by bassist Troy Tipton, also employed a host of guest artists to bolster the release. Today we’re premiering the video for “Synesthesia,” featuring bass wizards Michael Manring and John Onder. Tipton, Manring, and Onder team up...

David Gilmour, best known as guitarist/vocalist for legendary rock band Pink Floyd, has released his fourth solo album, Rattle That Lock, which he co-produced with Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera. Gilmour handles bass on four tracks, while Guy Pratt (session bassist and son-in-law of late Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright) plays on two and double bassist Chris Laurence on one....

We’ve covered the spectrum of bassists here in the Reader Spotlight section. Anthony Cook is one of those bassists who comes to us with a wealth of experience. With 30 years under his belt, Anthony is now keeping busy as a full-time musician – something he says was “not an easy flight, but a determined one.” Here’s his story… Bio:...

Kala is celebrating the fifth anniversary of their U-Bass introduction by expanding the range with a bubinga model. Featuring a 21-inch scale, the Bubinga U-Bass is built using the distinctive wood for its top, back and sides while being rounded out with a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Other features include a rosewood bridge, exclusive Hipshot licensed black anodized tuners,...

Steve DiGiorgio may be known for playing fretless in death metal bands, but he’s a very diverse musician. Check out this clip of the bassist tracking the song “Calling” by Mythodea in the studio. DiGiorgio lays down punchy, melodic bass lines with on a Rickenbacker to give the song some extra drive. The track is available for download from the...

Duran Duran, famed for its 80s pop stardom, 90s resurgence, and love of art rock and Chic, has released its 14th studio album, Paper Gods. Bassist John Taylor told San Francisco’s Radio Alice that the album’s title refers to the “temporary obsessions” most people are guilty of indulging. He also said that work on the record began two years ago,...

This week we’re featuring the work of Aaron “Ray” Ross, a Missouri-based builder who began making basses to supplement his own collection. “I make basses by hand in a VERY modest shop,” Ross explains. “This started when I wanted a fretless bass but could not afford one.” Ross builds each bass by hand with an assortment of materials. His five-string...

Recently I’ve been getting a lot of people asking for recommendations for “good” scale books for the double bassist. This is an interesting subject, as there so many books out there! Furthermore, whether a scale book is “good” or not often depends not on their content, but rather how they are applied. This is why a good teacher and a...

We’re remembering Jaco Pastorius today and listening to the wealth of great music he gave us. Among our favorites is his collaborations with Joni Mitchell. In this clip from Shadows and Light, Jaco, Michael Brecker, Don Alias, Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays kick Mitchell’s “Free Man in Paris” up several notches in this 1979 performance. RIP, Jaco.