Archive for May 2016 - Page 5
Dennis Chambers: Fall Out
Dennis Chambers recorded his album in 2013 with an impressive line up of musicians. Among the tunes on that album is “Fall Out”, which features a nice groove thanks to Chambers and bassist Rossana Nicolosi.
Hatebreed Releases Seventh Studio Album
Metalcore band Hatebreed has released its seventh studio album, The Concrete Confessional. With Chris Beattie on bass, the album’s themes are wide-ranging, covering everything from the dissipation of the American Dream, to being doomed by vices, to experiencing night paralysis. Then there’s “Looking Down the Barrel of Today”: The Concrete Confessional is available on , and as a digital download...
Original Misfits Reunite for First Time in 33 Years
Legendary horror-punk band The Misfits will be reuniting for the first time in 33 years. After years of disagreements and lawsuits, original members Jerry Only and Glenn Danzig patched things up and will perform along with Doyle Wolfgang Frankenstein at Riot Fest in September. “We were never not friends,” Only told Rolling Stone. “We were just adversaries. Larry Bird might...
Making Practice Meaningful
Q: I have a shelf full of instructional books, methods, transcriptions, etc., but I feel like they don’t actually help at all. I just play through things and while I feel like I practiced, I don’t really see how any of that stuff is helping. Any thoughts? A: I know exactly how you feel. It took me a long time...
Alasdair McLachlan: Vulfpeck’s “Conscious Club” Bass Playthrough and Transcription
Alasdair McLachlan shared this video and transcription with us of Vulfpeck’s tune “Conscious Club”, which appeared on the band’s 2015 release, Thill of the Arts. “I’m sure we all have a mutual love of Vulfpeck and Joe Dart,” he shared. “This one was a challenge to learn. Joe Dart is groovy and lightning fast, this track is a workout. Hope...
Pat Metheny Releases Music from DVD with His Unity Group
Jazz guitar great Pat Metheny’s Unity Group has released The Unity Sessions, the CD version of a filmed performance by the group recently released on DVD. The two-CD set features 13 songs and the bass work of past Thelonius Monk competition winner Ben Williams, who also has a solo career. “Ben has a fearless and open-minded approach to what music...
Reader Spotlight: Tom Sinnett
Meet Tom Sinnett, a bassist living in London, doing the music (and the coffee) thing. Tom is a man of many styles, as you’ll see below. He’s our No Treble reader in the spotlight this week, and here’s his story… Bio: I’m a bassist/composer/teacher, originally from Wales but now based in London. I started out at 14 playing rock and...
Grateful Dead Set Gives Classic 1978 Show an Official Release
A show from one of the The Grateful Dead’s earliest stands at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre has finally received an official release as a three-CD set after circulating among fans for decades. As always, Phil Lesh holds down the low end on the set, simply called Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, 7/8/78. The show’s audio is pulled from the Betty...
Steven Blasini: Sound Chaser Play-Along
Steven Blasini, aka BlasiniBass, sent me this video of him playing through to the Yes tune, “Sound Chaser”. Not only did he nail it, he played it on a Epiphone Viola strung with flat wound strings! “The following is for HARD CORE YES fans only,” he shared “I had been avoiding it all this time because it’s so damn complex...
In Memoriam: Jane Little
Double bassist Jane Little, who was the longest tenured orchestra member in the world, passed away on May 14th doing what she loved: playing bass. In a bittersweet twist of fate, the 87-year-old collapsed during an encore performance with the Atlanta Symphony during the song, “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” Little served in the orchestra for over seven decades....
Bass of the Week: Fede Caceres Luthier El Cabure
This week we’re taking a look at a bass called El Cabure by Argentinian luthier Fede Caceres. The curvaceous four-stringer features some interesting wood choices, especially with its flamed eucalyptus top. Its body is made of cancharana, which is a wood native to South America, while the neck is a laminate of cancharana and flamed maple. The ebony fingerboard is...
Keeping Time in Jazz
I love a good bass solo as much, or probably more, than the next person. In the band, however, our most important job is to “keeping time.” Below are a few things we can do in the practice room to help improve our “time” before we get to the gig. Pick a tune you know well, i.e. by memory, and...