Archive for January 2017 - Page 7
House of Waters: An Interview with Moto Fukushima
Typically we think of a power trio as guitar, bass, and drums, but House of Waters isn’t your typical power trio. The trio mixes things up with Max ZT on hammered dulcimer, Ignacio Rivas Bixio on percussion, and Moto Fukushima on bass. Fukushima was born and raised in Japan, moving to the United States in order to pursue a jazz...
Rebecca Johnson Band: Bass and Drum Solo
No Treble reader favorite Rebecca Johnson and her band were digging into the Meters classic “Just Kissed My Baby” when the trio decided to give the drummer some. Johnson keeps a steady, supportive groove for Con Settineri before launching into her own impromptu bass solo. Dig it:
Legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios Now Open To Public
Muscle Shoals, Alabama has been a mecca for music lovers ever since it became a hub for the music industry in the ’60s. Now it will have a greater draw as the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios has re-opened as a museum. The studio has been restored to its former glory for tours and will be a working recording facility...
Gogo Tuners Announces Limited Edition Horizon Pedal Tuner
GoGo Tuners is releasing a limited edition version of their Horizon pedal. Limited to 250 units, the new pedal carries the features of the original with a special GoGo Orange colored housing. The tuner is centered around a large horizontal screen with a color display that turns green when you are in tune, red when you are not. It has...
Relative vs. Parallel Minor Scales
Q: What is the difference between “relative” and “parallel” when talking about jazz theory? I hear “relative minor” a lot, but I recently heard someone at school talk about “parallel minor.” A: Good question! First, I’ll take a look at this column I wrote in 2014 concerning modes (and the relative minor). The term “relative minor” refers to the modes....
Woolly Mammals: Cheap Talk
Today we’re featuring the debut video from Woolly Mammals, a Brooklyn-based alternative group that brings the heat. The band, which is fronted by bassist Will Sacks, is described as “the lovechild of Frank Ocean and an N64, infusing electronic soul with strong acid-jazz undercurrents.” Sacks steps out front (and out of the box) for the song “Cheap Talk”, handling vocals...
The Dropkick Murphys Return with “11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory”
The Dropkick Murphys are back with their ninth studio album, 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory, their first since 2013’s Signed and Sealed in Blood. Anchored by bassist/vocalist Ken Casey, the album was influenced by the band’s work with their charity The Claddagh Fund, whose mission statement is to “raise money for the most underfunded non-profit organizations that support...
Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (December 2016)
We closed out 2016 with a month’s worth of great bass videos. Here are the top 10 most watched by No Treble readers in December, 2016. Thanks for watching, commenting and sharing! 1. Julie Slick: Adrian Belew Power Trio “E” Bass Playthrough Back in October, Julie Slick’s playthrough of the Adrian Belew Power Trio’s “B3” blew us away. Now she’s...
The Lemon Twigs: These Words
Seattle’s KEXP is a great source of music, and when I discovered a recent session by The Lemon Twigs, I was knocked out. The band was started by brothers (and multi-instrumentalists) Brian and Michael D’Addario, with Megan Zeankowski on bass. Here’s their tune, “These Words,” which is a catchy one you’ll probably be humming all day after watching the video....
In Memoriam: Doug Evans
Doug Evans, who laid down the low end for punk trio the Didjits, passed away December 28th. He was 53 years old. Evans founded the seminal punk band with brothers Rick and Brad Sims in 1983. They spent much of their career on Touch and Go Records, releasing five studio albums before they split in 1994. Their music proved influential,...
Bass of the Week: Kanzian & Traunsteiner Viennese Five-String Bass
As a double bass player, I love seeing old basses and wondering what stories they could tell. But I also love seeing the creation of new masterpieces, including this Kanzian & Traunsteiner five-string bass. Alex Kanzian and Fabian Traunsteiner are luthiers based in Vienna, Austria that opened their own shop about five years ago. “We are both classically educated violin...
Dealing with Blisters on the Pizzicato Hand
So, you recently acquired a double bass. This is great news! Welcome! Or perhaps you simply resolved that this was the year you got serious about playing and you increased your time at the instrument. Fantastic! Or maybe you picked up some regular gigs! Even better! Either way, this recent positive change in your life will allow you the opportunity...