Best of 2015

Robert Trujillo gave us an incredible gift in November – his 6-year effort and labor of love, Jaco: the Film. The award-winning film went on to be the #1 best selling documentary on Amazon opening weekend. The film’s soundtrack was also released, with contributions by the man himself. The busy Metallica bassist also spent time in the studio, working on...

Paul McCartney is still going strong, with a tour this year and some album reissues from The Beatles and his solo efforts. But it was largely the popularity of one of his isolated bass tracks that really got readers’ attention – to the tune of about 60,000 listens – propelling him to the #2 slot in the top 10 reader...

For fans of Geddy Lee – and Rush – 2015 had a lot to offer. The band hit the road for their R40 Tour, re-issued some of their albums on vinyl and released their R40 video. They caused us all a little panic too, with some hint the band might be calling it quits. Geddy was also part of the...

There was a lot of buzz around Marcus Miller this year, starting with his new popular bass made in conjunction with Sire. The news broke at the NAMM show and became the top story tied to the bassist. Our review of one of the models also ranked high. In other gear news, he teamed up with Dunlop for a new...

Leland Sklar is known to many in the bass world – and not just for his impressive career. He’s a terrific human being. Leland was our third guest on Groove – The No Treble Podcast, and was featured here in videos and news stories – with his work with Judith Owen and rejoining Toto. Groove – Episode #3: Leland Sklar...

No surprise here, Victor Wooten once again makes the annual reader favorites list. Victor was our guest for Groove – The No Treble Podcast, which ranked among the top ones of the year. As always, several videos of Vic got lots of views, which ranks him #6 on the reader’s favorite list. Groove – Episode #10: Victor Wooten The Music...

Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris had a busy 2015. In addition to releasing Maiden’s 16th studio album, the bassist took his own act, British Lion, on the road. Fender also updated the Steve Harris Signature Bass this year, which added to the excitement. Iron Maiden: Run To The Hills (Steve Harris’s Isolated Bass) Isolated Bass Week 5 featured one of...

No list would seem complete without the great James Jamerson – who is an annual favorite here on No Treble, for obvious reasons. This year, we enjoyed another one of Jack Stratton’s “visualization” videos, showcasing once again Mr. Jamerson’s genius. We also featured some footage of the master bassist laying it down for Martha Reeves on a 1974 episode of...

One of the regulars here on the annual “Reader Favorites” list is Jaco Pastorius, and you’ll never get an argument from me. This was a big year for Jaco fans, with the release of Robert Trujillo’s new film, JACO, the soundtrack, and some previously unreleased Weather Report material made available. Add to that some great videos, and Jaco makes the...

Sometimes, a bassist makes the reader favorite list without a lot of stories or features. Remco Hendriks is one of those bassists. On the strength of two killer videos shared this year, Remco makes his debut on the reader favorites list, at #10. Remco Hendrix: Funky Fretless Bass Grooves with Double Stops Remco Hendrix has lots of raw talent with...

Damian Erskine’s “Ask” column is the longest running column we have here on No Treble. Every Wednesday afternoon, Damian answers a new reader question (you should send yours in too: [email protected]). Not only is the the oldest column here (333 columns published, and counting), it is one of the most popular. Here are the top 10 reader favorites from Damian’s...

Every day, we share what we think is a great video from the world of bass. For many – including us – this has served as an excellent source of musical discovery. Of the 360+ videos we’ve shared over the course of 2015, these are the 10 most watched by No Treble readers. Enjoy! 1. Josh Cohen: Solo Bass Arrangement...