Weekly Top 10: Jack Bruce at Royal Albert Hall, Avant-Garde Chaos & New Bass Gear

This week’s top bass stories included old school grooves, avant garde performances, and some exciting new gear.

Our most-read article featured a newly released clip of Cream performing “Stormy Monday” from their 2005 concert at Royal Albert Hall. Jack Bruce‘s tone and groove drove the slow blues. “Every nuance of his touch comes through, especially in the quieter moments where the fretless really sings,” Jody explains. “For bass players, this is the kind of clip you throw on when you need a little inspiration.”

Next was a clip unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Angine de Poitrine is a duo featuring a double-neck guitar/bass instrument and drums. As Jody wrote, “The music is microtonal. The outfits are odd. The entire vibe is unhinged and i cant get enough of it.”

The latest edition of Bass Gym by Marek Bero presented a lesson on learning what a bass wants. In the second column on his examination of playing a 1964 Fender Jazz, he realized that slap just didn’t feel right for the instrument. However, the pick was just right. What came out was a killer B minor pentatonic groove with funky hammer-ons on the A string.

Other highlights include the return of Washburn’s Scavenger ’78 bass, Ashdown’s new British-built amp lines, Spector’s one-of-a-kind 50th anniversary bass, and more.

1. Jack Bruce Commands Cream’s Royal Albert Hall “Stormy Monday” in Newly Released 2005 Footage

Jack Bruce’s Warwick fretless and Hartke rig take center stage in this newly released Cream performance of “Stormy Monday” at Royal Albert Hall.

2. Angine de Poitrine Deliver a Bizarre, Microtonal Instrumental Storm on KEXP

Angine de Poitrine bring microtonal grooves, looping textures, and double-neck bass and guitar to a KEXP session that defies easy labels.

3. What a 1964 Fender Jazz Bass Taught Me About Feel, Groove, and Letting Go of Slap

A vintage 1964 Fender Jazz Bass inspired a fresh approach to groove—ditching slap for pick funk in B minor pentatonic with palm muting and sextuplet licks.

4. Washburn Revives the Wing Series with the Return of the Scavenger ’78 Bass

Washburn has revived its Wing Series with the return of the Scavenger ’78 Bass. Featuring mahogany construction and a classic P-style pickup, the vintage-inspired model lands at $699.

5. Ashdown Doubles Down on UK Manufacturing with Four New British-Built Bass Amp Series

Ashdown continues its renewed UK manufacturing push with four new British-built bass amp ranges, including the RBM, OBM, SBM, and PBM series.

6. Bass of the Week: Spector’s One-of-One 50th Anniversary Bass Stuns with Full-Fingerboard Inlay

Built on the NS-5 platform, Spector’s 50th Anniversary Custom Shop bass showcases master-grade maple and a historic inlay spanning the entire fingerboard.

7. Stu Hamm Unleashes the Mayones Comodous 4 “Kirby” in Solo Performance

Stu Hamm shares a solo performance on his Mayones Comodous 4 “Kirby,” delivering melody, harmonics, and signature two handed technique.

8. Jill Scott Tiny Desk Concert Features Standout Bass from Dwayne Wright

Jill Scott’s Tiny Desk performance leans on bassist Dwayne Wright, delivering a deep neo soul pocket on his New York Bass Works Jazz 5.

9. Avishai Cohen Showcases Upright Bass Mastery in Live Trio Performance

Avishai Cohen leads his trio from the upright bass, blending groove, lyricism, and tight interplay in a performance bass players won’t want to miss.

10. Björn Meyer Expands the Language of Solo Electric Bass on “Convergence”

Björn Meyer releases "Convergence", a live-in-studio solo bass album featuring new six-string techniques, real-time effects, and magnetic string experiments.