Bassists - Page 107

In a recent interview with the Quietus, Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister revealed how he got his start on bass. Though he was originally a guitar player, a chance opportunity came up with the band Hawkwind after their bassist no-showed. ”I was mediocre at guitar,” Lemmy explained. “I couldn’t play lead to save my life, or yours. I went for a...

Meet Brandon Puckett, a bassist from Linton, Indiana, and our player in the spotlight for December 14, 2010. Bio: I grew up in a small town in Southern Indiana, where at the age of 10 started playing bass. We didn’t have a lot to do living out in a rural area, so also having the luxury of a guitarist and...

Bootsy Collins is reaching out to the community for donations in order to help children play music. The funk legend is asking for dollar donations to his Bootsy Collins Foundation, which is working to get instruments into the hands of children who want to play music. “I am asking my funkateer fans to make a dollar donation (or more) for...

Bass legend Stanley Clarke has started a new role in the music industry as his record label, Roxboro Entertainment Group, unveiled its first two releases this month. Guitarist Lloyd Gregory’s self-titled CD and multi-instrumentalist Kennard Ramsey’s Somos are available now for download from Amazon, with physical copies coming later this month. Though grounded in jazz, the label’s musicians come from...

Deftones has announced their latest fundraiser effort for their bassist Chi Cheng, who remains in a semi-comatose state following an automobile accident in November 2008. The band is offering a new and exclusive remix of the title track from the latest album, Diamond Eyes. The track is available through the One Love for Chi website, for $0.99. All of the...

Meet Keith “KDubbs” Williams, a bassist from San Jose, California and our player in the spotlight for December 7, 2010. Bio: I’m the former bass player for Maranatha Christian Center, San Jose, Ca. (1992-2002). I’ve worked with Ruff House/Columbia/Emi recording artist Keith Martin (toured with MC Hammer in the mid 90’s), and with the Black Panther of Hip Hop, Paris....

The 53rd Annual Grammy Award Nominations are in, and once again it’s been a good year for bassists. Some notable bassists have hit it big this year, including Esperanza Spalding, who is up for Best New Artist, and bass legend Stanley Clarke, whose latest release has garnered him two nominations. This is a historic year for the Grammy Awards, as...

After a month of anticipation, Bootsy Collins has revealed his limited edition artwork, which he labels as “eye-funk.” The two pieces released are labeled “The Monument” and “The Legacy”, both depicting a larger than life Bootsy towering over Cincinnati, with hidden images scattered throughout the scene. The art is numbered and signed by Bootsy, who also adds a “funk mantra”...

Meet Rick Reese, a bassist from Nashville, TN and our player in the spotlight for November 30, 2010. Bio: Born in Baltimore, MD in 1969, Rick has been playing bass for 27 years. His innovative style is a unique blend of jazz improvisation, funk punctuation with driving energy of rock and roll. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Rick...

Percy Jones is one of the definitive figures who carved out a role for the fretless bass and helped establish its place on the contemporary music scene. Best known for his work with jazz-fusion band Brand X, Percy collaborated with likes of Phil Collins and Robin Lumley. Brand X’s early 70’s debut Unorthodox Behaviour established the band as one of...

PBS has just announced bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding has been asked to host a new program, “Find The Beat”. The show’s format will include Spalding joining a group, band or solo musician to explore the roots of their music, cultural connections and music history. “Find The Beat” is a joint venture of PBS and the Corporation for Public...

Bob Cranshaw will be honored at the upcoming “Giants of Jazz” concert to be held in South Orange, New Jersey. The Giants of Jazz focuses on celebrating under appreciated players in jazz, and Cranshaw is surely in that category. In addition to working with legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins on and off for over 50 years, Cranshaw was the house bassist...