Bassists - Page 4

Steve Lawson’s new album, Beauty and Desolation, could not have a better title. The completely improvised album teeters between delicate melodies and ominous soundscapes that seem to be a perfect picture of our times. He takes us on this sonic journey with just his bass – and a boatload of gear. Improvisation and being in the moment are key to...

Sad news to report today: session bass legend Max Bennett, who worked with artists ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to The Beach Boys to Frank Zappa, has passed away. He was 90 years old. Bennett grew up between Kansas City and Oskaloosa, Iowa. He had his first professional gig with Herbie Fields in 1949, after which he served in the Korean...

Chris Lightcap has an exquisite new album called Superette that takes his jazz-oriented music in a new direction. The album is named after his new all-electric ensemble featuring Jonathan Goldberger and Curtis Hasselbring on guitars and Dan Rieser on drums. An experiment in sounds, the group is described as exploring “the nexus of of harmolodics, surf, West African music, psychedelia...

Michael Hamer grew up in a house full of music. That, plus the fact that his parents bought him a bass and amp for Christmas when he was 14 set him off on a life-long musical journey. Nearly five decades later, Michael is still at it, performing regularly with two groups. Michael is this week’s No Treble reader in the...

Meet Mark Hopkins, who started out on guitar in 1978. In 2012, he saw the light, switched to bass, and wondered what he’d been doing all those years. He’s collected quite a bit of gear since then! Mark is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: Born in 1963 in Spokane, WA, Mark Hopkins moved...

Agapésoul has just released their sophomore album, Conversations, featuring a host of guest artists supported by a core group of musicians. In the center of that core is bassist and bandleader Darryl Anders. Originally from Florida, Anders grew up in a musical family and picked up the bass after starting on trumpet in third grade. One listen to the monster...

Meet Jonathan Alvear, a student of bass who also spends his time outside of school as a studio and solo bassist. Jonathan is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I’m currently a bachelor bass performance student at Musicians Institute. I play mostly 6 string bass. My specialty is playing looped solo bass compositions as...

Meet Roey Haviv, who keeps busy teaching and playing in Charlotte, NC. Roey has quite the collection of gear, including some basses with both interesting stories and unique features. He’s also a pedal nerd. Roey is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I was born in Israel and moved to the US to continue...

Like the rest of the world, we’re in mourning over the passing of the Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul’s incredible vocal talents put a stamp on her generation while also giving her music a timeless quality that continues to be relevant today. Her career had highs and lows, but she was always a staple of the music world. We’re...

Justin Almquist got a later start on the bass, but he’s a quick learner. He continued his work through college and got into the gear side of things by working at Mackie. Justin is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I had a lot of interest in music growing up, but never played any...