Archive for July 2009 - Page 8

Czech bassist Miroslav Vitous, an original member of Weather Report, has released his latest album Remembering Weather Report. The album is acoustic and features Vitous’s original compositions with Franco Ambrosetti (trumpet), Gary Campbell (tenor saxophone), Miroslav (double-bass), Gerald Cleaver (drums) and Michel Portal (bass clarinet). Remembering Weather Report manages to keep with the original, free-flowing spirit of Weather Report’s “we...

Fender has announced the release of a new product: the Kingman Bass SCE. The Kingman is a new spin on the acoustic bass guitar, featuring a Fender Jazz Bass neck and headstock (slimmer by design to facilitate faster playing). The Kingman also includes: a single cutaway that allows easy access to the upper frets special “X” bracing, solid spruce top...

Mr. Big: Raw Like Sushi 1 and 2 re-released Mr. Big, featuring bassist Billy Sheehan, have re-released four albums on 2 CD sets, on the Wounded Bird label. Raw Like Sushi: Live/Take Cover includes hte 1994 release Raw Like Sushi-Live and the EP, Take Cover. Raw Like Sushi-Live!/Take Cover track list: Blame It on My Youth (Live) How Can You...

Marcus Miller takes a solo break during a recent SMV concert at The Olympia in Paris, France (the show was on July 3, 2009). During the solo, Marcus quotes Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” and the Jackson 5’s “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)”, and even grabs the bass clarinet for part of the performance. By the way, we wish...

The Mars Volta have released their new album Octahedron, the fifth studio album by the band and first with Warner Bros. The Mars Volta features bassist Juan Alderete del la Pena, who compliments the band with a dynamic playing style as they explore new artistic aural spaces. There is a 2500 copy limited edition available of the CD with a...

This lesson is derived from Jon Burr’s The Untold Secret to Melodic Bass. Be sure to check out the complete method book in downloadable PDF, Kindle Book and the all-new paperback formats. So far we’ve covered Anchors and Pivots in previous columns. Roots and fifths – the bread-and-butter of the working bassist. Now we start to get into the really...

The California Chronicle has posted a feature piece on bassist Les Claypool. The piece explores Claypool’s dark sense of humor, the formation of Primus, how he chose to play bass, the zen of tractor riding and his new work with Mike Dillon, Paulo Baldi and Sam Bass. The best quote by far is: “Some people do yoga. Some people run....

There have been many videos circulating of bassist Tal Wilkenfeld with Jeff Beck, and we’ve covered a few. This one, a live performance of “Big Block” during the 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago might just be our favorite:

Q: Do you have any tools that you use specifically for practicing? A: The most useful tool I have at my home studio (for practicing and writing) is my Looper! I use the Boss RC-20 Loopstation (but may have to upgrade this year… it’s seen some abuse and is starting to die.. which has made me hyper-aware of how useful...

Ernie Ball is unveiling Ernie Ball Coated Slinkys, their newest addition of Slinky line strings, at this years summer NAMM show in Nashville. A micro-thin layer of enamel coating is applied to the strings to prevent decay and corrosion, according to a company press release. The strings will be available in all of the Slinky line bass set gauges. For...

In celebration of Woodstock’s 40th anniversary this summer, Sony Legacy is releasing The Woodstock Experience, a collection of double CD sets from a variety of bands who performed at the landmark festival. Each set includes the band’s 1969 album on one disc, and their complete festival performance on the other. This is the first time the complete concert recordings are...

In a recent interview with the Seattle Times, Death Cab for Cutie bassist Nick Harmer reminisces about the band’s humble beginning and the years that have gone by since then. From the band “playing for five bucks” and selling $3.00 tapes at shows way back when to playing the Hollywood Bowl this weekend, Harmer has been through it all. Harmer...