Archive for 2009 - Page 44

Check out this 1998 performance of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters, performing Chameleon. Bassist Paul Jackson is holding down the low end (and the upper register too!) Also on the date: Benny Maupin on sax, Bill Summers on percussion and Mike Clark on drums.

You may remember earlier in July we posted a story about former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones joining a new “super group” with Josh Homme and Dave Grohl. The group now has a name: Them Crooked Vultures. The band has been working in an Los Angeles studio for some time recording an album and plan to make their debut...

Italia Leather Straps is a California-based bass and guitar strap manufacturer, specializing in made-to-order, high-quality leather and suede straps. Italia Leather Straps’ VP Cindi Seville shipped us one of their straps to try out, and I found the quality and comfort to be exactly as advertised. I tried out the “Acorn – Medium Brown” strap (pictured), which is as beautiful...

Behemoth bassist Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski has signed on as an Markbass endorsing artist. Orion is using two Markbass SD 800 heads and Standard 106HF, Standard 104HF and Standard 151HF cabinets for the band’s current U.S. tour, and used Markbass gear during the recording of the band’s new album Evangelion, releasing August 11th. “Markbass gear simply stands out,” says Orion. “What...

Check out Ray Riendeau and his trio burn it up on Charlie Parker’s Donna Lee and Au Privave! The other members of the trio are Dan Tomlinson on drums and Steve Culp on piano. The performance took place at Arizona State University’s Bass Festival, in March 2009.

We already rule the low end, but why not take it down another notch? The Octamizer, a new bass effects pedal created by Aguilar, designed to create a wide range of musical sounds an octave below your original note and give you a “deep organic tone.” The Octamizer features two discreet signal paths for the clean and octamized sounds, each...

Bassist John Goldsby is releasing Space for the Bass on August 11th, and No Treble got an early preview. Actually, I should say multiple previews… I’ve listened to it countless times already. You don’t want to miss this one. Space for the Bass is John’s third CD project produced by his own label, Bass Lion and follows his previous releases,...

Alex Stevens, the bassist for country singer Billy Currington, spent half an hour trapped under wreckage while rescuers tried to save him. Stevens was admitted for immediate surgery to repair a severed artery and nerves in his left arm. He is in Nashville receiving the treatment. Stage collapses on country bassist Alex Stevens According to CBS News, the accident occurred...

One of the most tricky pieces for bass to execute perfectly is Jeff Berlin‘s incredibly intricate version of Dixie. This great execution by Joe Britton is by far the one that comes the closest. Check out Joe’s Youtube channel.

Currently on the gear radar is the Ibanez SRX350NT. The SRX350 features a light ash body – superior for bass due to it’s density and tone, a 3 piece 2 octave maple SRX4 neck with a rosewood fingerboard and pearl inlays, a natural finish, an Accu-Cast B200 bridge, powerful PFR Humbucking pickups and an Ibanez EQB-IIDX 2-band EQ. Specs Neck...

I’m extremely pleased to announce Dr. Donovan Stokes is joining the No Treble team with a monthly column and on an advisory level. Donovan is a bass professor at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. Be on the look out for Donovan’s column, The Low Down with Dr. D, later this month. In the meantime, check out Donovan playing Jimi Hendrix’s...

Assembly of Dust has released their new album, Some Assembly Required, on Rock Ridge Music. Phish bassist Mike Gordon is featured on the release along with Bela Fleck, Martin Sexton, Richie Havens, David Grisman, John Scofield and Grace Potter. You can check out the song “Arc of the Sun” with Gordon on bass (MP3). Some Assembly Required track list: 1....