Archive for March 2011 - Page 8

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Weather Report, by Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter. To help celebrate, the Zawinul estate is releasing Weather Report: Live in Berlin 1975, a comprehensive box set featuring the group’s performance at 1975 Jazzstage Berlin. The CD/DVD set features Weather Report’s 1975 line-up, with Alphonso Johnson on bass, drummer Chester Thompson...

Here’s bassist Aram Bedrosian, performing his solo bass tune “A Dark Light”. For those industrious types, Aram offers notation/tabs of this and other compositions of his on his website.

Les Claypool and Primus have announced a new spring U.S. tour in support of their upcoming album, the band’s first studio release in 11 years. “The album will come out in late spring/early summer,” an update from the band explains, “so expect to hear a whole batch of new songs this tour.” The trek will focus on taking the trio...

Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton is auctioning a 1-hour bass lesson through the website CharityBuzz.com. The auction is set to raise money for the Music and Youth Initiative, which works toward making after-school programs to reach underserved urban youth. The classic rock low-ender, who co-wrote many of the Aerosmith’s hits including his epic bass line to “Sweet Emotion,” is also a...

Stuart Clayton has released his latest bass method book, The Bass Player’s Guide to Scales & Modes, through his Bassline Publishing company. The Bass Player’s Guide to Scales & Modes is a thorough reference manual featuring all the scales, modes and arpeggios, from construction to recommended fretboard patterns. “[This] is a book that I have written in response to teaching...

Progressive bassist Chris Buck is wrapping up a new CD with drummer Virgil Donati and guitarist Brett Garsed, tentatively scheduled for a release this spring. This video was filmed in 2009, with the band performing “3 Crows”, one of the tunes slated for the new album. Buckle up!

Here are the most read, most popular stories and features on No Treble for the week of February 27 – March 5, 2011. 1. Esperanza Spalding and Bobby McFerrin Duet at Grammys Here’s an electrifying clip of Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding with vocal phenom Bobby McFerrin performing at the Grammy pre-telecast ceremony, which they co-hosted. Esperanza’s playing...

Following the Dixie Dregs (or just “The Dregs”), Steve Morse formed his own band with bassist Jerry Peek and Dough Morgan on drums (for a time, until Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein joined the group). The band’s first album, , was released in 1984. That same year, the band performed for the German television show, Live at Ohne Filter, featuring Morse,...

Mark Adams, the bassist from the popular ’70’s Ohio funk band Slave, has passed away. Adams, who co-wrote the band’s first hit “Slide,” was an influence to many budding bassists. Anthony Wellington shared his thoughts: “My very first bass hero/idol Mark Adams (Mr. Mark) died last night,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I remember being inspired by the song...

As Pearl Jam celebrates their 20th anniversary, bassist Jeff Ament is staying extra busy with his side project, Tres Mts. The band, with Fastbacks drummer Richard Stuverud and dUg Pinnick of King’s X, is releasing Three Mountains throughout the month of March, starting with the digital format on March 8th, followed by the CD (March 15th) and LP (March 22nd)....

Dani Weber‘s solo bass work has been featured here before, and this is a nice piece we were recently checking out. Dani is playing his ’86 Warwick Thumb NT with piccolo strings tuned E – G# – B – E.

Chris Tarry has released his latest project, Rest of the Story, a multi-media composition including a 100 page book and CD. The Canadian-born jazz bassist is also a writer, and the book includes his short stories as well as unique art. That’s not to say the music is a side-note, as the nine-track album is full of Tarry’s original compositions....