Archive for 2012 - Page 111

The big Winter NAMM show kicks off later this week, but the bass gear news started coming early this year. And readers love it. Four of the top 10 stories last week were about gear, and that’s just the beginning. Be sure to follow our NAMM coverage all week — including some updates live from the show. Our most watched...

Jens Ritter has introduced the R8-Singlecut, a new design featuring a single cutaway and bolt-on construction. The new instrument also introduces the luthier’s new C-3-S electronics, an active/passive switchable 3-Band EQ with custom adjustable frequencies and integrated boost, all controllable by the bassist. The new model was debuted with four pieces, and though each has different woods and finishes, there...

GoGo Tuners has expanded their lineup with the debut of The GoGo, the brand’s first pedal tuner. Housed in a metal chassis, the stompbox is colored the orange for better visibility on dark stages. The large, high-definition display follows the company’s signature “Green you’re in, Red you’re Out,” meaning that the display turns green when you’re in tune. The GoGo...

Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee” is just one of those tunes that act as a benchmark for skill. Ever since Jaco’s take on it from his debut album, bassists have been giving it a shot. Here’s a mind-blowing version by University of South Carolina double bass professor Craig Butterfield, playing along with Parker’s original recording. Not only does he nail the...

IK Multimedia will be showing off their new iRig STOMP at NAMM, which the company says is the first stompbox interface for iOS devices. Based on the Amplitube iRig, the interface is compatible with any iOS instrument app and can be used inline with other effects or sent direct to a PA system. The iRig STOMP features an aluminum-cast housing...

Luthier Paul Lairat will be debuting a new model at the NAMM Show, named the Sirya. The radically designed body incorporates five types of wood, as the sides are made of walnut, mahogany, maple and ebony while the body itself can be either wenge, maple and mahogany or maple, walnut and mahogany. The laminate neck then contains four types of...

Here’s one to chill out to on a Saturday afternoon (or whatever time you’re watching this). This video features Turkish singer Birsen Tezer performing “De?irmenler”. Bassist Mümtaz Solmaz sets up the groove with some high-register playing, then takes a solo at the 2:34 mark.

Every once in a while, we miss an important release by a notable bassist. With Tom Kennedy’s latest release, we did just that. Released in October 2011, Kennedy’s Just For The Record is his third album as a leader and features a wide spectrum of music, from bop and Latin, to fusion and funk. Kennedy, who has performed with Tania...

Fender’s Bass Amplification group has introduced two new Bassman heads and four new cabinets in a new Pro Series. The heads include the 300-watt Super Bassman and the 100-watt Bassman 100T. Cabinets include the new Bassman 8×10 Neo, 6×10 Neo, 4×10 Neo and 1×15 Neo. Super Bassman Dubbed the “stadium-level 300-watt tube head designed for the biggest shows and the...

After picking up on some of Victor Wooten’s techniques, Sylvain “Sly” Audet slowly began his own style. While experimenting with double thumbing, the Canadian bassist began what he calls thumbpicking. Audet also incorporates a Kahler tremolo bridge in for some cool effects. Not relegated to being a sideman, Audet has released his own CD, with half of the proceeds going...

Not one to bow to standards, Stanley Clarke and his band made a funked up version of the typically solemn Mingus tune “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” which was originally written in memory of saxophonist Lester Young. This clip was taken from the Heineken Jazzaldia in 2010 and features world-class pianist Hiromi, drummer Ronald Bruner Jr. and keyboardist Ruslan Sirota.

Bassist Charlie Haden and the late pianist Hank Jones teamed up one last time in 2010 to record a new album, nearly sixteen years following the release of their first collaboration, Steal Away. The new album, Come Sunday, is a collection of classic spirituals, hymns and folk songs. The title track is their remake of Duke Ellington’s classic tune of...