Archive for 2013 - Page 48

Bassist Jim Joel Santos sent this fun video our way. Jim took the Pee Wee Ellis tune made famous by Jaco Pastorius, and created his own slap bass arrangement of it. We dig it. How about you?

Tom Kennedy newest acoustic CD, Just Play is out today. Bringing together many of the people Kennedy has performed with over the years, the album has a truly all-star cast of musicians. The core band is Renee Rosnes, Dave Weckl and George Garzone along with guests Mike Stern, Tim Hagens, Lee Ritenour, John Allred and Steve Wirts. The CD’s nine...

New for summer 2013, Carvin has added to their bolt-on basses with the PB4 and PB5 Classic Bolt-Neck Basses. The new designs take cues from a classic design while adding a few of Carvin’s own touches, like Carvin’s locking bass bridge, a sculpted neck heel, and newly designed pickup. Specifically, the passive SCP split coil P-type humbucking pickup utilizes a...

One of the things every gigging bassist needs to refine is what they bring to the gig, in addition to their bass and amp (if appropriate). We all have items we might need for gig emergencies and unforeseen circumstances. Showing up to the gig and having an equipment problem is no fun and ultimately it makes you look bad. Everyone...

Our Facebook friend Jeffrey Johnson suggested we check out the work of bassist Miki Santamaria, and we’re glad he did. There’s a ton to like about this bassist.

Veteran bassist Charnett Moffett has released Spirit of Sound, his thirteenth album as a leader and companion to his solo release, The Bridge which debuted in April. While Spirit of Sound is not a solo bass album like The Bridge, it does center heavily on Moffett’s bass virtuosity. The new album finds Moffett building upon the “Harmolodic Free Jazz” concepts...

Mogami Cable announced the Gold Instrument Silent Series of cables at Summer NAMM in Nashville. Offered in straight and 90° angle plugs, the line of cables feature Neutrik Silent Plugs that allow for hot-swapping instruments without causing a pop in the signal. The plugs have an internal switch that automatically silences the cable when unplugged. Cable features include an oxygen-free...

Crank it up! There’s a whole lotta bass right here, including two bonus top 10 lists inside this one. Here are the most read stories and most watched videos on No Treble for the week of July 7-13, 2013. Thanks as always for reading, commenting and sharing. 1. Bass on a Budget: 14 Basses Under $500 Last year around this...

Here’s a video that’s just plain remarkable on so many levels. First, the back story. Bassist Jim Bennett was taken to the hospital on January 1st, 2013, where he was diagnosed with necrotizing pancreatitis and given a 10% chance of surviving. Thankfully, he beat the odds. After he recovered, he realized how important music was in his life. “I did...

Toto has announced their first full North American tour in almost a decade as part of a worldwide trek in celebration of the band’s 35th anniversary. Kicking off July 26th in Belleville, Ontario, the veteran rockers will skip across Canada and the United States before wrapping up on September 14th in Chandler, Arizona. The band’s current lineup includes Steve “Luke”...

Pigtronix has introduced the Gatekeeper, a new noise gate pedal that utilizes J-FET circuitry to eliminate unwanted sounds from your signal path. The pedal is built for simplicity with a Threshold knob and a Release knob to dial in the gate’s settings. Pigtronix states the threshold control offers a wide range combined with superior headroom to offer smooth transient response,...

My friend Dos was the first person to introduce me to the music of Esperanza Spalding, and this was the first tune that made me realize her genius. Taken from her 2008 release, Esperanza, “Precious” is a gorgeous groove that is a perfect blend of jazz and R&B. The bass line is infectious – and fun to play – and...