Weekly Top 10: Popular Bass Videos, New Gear, Bill Laswell Interview and More
This is the time of the week where we load up a whole lotta bass… aka the weekly top 10. This of course is based on you all, and what you clicked on during the week.
Thanks as always for reading, commenting and sharing!
1. Tal Wilkenfeld: Chelsea Hotel
We think – as do many readers here – that Tal Wilkenfeld is a killer bassist. Now she’s proving she can sing, too. Here she is performing a solo version of the Leonard Cohen classic “Chelsea Hotel”…
2. Janek Gwizdala: “Day Tripper” Solo Bass Arrangement
Last year, the No Treble crew got the chance to check out and visit with all the great bassists at Gerald Veasley’s Bass Boot Camp. One of the evenings included a Beatles tribute concert and While all of them were spectacular, Janek Gwizdala’s solo version of “Day Tripper” absolutely blew me away…
3. Phil Jones Bass Releases BigHead Bass Headphone Amplifier
Phil Jones Bass is now shipping the BigHead, a compact mobile headphone amp designed for bass players. While its primary function is as a bass headphone amplifier, the BigHead has an analog to digital converter and USB connectivity for use as a recording interface…
4. Jaco Pastorius & Word Of Mouth Big Band: “Three Views of a Secret” Live (1982)
On December 1, 1951, John Francis Anthony Pastorius III was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania. A short number of years later, the world of bass was forever changed. We celebrated Jaco’s birthday with a composition I think is one of Jaco’s finest – if not the finest – of his incredible career: “Three Views of a Secret”…
5. Brice Introduces Defiant 53437 5-String Multi-Scale Bass
Brice has introduced a new multi-scale version of their Defiant model. The 5-string Defiant 53437 stands out with a string scale that ranges from 37 inches on the B-string and 34 inches on the G-string with fanned frets to accommodate the adjustment. The Defiant’s design includes slim, dual cutaway mahogany body wings attached to a…
6. Improving Troublesome Passages: Five Tips for Bass Players
Continuing our series of “Tips” columns, here’s one on breaking down troublesome musical passages, from Dr. D…
7. Bass of the Week: Neubauer Guitars Snow Owl Mazinger Contrabass Guitar
We interviewed bassist Snow Owl earlier this year, and his playing astounded me. His Neubauer custom six-string bass caught my attention, too, so we’re featuring it as the bass of the week…
8. Cahit Kutrafali: Lotus Flower (Part I)
We love the musical diversity of No Treble readers! Bassist Cahit Kutrafali shared this video, along with this note: “I started to compose a new tune called ‘Lotus Flower’ for electric bass and strings. This is the opening (part I) with electric bass, cello and cajon…”
9. Aguilar Unveils Limited Edition SL112 in Bass “Cabernet”
Aguilar Amplification has announced a limited edition of their SL 112 bass cabinet for 2015. Limited to 250 units, the cab will have a “Bass Cabernet” color finish as well as a limited edition label for the crossover…
10. The Process: An Interview with Bill Laswell
Being on the cutting edge of music in itself is no easy task, but Bill Laswell has been doing it for over three decades. A man of many hats, Laswell has been pushing the boundaries of music as a bassist, a producer, an engineer, and a record label owner. We caught up with the bassist to get the details on the album as well as his ideas on music in general, his gear, the making of “Rockit,” and much more…