Weekly Top 10: RIP Louis Johnson, Practicing vs. Performing, Top Bass Gear, Videos and More
This week, we lost one of the giants in the world of bass with the passing of Louis Johnson. We also shared the news of Chris Squire’s fight with leukemia. Both pieces of news made the top 10 most read stories of the week, making this a tougher list than usual.
Bass legend Louis Johnson, the funk session musician who played on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”, has passed away of undisclosed causes. He was 60 years old…
2. Will Lee, With the CBS Orchestra: MacArthur Park
This week marked the final episode of the Late Show with David Letterman, bringing an end to the legendary career of the longest running late-night talk show host. It also marks the dissolution of the CBS Orchestra. Bass guru Will Lee has held it down for the band for all 33 years since their formation in 1982…
3. Bass of the Week: o3 Guitars Rhodium Purplehaze
This week we take a look at another eye-catching bass from o3 Custom Guitars called the Rhodium. The Spanish-made bass is also called the Purplehaze due to its gorgeous purple satin finish over its ash body…
4. MK Introduces Passive Jazz Electric Upright Bass
Electric upright bass company MK has announced a new passive jazz model of their flagship bass. The Jazz-P features piezo transducer pickups and passive electronics, which MK says solves tonal problems of the bass including noise at high levels of amplification…
5. Chris Squire Diagnosed with Leukemia
Bass legend Chris Squire has been diagnosed with an uncommon form of leukemia called Acute Erythroid Leukemia, according to a post on the Yes website. The bassist, who co-founded the influential prog-rock band, will be receiving treatment in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona during the next few months…
6. Simon Fitzpatrick: “Nessun Dorma” Solo Bass Performance
Simon Fitzpatrick has taken “Nessun Dorma” – one of the most well-known tenor arias in opera – and turned it into a solo bass arrangement. “Nessun Dorma” (“None shall sleep”), is from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot…
7. Practicing vs. Performing for Musical Growth
For this week’s “Ask” column, Damian Erskine tackles a reader’s question on the “hard work” of musical growth, and how dedicated study vs. performing comes in. Check out what Damian has to say…
8. Fasino & Falanga: I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Lucio Enrico Fasino shared his newest project with us – a collaboration with vocalist Deborah Falanga. The duo put together this unique version of the Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong tune, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”…
9. Gustavo Araújo: Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” for Solo Loop Bass
Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” is an obvious favorite among bassists who like to tackle tunes and arrange for solo bass. Bassist Gustavo Araújo shared his super arrangement for looped bass. I love how fluid the vocal lines are in this version…
10. LedBelli Bass Guitars Introduces Jonah “Thin Wing” Bass
Bass luthier Cleve Johnson has introduced a new model to his lineup from LedBelli Bass Guitars called the Jonah “Thin Wing.” The bass is a variation on LedBelli’s flagship Jonah with extra shaping for a slimmer profile…
