Weekly Top 10: Top Bass Videos, New Bass Gear, John Patitucci Returns to Electric, Reader Spotlight and Bass of the Week
Welcome to your weekly dose of the best in bass. Otherwise known as the No Treble top 10 reader favorite stories and videos of the week.
Thanks as always for reading, watching, commenting and sharing.
1. Wayne Shorter & Esperanza Spalding Duet
Tavis Smiley hosted Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding on his PBS show. Described as a “3 camera 1 take no editing experience,” here is their performance…
2. Felipe Gianei: Charlie Parker’s “Cherokee” Solo on Bass
We can learn a lot about our instrument by transcribing other instrumentalists, and Charlie Parker’s recordings are a lifetime of lessons. Bassist Felipe Gianei spent four months transcribing Bird’s solo on “Cherokee” and applying it to bass…
3. Turning Exercises into Real Music
This week, Damian Erskine focuses on a question from a reader about playing through changes, and going from practice to performance – and making things more musical. Damian delivered with a terrific to do list worth reading…
4. Andrew Gouche: 1968 Fender Jazz Bass Church Flow
Gospel bass legend Andrew Gouche has started posting videos of his church performances, and this one of his “church flow” with his trusty 1968 Fender Jazz Bass is on point. Gouche accompanies the choir on “Is My Living In Vain” during a recent service…
5. MXR Now Shipping the M85 Bass Distortion Pedal
After announcing the pedal at the NAMM Show this year, Dunlop is now shipping the MXR M85 Bass Distortion. The pedal was designed with Fuzzrocious Pedals founder Ryan Ratajski and is described as revamp on a “famously nasty sounding distortion circuit” that’s been retooled for the modern player…
6. Phil Collins, with Leland Sklar: Sussudio, Live 1990
We celebrated Leland Sklar‘s birthday with a throwback to his 1990 tour with Phil Collins. This clip from Knebworth has the band digging in on “Sussudio” in front of close to 120,000 fans, and you can tell Sklar is getting into it…
7. John Patitucci Goes to Brooklyn on Latest Album
John Patitucci isn’t just a famed jazz double bassist and jazz bass teacher. He’s also an electric bassist, and his latest album, Brooklyn, features him playing electric exclusively. Credited to the John Patitucci Electric Guitar Quartet, the album also features Brian Blade (drums) and electric guitarists Adam Rogers and Steve Cardenas…
8. Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian: Apocalypse 1470 B.C.
Holy smokes, this one is impressive. Billy Sheehan along with guitarist Tony MacAlpine, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Mike Portnoy took the stage in 2012 at Zepp Tokyo, as the supergroup known as PSMS. Here they are performing “Apocalypse 1470 B.C.”, which has some of the most impressive unison parts you’ll ever hear…
9. Reader Spotlight: Michal Šelep
Meet Michal Šelep, a bassist from Slovakia who has a great knack for story telling, and a great outlook on life and music…
10. Bass of the Week: Stambaugh Designs 6-String Custom Inlayed Bass
Chris Stambaugh of Stambaugh Designs posts a “Build of the Month” on his website to show his best work of the month, and it’s incredible to see the range of styles he produces. This week, we check out a custom six-string design he featured in November 2012, with a dramatic fingerboard inlay and breath-taking body…
Corey ,,,, Kevin ,,,
Thanks’ for all the hard work you guys do keeping “No Treble” online , this is a wonderful website for bassist and I enjoy it tremendously.
I might not be the best bass player but all the parts are here for the making of a good one in time.
By the way I scrapped the thumbnail pick style bass playing ,,, bass strings are like a fingernail file.
God Bless ,,, wishing you all the Best ,,,
Mark S Beretta
Thanks Mark. It means a lot to us to hear that. We appreciate it.