Archive for June 2015 - Page 7

Fernando Molinari sent us this smoking playalong clip of the song “Destrambelhado” from his first CD. The bassist mixes fingerstyle, slap, and strumming to drive the fusion track.

Digital audio company Apogee has unveiled the Groove, a portable USB digital-to-analog converter and headphone amp for listening to music on your computer. The device utilizes their recording quality audio conversion to provide ample power and sound quality. “A [digital-to-analog converter] takes the digital information on your computer and translates it into analog sound you can hear through your headphones...

Martin Keith took on the singlecut body design with his Elfin model, and this week we take a look at its hollowbody version. The five-string bass is built entirely like an acoustic instrument with functionality for electric players. The Elfin’s body, which measures 14 inches wide and 3 inches deep, is built with maple sides and back and a braced...

Isaias Elpes sent me this video of an interesting and reimagined take on Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing.” Playing to the vocal track, Isaias adds bass, guitar and keys to his version through his “Meetings Project”. “Music is more than an artistic expression is the possibility of the improbable and timeless meeting,” he shared. This is the second video for this...

Progressive music fans take note: bassist Lorenzo Feliciati has released Koi, a 12-song concept album based on the life the river carp fish. Blending progressive rock and ambient soundscapes, the record features a host of guest musicians including Japan drummer Steve Jansen and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto. “Traditional Chinese folktales tell the story of Koi fish that swam up...

We tend to agree with the reader favorites each week, and this week is no exception. From the Snarky Puppy video to the new Groove podcast conversation with Michael Manring – and all the rest, here is one terrific top 10 list. 1. Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest: The Curtain I’m not sure there’s a more exciting band out there...

NS Design has expanded their bass guitar offering even further with the introduction of the WAV4 Radius, a bass that follows the design of their Radius series with a more accessible price point. It carries many of the same features of its predecessors, including a diradial body, a headless design with self-clamping tuning system, an advanced truss rod design, and...

On December 26, 1996, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones appeared on The Conan O’Brien Show to promote their album, Live Art. They played “Stomping Grounds”, which is a terrific showcase for Victor Wooten and the rest of the band.

Here’s a great clip of Tower of Power performing “Soul With Capital S” – with some trademark funky bass by the one and only Rocco Prestia. And how about that honkin’ bari sax? This performance was recorded at the Java Jazz Festival in 2006.

Legendary blues rock duo Hot Tuna is hitting the road again this summer with a string of tour dates in Hawaii and the Northeast. Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen will be performing mainly in their acoustic setting to start the tour, which begins on June 19th in Honolulu. Their tour wraps up with four electric shows ending at the Capitol...

Name any genre of music and certain bass players immediately come to mind. Rock and roll? Paul McCartney. Blues? Willie Dixon. Funk? Larry Graham. They are the ones who stick out as paving the way, defining the roll of the instrument in that particular music, and creating those classic lines that we can’t help but listen to, learn, and hope...

Adam Stevens has shared a new solo bass video he calls “Sweet Lullaby”. Adam said the tune is “inspired by a traditional lullaby from the Solomon Islands and Toronto bassist, Rich Brown.” Sweet indeed.