Archive for 2015 - Page 22

When Eero Pakkanen shared his story with us, it wasn’t a long one, but it was one that caught my attention. Eero is a bass player’s bass player. It almost didn’t start out that way (be sure to read the part about how he got his start). All said, this week’s reader in the spotlight is doing it right. Bio:...

Every time I watch Abraham Laboriel, it’s like a masterclass in “how it’s done.” His playing exudes musicality that lets his personality shine through, giving us all something to strive toward. Here’s a great clip of the master improvising a blues along with Hadley Hockensmith on guitar, Bill Maxwell on drums, Greg Mathieson on organ, and Phil Driscoll on trumpet...

Sami Yaffa, onetime bassist for the Finnish band Hanoi Rocks and the New York Dolls, holds down the low end on former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe’s latest solo effort, Blackout States. The album “has all the ingredients of a perfect rock‘n’roll record – strong melodic songs with great meaningful lyrics that defy all clichés, delivered with a punky, ballsy...

When we first started this column, our goal was to present instruments that range from beautiful to bizarre. This week we’re featuring a bass that falls somewhere in between. The Spalt Instruments Terminator bass is part musical instrument and part modern art, thanks to luthier Michael Spalt’s creative background. He studied painting, photography, film, and set construction between schools in...

Last week I received a question about how to memorize a tune fast: “…For example, [bassist] playing a jazz tune you’ve never played before with a pianist as they shout out the changes for one chorus, then stop for the second. How can we develop skills to memorize these changes instantly?” No doubt the situation you describe can be stressful,...

BassTheWorld.com has followed up their “Got Bass Chops?” video with a second episode. This time, 21 bassists from around the world lay out the nastiest licks, funkiest grooves, and smoothest lines to show the scope of our beloved instrument. The bassists in order of appearance are Hadrien Feraud, Jay-Tee Teterissa, Bruno Tauzin, Andy C. Saxton, Evan Marien, Adam Ben Ezra,...

Mark your calendars, because the Bass Bash is coming back for 2016! The annual bass-centric event will take place after the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California on January 21st from 6:30pm to 11:00pm and January 22nd from 7pm to midnight. Each night is packed with exhibits, raffles, and performances by some of the world’s best bassists. After nearly a...

Happy Sunday! Here’s something for you to enjoy before it is time to get back to the grind – this week’s best from the world of bass. These are the top 10 reader favorites for the week of October 10-16, 2015. Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing. 1. The Lightbulb Moment: It’s All in Your Head(space) Every gigging musician...

Hadrien Feraud has released a teaser of his next album, entitled Born in the 80s. The nearly five-minute preview features clips of several tracks blending jazz fusion, R&B, hip-hop, and soul. While the bassist’s playing will always shine through, the show of diversity and writing styles is core to the album, Feraud says. “This one is not about bass,” he...

Alessandro Calabrese sent me this video tribute to his favorite rap tunes. Not only does he handle the bass, he also shows off his guitar skills. How many of them do you recognize?

3Leaf Audio has revamped their Proton and Wonderlove envelope filters, saying the new versions “take the sound made famous by Stevie Wonder and push it to new heights.” Each effect retains its unique voicing with some added features for more flexibility. The Proton now has a Tone knob for fine tuning the filter cutoff frequency. 3Leaf also increased its sensitivity...

Dunlop brought Snarky Puppy in for their “Sessions” series, which blends performances and interviews with artists. In this episode, members of Snarky Puppy discuss “their beginnings and the risks and rewards of standing by your musical vision.” There’s also the music of course, with Michael League and the band performing “Binky” and “Flood”. Enjoy.