Archive for 2015 - Page 67
Jazz Sideman Michael Oien Steps Out With Debut Album
Post-bop jazzman Michael Oien has released his debut album, And Now. “This is my most important artistic statement so far, writing my own music and recording it with my own band,” says Oien, a double bassist who has made a name for himself in the New York City jazz scene. The band is a quintet that also includes alto saxophonist...
Weekly Top 10: RIP Rutger Gunnarsson, Focused Practice & Performance, Top Bass Videos, Gear and Bass of the Week
This week we shared the sad news of Rutger Gunnarsson’s passing. Known for his work with ABBA, Gunnarsson received lots of love from the bass playing community here and around the web. This week also featured a lot of top bass videos, Damian’s popular “Ask” column on focused practice and performance, plus some new gear and the bass of the...
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. “The ‘wings’ of the bass are heavily contoured and thin, thus the ‘thin-wing’ designation,” Johnson explains. “The thickest section of the body is...
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,” made famous in separate recordings by Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye. Things really start cooking around the halfway point, with a hint of...
New Paperback Edition of Mike Visceglia’s “A View From the Side” Released
Top session bassist Mike Visceglia committed the experience of being a pro bassist to print with his book A View From the Side, which is now available in a new paperback edition. Visceglia, well-known for his work with John Cale and Suzanne Vega, has also played/performed with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Phoebe Snow and Bette Midler. The...
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. It’s built with a single piece of horse chestnut for the body and neck with an ebony-stained pear wood...
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.
“Queen Forever” Compilation Gets Vinyl Treatment
Vinyl-loving Queen fans can now get their hands on a 4-LP version of last year’s Queen Forever compilation, which included a “lost” ballad version of late singer Freddie Mercury’s “Love Kills.” Queen Forever focuses on the band’s love songs and includes work from its now-retired bassist John Deacon. Deacon’s work is not only present throughout the album, but it also...
Aquarium Rescue Unit, Featuring Oteil Burbridge, Announces 2015 Reunion Tour
The quirky jam legends of Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit have announced they will be reuniting this summer for a handful of tour dates presented by Relix Magazine. Originally formed in 1988, the band will hit the road with its classic lineup of Hampton, guitarist Jimmy Herring, drummer Jeff Sipe, and bassist Oteil Burbridge. The band will...
The Lightbulb Moment: Antici…pation
It’s 6:57pm. I made it — and with three minutes to spare! Sixty minutes ago, I was at work, way across town, biting my fingernails as I shut down my computer for the day and ran out of the office. Thankfully, the traffic gods smiled upon me and aside from a few inescapable red lights, I managed to weave my...
B.B. King, Featuring Reggie Richard: Let The Good Times Roll, Live 2009
The King is gone, but he’ll never be forgotten. We’re remembering the legacy of B.B. King today with a clip of “Let the Good Times Roll” from his performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2009. The song’s lyrics talk about living life to its fullest, and we can all agree that’s something the guitar legend did. King always...
Incubus Returns With First of Two Planned EPs for 2015
Incubus has released the first of two EPs slated for release this year. The rockers’ first EP of the year, Trust Fall (Side A) features four songs, including the title track “Trust Fall,” which bassist Ben Kenney calls “our seven-minute FM-radio opus… It’s our ‘Stairway.’” The last bit of that comment is a little tongue-in-cheek (see the first video, below)....