Archive for 2016 - Page 56

Fifty-eight never listed studio takes from legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker and his groups have been compiled on the set, Unheard Bird: The Unissued Takes. The set features a veritable who’s who of bebop bassists, including Teddy Kotick, Ray Brown, Tommy Potter and Curley Russell. Jazz historian Phil Schaap, currently Curator at Jazz At Lincoln Center, co-produced the compilation...

Greer Amps has released a new octave fuzz pedal called the Super Hornet, which they say works great on guitar and bass. Based on a Foxx Tone Machine, the pedal tweaks the vintage-style circuit by using NOS BC-107B transistors and adding a feature to the octave section. The octave switch can be set to On or Stinger modes. When in...

In 1996, bass player Rhonda Smith did something that few musicians can ever lay claim to. She joined Prince’s astounding backing band, The New Power Generation. The years, miles, and practice that brought her to this moment cannot be underestimated. Getting on Prince’s radar is tough enough. Getting a place in this ferocious musical tsunami of funk is a whole...

El Ten Eleven multi-instrumentalist Kristian Dunn has just released a new solo ambient album called . Besides beautiful pads, the album is full of intimate and introspective bass playing. Check out the video for the new song, “Staring at Screens” to see what we mean:

Fates Warning has released its twelfth studio album, Theories of Flight, the band’s followup to 2013’s Darkness in a Different Light. The progressive metal band features Joey Vera, also of Armored Saint, on bass. In an interview with MetalHeadRadio.com, Vera said for the album, each band member recorded their parts separately, often near or at their homes, based on demos...

Fuzzrocious Effects has teamed up with Electro-Faustus to create a unique “noisemaker” called the Greyfly. The pedal combines the Fuzzrocious Grey Stache fuzz with the Electro-Faustus Blackfly spring-activated noise generator for a whole new pedal experience. The Greyfly can be used on its own with three springs that can be plucked, scraped, and twanged to create your signal, which is...

Q: As a bass player, having practiced all day until one’s fingernails are aching, what is the solution for a quick pain relief so I can continue to practice the next day, without skipping a day? A: While I can’t imagine what kind of practice makes your fingernails hurt (double thumb workouts?), I do have some thoughts. I worry, if...

Gheorghe Postoronca always brings a personal level to his solo bass songs. His latest, “The Light From Inside”, is no exception. The bassist utilizes a capo on four of his six strings along with strumming to create glorious harmonies and textures. It sounds like he is singing through his instrument, which is something many of us strive for.

Blink-182 had around 30 songs written before heading into the studio to record its latest effort, California. But, when the pop-punk band, now featuring guitarist/vocalist Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, started working together on the group’s seventh studio album, all those songs went out the window. “We hit the ground running so hard that we just kept writing and writing,”...

Meet Beth McPherson, a bassist from Dallas who impressed us with her drive in pursuing music – both as a craft and as an eventual career. We’re betting she’s going to succeed in both. Beth is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s her story… Bio: I’ve been playing electric bass for about 8 years, and upright for...

Orange redesigned their entry-level bass combo range with the Orange Crush Bass series. The line – consisting of 25, 50, and 100-watt combos – upgrades their most accessible bass amps with a parametric EQ circuit inspired by their new 4 Stroke bass amp. They also feature analog circuitry, redesigned speakers and ported cabinetry, an onboard tuner, and a headphone output...

Here’s a great clip of a Jeff Beck Band performance at Madison Square Garden in 2013. The tune, “Women of Ireland”, is a subdued one, featuring some sweet lines by bassist Tal Wilkenfeld. The band also includes Lizzie Ball on violin and Jonathan Joseph on drums.