Archive for July 2018 - Page 2

ZVEX Effects found a batch of rare spam can transistors that they’ve put to use in a new modded version of their flagship pedal. The Germanium Woolly Mammoth Mod is described as “highly uncompressed [and] very dynamic.” “On bass, you can really tell the difference as a result of the larger signal level in the low end,” they note. “It’s...

In my younger years, Jaco Pastorius and Jeff Berlin were two of the titans of bass I looked up to. So it was super cool to spot this video by Jeff talking about Jaco’s use of harmonics. I remember watching Modern Electric Bass back in the ’80s. Jerry Jemmott asked Jaco how he came to use harmonics in his playing....

R+R=NOW is a new group featuring the monster talents of pianist Robert Glasper, keyboardist Terrace Martin, trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, beatboxer and synth player Taylor McFerrin, drummer Justin Tyson, and bassist Derrick Hodge. The collective gets their name from a Nina Simone quote, with the R+R standing for “Reflect and Respond”. “[It is] an artist’s duty… to reflect the...

After canceling a Las Vegas residency earlier this year due to drummer Travis Barker’s health, Blink-182 have rescheduled the shows as well as announced a handful of tour dates for September. The band, anchored by Mark Hoppus, will be focusing on the Midwest in September starting on the 12th in Moorehead, Minnesota. The Las Vegas residency is now set for...

Over his career, Byron Isaacs has worked with some of the greatest songwriters of our time: Levon Helm, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Roseanne Cash, and more. He co-founded the bands Ollabelle and Lost Leaders, plus he’s spent the past few years recording and touring the world with The Lumineers. Suffice it to say, he’s been around...

Vulfpeck has just released a video of a tune from their album, Mr Finish Line, and this one is special. In addition to the groovy bass by the one and only Joe Dart, the track also features Bootsy Collins, Baby Theo, and Mushy Kay on vocals. Dig it.

Bay Area instrumental trio Covet has released effloresce, which guitarist Yvette Young describes as “post rock intensity meets more proggy/mathy songwriting.” Young’s captivating two-handed tapping technique drives the melodies while drummer Forrest Rice and bassist David Adamiak support with dream-like grooves. Some of that ethereal vibe comes from exploring new harmonic textures, says Adamiak. “On this recording, we experiment with...

Bass wizard Doug Wimbish has announced the 2018 WimBash New Haven Music Festival for August 18th. The event is jam-packed with incredible music and serves as a benefit for New Haven Public Schools. “It only takes a moment to give that spark to a kid,” Wimbish says. Former West Haven mayor Ed O’Brien adds, “The value of the arts in...

TC Electronic has expanded their line of looping pedals with the Ditto Jam X2 Looper. Central to the new design is their BeatSense algorithm, which uses built-in microphones to track and sync to your band’s rhythmic elements and keep your loop track from drifting. “This makes live looping more interesting than ever and infinitely more intuitive, giving guitarists the ability...

The folks at R-11 Alternative Music sent us this video featuring Michele della Malva, who pays tribute to Vladiswar Nadishana and David Kuckhermann. Michele combines the use of a hang (drum) and a handpan, with his bass. We really dig the rhythmic nature of this tune.

After releasing Defying Gravity last year, Mr. Big hit the road to support the album. Now a new live album has been released from that tour called Live From Milan, which is available in several formats. The tour featured all four original band members including Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, and Pat Torpey, although the drummer had been battling...

Korora Audio has launched their first pedal with the Spira, a filter modulation pedal inspired by the Shepard Tone Glissando. The unit has 24 parallel resonant bandpass filters for some serious flexibility. “With the rate set low, Spira achieves the classic and recognizable Shepard Tone and can also be compared to comb filter and formant filter effects,” the company writes....