Archive for August 2021

Martin Mendez has released the second album from his White Stones project. In celebration of “Dancing Into Oblivion”, he shared this exclusive with us: his top five bass influences. Some of them may surprise you!

In honor of Pat Metheny’s birthday earlier this month, Gilad Ephrat recorded “Question & Answer” and shared this video with us. Gilad always impresses us with his videos, and this one is no exception.

Paul Wolfe of How-To-Play-Bass.com recently released an instructional book on how to play blues rock bass. Now he’s giving you tips to play like one of the greatest with “How To Play Bass – Learning From James Jamerson Vol. 1”.

Nathan Enders shared the latest creation from 96 Art Custom Instruments, which is a neck-through design four-string bass with a killer Buckeye burl top complete with matching pickup covers and knobs.

Mike Matthews sent us a video simply (and correctly) entitled “Scott Ambush Amazing Bass Solo.” After a little digging, we found the full video, which is taken from a Spyro Gyra performance at Jazz In Marciac back in 2014.

The Lyle Mays Estate has released the final work of the keyboardist, who passed in 2020. “Eberhard” is a thirteen-minute “mini symphony”, dedicated to Eberhard Weber. Mays paid tribute with two great bassists: Jimmy Johnson and Steve Rodby.

The week closes once again with our celebration of the top 10 reader favorites of the week. Check out this list featuring Marc Johnson, Rich Brown, James Jamerson, Jeff Schmidt, and more.

I really dig this new episode of Lace Cadence’s “Overnight Afrobeats” for KEXP at Home. It was also my introduction to Cosmic Collective. In this clip, Lace interviews the band, who performs a funky 5-song set.

Modern saxophone titan Kenny Garrett has released his 20th album as a leader, entitled “Sounds From the Ancestors”. Many of the polyrhythms throughout the work are held over the muscular bass lines of Corcoran Holt.

Joyo has unveiled a new mini hybrid bass amplifier called the BaDass Bantamp, which combines a 12AX7 preamp tube with a solid-state power amp.

Today we are coming at you with a fresh upload from DMV legend, David Dyson! Here he is at rehearsal for the Berks Jazz Fest with Jonathan Butler and Gerald Albright. David is so locked in!

After releasing two EPs, Leland Sklar and The Immediate Family have dropped a full-length self-titled album. The new album was recorded over three days at Jackson Browne’s studio in Los Angeles and includes tracks from the previous releases.