Weekly Top 10: Bass Roundup for November 19-25, 2022
It was a busy week at NT HQ! This week, Paul Thompson broke down his favorite Donny Hathaway song, Ryan Madora joined Derrek Phillips to chat about improvising a funky 12-bar blues bass line with a drummer, and Brittany Frompovich continued her “Wonder Women” series with a look at the work of Kristen Pfaff.
Add to it a reimagined version of “Comfortably Numb” by Roger Waters, some new tour and music news, plus a sweet Bass of the Week, and you have this week’s top 10 reader favorites.
Thanks for reading!
1. Marcus Miller: Run for Cover (Bass Solo)
“Run For Cover” is one of those tunes where I reach for the volume knob and crank it to 11, especially during Marcus Miller’s bass solos. Here’s Marcus doing his thing live in Budapest in October.
2. Bass of the Week: Vleck Basses Butterfly
This week we’re checking out a cool design by Vleck Basses called the Butterfly. Built in the Czech Republic, the curvy singlecut bass is crafted with a five-piece ash and wenge neck with an American black walnut body and ash tone block. Its 24-fret fingerboard is made from rosewood.
3. Leland Sklar to Join Lyle Lovett for Acoustic Group Tour
Lyle Lovett will be hitting the road again this winter with his Acoustic Group, which pares down his Large Band to the strings and piano. That includes Jeff White, Luke Bull, and Leland Sklar.
4. Roger Waters Reworks A Pink Floyd Classic for 2022
Roger Waters cowrote one of the most iconic rock songs of all time, and now he’s reimagined it for 2022. The new version of “Comfortably Numb” from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” has a new arrangement in a lower key and an eerier atmosphere.
5. Foreigner Announces Farewell Tour
Another iconic rock band has announced they’ll be hanging it up. Foreigner has unveiled a Farewell Tour that will begin in 2023. The band, formed in 1976, broke the news to Billboard.
6. From the Bottom: Someday We’ll All Be Free
In this new episode of “From the Bottom,” Paul Thompson breaks down Donny Hathaway’s greatest song. Paul digs in on why it sounds so amazing, and, of course, checking out that amazing bass fill by Willie Weeks before the end!
7. Billy Sheehan and The Winery Dogs Announce Album and World Tour
The mighty Billy Sheehan and the Winery Dogs have big news for 2023. They’ve just revealed a new album, “III,” which will be released on February 3rd. They’ll also be embarking on the “202III World Tour” starting February 15th.
8. Keep It Groovy: Rhythm Section Jam – Tips For Playing A Funky 12 Bar Blues
In this new “Keep It Groovy” lesson, Ryan Madora is joined by Derrek Phillips to chat about improvising a funky 12-bar blues bass line with a drummer.
9. Wonder Women: Kristen Pfaff
For this edition of Wonder Women, Brittany Frompovich is going back to the early ’90s. Brittany focuses on the life, work, and passing of Kristen Pfaff, who was the bassist for Janitor Joe and Hole.
10. Melissa Carper Releases “Ramblin’ Soul” with Dennis Crouch
Melissa Carper just released a new album called “Ramblin’ Soul” that draws vintage country, western swing, classic R&B, and soul. Although Carper is a double bassist herself, she enlisted session ace Dennis Crouch for the record.
