Weekly Top 10: September 2-8, 2023
Happy Sunday! It’s that time – time to look back at the best of bass for the week in the form of the top 10 reader-favorites on No Treble.
Thanks for being here.
1. Elements of the Universe: Verdine White’s Bass Line That Started a Dynasty
In this episode of “From the Bottom,” Paul Thompson talks about Earth, Wind & Fire and their legendary bassist, Verdine White. Paul breaks down three favorite EWF bass lines.
2. Bass of the Week: Biarnel Liuteria Fiorano 32”
Italy’s Biarnel Liuteria introduced a new bass this summer called the Fiorano 32” which they describe as “classic design [with] advanced solutions.” The 32-inch scale bass weighs a mere 5.9 pounds.
3. The Tony Williams Lifetime with Jack Bruce: A Famous Blues (Unreleased Footage)
The people running Jack Bruce’s Facebook page shared this previously unreleased video of the Tony Williams Lifetime (with Bruce) performing “A Famous Blues” in 1970. What a find!
4. Gibson Introduces Vintage Thunderbird Bass Pickup Reissue
Gibson has launched a bevy of pickups in the Gibson Pickup Shop Collection, and among the 22 offerings is one bass model. The Thunderbird Bass Reissue houses a period-correct T-Bird pickup under a chrome cover.
5. Groove – Episode #105: Freekbass
In the electric bass universe, Freekbass is a monolith — a true groove guru who doesn’t just play bass but embodies it. He’s our guest for this month’s episode of Groove - the No Treble Podcast.
6. Paul Wilson Quits Snow Patrol
After 18 years in the band, Paul Wilson has left Snow Patrol. Founder and frontman Gary Lightbody made the announcement on Instagram, where he also revealed that drummer Johnny Quinn has quit.
7. Aguilar Amplification Unveils the SL 110 Bass Cabinet
Aguilar Amplification has expanded its Super Lightweight series with the new SL 110 speaker cabinet. Weighing in at 23 pounds, it marks the most compact cabinet in the company’s lineup.
8. Reader Spotlight: Jared Beckstead-Craan
Meet Jared Beckstead-Craan, a bassist living in Brooklyn, New York. Jared shared some great stories, including one about their parents and their bass superpower/claim to fame.
9. Wes Stephenson Grooves Hard on Mark Lettieri’s “Out By Midnight: Live at the Iridium”
Mark Lettieri led a solo tour earlier this year to share his music and his killer band, which includes Jason “JT Thomas on drums, Daniel Porter on keyboards, and Wes Stephenson on bass. Now he’s released an album from the trek.
10. Stuart Clayton Publishes “Stuart Hamm – Hold Fast Bass Transcriptions”
In 2016, Stuart Clayton of Bassline Publishing released a full transcription book for Stuart Hamm’s solo album, “The Book of Lies.” Now he’s done it again with a note-for-note book on “Hold Fast,” which Hamm dropped earlier this year.
