Archive for 2024 - Page 3

Today is our good friend Bakithi Kumalo’s birthday, and we’re celebrating with one of his all-time great bass lines. Here’s a live clip of “You Can Call Me Al.”

After three decades at the helm of the WDR Big Band, John Goldsby has announced he’s retiring from the group. The jazz bassist, educator, and author will be seeing the year through before stepping down.

Origin Effects has updated its Cali76 line of compressor pedals with the Cali76 FET Compressor and the Cali76 Bass Compressor. The two new units replace the Cali76 Compact Deluxe and Cali76 Compact Bass.

I always loved the band Elephant Gym. They recently visited the KEXP studios and performed “Games.” KT Chang’s playing is so impressive.

Graph Tech has added a new set of tuners to their popular RATIO Total Control Machine Heads designed specifically for left-handed bassists. Available in 2+2 or 4-in-line configurations, the new set is made to fit left-handed basses.

In this lesson, we’ll explore the world of Soul and R&B bass lines and how major triads are used to create memorable parts. Bass players, including Duck Dunn, David Hood and more have used this approach to write iconic bass lines for songs we know and love.

Robyn Adele Anderson records some unique covers, and this recent one is a Latin cover of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.”

Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington has returned with his fifth studio album, “Fearless Movement,” with Thundercat, Miles Mosley, and Ben Williams on bass.

Cosmodio Instruments is a new pedal and electronic instrument manufacturer that just launched its first product: the Pet Yeti distortion/fuzz pedal. The all-analog device can produce a wide variety of distortion sounds.

Leland Sklar’s YouTube channel has so much incredible content. Last week, he posted this video, sharing some personal stories and then playing along to James Taylor’s “Mexico.”

Primus faced a dilemma last week at the Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas. The band’s gear was stranded in a snowstorm. Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde didn’t think twice – they ran to the nearest guitar shop and bought a pair of matching Fender instruments. Now, they’re auctioning the Fender guitars to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

King’s X bassist and vocalist dUg Pinnick is renowned for his huge tone. That comes partly from his instruments, including this 12-string artist model bass from Schecter.