Blake Branch: “For Once In My Life” Bass Line
It has been quite a while since we’ve featured a video by Blake Branch. This one is actually over three years old, but is well worth sharing. Blake transcribed the complete bass line on Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life,” which of course was masterfully played by James Jamerson. Almost as impressive is the tone Blake gets from his...
Spare Parts: Quarter Pulse
Our friend Steven Smith sent this in to us, saying “I just discovered a new band – new to me, that is – Spare Parts. Great 70s groove! The bassist is Colin Scott, [and he’s] layin’ it down on the Fender Jazz. Sweet!” Sweet indeed. Love that old school sound.
Jaco Pastorius’ “Chromatic Fantasy”, Latin Style
Hüseyin Karaca shared this video with us with a simple note: “Thank you Jaco Pastorius.” Written by Bach and reimagined for solo bass by Jaco on his Word of Mouth album, Hüseyin has remade “Chromatic Fantasy” into a Latin style piece featuring bass and percussion, along with percussionist Mehmet Arslan.
Reader Spotlight: Josh Cohen
Meet Josh Cohen, who has one of the coolest stories about his first bass we’ve read. (And he has a very cool dad). Josh is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of January 13, 2014. Bio Josh Cohen is an electric bass player, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader. Having received his bachelor’s degree in music from Humber College,...
Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (December 2013)
I always enjoy the top 10 video recaps each month, but this one seems exceptionally great, don’t you think? These are the top 10 most watched videos for the month of December, 2013. Enjoy! 1. Pino Palladino: The Story Behind “Wherever I Lay My Hat” Bass Line “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)” was first recorded by Marvin...
Matt Gruebner: “Hey Jude” Solo Bass Performance
I randomly stumbled upon the work of Matt Gruebner – aka Maxgroover – over the weekend. His solo bass performance of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” really knocked me out. Matt is performing this on a Nash Jazz bass.
Nathan East Debuts “Sir Duke” from Upcoming Solo Album
We reported last August that Nathan East was working on his first solo album. Now we know a date. Nathan East will be released on March 25, 2014. “It’s a celebration of my musical friends and my musical life over 30 years’ worth of experiences and influences,” East told Billboard. “The one thing I’ve learned is that I love a...
Weekly Top Ten: The Best in Bass for the Week of January 5
The NAMM Show is almost here, and that means the gear news is starting to spin up. No surprise some of these early gear stories made this week’s top 10. We also had some killer solo bass videos, including the #1 slot (Nico Aranda’s performance of “Get Lucky”), and Simon Fitzpatrick’s jaw-dropping “Flight of the Bumblebee”. Add to it the...
Tristan: MoonTune
Our friend Helge Rudolph sent this one, saying “fresh stuff from Europe. Maybe you’ll like it?!” Heck yeah! This band is tight, and bassist Frans Vollink is laying down one nice groove.
Simon Fitzpatrick: Flight of the Bumblebee… on Bass
I don’t know what to say, other than “Watch this and hold on to your hats!”
Nico Aranda: “Get Lucky” Solo Bass Cover
Our Twitter friend Valeria Lecko sent this video to us, and it looks like Jim Bennett is inspiring bassists out there with his all-bass Daft Punk covers. This is Nico Aranda showing off some excellent technique – and some cool videography – in his performance of “Get Lucky”.
Reader Spotlight: Kenny Butcher
Meet Kenny Butcher, a multi-instrumentalist who made bass his primary instrument. Kenny impressed us with his wide range of music he performs, from prog metal to gospel. He also has one of the longest gear lists we’ve seen in a while. Kenny is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of January 6, 2014. Bio: I’m Kenny Butcher...