No-Metric: Risk Factor
Brazilian fusion trio No-Metric is back at it with a new video for their song “Risk Factor.” Anchored by bassist Fernando Molinari, the song keeps you on edge with a mix of heavy riffs and ear bending harmonies. Molinari takes a ridiculous solo starting at the 2:04 mark with some insane tapping and lightning fast licks.
Orange Amplification Announces OB1 Bass Amp Series
Orange Amplifiers has announced the OB1 Series of class A/B rack mountable bass amplifiers. The amps are based on recent bi-amping trends, the company says. “For years bassists have been combining guitar and bass amps to remarkable effect, adding harmonics and layers of overdrive from a guitar amp to their core bass tone in pursuit of the ultimate live sound,”...
Gear Review: Gruv Gear GigBlade Bass Gig Bag
Every once in a while a product comes along that totally reimagines a piece of gear that most of us take for granted. In the world of gig bags, that product is the Gruv Gear GigBlade. The main idea behind the GigBlade is economy of space and weight distribution. Most gig bags have backpack straps for carrying on your back,...
Craig Butterfield and Jesse Jones: Gas Station
We’ve featured plenty of great videos from Craig Butterfield over the years, so when the double bassist sends an email I get excited. This video is a bit of a different context from his previous ones and showcases Butterfield in a duo with mandolinist Jesse Jones on the tune “Gas Station.” The duo find a nice groove with a warm,...
Akiko Yano with Anthony Jackson: Water Ways Flow Backward Again
Anthony Jackson is an absolute master of the bass. Besides creating some of the most memorable bass lines ever, he has deeply explored harmony and timbre on the instrument. Here’s a jaw-dropping performance of “Water Ways Flow Backward Again” with pianist Akiko Yano and drummer Cliff Almond from 1999 that proves the depth of his understanding. Yano and Jackson kick...
Stevie Wonder Announces More “Songs in the Key of Life” Tour Dates with Nate Watts
If you missed Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life tour last year, you’re in luck. The legendary R&B artist has announced another 11-date run this Spring that will span the U.S. Similar to last year’s trek, each night will include a performance of Wonder’s 1976 album in its entirety. “Truly, I wanted to do this for years,” Wonder...
Alex Webster: Conquering Dystopia’s “Kufra at Dusk” Playthrough
I love bass playthroughs. So when death metal king Alex Webster posted a new video, I dropped everything to watch it. The clip shows Webster tearing through “Kufra at Dusk” from metal supergroup Conquering Dystopia’s debut album last year. From killer tone to monster riffs, this has it all. Buckle up.
Bass Bash To Feature Victor Wooten, Gary Willis, Alain Caron and Others
The annual Bass Bash will be returning this year, and it’s going to be a doozy. Scheduled in the evenings after the NAMM Show, the Bass Bash is held at JT Schmid’s in Anaheim, California on January 22nd and 23rd from 7pm to midnight. This year’s performers include some of the world’s finest bassists. The first night will feature Alain...
Bass of the Week: Zerberus Guitars Hades
This week we check out the Hades bass by Zerberus Guitars. Built in their German custom shop, the instrument was made for bassist Lenny Castellanos of the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. The bass’s uniquely figured body is made of mahogany with a Zebrawood top finished in a wild honey color. Its five-piece neck is made up of birdseye maple, mahogany,...
St. Paul and the Broken Bones: “Call Me,” Live
I don’t watch The Late Show a lot, but I know that when David Letterman goes on about how great the band is for two whole minutes before letting them play, it’s going to be good. In fact, it’s so good that Letterman has them start the song up again after they finish. St. Paul and the Broken Bones is...
Alter Ego Tunable Tailpiece for Double Bass
Italian string instrument maker Alter Ego has introduced a tunable tailpiece for the double bass. Rather than tuning the strings themselves, the tailpiece allows for tuning the afterlength portion of each string. “There are many valid theories on how to tune the afterlength portion of the strings, but we believe there is no ideal formula as many factors may come...
AC Guitars Announces Border Reiver Travel Bass
AC Guitars is introducing a new compact model called the Border Reiver Travel Bass. Hand-built in Scotland, the headless bass takes its name from a piece of local history. “Border Reivers were bands of raiders that operated on both sides of the English/Scottish border from the 13th to 17th century,” luthier Alan Cringean explains. “So crossing borders seemed like an...