Like An Arrow: An Interview with Richard Turner
Blackberry Smoke is often hailed as the triumphant return of true Southern Rock, and maybe rightfully so. The five-piece, Atlanta-based band brings all the right flavors with authenticity and a penchant for writing memorable hooks, but they aren’t pigeonholed into one style. They have wide influences that seem to inform their powerful songs in unique ways. That idea is especially...
Gregory Porter: Holding On, Live In Berlin
I’m a big Gregory Porter fan, so I was excited to hear he has a new coming out in November. The jazz vocalist is once again joined by bassist Jahmal Nichols, who plays beautifully crafted lines to perfection. This clip of “Holding On” is a great example with the bassist sitting just right in the pocket for most of the...
In Memoriam: Tim Cloonan
Sad news to report today: bass builder Tim Cloonan has passed away. The Philadelphia-based luthier owned and operated Callowhill Guitars, creating basses for some of the world’s top players including Tim Lefebvre, Dywane “Mononeon” Thomas, Owen Biddle, Derrick Hodge, Steve Jenkins, and more. Cloonan was a guitar player that saw the need for better bass care. “I’m a guitar player...
The Rolling Stones: Miss You
Ever since a new Darryl Jones documentary was announced, I’ve been listening to lots of the bassist’s work on YouTube. Here’s a great extended take of “Miss You” taken from 1995, just two years after he joined the Rolling Stones. Jones carries the groove throughout with rock solid time and feel while Mick Jagger gets into his stage antics.
Bass of the Week: Versoul Swan 8
It’s not often you see an 8-string fretless, but this one takes the cake. This week we’re checking out the Swan 8 by Finland’s Versoul, which the company describes as having traditional looks with an innovative body construction. “Solid Finnish Aspen flat top on solid Alder sides, a flat back and the long scale neck (34″) create an exceptionally mature...
Eden Unveils the Astroflange Bass Flanger
Eden Amplification has expanded their pedal lineup with the Astroflange, a flanger designed specifically for bass. It has four controls that allow for dialing in the effect and choosing which frequencies are affected. “Velocity and Altitude controls adjust the overall parameters of the flanging effect, while the Low Cut control allows you to fully control where in the frequency band...
Eve Guitars Introduces the Lunna Bass
Eve Guitars has unveiled the Lunna Bass, a single-cut model that’s made in the UK. Available in four-, five-, or six-string versions, the bass is described as sitting at the top of the Eve range and “fully customisable to meet your own preference and playing style.” It’s crafted with a quartersawn sapele bolt-on neck topped with a wenge fingerboard, but...
Anthony Crawford: Jazz vs Hiphop
Bassist Anthony Crawford shared this on his Facebook page and it immediately caught my attention. He recorded it as a demo for his Mirura MB-2 bass, and the song is just as stunning as the bass. The story behind the music is incredible, too. “This is a song from my last album, Urban Jazz/My Story,” Crawford explains. “I call the...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Reveal North American Tour Dates
Flea and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be embarking on an extensive North American tour starting at the beginning of 2017. Starting January 5th in San Antonio, the 24-date outing will take the band through the South, Midwest, and the Northeast before heading west in March. Support on the tour will include Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, featuring bassist...
Nathan East Announces New Solo Album, “Reverence”
Two years after his solo debut, bass legend Nathan East has announced a new album for 2017. Reverence is scheduled to be released on January 20, 2017. While it’s only his second solo effort, East been featured on hundreds of albums with a discography that includes Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven,” Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” and Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.”...
IK Multimedia Announces iRig HD 2
IK Multimedia has updated their mobile interface with the iRig HD 2. The device, which allows you to hook your bass up to iOS devices or a computer, has a host of new features on top of its predecessor’s capabilities. It now offers 96kHz digital audio with 24-bit A/D conversion. Similar to the original iRig HD, the iRig HD 2...
Mojo Hand FX Goes Retro With The Wonder Filter Envelope Pedal
Mojo Hand FX has introduced the Wonder Filter Envelope, an effects pedal inspired by a ’70s classic with modern updates. The Wonder Filter is fully analog, true bypass, and hand-assembled in the United States. Its controls include Peak and Gain as well as Range and Drive switches found on the original. The original features include a Mode selector switch that...