Revolución: An Interview with Marco Mendoza
Many bassists are lucky to find success with a single band. Marco Mendoza, on the other hand, has found it with several. His resume includes stints with Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent, Blue Murder, Bill Ward, and many more. Now he’s joined fellow veteran musicians in The Dead Daisies, a band that hearkens back to the classic roots of rock....
Manou Gallo Groove Orchestra: Chanter L’amour
Leonardo van der Laat sent us this great clip of bassist Manou Gallo leading her Groove Orchestra during the Saint-Jazz-den-Noode festival in 2013. Born in the Ivory Coast and currently living in Belgium, Gallo’s style blends traditional African music with modern funk and pop in a fun way. Check out the Manou Gallo Groove Orchestra getting down on “Chanter L’amour”:
Alex Spradling: John Coltrane’s “Countdown” Solo on Double Bass
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, somebody like Alex Spradling comes along and blows your mind. The bassist tackles saxophone legend John Coltrane’s lightning fast solo from “Countdown” on his double bass. Spradling’s economy of motion makes the blazing lines come off as a fluid stream of notes as his left hand glides over the strings.
The Wing Bass Now Available
Bassists looking for a portable bass to travel, practice and perform on have a new option. Measuring in at just 21 inches, the Wing Bass is an instrument that feels and plays like the top range of a bass guitar. “The concept is simple,” the company shared.
Bass of the Week: Nick Lloyd Basses 3/4 Lloyd Standard Model
There’s something uniquely beautiful about the double bass, and Nick Lloyd knows how to accentuate it. This week we check out his 3/4 Lloyd Standard Model featuring gorgeous woods and interesting twist. The bass’s design includes walnut back and sides with a classic flatback. “Previously I came across some beautiful, centuries-old Italian basses made from Walnut,” the luthier explains. “I...
Primus: Lee Van Cleef
Just about all of Les Claypool‘s bass lines are catchy and fun to play, but “Lee Van Cleef” is one of my favorites. The song, which pays homage to the actor with allusions to Claypool’s childhood, centers around a springy slap bass line on the D and G strings. Check out this clip of Primus performing it on the Jimmy...
John Benítez Releases Volume 1 of Bass Method Series
Latin jazz bassist John Benítez has launched a new set of instructional books focused on his own bass method. The John Benítez Bass Method Volume 1:- Freedom In The Clave: A Rhythmic Approach To Bass Playing focuses on strengthening your rhythmic confidence with a set of rhythmic independence exercises over a clave. Written with Ian Stewart, the book aims bolster...
Acoustic Image Introduces Clarus SL and SL-R Amp Heads
Acoustic Image has announced it will be reintroducing the Clarus SL and Clarus SL-R single-channel amp heads as part of their 4plus Series. The compact units weigh in at just over 2 1/2 pounds while dishing out 600 watts of power into 4 ohms. A core update to the models is the inclusion of Acoustic Image’s FLEX-style four-channel EQ, with...
Darren Michaels Releases “Seasons”
Darren Michaels has released Seasons, a 10-song collection that delves into the bassist’s singer/songwriter style. The album, which is his first full-length solo project in seven years, showcases his lyrics and creative bass playing with thought-provoking lyrics, altered tunings, and a chordal approach to the the bass. Michaels utilized an arsenal of three basses to record the whole album, one...
Wampler Pedals Introduces Low Blow Bass Pedal
Wampler Pedals has released the Low Blow, an overdrive/distortion pedal designed specifically for bass. The Low Blow features two clipping modes – Smooth and Jagged – for dialing in your dirt as well as a 3-band EQ for further tonal tweaking. Additionally, the pedal has a Notch Filter switch to tighten up “common cabinet ‘woof’ without having to turn down.”...
Mike Watt with Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, & Pat Smear: Big Train
I’ve been revisiting some of Mike Watt‘s music recently after listening to his incredible interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, and this clip floored me. The punk legend toured in 1995 with a superstar band to back him up including Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Foo Fighters members Dave Grohl and Pat Smear. Here’s the group on the Jon Stewart...
ESP Guitars Announces Two New Bunny Brunel Signature Basses
After launching the Bunny Brunel Signature Series at the Winter NAMM show, ESP Guitars took to the Summer NAMM show to expand the lineup with a pair of new models: the LTD BB-1005/QM/Black Aqua and the LTD BB-1005 QM/Burnt Orange. Both models are 5-string fretted basses, which fills a gap in the initial Brunel signature offering of a fretless fiver...