Judith Owen Announces After Party Tour with Leland Sklar
Welsh singer/songwriter Judith Owen is teaming up again with bass legend Leland Sklar for a handful of U.S. tour dates. Dubbed the “After Party” Tour, the trek will see the duo performing at theaters in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York during mid-September. Sklar has been playing with Owen since recording her album Ebb & Flow last...
G&L Adds MJ-4 Bass To Tribute Series
G&L Guitars is expanding their tribute series with a new version of the MJ-4 bass. The Tribute Series MJ-4 Active Bass features many of the same features as its made-in-Fullerton counterpart while coming in at a lower price point. The new model is equipped with a pair of G&L’s Bi-Coil Alnico V pickups that, while appearing as single-coils from the...
Earth, Wind, and Fire: Shining Star, Live 1975
Bass legend Verdine White is celebrating his birthday today, and we’re celebrating with an awesome clip of Earth, Wind, and Fire on the Midnight Special from 1975. “Shining Star” is one of the coolest bass lines of all time, and White makes it even funkier with some added rhythm and slick fills. And of course, his positive energy is just...
Rockready Introduces Volo Bass Gig Bag
Rockready has unveiled the Volo series of gig bags including a model specifically for basses. The Volo Bass Gig Bag measures in at 50 inches high, 18 inches wide, and 4 inches deep to fit most basses. Featuring a durable outer covering, its design includes integrated ABS panels, a reinforced padded base, and a padded, adjustable neck support for protecting...
EBS Introduces Black Label Studio Edition Pedals
Swedish amp company EBS has announced their Black Label series of bass pedals will be getting overhauled with the Black Label Studio Edition lineup. The series updates six pedals – the MultiComp SE, the DynaVerb SE, the UniChorus SE, the OctaBass SE, the MetalDrive SE and the MultiDrive SE – with several improvements for studio use while retaining their effect....
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...