Zeroliser: Bass Arrangement of Flume’s “Ezra”
Our Facebook friend Tim Grunwald sent us a clip of YouTube bassist Zeroliser playing a solo bass version of Flume’s “Ezra”, and I’m glad he did. Zeroliser uses some looping to flesh out the arrangement, which is lush with harmonics, chords, and percussion. Have a video to share? Send it to [email protected].
Tensor Bass Introduces 4-String Model
After introducing the 5-string Tensor Bass at the Winter NAMM show this year, Tensor Inc. will be unveiling the 4-string version of their bass at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee. The bass’s design centers around the company’s Force Balance system that replaces a conventional truss rod. “The Force Balance system utilizes the string tension to generate the appropriate...
Anthrax: Caught In A Mosh, Live
Thrash metal legend Frank Bello’s birthday is today, and we’re celebrating with his band Anthrax’s “Caught In A Mosh”. The clip is taken from The Big 4 concert in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2010. The song, originally heard on 1987’s Among the Living, is a shining example of the bassist’s style. After the intro, Bello sets up the main riff to...
King Crimson with Tony Levin: Red, Live 1994
King Crimson had plenty of lineups, but this one may be my favorite. The chemistry between Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, and Tony Levin never disappoints, and creating the double trio with the addition of Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn makes it even better. Here’s a great clip of the band from a DVD of a live concert in...
MJC Ironworks Launches New Bass Strings
Michael Connolly has launched a new string company called MJC Ironworks, which the industry veteran describes as a company with “geek-like intensity to detail.” Its first products are a line of strings for bass players. The lineup includes stainless steel and nickel-plated versions in a variety of gauges. Available in 4, 5, 6, and 7-string sets, the strings are shipped...
Adam Nitti Releases “Out of This World”
Sometimes you get the feeling that really great bass players might be aliens, and that may be the case with Adam Nitti. He’s just released Not of This World, an album that features jazz, funk, blues and rock songs tied together by the bassist’s astronomical playing. While his playing is consistently on point, his focus was on the overall songs....
Bass of the Week: Kristall Basses Home
This week we’re checking out the Kristall Basses Home, a bass the German company says makes you feel like coming home at first contact. Kristall writes that each bass is made to order, but they start with “tonewoods, hardware, pickups and electronics [that] are basically ‘traditional’ and [give] direct access to proven sounds and more.” The Home’s solid double-cut body...
La Vague: Sit Down
Bass and vocal duo La Vague, comprised of Alessandro Corsi and Francesca Pirami, is back with a new video for “Sit Down” from their self-titled 2009 album. Corsi sets up a tasty groove and keeps the bass line running while he plays fills and countermelodies for a mesmerizing jam. La Vague is working on their next album, which they say...
ObsidianWire Introduces J and P Bass Wiring Upgrades
Attention mod junkies: ObsidianWire has just unveiled a J and P-bass upgrade wiring harnesses. Utilizing solder-less connectors, the sets are designed to be drop-in replacements for American and Mexican series Fender basses. Both harnesses are built with hand selected and matched CTS pots that ObsidianWire says offers greater clarity and consistent response. Other features include NOS paper in oil capacitors...
Damian Erskine Releases “Within Sight”
Damian Erskine has released, Within Sight, an album that explores the boundaries of the bass in jazz fusion. The long-awaited followup to 2010’s So To Speak features the bassist’s unique voice on nine original compositions that vary in tone and texture for an intriguing listen. “This album is my attempt to put it all out there,” Erskine writes. “The chance...
Warwick Introduces 5-String Streamer CV Bass
Warwick’s Streamer CV bass is getting a little bigger with the introduction of a five-string model to the lineup. The model, which was originally debuted in 2013, combines the company’s Streamer model with a vintage aesthetic. The Warwick Streamer CV 5 is built with a US swamp ash body matched with a one-piece maple neck topped by a rosewood fingerboard...
Colin Trusedell: Amerika, The Beautiful
We’re celebrating Independence Day with a clip of U.S. Air Force bass player Colin Trusedell performing his take on “Amerika, the Beautiful,” as popularized in the bass world by Jaco Pastorius. The track comes from Trusedell’s latest recording, All By Myself. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!