Jimmy Blanton: Bass Solo on “Sepia Panorama”
Even in the few years he was able to make a name for himself, Jimmy Blanton helped change the face of jazz bass. Blanton, who was cited as an influence by the likes of Ray Brown and Charles Mingus, drove the bass into the spotlight as a viable solo instrument by playing horn-like melodies, but he also changed the sound...
OZZtosh Introduces LUMA Aluminum Body Bass
OZZtosh unveiled their latest creation, the LUMA Bass, at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee last week. The bass follows suit with the rest of their LUMA series and is CNC machined from a 6061 solid aluminum billet. The instrument is then hand polished and assembled in the U.S. Weighing in at 8.7 pounds, the LUMA is P-style bass...
PreSonus Introduces Capture for iPad and Capture Duo
PreSonus has ported their Capture audio-recording software to the iPad with two new apps: and . Capture for iPad allows for recording up to 32 tracks simultaneously with 24-bit, 96 kHz fidelity, while Capture Duo is a free version that lets you record and play two stereo tracks. Both apps focus on recording but come with basic mixing and editing...
ValveTrain Amplification Announces Brandywine All-Tube Bass Amp
Amp company ValveTrain has announced the Brandywine amplifier, a 50-watt all-tube bass amp inspired by the bass amps for the early ‘60s. The amp is described as marrying vintage tone with modern features and was designed primarily for studio use. Instead of a simple pad, the amp starts with a variable pad on the input that can be dialed in...
Mastodon Announces North American Fall Tour
Three weeks after releasing their sixth studio album Once More ’Round the Sun, Mastodon is set to take their show once more ’round North America this fall. The tour kicks off on October 15 at Revolution in Boise, Idaho before criss crossing the U.S. with a stop in Montreal for good measure. The fall outing will wrap up at the...
Rick Turner Teams Up with Michael Kelly Guitars to Release Licensed Renaissance Bass
Luthier Rick Turner has teamed up with Michael Kelly Guitars to release a licensed line of his Renaissance instruments, including the Renaissance Bass. Turner, who co-founded Alembic in 1970, has been making the series by hand up until now. The Michael Kelly MKB4SB Renaissance Bass is a chambered acoustic 4-string bass built with an okumé body, mahogany neck, and rosewood...
Deep Purple Announces North American Tour Dates
After touring Europe this year, Deep Purple will be bringing their NOW What?! tour to North America, starting August 4th. The outing is in support of their 19th studio album of the same name that was released last year. The band, anchored by bass powerhouse Roger Glover, will start their journey in Arizona before snaking up the West Coast, into...
Davie504: 100 Bass Line Medley
This video has been making the rounds, and for good reason. Bassist Davie504 made this incredible medley of 100 of the most popular bass lines of all time. “I chose and played 100 Great and Famous Bass Lines which, in my opinion, every bass player should know!” the bassist writes. “These bass lines helped me during those years to improve...
Bass of the Week: James Colby’s Homemade “Glitzy” Bass
Sometimes if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. We love it when bassists take building their instrument into their own hands, and Jim Colby nailed it with his bass that he calls “Glitzy.” ”‘Glitzy’ came about due to my love of 60’s Fender basses, and a meager paycheck,” the bassist shares. “Built in 1995 and...
Digital Dream Sequence: An Interview with Dan Briggs
Musical diversity is a beautiful thing, and Dan Briggs has it in spades. Besides laying down the low end for the popular prog-metal outfit Between the Buried and Me, the bassist has several projects to express different sides of his playing including ORBS and Trioscapes, the latter of which is gearing up for their sophomore release next month. Digital Dream...
Ella Basses Introduces Isaac Singlecut Bass
Ella Basses has introduced a new singlecut model called the Isaac. Named after luthier Jeff Power’s son, the bass is handmade and can be ordered to suit. The Isaac has been made in 4- and 5-string versions with standard features including set-neck construction, Bartolini pickups and electronics, and Hipshot hardware. The first 4-string Isaac is built with a stunning spalted...
Funk Brothers with Bob Babbitt: “Mercy Mercy Me”, Live 2004
Today we’re remembering the legendary bassist Bob Babbitt, who passed away on this day in 2012. After playing on over 200 Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hits, it’s safe to say that he will never be forgotten. Here’s a video of Babbitt performing “Mercy Mercy Me” at the 2004 Montreal Jazz Festival with the Funk Brothers. Babbitt played on the...