Nathan East to Join Eric Clapton’s Touring Band
Guitar legend Eric Clapton has once again recruited bass giant Nathan East to his touring band. East, who played with Clapton from 1984 to 2004, will be hitting the road with the former Cream guitarist in 2014, starting in Japan. The rest of the band includes keyboardists Chris Stainton and Paul Carrack, vocalists Michelle John and Sharon White, and drummer...
Bass of the Week: Scott Walker Guitars California Bass
Scott Walker is an independent luthier based in North Carolina. Though his primary focus is electric guitars, his California Bass is more than an after thought. Its construction includes a long tenon design, laminated hard woods, and multiple bolt coupling to eliminate dead spots and promote resonance. The bass starts with a body of Alder or Swamp ash and a...
MonoNeon: Donyea’s Slo-Soul Arrangement of James Brown’s “I Feel Good”
YouTube brings out a lot of collaboration and inspiration in people. Here’s an awesome video by Dywane “MonoNeon” Thomas adding his own flourishes to producer Donyea Goodman’s arrangement of “I Feel Good” by James Brown. It’s a totally different groove from the original and brings a new flavor to the song.
Yamaha Acquires Line 6
Line 6, makers of digital amplifiers and effects, is slated to be acquired by Yamaha Corporation, according to a press release issued by Yamaha. The deal will result in a 100% acquisition. Established in 1996, Line 6 specializes in guitar and bass modeling processors, including their POD line, as well as PA equipment and wireless systems. The agreement states that...
Musicvox Announces Limited Edition 12-String MI-5 Bass
Musicvox has introduced a new limited edition 12-string version of their MI-5 bass. The Limited Edition 2014 MI-5 bass features four triple courses for a familiar tuning with more strings. It’s built with neck-through construction with a mahogany body and maple neck topped with a rosewood fingerboard. The body and headstock are triple bound while the neck is reinforced with...
AC Guitars Unveils Über Graft Spec Bass Series
AC Guitars has added a new line of basses with the introduction of the Über Graft Spec Series. The new basses build upon the company’s Graft Series of handmade basses, which are made in batch to keep them in an accessible price range. This line offers five body shapes: Finn, Recurve, Harlot, Gallas, and J-Type. Über Graft basses will be...
Norm Stockton: “O Come All Ye Faithful” Solo Bass Arrangement
Norm Stockton has a knack for making unbelievably great solo bass arrangements of songs. This year he’s put his talent into the classic Christmas carol “O Come All Ye Faithful.” “I hope you enjoy the music as much as I enjoyed performing it for you,” Stockton shares. “May the joy and hope of the season flood into your life today...
Mumpbeak Releases Debut Featuring Tony Levin, Bill Laswell, Lorenzo Feliciati and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz
When keyboardist Ray Powell set out to fill out his project band Mumpbeak, he went straight to the top of prog rock royalty. Mumpbeak’s features drummer Pat Mastelotto and a host of talented bassists: Bill Laswell, Tony Levin, Lorenzo Feliciati, and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz. Described as “art by committee,” the project takes on shades of King Crimson, Yes and Gentle...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2014 Inductees Announced
Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has officially announced the 2014 inductees. The artists that will be joining the Hall next year include Nirvana, KISS, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens, and Linda Ronstadt. The E Street Band will be given the Award for Musical Excellence. Among the artists are bassists Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Gene Simmons (KISS), and...
Bobby Vega: “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
Grab your egg nog and have a seat by the fire, because Bobby Vega is about to put you in the Christmas mood. Vega plays two beautiful solo bass versions of the carols “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on his Ribbecke bass and his 1966 Fender Jazz, affectionately named “Gumby.”
Bass of the Week: Spear Guitars Flextool
Can’t decide between a P, J, or MM bass? Spear has you covered with the Flextool, a bass that’s loaded with all three pickup types. The Flextool is built with an alder body, Canadian Hard Maple neck and Indian Rosewood fingerboard. Its pickups and hardware are all Spear’s own brand. The pickups include a single coil in the neck position,...
Alberto Rigoni and Enrico Buttol: Jingle Bells
We’re kicking off the holiday season as we do every year: bass style. Bassist Alberto Rigoni and beatboxer Enrico Buttol help us do just that with this lighthearted version of “Jingle Bells.” Happy holidays!