Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 709

Bassist B.B. Cunningham has died after a shooting at an apartment complex where he was working as a security guard. He was 70 years old. A versatile musician, Cunningham was the lead singer for ’60s group The Hombres and penned their hit “Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)” before becoming a session player in the Memphis area where...

Bass Player Magazine’s annual exhibition Bass Player Live! is set to take place October 20th and 21st at SIR Studios and the Key Club in Los Angeles, California. The event brings guest artists to present clinics and concerts as well as exhibits from bass-centric companies. The highlight of weekend is the presentation of this year’s “Lifetime Achievement Award,” which will...

In 1953, Gibson took its first step into the electric bass market with the EB-1, eventually releasing several models to follow musical trends. Now, the company has unveiled the EB Bass, a brand new model that they say blends tradition and innovation to create a versatile voice for the modern bassist. The EB Bass’s body is a derivative of the...

Traveler Guitar has gotten into the mobile interface market with the MI-10, a device that connects your bass or guitar to your iOS device. Once connected, you can use your mobile device as a tuner, effects unit, recorder, and more by using various apps. The MI-10 has a 1/4? input for your bass and a 1/8? TRRS stereo plug for...

UK-based manufacturer FM Cables has launched their FM Pro Silent and FM Pro Standard Series cables. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the cables feature a 2-core cable made from high-grade copper covered with a hard-wearing transparent PVC jacket. The Pro Silent Series is set apart by utilizing Neutrik’s silentPLUG connectors, which automatically mute the cable when changing instruments. The...

This week we take a look at Pavel Musical Instrument’s flagship singlecut bass, the Aryel. Described as the “Roaring Lion” of basses, the bass’s upper horn section connects to the neck at the 12th fret, which the company says adds more tone transmission to the body. The Aryel is hand-built to order in Texas and comes in Deluxe and Signature...

With all the things to work on to improve ourselves, it’s easy to lose sight of why we play bass. That’s why we’ve been polling famous bassists and the community at large on what they think makes a great bassist. (Be sure to check out What Makes a Great Bassist? Part 1: Playing for the Song). For part two of...

Killswitch Engage is celebrating the 10th anniversary of their breakthrough album Alive or Just Breathing with a U.S. tour during which they’ll play the album in its entirety. The 20-date tour will feature support from Shadows Fall and Acaro. Anchored by bassist Mike D’Antonio, the group recently reenlisted their original singer Jesse Leach, who sang on the 2002 effort but...

Italian boutique builder Manne Guitars has expanded their bass offerings with the VibraBass. Inspired by the AcoustiVibe guitar, the new bass features a fully chambered body made of Korina with an Italian poplar burl top, a maple/beech laminate neck, and a thin, hard resin fingerboard. Besides a magnetic single coil pickup mounted in the bass’s sound plate, the VibraBass is...

Andres Rotmistrovsky has a way with arranging songs for solo bass. Here’s his version of Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend In Me.”

In a recent interview with the BBC, rock legend Jack Bruce revealed that plans for a Cream reunion in 2013 have been halted due to a rift between guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker. The band, which was one of the first rock supergroups, last reunited in 2005 for four sold out shows. “There was supposed to be [a...

Last week we celebrated Sting’s birthday, and our Facebook friend Andrew Bennett reminded us of this great version of his hit “Englishman in New York” from the DVD …All This Time. Sting’s eclectic band is joined by double bassist Christian McBride, who kicks the group into a burning jazz trio at the 2:10 mark.