New Charles Mingus Documentary in Progress
Charles Mingus’ grandson Kevin Ellington Mingus has set out to make a film exploring his grandfather’s life. Mingus on Mingus will be a full-length documentary including interviews with the musicians from bassist/composer’s band and his family and friends, to get a deeper understanding of the jazz icon. Mingus, who passed away in 1979, had a reputation of being unpredictable and...
Bass of the Week: Jerzy Drozd Barcelona
Luthier Jerzy Drozd’s Barcelona design was made in collaboration with famed flamenco bassist Carles Benavent, who spent time playing with Paco de Lucia, Chick Corea and Miles Davis. The bass, named after the city they both live in, is built after Benavent’s unique playing style. “With the help of Carles, I tried to design the instrument according to his previous...
Paul D’Amour’s Feersum Ennjin Releases Self-titled Debut
Former Tool bassist Paul D’Amour’s new group Feersum Ennjin has released their debut self-titled album. Having stepped out of the heavy music scene after his split from Tool, D’Amour told Revolver that it was a matter of time before he came back to hard rock. “I don’t feel like it was a conscious decision but more of a natural progression,”...
Overwater Introduces Scott Devine Signature Series Bass
Overwater Basses have unveiled the first of their new line of signature instruments- the Scott Devine Signature Series Bass. Devine, who has performed with Georgie Fame, The Four Tops, Spyro Gyra and more, worked with the UK-based company to design the 5-string bass, which is strung with a high C. Devine’s signature bass features bolt-on construction and a 33” scale...
Andrew Gouche: You Brought the Sunshine
Here’s an awesome clip of Gospel bass guru Andrew Gouche, getting funky in church with some serious talent including saxophonist Donald Hayes with Tim Carmon, Gorden Campbell, Vadim Zhilberstein, Jackie Gouche, Tracy Brown, Chris Bolton, Mavuto Carpenter and Theresa Jones. Gouche masterfully backs up each player, building their solos to incredible heights while getting his own licks in at all...
Yes Releases “In the Present – Live From Lyon”
With over 40 years under their belt, the prog icons in Yes have released In the Present: Live From Lyon, a new live CD/DVD combo with footage taken from their December 2009 performance in France. The band plays hit songs from throughout their career, including “Roundabout” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” though with the fresh face of singer Benoit...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce North American Tour Dates
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced the first leg of North American shows since their August release of I’m With You. Mixed in among their European dates, the string of six shows hit Southern arenas starting January in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Fans can rest assured that more dates are coming soon, according to the band....
Nathan Navarro and Dylan Patrello (aka Dot): Follow Me
Bassist Nathan Navarro teamed up with singer Dylan Patrello to form the electronic duo Dot, even though the pair live in different parts of the world and come from different musical backgrounds. “Dylan and Nathan collaborate online while being thousands of miles away as Dylan is most often in Texas and Brazil while Nathan spends time in California and Massachusetts,”...
Bill Wyman Releases Rhythm Kings Collectors’ Edition Box Set
In the early ‘90s, Bill Wyman left the rock and roll dynasty known as The Rolling Stones to form the Rhythm Kings. Today, a new box set chronicles the band’s entire recorded career. The Rhythm Kings Collectors’ Edition Box Set contains all four of their studio albums released from 1998 to 2001, including the 2-CD Double Bill. The tracks in...
SuperMegaUltraGroovy Updates Capo App for iOS
SupreMegaUltraGroovy has updated their Capo app for iOS with version 1.2. Designed for learning, the music app allows for independently adjusting the speed and pitch of any song in your music library. Capo 1.2 adds several features, including mono re-mixing for isolating the left or right channels, which comes in handy for students working with play-alongs. A 10-band equalizer allows...
Slayer Returns to the Studio
Slayer is once again working on a new album, to be the follow-up to 2009’s World Painted Blood. The news was broken by drummer Dave Lombardo via Twitter. Fronted by bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, the metal giants had begun preliminary work on a new record earlier this year when guitarist Jeff Hanneman suffered from a flesh-eating virus in his arm, reportedly...
Bass of the Week: Bas-Extravaganza Fluffy
While this bass may conjure images of ZZ Top, the idea for the Bas-Extravaganza Fluffy actually came to proprietor Bas Wittenberg on a trip through IKEA. The luthier saw a rug and immediately decided to put it to use as a “finish.” “This is a real party bass,” he writes. “Women love it, and men want to shave.” Measuring at...