Aristides’ New and Unique Arium “050” Bass Now Available
Dutch instrument maker Aristides has released their newest bass, the 050. The 050 is a 5-string bass with a unique design which sets it apart from most: it is made of Arium, a synthetic tone material created for maximum sustain and resonance. The body and neck are all one piece molded from the material. The 34″ scale instrument features a...
Viz Maurogiovanni: Fauré’s Pavane, Op. 50
With the help of an ebow and a looper, Italian bassist Viz Maurogiovanni creates a beautiful solo bass rendition of Gabriel Fauré’s “Pavane,” Op. 50, proving that great music transcends time.
Evan Marien: Soulseek
Here’s an awesome studio performance by Evan Marien with drummer Dana Hawkins on the bassist’s song “Soulseek.” The duo keeps a tight groove which opens up for Marien to let loose with some blazing soloing. Evan offers a live version of the track on his Bandcamp page.
The Wayman Tisdale Story Released
The late Wayman Tisdale, the NBA star-turned-bassist who enjoyed success in both careers, is now the focus of a newly released feature-length documentary. The Wayman Tisdale Story recounts the life of the former basketball player and jazz bassist who lost his battle with bone cancer in 2009. With interviews ranging from Michael Jordan to Dave Koz to Toby Keith, it’s...
Black Sabbath’s Reunion Tour is Coming
The recently reunited original lineup of Black Sabbath has announced their first string of shows for their 2012 wold tour. As per the announcement, the trek will kick off in Europe, beginning May 18th, 2012 in Moscow, Russia at the Olimpiski. The European leg is scheduled to rap up at The Gods of Metal festival in Milan, Italy on June...
Roland Introduces R-26 Field Recorder
Roland has released the R-26 Portable Field Recorder featuring dual built-in stereo microphones, two XLR/TRS inputs, and an input for a stereo plug-in powered mic. The device allows for up to six channels of simultaneous recording and has Roland’s patented IARC circuitry on the inputs to reduce interference. While the R-26 supports 24-bit/96 kHz linear PCM recording, you can also...
Pigtronix Releases the Dual Expression Pedal
Pigtronix has teamed up with Mission Engineering to produce the Dual Expression Pedal, a unit with two outputs to simultaneously control the parameters of two pedals with expression inputs. A polarity switch also allows for controlling effects in opposite directions, for which Pigtronix gives the example of increasing the speed of a phaser while decreasing the delay time on a...
New School: Dywane “MonoNeon” Thomas
Dywane “MonoNeon” Thomas is not your average bassist. Formerly known as PolyNeon, Thomas’ unique style is a result of his main influences of ‘70s Soul and modern avant-garde music – which come together in some very interesting ways. What makes you new school? Well I never considered myself “new school”, but I guess I do have a some characteristics that...
Sting Adds to “Back to Bass” Tour with European Dates
Following the success of his North American concerts, Sting has announced a European leg to his “Back to Bass” tour. As the title implies, Sting gets back to his roots and lays down the low-end on his vintage Fender while celebrating the 25th anniversary of his solo career. As such, the tour is also in support of his latest “25...
Bass of the Week: Maruszczyk Instruments Frog Omega Europe 5
This week we take a look at the Frog Omega Europe 5 bass from Maruszczyk Instruments, a custom instrument designed on the company’s Frog series. Built on an alder body, the bass a quilted maple theme, with the figured wood being used for the top, fingerboard, headstock, and pickup covers. The set-in neck is made of hard rock maple. The...
Ultra Low: An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling
Jeroen Paul Thesseling is a bassist constantly pushing himself to new heights. The Amsterdam native picked up his first 4-string bass in his teens, eventually going on to study at the Conservatory at Enschede in the Netherlands. Though his studies were varied, his love for heavy music prevailed as he started his career with the death metal band Pestilence. After...
Dropkick Murphys Announce 2012 Tour Dates
The Dropkick Murphys, led by bassist/vocalist Ken Casey, have announced two months worth of tour dates beginning in late January in Europe and finishing March 24th in Washington, DC. The tour culminates in the Irish punk rockers’ annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, including two shows in Lowell, Massachusetts and the ShamrockFest in D.C. The band will also be releasing a...