New School: Zander Zon
Zander Zon, who takes his name from the famed line of boutique bass guitars, follows the vein of solo bass. Employing piccolo strings and alternate tunings, the bassist builds thoughtful and challenging compositions as well as cool arrangements of popular tunes that have captured the imagination of YouTubers. What makes you new school? My focus as a musician is to...
Van Halen to Tour, Release New Album in 2012
Van Halen has released a new trailer announcing that the iconic rock band will be hitting the road in 2012. Though the dates have not yet been revealed, the teaser states tickets will be up for sale on January 10, 2012. The band has also signed with Interscope Records and is expected to release a new album in conjunction with...
Bass of the Week: Bootleg Guitars Dawg
Described as a “down and dirty,” no-frills bass, the Bootleg Guitars Dawg 4 bass gets its name from the Cleveland Browns’ Dawg Pound of which we assume luthier Jon Hill is a member. Hill, who is based in Cleveland, explains he designed the bass for the working musician. The 4-string version of the Dawg has a 34” scale and is...
In Memoriam: Jody Rainwater
Bluegrass legend Jody Rainwater has passed away at the age of 92. Born Charles Edward Johnson, the bassist was an early and influential member of the Foggy Mountain Boys, headed by Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt. Scruggs and Flatt formed the Foggy Mountain Boys in 1949 and originally turned to Rainwater to be their booking agent. When founding bassist Cedric...
The Crusaders, with Stanley Clarke and Larry Graham: Put It Where You Want It, Live (1983)
Here’s a little piece of bass history for you. At the Live Under the Sky Jazz Festival in 1983, the Crusaders were joined by bass legends Stanley Clarke and Larry Graham for an exciting version of “Put It Where You Want It.” After some showmanship between the two bassists, Clarke waves Crusaders bassist Brad Bobo to the front and the...
DR Strings Introduces New Dragon-Skin Strings
DR Strings has released Dragon-Skin Strings, their new line of clear coated bass and guitar strings. This line is said to have “less unwanted overtones, more volume, and greater articulation” than uncoated strings. The Dragon-Skin bass strings feature the company’s proprietary K3 coating applied to nickel plated steel wrap wire and are available in standard gauges in 4 and 5-string...
Duke Ellington Orchestra: A “Very Special” Version of “Take the A Train”
When my Facebook friend Doofybass Kris shared this, I couldn’t wait to share it here. Not only does this 1964 clip of Duke Ellington and his orchestra include a rare glimpse at famed jazz composer Billy Strayhorn, the performance features bassist Ernie Shepard in what Duke calls a “very special operatic version” of “Take the A Train.” The song starts...
Aguilar to Introduce Tone Hammer 350 in 2012
Aguilar will be introducing a new ultra-lightweight amp to the Tone Hammer series in 2012, with the all new 350 model. Weighing in at only three pounds, the 350-watt head follows suit in the series by utilizing the company’s Tone Hammer preamp, originally found in the Tone Hammer D.I./preamp pedal. Controls on the Tone Hammer 350 include drive, bass, treble...
ChaotH from UneXpecT: Words
Here’s an awesome clip of 9-string bassist ChaotH (aka Frédérick Filiatrault) playing the song “Words” from his band UneXpecT’s album Fables of the Sleepless Empire. ChaotH, who admits that his hair is the source of his bass playing power, takes full advantage of his extended range instrument with some beautiful chordal playing reminiscent of some Tony Levin’s Chapman Stick work...
Carvin Introduces MB210 Combo Bass Amp
Carvin has added a 210 model to their micro bass combo amp series. The MB210 carries an internal head unit, a pair of 10” speakers, and a neodymium titanium tweeter, all while weighing a mere 36 pounds. Alone, the MB210 delivers 200W at 8 ohms, but can push up to 250W at 4 ohms with the addition of an 8...
Gothenburg Bass Quartet: O, Tannenbaum
Here’s a warming rendition of “O, Tannenbaum,” performed by the Gothenburg Bass Quartet. (Beware, the group also doubles as the Gothenburg Kazoo Quartet!) The four members play in front of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree… no, wait. That’s a bass flight trunk. Charles DeRamus shows the decorating of the trunk, saying it took “11 hours, which is a new Swedish...
Tool Expands Winter Tour with New Dates
Tool has released more dates for their upcoming North American winter tour, including more shows on the East Coast. New performances are slated for the New England area as well as North Carolina and Florida. It’s also been announced that the progressive metal outfit Intronaut will provide opening support on their early shows. Though the band is secretive about their...