Charnett Moffett: Enlightenment
Adept at both upright and electric bass, Charnett Moffett is a bassist to be reckoned with. Here, he showcases electric chops and improvisatory skills on his tune “Enlightenment,” for which he utilizes a piccolo bass. The song comes off as a meditation with its Middle-Eastern influences. Some might say “it’s too trebly,” but just wait for the 1:28 mark. (My...
Mastodon Releases “Black Tongue” From Upcoming Album
Mastodon has released a teaser track from their upcoming album, “The Hunter,” due in September. The song, “Black Tongue,” is available on iTunes in addition to being posted on YouTube. The new record will be the follow-up to 2009’s Crack the Skye, which wrapped up their elemental themed albums. Bassist Troy Sanders says the new album gives them room to...
Radial Engineering Announces Reamp JCR
Earlier this year, Radial Engineering bought John Cuniberti’s Reamp business including the rights to the manufacture the Reamp – a piece of studio equipment that allows you to take pre-recorded tracks and re-record them through your bass or guitar amp. As such, Radial has unveiled the Reamp JCR, a passive Reamper that employs the original circuit design by Cuniberti with...
Les Claypool Forms Supergroup with Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland and Danny Carey
Les Claypool has joined forces with Rush’s Neil Peart, the Police’s Stewart Copeland and Tool’s Danny Carey to form “Carey Claypool Copeland Peart” or “CCCP.” The supergroup is documented with a jam called “Count Drumula,” recently posted on Neil Peart’s website. The extent of the collaboration is unclear, as no other announcements about the group has been made. With three...
Empress Effects Introduces Compressor Pedal
Empress Effects has released a new analog compressor pedal, which brings the stompbox closer to studio gear status through the addition of more controls. Designed for both bass and guitar, the Empress Compressor also strays from 3-knob compressors by being “truly transparent.” The pedal’s controls include those found on a pro compressor: Attack, Release and Ratio, which is a switch...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce UK Tour Dates
Though North American dates are still TBA, Red Hot Chili Peppers fans across the pond will be glad to know that the funk-rock quartet has announced a ten date trek of the UK and Ireland. Set for November, the full-fledged tour will be their first in the area since 2006. Anchored by bassist Flea, the group will start in Dublin...
SD Curlee Brand Revived With New Bass Guitar
The S.D. Curlee bass, made popular in the 1970’s, has been reborn at the hands of Birdsong Guitars’ Scott Beckwith. Once described as the “poor man’s Alembic,” the S.D. Curlee brand went under in 1982 after business decisions that led to key members leaving. The new SD Curlee Classic is a new take on the original Randy Dritz design, featuring...
An Interview with Adam Nitti
Rounding out our interviews from the Gerald Veasley Bass Boot Camp is our conversation with Adam Nitti. Based in Nashville, the bassist and educator has run the gamut of the music industry, from session work to touring to producing to teaching and more. His credits include working with artists like the Dave Weckl Band, Steven Curtis Chapman, Susan Tedeschi, Mandisa,...
Stick Men and Adrian Belew Power Trio Unite for “2 of a Perfect Trio” Tour
Tony Levin and the Stick Men will be teaming up with the Adrian Belew Power Trio for the “2 of a Perfect Trio” tour this Fall, which will make its way from coast to coast and into Canada between September and October. Combined, the group features three King Crimson members and the tour name is a play on Crimson’s album...
ESP Unveils LTD J-Series Basses at Summer NAMM 2011
For Summer NAMM 2011, ESP Guitars has unveiled the LTD J series basses, including the J-204 and J-205 models. Built for quality while “remaining within a budget,” the basses are designed with a classic style. The J-204 and J-205 (4- and 5-string, respectively) feature alder bodies, maple necks, and rosewood fingerboards. The old school look is rounded out with retro...
Mike Prigodich Releases “A Stitch in Time”, Featuring Damian Erskine
Keyboardist Mike Prigodich has released his debut album, A Stitch in Time, featuring bassist (and No Treble contributor) Damian Erskine. The album’s intriguing melodies, odd time signatures, and ear-bending harmonies make it a stand-out album in the world of fusion. Prigodich got a wake-up call in 2008 when he was diagnosed with cancer, leading him pursue his dream of being...
AKAI Announces EIE Pro USB Audio Interface
Akai has announced the EIE Pro, a USB audio interface capable of recording up 24-bit resolution and 96kHz sampling. The EIE Pro has four ins and four outs, MIDI I/O, and is compatible with virtually any DAW on Mac or PC. The inputs are XLR-1/4″ combo jacks, which lead to four discrete preamplifiers with true phantom power to enable use...