Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 787

Stu Hamm just wrapped up a short Russian tour with guitarist Greg Howe and drummer Dennis Chambers and shared this video of Howe’s tune, “Kick It All Over.” The clip shows the amazing prowess of each musician, with Hamm taking a tasty solo starting around the 2:16 mark.

Lava Cable is getting into the world of accessories, starting with their Para-Strap VII. Adjustable from 44 to 55 inches, the strap was designed by a paratrooper and is built for durability and comfort. The strap is made of two-inch Type 24 military parachute webbing with 22 inches of 1/4” thick padding covered by two-inch tubular nylon. Either end is...

Bassist Steve Lawson has released his first solo studio album in 6 years, entitled 11 Reasons Why 3 Is Greater Than Everything. Recorded between October 2010 and April 2011, “11 Reasons” is full of ambient as well as melodic music that the bassist describes as a “film in 11 discreet acts.” Lawson once again puts his looping expertise to good...

Strukture has introduced their new Pig Hog cables, which the company describes as “overbuilt” to withstand the most extreme touring conditions. The cables feature 8mm thick wire with quality connectors and tension-resistant stress relief. The Pig Hog cables come with a “no questions” lifetime guarantee. Available in instrument, speaker and microphone variations, the cables price around $15 and up. For...

Return to Forever has announced the their US dates to their World Tour, which will span August and September. Bass giant Stanley Clarke, who turns 60 in June, will be joining returning members Chick Corea and Lenny White as well as new members Frank Gambale and violinist Jean-Luc Ponty for the trek with the band, dubbed “Return to Forever IV”....

Digitech has unveiled a new pedal in their Whammy series, dubbed the DT. The Whammy DT builds on its predecessors by including true bypass and a drop tuning feature that allows you to change your tuning by 7 half-steps or an octave – up or down – without changing your bass. The drop tuning interface simply requires turning the selector...

The Foo Fighters, anchored by bassist Nate Mendel, has announced a U.S. tour spanning September in support of their latest effort, Wasting Light. The album is is their first in four years, following 2007’s Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Mendel says the new record has the group getting back to basics. “The last couple of albums in particular, we were...

There’s nothing like a nice jam to make your day. Here, Melvin Lee Davis lays down some funky slap grooves on guitarist Lee Ritenour’s tune “Rio Funk” from the Northsea Jazz Festival in 2009. The man is groovin’ so hard, you can tell even with the sound muted!

David Hughes has released his fourth solo album, entitled Hopeful Romantic. The album features ten of the bassist’s original tunes, revolving around jazz, funk, and jazz/rock fusion. While the bass gets a lot of time to shine on melodies and solos, the album’s tone centers more around the ensemble playing and the compositions. Hughes pulled out his arsenal of basses...

Traveler Guitars has introduced the TB-4P Bass, an electric travel bass designed specifically for practice. Featuring a classic double cutaway design, the bass has several unique features to aid silent practice including a built-in headphone amplifier and a 1/8” aux-in jack for connecting an mp3 player. For increased portability, Traveler removed the headstock and reduced the scale to a 32”...

Godsmack bassist Robbie Merrill has announced Rock Dawg University, a live lesson series where fans will get to the chance to see, hear and interact with him in an “exclusive and intimate online setting.” Currently, there are 10 sessions scheduled starting May 27th and wrapping up July 5th though the schedule is subject to change due to Merrill’s touring. The...

Here’s a clip of French fusion bassist Hadrien Feraud jamming out some solo bass ideas on his signature Ken Smith 5-string. The video was shot by fellow bass monster Janek Gwizdala before he interviewed him.