The Gap Band: Live At Sinbad’s Summer Jam Music Festival
I was thinking about the late great Robert Wilson the other day and found this video of the Gap Band in 1999 at Sinbad’s Summer Jam. The audio could be a little better, but the Robert and the band are smokin’ through their hits, starting with “Burn Rubber on Me.” Make sure to check out the end of the set,...
Squier Releases Matt Freeman Precision Bass
Rancid bassist Matt Freeman now has his own Squier signature Precision Bass, modeled after his favorite personal bass. Freeman explains that “[it] is a ’77 P Bass that I picked up in 1987 for, like, $400 when I was in Operation Ivy. I went all over the world with that bass. And I still have it and I actually play...
Rare Live Cliff Burton Solo (1986)
The Metal Den has just posted a Youtube clip including audio of Cliff Burton’s bass solo from a Metallica concert at the Coliseum Ballroom in Davenport, Iowa on May 30, 1986. The solo is part improv, with Burton adding the themes from the track, “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth.” Hailed as one of the greatest bassists of all time, Burton died in...
Rufus Reid Releases “Hues of a Different Blue”
Jazz bassist Rufus Reid has teamed up once again with pianist Steve Allee and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca for Hues of a Different Blue, a 14-track album that also features the talents of saxophonists JD Allen and Bobby Watson, trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, and Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta. The songs are a nice combination of Reid’s originals with standards mixed in,...
VOX Announces AC1 RhythmVOX Mini Bass Amp
The amp makers at Vox have translated their mini guitar amp to the bass world with the introduction of the AC1 RhythmVOX Bass, a portable practice combo that weighs in at only 19.4 ounces. Similar to its predecessor, the new model includes 66 built-in rhythm/song patterns including 8-beat, blues, funk, reggae, irregular patterns, and more. The tempo and level for...
Custom Shop: JC Basses
Meet Jared Carpenter, the sole proprietor of California-based custom shop JC Basses. We first discovered his work after watching Seth Horan, whose custom bass features fanned frets and an eye-catching red finish. After picking up bass, Carpenter quickly realized he couldn’t get what he wanted from a production instrument and boldly decided to make his own, even without much woodworking...
Nikki Sixx Releases “This Is Gonna Hurt,” with Book Signing Tour
Motley Crue/Sixx A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx has just released his second book, entitled This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx. The 224-page book is a mixture of his photography and a journal that dives into his inner thoughts. “It’s definitely not an autobiography,” he told Billboard.com. “I don’t write with an editor...
Marcus Miller Featured on Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band’s “That’s How We Roll”
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band has released their fifth album, That’s How We Roll, on Telarc International. The collection has the 18-piece band showcasing 9 new original tracks from band leader Goodwin, as well as his arrangement of the classic Gershwin tune, “Rhapsody in Blue.” Bassist Rick Shaw holds down the low end throughout the album with the exception of...
Warwick Introduces BC Combo Series
Warwick has introduced the BC Combo series, a 5-model line ranging in strength from 20 to 300 watts. The company explains the new combos are good for when you need to be heard, but not “bend people’s eardrums.” The pinnacle of the series is the BC300, a 300-watt amp combined with a 15” driver and 4” HF horn. The combo...
Dark Matter Audio Unveils DMA1 Smart Audio Hub
Dark Matter Audio has unveiled details of their premier product, the DMA1. The DMA1 is an app-enabled smart device tailored for musicians, featuring a color touchscreen, internet capability and tons of connectivity. It’s capable of effects processing, multi-track recording, playing MP3 files and more. Similar to a smartphone, users will be able to wirelessly download apps, including drum machines, loops,...
Jazz For Japan Benefit Album Features Top Name Bassists
A new album, entitled Jazz for Japan, has been released on iTunes, with proceeds going to the International Red Cross in Japan in an effort to benefit Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims. The project, which was recorded in merely two days last week, features a who’s who of the jazz community, especially jazz bassists. Low-end contributors include Marcus Miller, Christian...
Warwick Announces Steve Bailey Signature Bass
Fretless bassist Steve Bailey has joined up with Warwick as an endorsing artist, and the company has just unveiled a new Steve Bailey Signature Bass. The model is a 6-string fretless based on their Streamer, though the design has been modified for better access to the upper register of the neck. The Steve Bailey Signature bass features bolt-on construction and...