Mogwai Celebrates Its History with Compilation Set
Mogwai has released a compilation album, Central Belters, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The three-CD or six-LP set from the Scottish band, featuring bassist and co-founder Dominic Aitchison (Crippled Black Phoenix and Stage Blood), includes highlights from every phase of its career — from the band’s 1997 debut album to through its 2014 album Rave Tapes. The set also includes...
Aidan Hampson’s Newest Transcriptions Include Pink Floyd, Lee Sklar and More
Bassist/bass transcriptionist Aidan Hampson is back at it with four new rock bass transcription books focusing on the music of Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, superstar bassist Leland “Lee” Sklar and the Best of Britpop. Hampson notes that the Pink Floyd book “includes all of ‘Echoes’ and 500 measures of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IX)’ which have never been...
Kneebody and Daedelus Explore on New Album
Kneebody’s latest album, Kneedelus, a collaboration with electronic musician Daedelus, explores the theory of technological singularity. According to the jazz band’s website, technological singularity is “the notion that humans and computer technology will increasingly blend together.” The group’s saxophonist, Ben Wendel, is a high school friend of Alfred Darlington (a.k.a. Daedelus and a onetime jazz/double bass student at the University...
Dead Inspired: Fare Thee Well Interlude Music Released as an Album
The music that accompanied visuals shown during set breaks at The Grateful Dead’s summer Fare Thee Well 50th anniversary concerts has been released as a separate album. The songs were commissioned by Justin Kreutzmann (drummer Kreutzmann’s son) for biographical pieces he assembled for set interludes, according to NPR. Hence, the album’s title, Interludes for the Dead. Justin tapped guitarist Neal...
Jethro Tull’s “Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die!” Expanded for Box Set
Jethro Tull’s 1976 album Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! has acquired some new life in a 40th anniversary box set. The 2 CD/2 DVD set, featuring the bass work of the late John Glascock (Carmen) includes the original; a version of the album re-recorded for a 1976 television special; the TV film; alternate versions of...
BandLab App Aims to Make Music Creation Easier
A new free app called BandLab promises to allow musicians to collaborate and create music in the cloud. The recently launched app lets musicians capture, store and recall song ideas and synchronize all the info to all cloud-linked devices. In addition, you can work on multi-track projects with others using the app’s built-in mix editor. Then, once a piece is...
Book on Playing Gives Lefties Their Due
A new book aims to help left-handers begin to play bass. Hal Leonard Left-Handed Bass Tab Method — Book 1 uses famous riffs to instruct beginning lefty players comfortable way. You’ll learn from the music of bands like The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, The Who, and The Police. The book covers everything from parts of the bass and...
Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” Released in Comprehensive Set
All the recordings made in two days worth of sessions for saxophonist/composer John Coltrane’s jazz classic A Love Supreme album have been released as A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters. The set features extensive takes from the sessions – including all six takes of the suite’s opener, “Acknowledgement” – as well as all overdubs and studio chatter. The album, recorded...
Fare The Well Shows Released
Did you miss The Grateful Dead’s Fare The Well shows July 3-5 at Soldier Field in Chicago? No worries. There’s a “best of” live album documenting the best performances from the three-date stand by the band’s remaining members, including bassist Phil Lesh, augmented by musicians like Phish’s Trey Anastasio, in honor of the band’s 50th anniversary. It’s a great opportunity...
Mai Agan’s Group Releases Sophomore Effort
Estonian bass player/composer Mai Agan, known for her work in a variety of genres, from pop to jazz, has released her second album with her jazz-fusion band, MaiGroup. Titled You, the album from the Estonian/Swedish group is filled with music dedicated to the people who have inspired Agan. The result is “Something magical,” as you’ll see in the video below....
The Who Celebrates 50th with Concert Recordings
The Who’s June 26 concert in London’s Hyde Park is now available for purchase on CD and video as Live In Hyde Park. The show – part of the band’s 50th anniversary tour – featured original members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend. Bassist Pino Palladino played parts made famous by the late John Entwistle. At the June 25 Hyde Park...
Fourplay Releases Appropriately Titled Album for Silver Anniversary
2015 marks Fourplay’s 25th anniversary, so it’s only fitting that its latest album is called Silver, in recognition of the milestone. Superstar bassist Nathan East is one of the jazz group’s four members, and he enthused about the album in an interview posted on The Huffington Post: “I love this album! We tapped into the real spirit of the quartet...