The Black Art Jazz Collective Releases “Presented By the Side Door Jazz Club”
The Black Art Jazz Collective, featuring Vicente Archer (Terence Blanchard, Kenny Garrett, Wynton Marsalis, Robert Glasper) on bass, has released Presented By The Side Door Jazz Club. The album refers to the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, Connecticut, which gave the group, which celebrates black culture in a positive way, a two-night gig with the chance to record...
Nik West Releases 6-Song EP
Bassist Nik West (Prince, Dave Stewart) has released a new EP, Say Somethin. The EP features another female rock powerhouse alongside West — Australian singer/songwriter and guitarist Orianthi – on the tune “My Relationship.” The version of the record available via SoundCloud kicks off with West’s cover of AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” and the rest of the album promises classic...
“Decade of Dio” Set Released
The six albums metal’s Dio released from 1983 through 1993 have been compiled as the box set, A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993. During that decade, the band, fronted by former Black Sabbath/Rainbow singer, the late Ronnie James Dio, featured several bassists: founding bassist Jimmy Bain (Rainbow), who died in January of this year, as well as Teddy Cook, and toward...
Hal Leonard Releases Book on Scales Over Chords
Hal Leonard Corp. has published the “Bassist’s Guide to Scales Over Chords: The Foundation of Effective Bass Lines.” The book looks at how to apply scales in a musical way, which is essential knowledge for those learning how to create and improvise bass lines and solos. The book, which covers 11 scales and features 136 audio tracks and 17 extended...
Katie Theroux Appears on Mike Jones Trio Album
Katie Thiroux, known for 2015 debut album Introducing Katie Thiroux, and her Katie Thiroux Quartet, is also part of the Mike Jones Trio, which has released its second album, Roaring. The trio includes Thiroux, Jones and drummer Matt Witek, who also plays in the Katie Thiroux Quartet. Roaring features Jones’ take on 1920’s standards and his sound may be familiar...
Preston Glasgow Lowe Releases Debut Album
Jazz fusion trio Preston Glasgow Lowe has released its self-titled debut album. The Glasgow portion of the band name comes from Scottish bassist Kevin Glasgow, known for his work on a six-string electric bass. The trio’s music melds complex riffs with intense rhythms. “We’ve been shaping this music together for some time, and have received some great reactions at gigs,”...
Bernhard Lackner Releases Three New Bass Instruction Books
Austrian bassist/composer Bernhard Lackner just released a series of three bass play-along e-books. Lackner, is a player and educator who has worked with Mino Cinelu, Adam Holzman, Marco Minnemann, Horacio El Negro Hernandez, Adam Nitti, Victor Wooten, Jeff Coffin, Derico Watson, Chester Thompson, Pete Lockett. The books cover basic tunes (“Start Grooving”), increase in difficulty to the intermediate level (“Step...
Sam Jones Album Reissued
Bassist/cellist Sam Jones’ late 1970s album, Changes & Things, has been reissued as part of the Elemental Music/The Orchard Xanadu Master Edition Series, which is composed of re-releases of work from the 1970s/80s jazz record label, Xanadu. Jones, who died in 1981, was best-known for his work with Cannonball Adderley, but also played with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Oscar...
Tony Levin’s Trio Releases Second Album
Levin Minnemann Rudess, featuring superstar bassist, cellist and Chapman Stick player Tony Levin, has released its second album, From the Law Offices Of. The band consists of the progressive rock supergroup of Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel), drummer/guitarist Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Joe Satriani) and keyboardist Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater). The year-in-the-making album’s title comes from a music journalist’s quip...
Multi-Instrumentalist Jacob Collier Releases Debut Album
Twenty-one-year-old Londoner Jacob Collier is a true one-man band. He’s become known for the YouTube videos he’s produced from the music room in his home, in which he sings every part and plays every instrument on his songs, utilizing a mosaic of screens, which makes the title of his debut album, In My Room, quite apt. Collier also performed, arranged,...
Snow Owl Releases “The Blue Road”
Bassist and composer, Juan García-Herreros, (a.k.a., Snow Owl), known for his work on his 6-stringed electric contrabass guitar, has released his latest album, The Blue Road. The overriding message of the album from the Latin Grammy nominee is one of unity, and features members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and a variety of New York artists. Let Snow Owl explain...
The Impossible Gentlemen Offer Deluxe Experience
Pat Metheny Group bassist Steve Rodby has released his third album with the Anglo-American jazz group, The Impossible Gentlemen, called Let’s Get Deluxe. The contemporary jazz group’s influences range from Metheny, of course, to outfits like Steely Dan. Band members also include pianist Gwilym Simcock, reed/flute player Iain Dixon, guitarist Mike Walker and drummer Adam Nussbaum. Check out the title...