Buzz
Bassbaba Sumon and Mahaan Fahim: Cream & Sugar Under the Coffee Cloud
Bassbaba Sumon sent me this video with two words attached: “From Bangladesh”. I’ve said it before: “I love the web”. The way we can connect with talented musicians all over the world now is so cool. And this is some terrific music, written by Bassbaba and performed by him and guitarist Mahaan Fahim. The changing scenery throughout the video makes...
Vail Johnson Releases “The Seventh Son”
Session bass ace Vail Johnson has returned with The Seventh Son, a thirteen-song album that brings together several genres to create a style the bassist calls “JazzAmericana.” Johnson, whose has worked with artists from Herbie Hancock to Whitney Houston, fuses country, blues, R&B, folk, and jazz for an eclectic yet cohesive sound. “This mix of originals and covers of timeless...
Weekly Top 10: Moving on from the Blues Scale, The Best Bass Videos, New Gear and More
Time to roll out the best from the world of bass – this week’s top 10 most read stories/most watched videos. Enjoy! 1. Herbie Hancock with Tal Wilkenfeld: Actual Proof Herbie Hancock has never been short on great bassists to play with over his career. Here’s a killer clip of his band being anchored by Tal Wilkenfeld on “Actual Proof”...
“Jaco’s World” with Felix Pastorius, Robert Trujillo & Will Lee Live at Hollywood Bowl
On August 12th, an all-star lineup gathered at the Hollywood Bowl to celebrate the music of Jaco Pastorius. The event also included clips from Robert Trujillo’s documentary on Jaco. Brian James was in the audience and captured some of the show for the rest of us to enjoy. This clip starts off with Jaco’s son Felix Pastorius impressing the audience...
Bullet For My Valentine Releases Fifth Album, Touring with New Bassist
Welsh metal band Bullet For My Valentine has released its fifth studio album, Venom. Frontman Matt Tuck handled bass on the record, which is the group’s first following the departure of longtime bassist Jason “Jay” James. The album deliberately shies away from any melodic or pop sounds, Tuck said. “We wanted to keep this as dark as possible. It was...
Josh Cohen: Alejandra
Josh Cohen has shared another great solo bass video with us. With a nice scenic backdrop, he performs his tune, “Alejandra”. “This soulful song that was inspired by someone very special to me, attempts to emulate the sound of a lead guitar, rhythm guitar and bass line all on the solo six-string electric bass, using the two-handed tapping technique,” Josh...
Soulfly Releases Final Album With Tony Campos
Soulfly has released its last album with bassist Tony Campos (former Static-X), who left the band to join Fear Factory. Archangel, the metal band’s 10th album, is the band’s most mystical one since its 2004 record, Prophecy, says Max Cavalera (ex-Sepultura), the band’s founder, guitarist and vocalist. He says the record reflects diverse influences, from Biblical themes to death metal....
Nordstrand Guitars Introduces Dan Lutz Nordy DL vM5 Bass
Nordstrand Guitars has teamed up with bassist Dan Lutz to unveil the Nordy DL vM5. The bass is a take on the company’s Nordy vM5 model that brings together their NP5 and BigMan pickups for a unique configuration. Similar to the vM5, the DL vM5 is built with either an ash body and maple fingerboard or an alder body with...
Peekaboom: Bye Bye Blackbird
Simone Masina has shared another terrific video with us of his project, known as Peekaboom. Here the duo of Simone and vocalist Angelica Lubian perform “Bye Bye Blackbird”. As an added bonus, Angelica takes over on double bass while Simone solos on his bass guitar.
Pennal Johnson Struts With New Album
Chicago bassist Pennal Johnson (PJ) combines jazz, funk, adult contemporary and rock and roll on his album, Cissy Strut. The bassist for The Chicago All-City Jazz Band from 1984-87, Johnson began playing bass at age 8. During his career, he has performed with artists like Andre and Sandra Crouch, Kurt Carr and Abraham Laboriel. Johnson is also working as part...
Rise to Power: An Interview with Don Slater
You know you’re doing something right when metal mainstay Kirk Windstein is singing your praises, and that’s precisely the case for Don Slater of Battlecross. The bassist brings an intense energy to the stage every night with a unique voice on his instrument. Battlecross is now gearing up to release , a 10-song collection that combines their thrash and groove...
Stuart Clayton: Golliwog’s Cakewalk
When I see a video by Stuart Clayton, I’m usually at a loss for words. As many of you know, his transcriptions are stellar, and his bass playing is equally so. Here’s what Stuart had to say about his latest video: “This is my arrangement of Debussy’s ‘Golliwog’s Cakewalk’, from The Children’s Corner suite of piano pieces. I’ve wanted to...