Buzz
Nastja Nina and Anton Davidyants: Sokunthea
When you put a song together with just bass and voice, beautiful things happen. Here’s a great example with the duo of Nastja Nina and Anton Davidyants performing the bassist’s original song “Sokunthea.” The song was first written as a solo bass piece, but Davidyants decided to redo it with Nina doubling the melody. The phenomenal bass playing and blend...
Jazz and Hip Hop Merge on BadBadNotGood’s “Sour Soul”
Jazz/hip-hop band BadBadNotGood, featuring Chester Hansen on bass, has teamed up with rapper Ghostface Killah (Wu-Tang Clan) to produce the album Sour Soul. The combination of the Canadian jazz trio with a legendary rapper is one that has prompted positive reviews since the CD’s February release. Now, the album, pairs live instrumentation and highly cinematic sound with Ghostface Killah’s raw,...
Fender Custom Shop Announces 2015 Lineup
Every year, Fender announces a new lineup from their Custom Shop that includes at least one bass. The 2015 series includes four basses: the Limited Edition 1955 Precision Bass, the Postmodern Precision Jazz Bass, the 1959 Journeyman Relic Precision Bass, and the 1960 Journeyman Jazz Bass. As part of the Limited Edition series, the Limited Edition 1955 Precision Bass is...
Christian McBride Trio: Fried Pies
Here’s a clip that will get your foot tapping. Christian McBride and his trio of pianist Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. recently visited Seattle’s KPLU for a small set including their take on the classic Wes Montgomery tune “Fried Pies.” The group is firing on all cylinders as they quickly get into a heavy groove. After laying down...
In Memoriam: Scott Clendenin
Scott Clendenin, who played bass with Death, has passed away at the age of 47. A cause of death has not been released, though former band manager Eric Greif stated he had been facing health challenges. Clendenin joined the band in 1996 and was featured on 1998’s The Sound of Perseverance. The bassist continued with Death until frontman Chuck Schuldiner’s...
Right Hand Endurance for Bass Players
Q: I’d like to ask something about right hand endurance. I’m playing in two metal bands, so some of our songs are rather fast-paced (I play 95% of the time with a pick). When rehearsing, everything seems just okay – no problems. But when playing live, my right tends to get this irregular muscular tension, and after a short bit...
James Brown, Featuring Charles Sherrell: Live on The Hollywood Palace
James Brown had tons of hits, and nearly every one of them was driven by an outstanding bass line. This clip from 1969 on The Hollywood Palace proves just that. After being introduced by Sammy Davis, Jr., Brown and his band tear through a medley of “I Got the Feelin,” “Cold Sweat,” “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m...
Marc Cary Re-teams with Tarus Mateen on New Album
Keyboardist Marc Cary has released a followup to his 1999 album, Rhodes Ahead Vo. 1, featuring the same personnel as the late 1990s record, including bassist Tarus Mateen. Rhodes Ahead Vol. 2 showcases Cary’s electro-acoustic jazz sound and Fender Rhodes’ keyboard work. It also incorporates drum n’ bass, electronic dance music (EDM), funk and rock influences. Here’s what it all...
Reader Spotlight: Johannes Ossi
Meet Johannes Ossi, one of many bassists who started out first on guitar, before finding his love with the lower end of the spectrum. Johannes keeps busy with a post-grunge band, and thinks of bass in the way many would say is the mark of a true bassist. He’s the No Treble reader in the spotlight for the week of...
AC Guitars Announces Standard Series Basses
AC Guitars has revamped their offering with the Standard series, which the company says offers “outstanding value for money sitting below [their] custom basses.” The line offers each of the company’s models with reduced options to keep prices and wait times down. Standard basses can be ordered in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions with a choice of scale lengths. All...
Evan Brewer: Entheos “Primal” Playthrough
Ever since Evan Brewer joined Entheos at the beginning of the year, I’ve been eager to check the band out. The technical death metal band’s Primal EP dropped this month and proved the wait was worth it. Brewer joins drummer Navene Koperweis, guitarist Frank Costa, and vocalist Chaney Crabb to lay down some brutally heavy beats. Here’s a clip of...
Two 1976 Rush Albums Reissued in Remastered Vinyl Editions
The year’s vinyl releases of remastered Rush albums continues with the double live album All the World’s a Stage and the legendary 2112, both from 1976. Both albums from the prog-rock trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart were remastered at Abbey Road Studios using the Direct to Metal Mastering process and pressed on 200-gram vinyl. As a...