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Bassists Galore Featured on “Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy” Album
Don’t call the Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy a jazz big band. Instead, the San Francisco-based 15-piece band led by Igoe is something else. “We’re a rock band in a jazz band’s body,” said Igoe, a distinguished drummer. And it’s definitely a group with plenty of low end. Dewayne Pate serves as the band’s primary bassist, but on the group’s ,...
Jackson Steel Guitar Company Introduces SlideKing Bass
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen. The Jackson Steel Guitar Company has introduced the SlideKing Bass, an instrument that blends a bass guitar with a pedal steel guitar. Introduced at Summer NAMM this year, the bass is set up horizontally with pedals and comes in 4- or 5-string models. It’s built with a solid hard rock maple body and neck...
Old School: 1972 Fender Jazz Bass
For many readers, the gold standard of basses is the Fender Jazz. For No Treble reader Ken Burgner, the Jazz is his dream bass. Ken started out with a 1972 Jazz with a Lake Placid blue re-finish. But when he saw a ’72 with a sunburst finish listed for sale on TalkBass, he knew it was the bass he had...
Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
Today we’re celebrating the birthday of the great Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, and the man known simply as Flea. Here’s Flea doing his funky thing on “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”, which appeared on their 2011 release, I’m With You. Happy birthday, Flea… Keep doing your thing.
Dave Holland Teams with Pianist Kenny Barron on Duo Album
Double bassist Dave Holland and pianist Kenny Barron started performing live together as a duo in 2012, and now they’ve committed the sound they’ve been creating on stages to album. isn’t the first time they’ve recorded together — that occurred back in 1985 on Barron’s trio LP Scratch. However, this new record features the pair just working as a duo....
Dealing with a Bad Band Leader
Q: Since you have travelled and played with many you might be able to shed some light on this: My band has enjoyed some success in our home country, we have an album released via a label and have played the better venues of our area. We are now on our first tour – a three-piece, and well, to be...
Mike Wheeler Band: That’s What Love Will Make You Do
Here’s a video that will get you moving in your seat. Bassist Larry Williams drives the bus in this clip of the Mike Wheeler Band performing “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.” His enormous energy propels the group’s groove, but it’s his ferocious solo at the 4:18 mark that steals the show. After he builds from fingerstyle to slap,...
Iron Maiden 80’s Albums, Singles Reissued on Vinyl
Iron Maiden, the classic heavy metal band founded by bassist Steve Harris (also the group’s chief songwriter), wants you to experience its 1980s music in the way it was first released — on black vinyl. The band has started reissuing its first eight albums on 180-gram black vinyl (it has also previously reissued albums in picture-disc editions), and each black...
Reader Spotlight: Jon Hynes
Meet Jon Hynes, a multi-instrumentalist from Canada who has covered a lot of ground with his music. When all of his friends wanted to play guitar, he knew he would have to pick up bass if they wanted to have a band. Since then he thinks “of the bass as the ‘responsible’ instrument,” he says. We like the sound of...
Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (September 2014)
Time for a favorite in our Top 10 category… the top 10 most popular bass videos of the month. This month is chock full of inspiring videos, and the mix is as diverse as ever for this list of top videos in September. Thanks for watching, commenting and sharing!
Edmond Gilmore: Continuum
Edmond Gilmore has spent lots of time studying the fantastic playing of Jaco Pastorius. We’ve featured his take on several Jaco songs, and now he’s back with a gorgeous version of “Continuum,” from the bass master’s self-titled album. Check it out:
Weezer Reunites with Producer Ric Ocasek for Ninth Album
It’s been 20 years since Weezer released its debut self-titled “Blue” album, recorded with producer Rik Ocasek of The Cars. Now, all these years later, the group returned to working with Ocasek (who also produced Weezer’s third effort, also self-titled and known as the “Green” album) on its ninth record, . For bassist Scott Shriner, who joined the band after...