Buzz
Primus: To Defy the Laws of Tradition, Live 1989
Les Claypool has always marched to the beat of his own drum. That’s why we’re celebrating his birthday today with a clip of the trio playing “To Defy the Laws of Tradition” from their 1989 radio performance on Stanford’s KZSU. The video captures the band’s eclectic energy as they start with a spacey atmosphere before kicking into the song’s groove....
Al Gare Makes Imelda May’s Rockabilly Sound Swing on “Tribal”
Question: What would rockabilly be without the bass? Answer: Nothing. Al Gare, who holds down the low end in Imelda May’s band perfectly proves the point with a swinging sound that underpins the Irish rockabilly singer’s latest album, . Gare’s playing is an absolutely essential part of May’s sound, as you can easily hear in “It’s Good to Be Alive,”...
Weekly Top 10: Snow Owl Interview, Remembering Jaco, Regaining Inspiration, Intonation vs. Feel, Plus Top Bass Gear and Videos
Yet another exciting week in the land of the low end. Things started of with a tribute to Jaco, on a sad anniversary. The master is still inspiring most of us after all these years. The bassist known as Snow Owl (Juan Garcia-Herreros) shared his interesting life and approach to music in our interview with him. Dr. D and Damian...
Reed James Engineering Introduces RJ NEO Split Blade Bass Pickups
Reed James Engineering has expanded their RJ NEO line of pickups with the RJ NEO Split Blade. Utilizing the same technology as the rest of the series, Reed James describes the new split blade as having the same mid-range and dynamics of their Vintage Vibe Jazz Bass pickups with the smoothness of of the RJ NEO. The RJ NEO Split...
Federico Malaman: Doctor Mike
Bassist Federico Malaman sent me his brand new video of him doing a cover of a tune by another terrific Italian bassist, Pippo Matino. The tune is “Doctor Mike”, which Pippo wrote as a dedication to guitarist Mike Stern. The first video below is Federico’s cover. The second one is the original. To both I say, “Holy smokes!”
Steve Swallow and Christian Muthspiel Duet on “Simple Songs”
Top jazz bassist Steve Swallow and Austrian composer/trombonist and pianist Christian Muthspiel have teamed up for an album of duets. While the pair have played together in the Christian Muthspiel 4, is their first as a duo. The pair eschew electronic effects on the record and let the songs develop in their own simple, yet refined way. Muthispiel composed all...
Andrew Ford Releases “50 R&B Bass Grooves You Must Know”
Bassist and educator Andrew Ford wants to help you find your groove with his latest video course, . Ford has taught at the Musician’s Institute and colleges and played with a wealth of R&B artists including Al Jarreau, James Ingram, Whitney Houston, and Chaka Khan. He’s also the man behind the Blues Bass Survival Guide video course. His career began...
Seven7: Free
British metal outfit Seven7 is gearing up for their upcoming third album, The Follower, which is due in November. Here’s their latest video for “Free,” which features bassist Arran McSporran keeping it heavy on his 6-string fretless.
“Songs From Tsongas” from Yes Reissued in Special Edition
A performance from the last tour featuring the classic Yes lineup of bassist Chris Squire, singer Jon Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Alan White, has been released in a special edition on CD, DVD and Blu-ray. The Songs From Tsongas special edition DVD and Blu-ray packages not only capture a previously released show at the Tsongas...
TWA Now Shipping Little Dipper Mk II Pedal
After two years of development, TWA has released the Little Dipper Mk II envelope-controlled vocal formant filter. The new version of the pedal, which is based on the classic Colorsound Dipthonizer circuit, adds new control features as well as a fuller frequency response, lower noise floor, and improved tracking. Among the new features is a Low Boost switch that the...
Victor Wooten Band: 2014 Jazz Series – Live
On April 27th, Victor Wooten performed with his band in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The lineup included Vic’s brothers Regi (guitar) and Joseph (keys), along with drummer Derico Watson and vocalist Krystal Peterson. The group start things off with Vic’s tune “Brooklyn” from Words and Tones, which they keep as a theme throughout the performance. Good stuff right here.
Tribute to The Call’s Michael Been, Featuring his Son, Released in Deluxe CD/DVD Set
For one night, powerful-yet-underrated ’80s rockers The Call reformed in an astonishingly special way. On April 19, 2013, the band members stepped onstage at The Troubadour in West Hollywood to pay tribute to lead vocalist and bassist Michael Been, who had died in 2010 of a heart attack. Been’s bassist/vocalist son, Robert Levon Been, of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club stood...