Buzz
Michael League Focuses on Fretless Acoustic for “Keeping Company” with Bill Laurance
Bill Laurance and Michael League have been playing together for over 20 years in Snarky Puppy as well as other ventures. Last year they teamed up for a duo album and now they’ve followed it up with "Keeping Company," which features Laurance on piano and League on oud and fretless acoustic bass.
Celebrating Jaco Pastorius: A Look Back at His Prolific First Year as a Recording Artist
Today is Jaco Pastorius's As usual, I spent the morning listening to his music. Sifting through my collection, I was reminded of the significance of 1976. Let's look back at his prolific first year as a recording artist.
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe: Starship Trooper (Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1989)
Bill Bruford shared another terrific ABWH video, and a heartfelt story with it. In this clip from their performance at their 1989 Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, in the band performs “Starship Trooper.”
Opeth Releases Concept Album, “The Last Will and Testament”
Opeth is back with their 14th studio album. "The Last Will and Testament" is another concept album from the Swedish prog-metal masters set after World War I.
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top 10 Gear Stories in November 2024
Another month has come to an end, and so it is time for our recap of the top 10 bass gear stories. Here are the reader-favorites for November 2024.
Tony Levin: Espressoville
I’ve really been enjoying Tony Levin’s new album, “Bringing It Down to the Bass.” He recently dropped another super creative video in support of it, with the tune “Espressoville.”
Snarky Puppy and The Metropole Orkest Announce New Collaboration
Nearly a decade ago, Snarky Puppy expanded on their jazz-funk foundations by recording the album "Sylva" with the famed Metropole Orkest. The collaboration garnered them a Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, and now they’re looking to repeat history.
Wonder Women: “I Know How To Live:” The Life of Kristen Pfaff
We’re revisiting Kristen Pfaff's story for an important reason: I was given the opportunity to share an exclusive from the long-awaited biography about Kristen Pfaff, titled “I Know How to Live:” The Life of Kristen Pfaff, written by Guy Mankowski and Jason Pfaff.
Stuart Clayton: “Subway to Venus” Bass Cover
Stuart Clayton is back with another bass cover, and this time he takes on Flea’s funky work on Red Hot Chili Peppers' “Subway to Venus.”
Kim Deal Releases Debut Solo Album, “Nobody Loves You More”
Former Pixies bassist and Breeders frontwoman Kim Deal has been making music for decades, but she’s just released her first ever solo album. “Nobody Loves You More” began over a decade ago, but came more into focus when she was in the Florida Keys during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
State of Independence: The Story Behind the Song and the Controversy Surrounding Its Bass Line
In this episode, I’m digging into Donna Summer’s song “State of Independence.” We’ll get into the amazing story of how it set up “We Are the World,” and try to figure out if Michael Jackson ripped off Louis Johnson’s bass line.
Rebecca Johnson Band: Yacht Rock Classics
Rebecca Johnson dropped another video from a recent performance. It starts with Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like the Wind,” followed by Little River Band’s “Playing To Win.” They save the best for last with a performance of Steely Dan’s “Peg.”