Buzz

Of the 30 or so videos we shared in September, ten ruled for No Treble readers. And here they are in one basstastically awesome spot. Enjoy. 1. Esperanza Spalding with The Roots: Live Performance of Weather Report’s “Predator” My friend Marsha was telling me about Esperanza Spalding performing a Weather Report tune, where she lays down the bass line while...

Red Hot Chili Peppers: “If You Have To Ask,” Live at Rock In Rio 2001

To help celebrate Flea’s birthday today, we’re featuring this great version of the Chili Peppers’ “If You Have To Ask” at 2001’s Rock in Rio Festival. Flea’s got his funk in full gear, laying down a fat groove for the verse and bringing out more of his Parliament influence during the chorus. The song wraps up in a bass solo...

KISS Releases 20th Studio Album, Monster

Get out your axe and face paint: KISS is back with their 20th studio album, entitled Monster. Anchored by the outspoken Gene Simmons, the effort is their second with the lineup of singer Paul Stanley, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer. The band kept things old school by recording to tape and keeping things simple. Likening the new...

In Memoriam: B.B. Cunningham

Bassist B.B. Cunningham has died after a shooting at an apartment complex where he was working as a security guard. He was 70 years old. A versatile musician, Cunningham was the lead singer for ’60s group The Hombres and penned their hit “Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)” before becoming a session player in the Memphis area where...

Jazz Box: A Look at the Chord and Scale Reference App for iOS

Jazz Box, in my humble opinion, has just helped to fulfill a need for a thorough, high quality harmonic study app. While not perfect and not 100% inclusive of every harmonic consideration, it goes way beyond any of the other apps I have seen in explaining scale considerations in the jazz idiom, spelling out various chords and explaining what certain...

Robben Ford & The Blue Line with Roscoe Beck: North Carolina

Watch this video and I bet that within the first 2 or 3 seconds, you’ll be hooked. Bassist Roscoe Beck not only lays down some sweet lines and fills on this one, he takes a great solo too.

Weekly Top 10: Cliff Burton Transcription, Scale Patterns, Loads of New Bass Gear and the Top Bass Videos

Here are the most read, most viewed stories, lessons and videos on No Treble for the week of October 7-13, 2012. Thanks for reading, sharing and commenting! 1. Funk! Paul Jackson with Herbie Hancock (1979) Rick Suchow shares this super funky live performance of Herbie Hancock and his Headhunters band performing live in 1979 at Chelsea College in London. And...

Hiromi Releases “Live In Marciac” DVD, Featuring Anthony Jackson

Pianist Hiromi Uehara has released a new live concert performance of her Trio Project, Live at Marciac. Backed by bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips, the DVD captures the trio’s live performance in Marciac, France in July, 2011. Six of Hiromi’s own compositions are featured during the performance, as well as her version of “Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8,...

Bass Player Live! 2012

Bass Player Magazine’s annual exhibition Bass Player Live! is set to take place October 20th and 21st at SIR Studios and the Key Club in Los Angeles, California. The event brings guest artists to present clinics and concerts as well as exhibits from bass-centric companies. The highlight of weekend is the presentation of this year’s “Lifetime Achievement Award,” which will...

Will Lee with Robben Ford & Friends: Recovery Road

Here’s Will Lee from back in the day, showcasing not only his bass chops, but also his writing and vocal chops too. The tune, “Recovery Road”, is one of Will’s compositions. Will is joined by a super group of musicians, including Robben Ford, Alex Acuna, Russell Ferrante, Bob Malach and Koono Schmidt. This recorded on the Swiss TV program “Jazz-In”.

Gibson Unveils New EB Bass

In 1953, Gibson took its first step into the electric bass market with the EB-1, eventually releasing several models to follow musical trends. Now, the company has unveiled the EB Bass, a brand new model that they say blends tradition and innovation to create a versatile voice for the modern bassist. The EB Bass’s body is a derivative of the...

Meshell Ndegeocello Releases “Pour une âme souveraine” – A Tribute to Nina Simone

Meshell Ndegeocello is following up her 2011 release, Weather, with the release of her tenth studio album, Pour une âme souveraine (“For a sovereign soul”). The album is a dedication to Nina Simone, who Ndegeocello says was a “powerful influence both musically and politically”. “She wanted success, was pressured to make hits, but her own sound was still irrepressible,” said...