Buzz
Casey Abrams Releases Self-Titled Debut
Bassist/vocalist Casey Abrams has released his self-titled debut on Concord Records. Abrams caught national attention on the tenth season of American Idol after performing some rousing renditions of pop tunes while accompanying himself on bass. Through that experience, he hooked up with fellow bassist and Idol judge Randy Jackson, who produced the album. The album is laden with upright bass...
Eastwood Introduces 34? Scale Airline Map Bass
Eastwood Guitars has had a busy summer. Rounding out their new retro releases is a 34? scale version of their Airline Map bass. A tribute to the 1962 National Newport Guitar, the new full-scale bass comes in Seafoam Green and is equipped with D’Addario Chrome flats. Similar to their 30? scale version, the bass features a tone chambered mahogany body,...
Improvising and Groove: Substituting Pentatonic Scales on a Minor 7 Progression
My most recent lessons have focused on the use of the pentatonic scales as it relates to improvising and learning the fretboard (see my lessons on improvising over a minor key progression and breaking down the pentatonic scale for more background). Today we’ll continue this topic with the exploration of improvising over a D minor 7 chord using the pentatonic...
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes: Isolated Bass & Vocals
Our Facebook friend Leon Wilson shared this alternate track with us, featuring the isolated bass work of Bakithi Kumalo on Paul Simon’s hit, “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes”. Yep, this is all that’s needed. Bakithi holds down so much at once, yet without sounding like he’s doing too much. Genius at work.
Weekly Top 10: Bass on a Budget, New Bass Gear, the Best How To’s and the Top Videos Featuring the Low End
Our weekly top ten focuses on the best of the best in bass. Here’s the awesomeness for the week of June 17-23, 2012. 1. Bass on a Budget: 12 Basses Under $500 Bass on a Budget: 12 Basses Under $500. We cover a lot of basses… some of them quite expensive. So here are 12 basses introduced this year with...
Documentary on The Who’s “Quadrophenia” Coming to Theaters
A new film documenting The Who’s iconic Rock Opera Quadrophenia will be showing at select movie theaters across the U.S. for one night on July 24th. The Who: Quadrophenia – Can You See the Real Me? takes its name from the 1973 album’s second track, “The Real Me,” which of course features some top-notch playing by bassist John Entwistle. Loaded...
Steve Uccello Releases Fire Times, with Steve Lawson
Steve Uccello‘s latest release is Fire Times, an album on which he shares low end duties with UK solo bassist Steve Lawson. The group, dubbed Clarified Birds, is rounded out by drummer Mike Shannon and multi-instrumentalist and singer Dayan Kai. Fire Times came about after Uccello started thinking of arranging for a single tune he wrote. “I had this piece...
Billy Cobham Group: Red Baron (Live, 2002)
As bassists, we love when there’s a great drummer by our side. (And the opposite is among the worst experiences in life.) We should all be so lucky to stand next to one of the all-time greats: drummer Billy Cobham. In this live performance in 2002, Cobham’s group took the stage to perform “Red Baron”. Bassist Stefan Rademacher gets the...
Best Of ZZ Top For Bass
Hal Leonard set their sights on the music of that little ol’ band from Texas with the release of Best Of ZZ Top For Bass. Part of the “Bass Recorded Versions” series, the 64-page book focuses on Dusty Hill’s bass lines on 15 ZZ Top tunes from over the years. The music is presented in both standard notation and tab....
Reunion Blues Introduces Aero Series Bass Guitar Case
Reunion Blues has introduced the Aero Series, including the AERO-2B Bass Guitar Case. The new line takes a cue from their RB Continental line, the Aero-2B features the company’s shock-absorbing Flexoskeleton system, reinforced EVA impact panels, and a strong interior neck-brace support system while offering a lighter, slimmer design. Lined with quilted red velvet, the case has a “Zero G”...
Bass on a Budget: 12 Basses Under $500
We see and cover a ton of basses here at No Treble (I know, tough life). And while the features are often as varied as they get, they also vary wildly on price. Many basses today are topping the $5,000 mark. Some by a lot. We hear more about price from readers when the basses hit these upper ranges than...
Pat Metheny Releases “Unity Band”, Featuring Ben Williams
Following two vastly different solo recordings, guitarist Pat Metheny has once again turned his attention to the quartet format with the release of Unity Band. The guitarist set his sights on a new bassist this time around, enlisting Ben Williams for the record, and rounding out the group with drummer Antonio Sanchez and saxophonist Chris Potter. Williams, who won the...