Buzz
Black Country Communion’s Next Album May Be Their Last, Says Glenn Hughes
Due out October 30th, Black Country Communion’s third album Afterglow may be the supergroup’s last, according to bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes. In an interview with ABC News Radio, the former Deep Purple bassist broke the news, citing the fact that guitarist Joe Bonamassa’s heavy solo touring leaves little time for the band to hit the road. As such, there are no...
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 singing the melody. I couldn’t believe I missed it. So after searching for a while, I found this (not perfect, but plenty good enough) fan-shot video of Esperanza with The Roots (wow!) performing Weather Report’s “Predator” (holy smokes!)...
Darryl Anders and AgapéSoul Release “Believe in Love”
Bassist Darryl Anders has released his first full length album with his band AgapéSoul entitled Believe In Love. Glued together by Anders’ rich, fat, and funky tone, the album offers seven original compositions as well as covers of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” and Quincy Jones’s “If I Ever Lose This Heaven,” all delivered with an incredible, jazz-influenced soul vibe. Anders,...
John Paul Jones to Tour with Supersilent
John Paul Jones is no stranger to experimental music, from his days with Led Zeppelin through today. This November, Jones will be stretching out even more as he tours with the Norwegian avant-garde/improvisational group Supersilent for a handful of live dates in Europe. In a recent issue of Uncut, Jones said the improvisation with Supersilent reminds him of the way...
Vox Introduces Bass amPhones
Vox is rounding out their new bass-related gear for the fall with the Vox amPhones Bass Headphones. Made by Audio-Technica, the new Bass amPhones have a built-in bass amplifier modeled after their AC100 bass amp, allowing you to plug directly into your bass. The circuitry also includes a built-in adjustable compressor for tweaking your sound and the Bassilator circuit, which...
Michael League, Cory Henry, and Nathaniel Townsley: Continuum
It’s hard to cover a Jaco tune without sounding like you’re just trying to cop him, so Michael League bravely set out to do his own unique version of “Continuum.” With Cory Henry on organ and Nathaniel Townsley on drums, the Snarky Puppy mastermind tackles the tune without sacrificing his own unique voice. Get ready for a great groove, incredible...
Elton John Band Adds Bassist Matt Bissonette to Line-Up
Elton John has chosen Matt Bissonette to play bass in his band following the passing of Bob Birch, who died in August. The bassist is currently rehearsing with the “Candle in the Wind” singer in preparation of an upcoming North American tour that begins September 11th in Jackson, Mississippi. Bissonette, who’s resume includes work with David Lee Roth, Joe Satriani,...
Rudy Sarzo Joins Queensrÿche
A few months after parting ways with Blue Oyster Cult, Rudy Sarzo has joined the ranks of Queensrÿche, or at least singer Geoff Tate’s version of the band. Tate split from the group earlier this year and announced the new lineup on the group’s website. Joining Tate and Sarzo ar Bobby Blotzer, Glen Drover, Kelly Gray and Randy Gane. Sarzo...
New School: Trip Wamsley
Trip Wamsley has been pushing the convention of bass playing for years by experimenting with extended range basses, piccolo tuning, and out-of-this world technique. He’s one of those guys who can seemingly play anything with ease. Besides his phenomenal playing, his style is creativity knows no bounds. His creativity is found in his supportive bass lines as well as his...
Renaud Garcia-Fons: Tiny Desk Concert
Whenever there’s a new video featuring bassist Renaud Garcia-Fons, I’ll drop everything to watch it. NPR recently hosted Garcia-Fons in their Tiny Desk Concert series where the bassist showed the world his approach to bass, music and his love for various genres. Garcia-Fons kicks things off with “Aqa Jan”, a tune we featured back in early 2011.
Rush’s “Clockwork Angels” Tour Kicks Off Today
Rush is kicking off their North America tour today in Manchester, NH. The tour is in support of Clockwork Angels, the group’s 20th studio album, released in June. The 33-date tour covering the U.S. and Canada will run through December, and following a five month break, the trio hits the road once again to tour across Europe. Clockwork Angels debuted...
Bass of the Week: Luthman Natural
Luthman is a company that puts out some pretty intricate work yet also knows simple elegance, the latter of which is evidenced in their Natural model. Handmade in France by luthier Thierry Etienne, the Natural has a unique, fluid body style with customizable options. Available in 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-string configurations, standard features on the Natural include an ovangkol...