Buzz
Jeff Beck: “Little Wing”, with Rhonda Smith & Narada Michael Walden
In my opinion, “Little Wing” is one of the greatest tunes of all time. Covered so many times, here’s another guitar legend, Jeff Beck – who experienced the magic of Hendrix live at the Isle of Wight – performing his tribute at the same venue. Bassist Rhonda Smith lays down the perfect bass line behind Beck, with some seriously gutsy...
Lick Library Releases “Learn To Play Rock Basslines” DVD
Lick Library is now shipping a new instructional DVD by Phil Williams entitled Learn to Play Rock Basslines. Aimed at beginner to intermediate players, the video guides you through 20 rock songs ranging from Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” to Muse’s “Hysteria.” “It’s 20 of the classic rock basslines that I consider to be landmarks in bass playing,” Williams explains. “A...
Reader Spotlight: Chris Robinson
Meet Chris Robinson, a bassist from New Hampshire who has played in bands as diverse as we’ve seen. Chris is our player in the spotlight for the week of June 19, 2012. (You can be next!) Bio: I’ve been playing bass since I was twelve. Since I picked up my first four string, I’ve played in almost every setting and...
A Review of Mike Stern’s “All Over the Place”
Guitarist Mike Stern’s new record All Over the Place features a veritable smorgasbord of bass talent: Esperanza Spalding, Richard Bona, Victor Wooten, Anthony Jackson, Dave Holland, Tom Kennedy, Will Lee and Victor Bailey. Like a kid in the rhythm section candy shop, Stern audibly delights in playing with these guys. Further, the quality of Stern’s writing, the variety of grooves...
Weather Report: Badia, Live (1976)
Here’s Weather Report, soon after Jaco Pastorius joined the band, performing “Badia” live in 1976. This performance was recorded live on July 8, 1976, at the Montreux Casino in Switzerland. Jaco’s tone is like butter. Weather Report’s line up for this performance included Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Jaco, Alex Acuna, and Manolo Badrena. Hard to believe this is 36 years...
Medeski, Martin and Wood Announce Acoustic Fall Tour
Medeski, Martin and Wood have announced a Fall tour covering the Northeast U.S. Kicking off at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts, the trek takes the jazz-infused jam band through Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The trio will be performing acoustic sets throughout, with Chris Wood laying it down on the...
Bob Daisley Debuts Black Beauty Signature Series Bass
Bass legend Bob Daisley has teamed up with Mad Music Management to create his new Black Beauty Signature Bass, designed by the bassist himself and built in Italy by the luthiers at Utopia Custom Shop. Daisley went all out with the concept, which includes two interchangeable pickup drawers that essentially make it two basses in one. The first pickup is...
Thumb Position: Major Scale Fingering for Bass
There are a multitude of fingerings for any particular scale, and no single fingering is appropriate for every situation. In fact, the most effective fingering for any specific passage will be related to musical issues, not technical ones. Some scale fingerings, however, prove to be useful in a great many situations and are worth having ingrained. Today I want to...
Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Born Under a Bad Sign
Time to get back to the basics… if this is “basic”. In 1983, Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan took the stage together and performed this incredible version of “Born Under a Bad Sign” – a tune King recorded on his album of the same name. Of course, this one is aided by one sweet bass line laid down by...
Weekly Top 10: The Best Bass Videos, New Bass Gear from Wild Customs, Mesa Boogie and G&L & More Bass Goodness
Brace yourself… massive amounts of bass greatness below. Which is another way of saying, here’s the top 10 most read articles and columns, and most watched bass videos for the week of June 10 – 16, 2012 on No Treble. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing! 1. Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (May 2012) Typically, we share lots...
AC Guitars Introduces Skelf R Type Bass and ACG EQ03 Preamp
AC Guitars has done it again with the Skelf R Type, a new model designed to be used with a fanned fret board with the scale running from 36? to 33?. Built by luthier Alan Cringean, the custom basses are available in a variety of exotic and domestic woods. The bass also includes the new exclusive ACG EQ03 dual filter...
Paul Simon’s “Graceland” Turns 25
In 1986, Paul Simon released Graceland, his groundbreaking album which took the world by storm, leading to 14 million copies sold and a five-year tour. For many of us, this record also introduced another great discovery: bassist Bakithi Kumalo. His fretless bass work – particularly his iconic bass on the album’s “You Can Call Me Al” was as remarkable then...