Buzz
Brecker Brothers: “Spherical”, Live in Barcelona 1992 with James Genus
Here’s one of those rare videos that stands the test of time… twenty years later. This is the Brecker Brothers, consisting of the late Michael Brecker on sax and Randy Brecker on trumpet and surrounded by the all-star cast of bassist James Genus, drummer Dennis Chambers, guitarist Mike Stern and keyboardist George Whitty. The group is performing the brothers’ tune,...
Primus Announces Spring Tour 2012
Primus is gearing up for a tour of the U.S., beginning in May and continuing on through June. The band, which includes bassist Les Claypool, is touring in support of the album Green Naugahyde, released in September of last year. The album was the first full studio album by the band since the 1999 release, Antipop. The 26-stop tour includes...
Whirlwind Introduces OC Bass Optical Compressor Pedal
Whirlwind kicked off the year right by debuting the OC Bass Optical Compressor at NAMM. Voiced specifically for bass, the pedal switches between a compressor and a limiter and features three pre-programmable attack speeds: Fast, Slow, and Medium. Input and Output knobs control the level and gain to help you hone in on the amount of punch and sustain you...
Rush Wins Canada’s Governor General’s Award
Rush may be overlooked in the U.S. by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but their home country isn’t making the same mistake. The long-time power trio has won a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, the most prestigious award in Canada, awarded for outstanding work within the arts for 20 years or more. Each award winner receives $25,000 from...
Ben Harper, Stanley Clarke, and Stewart Copeland: So Fool For Love
Drummer Stewart Copeland has a great habit of putting together random jam sessions and recording them. (Check out this one with Les Claypool, Neil Peart, and Danny Carey). This time he posted a jam with bass legend Stanley Clarke and guitarist/vocalist Ben Harper playing the tune “So Fool for Love.” As if the bass/guitar unison groove isn’t cool enough, it...
In Memoriam: Joe Byrd
Jazz bassist Joe Byrd has passed away at the age of 78, following injuries from a car accident. Byrd was best known as the bassist for his brother Charlie Byrd’s trio and was featured on the album Jazz Samba with Stan Getz, which is credited as the first major bossa nova album on the American jazz scene. Born in Chuckatuck,...
Oktober Introduces Production Version of DevilWing Bass
After first introducing it a year and a half ago, Oktober Guitars is now making a production model of their DevilWing bass guitar in addition to the U.S. Custom Shop version. The bass was designed by Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein and is aptly part of the company’s Von Frankenstein line. The DevilWing features set neck construction with a...
New School: Armin Metz
Armin Metz really caught some attention when we posted the video for his solo bass composition “Sanskar Valley” (see below). As bassist for Imogen Heap, Metz has done his share of playing stages as a sideman, but the spotlight has been moving to him with his expansion into the realm of solo bass. How did you discover your new school...
Brian Bromberg: “Voodoo Child”
Brian Bromberg pays tribute to Jimi Hendrix in this clip, playing both standard and piccolo bass, and taking a few tasty solos along the way. We love it when bassists cover Hendrix. So much so, we made a top 10 list last year.
Spotlight on You: Share Your Bass Story
Since we started No Treble in 2009, we’ve always kept our focus on sharing the great bass players we’ve met through this online magazine. We love discovering new bassists via Youtube, our Facebook page and Twitter friends, and we love when readers submit their stories. So we decided it was time to let you know all the ways No Treble...
Bass of the Week: Kristall Solid Electric Bass
German builder Andreas Kristall makes a host of impressive basses, including this week’s bass of the week: The Kristall Solid. Available in 4, 5, and 6-string models, the Solid sports a singlecut design with bolt on construction. Kristall says the bass was built for “Rock character, sound, look, and feel.” As each piece is made to order, options vary from...
Rocking Steady: An Interview with Jack Casady (Part 2)
Ever wonder how a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer writes bass lines? How can somebody stay in the industry for over 50 years and still stay fresh? What’s the key to musical growth? In part 1 of our interview with Jack Casady, we talked with the legendary bassist about his influences, his achievements, and some of his views on...