Buzz
Marcus Miller: Power, Live at the 2008 Lugano Jazz Festival
Marcus Miller is one bad dude, and here’s just a little more evidence. In this clip, taken from Switzerland’s Lugano Jazz Festival in 2008, the bass icon rips through the aptly named tune “Power.” The rest of his band includes Alex Han on Saxophone, Jason “JT” Thomas on Drums, and Federico Gonzales Pena on Keyboards.
Korn Dips Into Dubstep with The Path of Totality
In a step away from the norm, Korn has released The Path of Totality, a dubstep-influenced album that takes their typically grungy distorted sound and adds electronica to the mix. The group, anchored by bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, brought in dubstep artists like Skrillex, Excision and Noisia to create their new hybrid songs. “The basis of our band has always...
Reader Spotlight: David Daw
Meet David Daw, a bassist from Kingston, NY who also owns a studio, repairs instruments and even raises Great Danes. David is our bassist in the spotlight for December 6, 2011. Bio: I have been playing bass 30 years. I play 4- and 5- string MTD’s, exclusively since 1994. Starting in the early 80’s, I played in heavy metal bands,...
Glockenklang Goes Lightweight with the Blue Soul Bass Amp
Glockenklang has released details on the Blue Soul, their new 650-watt Class D amp that weighs in at just 5 kg (approximately 11 pounds). With a focus on warmth and detail, the German amplification company says it rings clear as a bell. The Blue Soul features a pair of switchable inputs, with a gain knob and a variable input trim...
Richard Bona: “Teen Town”, Live
Jaco Pastorius wrote it and performed it. Many bassists have re-imagined it. Richard Bona may have turned in my favorite remake version of “Teen Town” yet with this live performance. I love what he does with the fretless. What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below.
The Roots Release “undun”, Featuring Mark Kelley
The Roots have released their latest album, undun, today, marking a couple of firsts for the group. undun is the first album with bassist Mark Kelley, who replaced Owen Biddle earlier this year. The release is also the group’s first concept album, “retelling of the short life of of Redford Stephens (1974-1999)”. Before joining the Roots, Kelley performed with Meshell...
Old School: 1968 Gibson EB-2D Bass
Bassist Tod Ellsworth got his hands on this 1968 Gibson EB-2D bass about a year ago, expanding his gear and his sound with this unique instrument. The EB2D was first introduced by Gibson in 1966, at a time when electric basses were rising in popularity. The “EB-2D” designates the pickup configurations for this bass: an EB2 neck humbucker from the...
Pacing Your Solos: A Guide to Improvisation
It is not uncommon for students of improvisation to approach their practice without a real plan. They simply start trying to improvise a solo, without really focusing on When, How or What to play, hoping things will simply get better over time. I was certainly guilty of this. It’s one reason I developed my expandable “Tune Treatment” mentioned in an...
Steely Dan: Kid Charlemagne (Live)
Here’s a great live performance of Steely Dan’s tune “Kid Charlemagne”, for VH-1’s Storytellers. In this version, bassist Tom Barney really brings it!
Top 10: Jaco’s 60th Birthday Celebration Plus the Best Bass Lessons, Videos and Gear of the Week
Last week we celebrated Jaco Pastorius’ 60th birthday with our own tribute and the most popular Jaco videos we’ve featured here on No Treble over the years. Readers responded with their own stories, making this quite a celebration for the bassist who changed it all, and who we dearly miss. On the lessons front, Thomas “MarloweDK” Risell returns with his...
Watson Pickups Launches Product Line
Watson Guitars has just launched a new pickups company, specializing in a variety of bass pickups. Run by former Nordstrand employee Michael Cooper, Watson Pickups’ new line offers products ranging from vintage replacements to completely custom creations for extended-range instruments. Cooper designed the entire line. “My current favorite design is a tap-able modern P pickup,” Cooper explains, “which fits into...
Suzi Quatro: Strict Machine
Bassist Suzi Quatro started her musical career at the age of fourteen, playing in the all-female band, The Pleasure Seekers and Cradle, with her sisters. Her father got her started, giving Quatro as 1957 Fender Precision as her first bass. Quatro has another claim to fame: starring in the sitcom Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero, the younger sister to Pinky...