Buzz
Top Ten: Bass of the Week, the Best Bass Videos, Gear and Columns
Last week, No Treble readers really dug the Steely Dan instrumental version of “Peg”, with Chuck Rainey laying it down. Other top videos included A Taste of Honey’s “Boogie Oogie Oogie” and Richard Bona’s performance of “Bright Size Life” with Pat Metheny. Gear, gear and more gear! Our top 10 includes some new basses, plus the bass of the week...
Julie Slick Announces “Bahner / Slick Duo: Live at Slick Sound Studios”
Bassist Julie Slick is set to release her latest album, Bahner / Slick Duo: Live at Slick Sound Studios. The bassist, best known for her work in the Adrian Belew Power Trio, teamed up with drummer Carl Bahner, thanks to an introduction from her mother. “He’s a local musician who reached out to me after he met my mom (ha),”...
BassGirl: Amerika
Annie sent us this new video of BassGirl, who we’ve featured before to rave reviews. Annie says, “[Here’s BassGirl’s cover of Jaco Pastorius’s] “Amerika”. Not sure if you’re posting any special [videos on 9/11], but thought this might be appropriate.” We agree. On this 10th anniversary of 9/11, we’re reminded of the tragedy we faced here in the U.S., and...
Pat Metheny to Tour with Larry Grenadier
Guitarist Pat Metheny has just announced a tour with bassist Larry Grenadier. Dubbed “An Evening with Pat Metheny with Larry Grenadier”, the duo will tour the U.S. through October, and then add Bill Stewart for their European tour. The U.S. tour ends with a week-long engagement at the Blue Note in New York. This will be Metheny’s first appearance at...
Skjold Design to Revive JP Basses This Fall
Skjold Design Guitars will be reintroducing JP Basses, beginning this fall. Luthier Pete Skjold worked closely with JP proprietor Jean-Philippe Ferreira to keep the basses in the same spirit of their predecessors. As the new moniker suggests, JP Basses USA instruments will be handmade in the USA. Familiar features on the basses will include custom preamps by John East, custom...
Robert Lemas Releases Tap and Slap Bass Instructional DVDs
Bassist Robert Lemas has released two new bass instructional videos. Tap Bass Vol. 1: Chord Tapping covers tapping techniques using common jazz and pop chords, using the chords in common progressions, plus Latin styles. Tap Bass Vol. 1: Chord Tapping Preview: Tap Bass Vol. 1: Chord Tapping Chapters: Introduction and tuning Tapping the seventh chords cycle of fourths Tapping 2-5-1...
Tony Grey with Hiromi’s Sonicbloom: Live Bass Solo
Here’s a great, laid back bass solo by Tony Grey, during a concert with Hiromi and her Sonicbloom band. The clip comes from the 2008 release, Hiromi’s Sonicbloom Live In Concert.
Squier Releases Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V
A five-string version of Squier’s Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is now available. Similar to the four-string model, the Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V is styled after Fender’s mid-70’s Jazz basses and features a natural finish, soft maple body with a maple neck. The neck has black binding, block inlays, and 20 medium jumbo frets. Pickups on the bass are Duncan...
The Big 4 to Perform at Yankee’s Stadium
The Big 4 tour will be making its second U.S. stop at Yankee’s Stadium in Bronx, New York on September 14th. The show, which has been hyped for the last four years, brings together four of the biggest metal bands – Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. The groups, of course, are in turn held down by four of the strongest...
Jim Bennett: Acoustic Piccolo Bass Jam
We’ve seen acoustic bass jams, and we’ve seen piccolo bass jams, but never the combination of the two. Here, bassist Jim Bennett shows off his acoustic Ibanez bass, tuned D A D G, with a hint of Jeff Schmidt and Michael Manring. Jim describes his technique: “It’s kinda like an open hammer pluck, but instead of plucking, you do an...
Bass of the Week: Kenneth Lawrence “Joust” 11-string ChamberBrase I
The world of extended-range basses has taken off over the last few years, and if you’ve ever searched for the term “bass” on YouTube, you’ve likely seen this week’s bass of the week: the Kenneth Lawrence “Joust” 11-string ChamberBrase I, built for Nuclear Rabbit and solo bassist Jean Baudin. A customization of Lawrence’s models, the bass features a chambered North...
Health & Fitness for The Working Bassist – Part 5: Odds & Sods
Lift Off — Common Sense Guidelines for Lifting and Moving Your Equipment Most of us carry our own gear around. Sometimes we get lucky and use house gear or somebody else’s gear (which isn’t always as good a deal as it may sound). At times, some of us are fortunate enough to have somebody else haul our equipment around for...