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Bass Player Appreciation Week

Ignacio at IG blog has deemed this week Bass Player Appreciation Week. Big surprise, we’re all for it. Stop by and comment on your favorite(s).

Double bass legend Art Davis has died after a suffering heart attack. He was 73. Davis performed with many jazz greats, including John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Louis Armstrong, and Max Roach, all while holding down a psychology practice. BBC offers a look back on his remarkable career.

Live Earth’s “Bass Off”: Big Bottom

Legendary spoof band Spinal Tap reunited for Live Earth‘s SOS event on July 7th at Wembley Stadium. Wouldn’t you know it, the show’s highlight was “Big Bottom”, featuring “every bass player in the known universe”. Yeah, bass saves the day. Check it out:

Basslines for July 3rd

Must be the year for bass players to go on tour with their famous fathers. The latest buzz is about a Van Halen tour happening in September, with 16-year-old Wolfgang Van Halen “laying down the law”. An all-new, all-bass internet radio show has just hit the virtual airwaves. Bass Talk with Abe & Lane, a show with “more bass than...

Jaco Pastorius honored at Syracuse Jazz Fest

Jaco Pastorius was this year’s Syracuse Jazz Festival dedicatee, and the focus of a panel moderated by noted biographer and jazz author/journalist Bill Milkowski. The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, conducted by Peter Graves and featuring Jeff Carswell and Will Lee on bass, and Hiram Bullock on guitar, performed at the event.

Michael Manring, Percy Jones on new release

Drummer Vic Stevens has released his latest CD, “If People Could Talk“, featuring Michael Manring and Percy Jones on bass. Stevens and Manring perform together in the fusion trio McGill/Manring/Stevens.

Sting’s Son Joins The Police Tour

How lucky can a guy get? Sting’s son Joe Sumner, and his band “Fiction Plane” have joined The Police’s 2007 tour. The announcement follows the release of Fiction Plane’s second CD, Left Side of the Brain. Like his father, Joe is the bassist and lead vocalist for the trio. Check out Fiction Plane in a recent performance on Jimmy Kimmel...

Brian Bromberg: Chameleon, Live

Brian Bromberg, in support of his recent release Downright Upright, has added new dates to his tour. Get a preview of the band live in this awesome arrangement of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon”:

String Bass / Electric Bass Vacancy: U.S. Army Field Band

The United States Army Field Band is holding auditions through August 22, 2007 for a string/electric bassist. To apply, submit a recent resume and high-quality recording, CD preferred, by August 22, 2007. The recording should contain solos or excerpts of various styles that demonstrate the depth and breadth of your playing ability, with an emphasis on classical music. Applicants selected...

Trio of Doom Reissue

The legendary recording of the “Trio of Doom”, featuring Jaco Pastorius, John McLaughlin and Tony Williams is being re-released on June 26th, by Columbia/Legacy. The release features the group’s live performance on March 3rd, 1979, and includes five tracks recorded the following week at Columbia Studios in New York. Three of the five studio recordings were available on the original...

John Paul Jones at Bonnaroo Super Jam

The Super Jam is one of Bonnaroo’s annual highlights. This year, the Super Jam featured Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, slide guitarist/vocalist Ben Harper, and the Roots’ drummer, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson. We’ll let the video speak for itself:

Ron Carter Interview

Ethan Iverson has posted a terrific interview with bass legend Ron Carter. Carter has an an upcoming Carnegie Hall concert, in celebration of his 70th birthday.