Buzz

Marcus Miller and Larry Graham: Release Yourself

Bass history was made when Marcus Miller and Larry Graham performed together at Billboard Live Tokyo in September. Luckily for everyone who wasn’t there, a fan caught the duo performing “Release Yourself” on camera.

Esperanza Spalding to Host New PBS Show

PBS has just announced bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding has been asked to host a new program, “Find The Beat”. The show’s format will include Spalding joining a group, band or solo musician to explore the roots of their music, cultural connections and music history. “Find The Beat” is a joint venture of PBS and the Corporation for Public...

System of a Down Reunites for 2011 Tour Dates

System of a Down has announced new tour dates, which will be the group’s first performances since August 2006. The shows will be scattered through Europe in June with more dates in the works. An official statement from the band’s website explains “We have no master plan of sorts — we are playing these shows simply because we want to...

The Treatment: Gaining Familiarity With a New Tune (Part 2 of 2)

My jazz students and I often work through a process we call “The Treatment.” It’s a tune-based approach and I view it as a preparation for high-level study of improvisation. Once you can navigate a tune using the Treatment, you can more easily work on musical and artistic elements of improvisation. I adjust the Treatment to suit a student’s individual...

Michael Manring: Adhan

Here’s bassist Michael Manring performing a solo piece entitled “Adhan”. Manring often uses the EBow in his performances. For this tune, he uses two.

Here are the most read, most popular stories and features on No Treble for the week of November 21-27, 2010. Video: Will Lee and Darryl Jones: Teen Town Custom Shop: The Making of Orchid (Part 1) Gear Watch: Luthman Introduces Jazzette Bass Ask Damian Erskine: My Sense of Groove Player Spotlight: Jeff Clark Player News: Bootsy Collins Brings Jimi Hendrix...

Bela Fleck & the Flecktones Announce Holiday Tour

Bela Fleck and the Fleckones are hitting the road for a special holiday tour of western USA and Canada, with Jeff Coffin and special guest Alash Ensemble. The “original Flecktones” have been hard at work on their next album, due out in late Spring 2011. The original Flecktones include Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Futureman and Howard Levy. Bela Fleck &...

Daniel Ziegler: All Bass Version of “Little Wing”

We love new arrangements of Jimi Hendrix tunes, especially when performed as solo bass pieces, and performed well. That’s just what bassist Daniel Ziegler did in this version of the Hendrix classic “Little Wing”.

Bob Cranshaw Honored as a “Giant of Jazz”

Bob Cranshaw will be honored at the upcoming “Giants of Jazz” concert to be held in South Orange, New Jersey. The Giants of Jazz focuses on celebrating under appreciated players in jazz, and Cranshaw is surely in that category. In addition to working with legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins on and off for over 50 years, Cranshaw was the house bassist...

Zander Zon: “She Danced” Solo Bass

Here’s the latest from Zander Zon, performing one of the tracks from his debut CD, Sonorous. This track, “She Danced” shows off Zander’s unique combination of his Zon bass and piccolo strings, effects and loops, and his compositional skills. Zander shares, “Harmonics take the melody at the start and the tune ends with several looped patterns. I haven’t performed this...

Duff McKagan: Velvet Revolver is Not Done

In a recent interview with Artisan News Service, bassist Duff McKagan announced that Velvet Revolver is renewing their search for a new vocalist. The band, which also features ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, had to let singer Scott Weiland go in 2008 after “erratic onstage behavior and personal problems,” claiming he was not 100% committed to the group. The hunt...

Bootsy Collins Brings Jimi Hendrix To Life in New DVD

Bootsy Collins brings the words of Jimi Hendrix to life in a new 90-minute film included in the West Coast Seattle Boy Box Set. The DVD, entitled Voodoo Child, is Hendrix’s life told using the legendary guitarist’s own words and includes rare footage, photos, and personal drawings. “Every word in the film had to be what Jimi had said… It...