Buzz

Fredericksburg Virginia is now hosting a monthly Bass Forum for bassists in the region. The Forum began in May 2009, and it has met four times now. Though the meetings started small, initially averaging about 15 people, participants are now commuting from both DC and Richmond to attend. In August, the Bass Forum was fortunate to host a clinic with...

Chuck Garric, best know as the bassist for Alice Cooper, will be donating his bass to the Hard Rock Cafe Lake Tahoe, California tomorrow, October 16th, 2009. The donation will coincide with a concert by Alice Cooper. Garric commented, “It makes me proud to be from Lake Tahoe. I want to bring something to the city of South Lake Tahoe....

The upright bass is a physically challenging instrument. I’m not trying to say we’re tougher than our treble-ended friends, but when was the last time you saw a violinist shift three feet at a time? The size of the upright bass means we have to be very efficient in how we approach playing music, especially if you are going to...

Bassist Cai Marle-Garcia has just released his new album, Mr. Ears, a couple of weeks ago (check out our previous article on this release, including a track from the album). Here’s Cai with his trio, “Miscellany”, performing Sagat Guirey’s “Arabiatta” live at the Green Note in Camden Town, London. Guirey is the guitarist, and Stuart Semple is on drums/percussion. Check...

Dickie Peterson, bassist of the legendary rock group Blue Cheer, passed away on October 12th, 2009 in Germany at the age of 63. Peterson had been fighting prostate and liver cancer and developed a fatal infection after a surgical procedure. Peterson’s relationship to music was intense. “I’ve been married twice, I’ve had numerous girlfriends, and they’ll all tell you that...

Eagles’ bassist Timothy Schmit is releasing his fifth solo album, Expando, on October 20th 2009. Expando will feature guest artists Graham Nash, Dwight Yoakam and Kid Rock on background vocals, blues guitarists Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Keb’ Mo’, Van Dyke Parks on accordion, Gary Burton on vibes and keyboardists Garth Hudson of the Band and Benmont Tench of the Heartbreakers....

Q: Quick followup question to a recent No Treble column… In your article you mention reading as being a big part of being a professional musician. What types of reading scenarios are put in-front of you as a bassist? A: It really depends on the styles of music you might try and play (especially with regard to trying to be...

Jeff Schmidt: Solo Piccolo Fretless Bass

Here’s bassist Jeff Schmidt, performing on his Pedulla Pentabuzz fretless piccolo bass. This solo bass performance took place at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA. Preview and download Jeff’s CD, Outre: Amazon.com Widgets Outre is also available at CDBaby.

The Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture is gearing up to run in the New York Marathon this November. Fraiture will be running to help out New York Road Runners Foundation’s Team For Kids charity. “I will be helping raise the funds needed to support youth fitness, goal-setting and nutrition programs throughout America and Africa while fulfilling, as a New Yorker, a...

Reader Spotlight: Mantis Evar

Meet bassist Mantis Evar, our player in the spotlight for October 13th, 2009. Bio: As a musician, Mantis has performed live with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joey DeFrancesco. While home he acted as studio manager for TKO Recording Studios until he eventually set his focus on live sound where he has worked with Dr. Billy Taylor and Freddie Hubbard. As...

Matorning should carry a warning sticker, something like “Listening to this record while in public may make you look like a complete lunatic”. The grooves are that infectious. This is a jazz record in the widest and best sense, and it features an improvisational groove music that swings like crazy. But it features few solos in the traditional sense and...

Marcus Miller is about to begin his latest tour Japan and Europe. The new tour, Tutu Revisited – The Music of Miles Davis, features Christian Scott on trumpet. Here’s the group performing “Tomaas”: