Buzz
Derek Frank Releases “Origin Story”
Derek Frank has been around the world playing music with Air Supply, Gwen Stefani, and Shania Twain. Now, he’s released “Origin Story,” an instrumental album that mixes in funk, jazz, blues, and seventies soundtrack music.
Ampeg Announces the Venture VB-88 Bass Cabinet
Last fall, Ampeg launched its newest line of amps and cabs with the Venture Series. Now, they’ve unveiled the largest cabinet of the group with the VB-88. The cab is rated at 800 watts RMS while only weighing 67 pounds.
Marcus Miller Band: Bitches Brew
Marcus Miller and his band are back with another video from his shows at SF Jazz. This performance shows the crew taking on the Miles Davis fusion classic “Bitches Brew.”
The Stray Cats Announce Summer 2024 Tour
Rockabilly heroes Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, and Lee Rocker have announced a new Stray Cats summer tour for 2024. The new set of dates mark their first since their 2019 reunion tour following the release of the album “40.”
Bass of the Week: LEH Guitars Offset 5-String
Luthier Ellis Hahn of LEH Guitars wrote in to share a killer bass made for a killer bassist. This LEH Offset 5-string was made for the inimitable Tim Lefebvre.
Jojo Mayer / Nerve: Goblin Shark
Drummer Jojo Mayer continues to drop videos from his archives, and we keep watching. Here’s “Goblin Shark,” with John Davis on bass.
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in March 2024
Gear coverage on No Treble always gets a lot of attention. Here are the top 10 reader-favorite bass gear stories for the month of March, 2024.
Paul McCartney Gives 6-Figure Reward for Höfner Bass’s Return
One of the biggest bass mysteries was solved this year when Paul McCartney’s Höfner bass was returned 50 years after it was stolen. McCartney awarded a 6-figure sum as a thank you.
Charles Berthoud: Take On Me (“But it Absolutely SLAPS”)
Charles Berthoud decided to cover a song I heard countless times back in the 80’s, but he did it the way I dig it: all with basses. Here he is performing a-ha’s monster hit, “Take On Me.”
Weekly Top 10: March 23-29, 2024
Here's your weekly round-up of the top 10 reader favorites of the week on No Treble. These are the favorite stories from the world of bass.
Eastwood Updates the TB64 6-String Bass for 2024
Bass VI-style instruments have been growing in popularity over the past couple of years, and now Eastwood is reviving another six-string bass from the past. The TB64 6-string Bass STD is a new version of their tribute to the TB-64 Teisco bass.
Ron Carter Foursight Quartet with Marcus Miller: Cominando (Monte Carlo Jazz Festival)
Bass titans shared the stage at the Monte Carlo Jazz Festival. Here’s Ron Carter and Marcus Miller performing “Cominando.”