Buzz
Thundercat Announces 2021 Tour Dates
Bass phenom Thundercat has announced a substantial North American tour this fall to support his 2020 Grammy-winning release, “It Is What It Is”. Rapper Channel Tres will be opening the show for much of the outing.
Bass of the Week: Nichols Guitar Co. Spruce Dylan
This week we’re checking out the Dylan model by Nichols Guitar Company. While the bass comes with several options, this particular version is a four-string featuring a swamp ash body topped with Engelmann Spruce and Rosewood laminates.
Huw Foster: 5 Prince Basslines (and How To Play Them)
Our friend Huw Foster sent us his latest video, and in this one, he breaks down five bass lines from Prince’s catalog.
Charnett Moffett Releases “New Love”
Bass virtuoso Charnett Moffett has returned with his seventeenth album as a leader, entitled “New Love”. The bassist describes the music, recorded in trio and quartet band formats, as a love letter to humanity.
King Crimson Announces “Music Is Our Friend” Tour with The Zappa Band
In what seems to be a prog lover’s dream tour, King Crimson has unveiled the “Music Is Our Friend” tour. The outing will see the band accompanied by the California Guitar Trio for the first half of the tour and The Zappa Band for the second half.
Julia Hofer: Back Pocket
I’ve really been enjoying the videos Julia Hofer has been creating with Thomann’s Guitars & Basses. In this one, she takes on Joe Dart’s funky bass line on the Vulfpeck tune, “Back Pocket”.
“Mingus at Carnegie Hall” Gets Deluxe Reissue
Forty-seven years ago, Charles Mingus performed with his band at Carnegie Hall. A live album, “Mingus At Carnegie Hall”, was issued but excluded much of the 2-hour performance. Now the full concert has been released as a deluxe edition.
G&L Introduces Left-Handed Tribute Fallout Bass
G&L Guitars is showing some love for lefty bassists with a new southpaw version of their Tribute Fallout Bass. Originally launched in 2019, the Fallout Bass is a short-scale model loaded with the company’s Magnetic Field Design humbucker.
Dave Koz and Cory Wong: The Golden Hour
Here’s a great new video featuring Cory Wong’s new collaboration with Dave Koz, from the upcoming album, “The Golden Hour”. Yohannes Tona lays down the low end on the title track. I love how this really gets grooving around the 2:10 mark!
Wolfgang Van Halen Releases “Mammoth WVH”
At long last, Wolfgang Van Halen’s solo project Mammoth WVH has released its debut album. Van Halen wrote, performed, and recorded all the parts. Although his family name looms large, Wolfgang finds his own sound to live up to that legacy.
Matthew Garrison Launches New App
Matthew Garrison has just launched a fantastic new app for learning from the bassist. The app is described as a “living and evolving archive of the creative works of Matthew Garrison.”
Consider the Source: NPR Tiny Desk Submission 2021
Consider the Source has created a video for their NPR Tiny Desk submission, and it is fantastic. I love the acoustic version of this band, the instrumentation, and the tune.