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James Taylor (with Leland Sklar): How Sweet It Is (1979)
I took a trip down memory lane this morning by watching clips from James Taylor’s career. Here is one of my favorites, from a 1979 concert. Leland Sklar performs his wizardry on this version of “How Sweet It Is.”
Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (June 2019)
Time to share some a round-up of bass goodness for your listening pleasure. Here are the top 10 reader favorite videos we shared in June.
Geddy Lee Announces U.S. Book Tour
Geddy Lee has announced a new run of stops for his book tour. This time he’ll cover the U.S. with six dates in mid-July. The outing is continuing to support “Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass,” which he wrote after Rush’s final shows.
Bass Instruction: A Guide to the Best Books
This week’s “Ask” question centers around bass instruction books: which ones Damian prefers to teach from, and which ones were instrumental to his learning. Check out his list of recommendations.
Marcus Miller “Laid Black” Tour: Estival Jazz Lugano 2019 Performance
Jazz|Green just shared the complete performance of Marcus Miller and his band at Estival Jazz Lugano 2019. The set includes tunes from Marcus’s latest album, “Laid Black,” and more.
Mike LeDonne Releases New Album with Christian McBride
Organist Mike LeDonne has released a new trio album called “Partners in Time” with Lewis Nash on drums and Christian McBride on bass. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, the album ranges from traditional straight-ahead swing to modern style jazz.
Reader Spotlight: Drue Williams, Jr.
Meet Drue Williams, Jr., a bassist who got his start thanks to his dad, who was a great Gospel singer and inspired him to take up the instrument. Drue not only performs, but he also started his own bass cabinet company. Here’s his story...
Asterope Announces Pro Bass Series Instrument Cables
Asterope has announced a new line of cables created for bass players called the Pro Bass Series. The company says they utilize decades of R&D to deliver fuller, rounder and richer tones while preserving warm mids and clean highs.
Lest We Forget’s Joe Osborn Tribute: Memphis
Back in May, the awesome people at Studio Jams published this video tribute to the late, great Joe Osborn, from the Lest We Forget 2018 video special. The video starts with a discussion of Joe before the band dives into “Memphis.”
Foo Fighters Release Surprise EP
The Foo Fighters released a surprise EP this week compiled from their archive including one of their earliest gigs. “00950025” has three tracks, two of which were taken from the band’s 1995 appearance at the Live at Reading Festival in London.
Rhonda Smith Joins Jeff Beck for September Tour
Rhonda Smith will once again be laying down the low end for Jeff Beck on tour. The guitar legend announced a short run of dates in September, with the final show on the tour including Beck reuniting with Rod Stewart in Los Angeles.
Bass of the Week: Sivcak Guitars NDHS 5 062916
Slovakia’s Sivcak Guitars has three lines of bass guitars, but the NDHS was their first model. Each bass is handmade in their workshop and as such have continually improved over the years.