Buzz
Groove for Thought: Spain
Tim Carey is back with a new video – and a new lineup with him. ‘You might remember last year I did a few videos with the vocalist Amanda Taylor. This is the band we play in together, Groove for Thought,” he shared. “This is our first video featuring the rhythm section.” This is Groove for Thought’s take on the...
James Jamerson Bass Up For Auction
A bass guitar owned and played by Motown legend James Jamerson will be up for auction later this month. It’s not his infamously stolen Funk Machine, but it is a 1961 Fender Precision that he owned from 1962 until 1967 or 1968. It was then that the instrument was bestowed by the bass legend to fellow Detroit bassist Billy Hayes....
Matthews Effects Announces The Alchemist
Matthews Effects has released the Alchemist, a pedal that allows you to split a mono signal or to sum a stereo signal to mono. It does so by utilizing a pair of independent buffers that also help to restore high-end frequency loss from pedalboards and cables. The Alchemist has two inputs and two outputs. Using just one set of each...
Bass Players To Know: Joe Osborn
If you’re familiar with ‘The Wrecking Crew,” the group of session musicians that dominated the LA recording scene in the 1960s and ’70s, you’ve probably heard of Carol Kaye and our latest bassist to feature, Joe Osborn. These players jumped from session to session, providing the sonic backdrop to popular culture and racking up credits on top ten hits. Osborn...
Miki Santamaria: Black Hole Sun
The news of Chris Cornell’s passing shocked music fans everywhere, as evidenced by the massive outpouring of comments and shares across the social web. Bassist Miki Santamaria decided to pay honor to the Soundgarden frontman with a solo bass arrangement of band’s hit, “Black Hole Sun.” “Shocked and saddened by the sudden death of singer Chris Cornell… Gone too soon…”...
Bootsy Collins Shares Health Update
Last week, we reported on funk legend Bootsy Collins being forced to cancel his upcoming tour dates due to a medical emergency. Collins has now had surgery to remove a tumor that was in his ear and took to Facebook to update his fans. “Ahh, Funkateers! We made it out of surgery by the Grace of the “One,'” he wrote....
Earthquaker Devices Launches the Erupter Fuzz Pedal
Earthquaker Devices has announced the Erupter, a classic fuzz with big sounds distilled into a single knob. Designed by Jamie Stillman, the stompbox is described as having “a big low end, but not too mushy, and a biting top end without being too harsh.” “In developing the Erupter, Stillman ‘[used] every trick [he] ever learned’ to craft a fuzz Device...
Sky Trails: An Interview with Mai Agan
Mai Agan is a bassist with an incredible story. Like every good story, it comes from tons of hard work and a little good timing. Born in Estonia, Agan started her musical career as a child, picking up the bass as a teenager. She studied music in Estonia before moving to Stockholm, Sweden to continue her education. It was there...
North Innergy: Naked Truth
Bassist Jan Urbanec is in a new band, and he recently shared one of their videos. North Innergy is a tech-prog-fusion band from North Bohemia. Here’s their tune, “Naked Truth,” which lives up to the band’s description. We’re looking forward to seeing more from these guys.
Phil Jones Bass Hosts Second Solo Bass Competition
Calling all solo bass players! Phil Jones Bass, La Bella Strings, MTD Basses, and Tsunami Cables are teaming up for a solo bass competition to be held June 3rd in Brooklyn, New York. The day-long event will also include a Bass Expo showing off all the best gear from the sponsors. “In the previous competition, we had multiple competitors from...
TC Electronic Introduces the HyperGravity Mini Compressor and Mimiq Mini Doubler Pedals
In addition to revamping their PolyTune pedal this year, TC Electronic has unveiled two new mini effects: the HyperGravity Mini Compressor and the Mimiq Mini Doubler. Each of the new units are compact versions of existing models with tweaks. TC calls the HyperGravity Mini Compressor the world’s smallest multi-band compressor. It features their MD3 algorithm with three controls: Sustain, Attack,...
Album Suggestions for Getting Into Jazz
Q: Do you have any suggestions for what albums I might check out if I wanted to get into jazz? I’ve, of course, heard bits and pieces of things before flipping through radio stations, in restaurants, etc., but nothing ever really grabbed me. What should I check out that might ignite the interest? A: Alright, the pressure’s on. This will...