Buzz
Bass of the Week: Waja Bass Soma NT 5-String
This week we’re checking out the Waja Bass Soma NT five-string, which features a striking body shape in an equally striking high gloss blue finish. The neck-through bass is crafted from a three-piece swamp ash body topped with flamed maple and a seven-piece birdseye maple and bubinga neck. Its fingerboard is ebony. Waja fits the bass with a pair of...
Bass Lick Series: A7 Bass Line with Harmonics (and More)
In this new bass lick lesson, we’re going to combine harmonics and double stops with a Mixolydian scale fill. First, I’ll play it at full tempo, then around the 1-minute mark, I cover it slowly for you to follow along. Be sure to grab the backing drum track for playing along at full speed.
Victor Wooten: Relix Studio Sessions
Here’s a fantastic video of Victor Wooten visiting the Relix Studios back in November 2017. The video description says it all: “Bass master and Flecktone Victor Wooten recently swung by to warm up his fingers, sing, slap and treat the office to some fine, unfettered improvisation from true luminary. Here we present his full Relix session, a musical tapestry that...
Alice In Chains Return with “Rainier Fog”
Alice in Chains have released their sixth studio album, entitled Rainier Fog. The new record is a bit of a tribute to their hometown of Seattle as the name refers to nearby Mount Rainier. They also returned to Studio X, formerly Bad Animals Studios, where they recorded their 1995 self-titled album. Bassist Mike Inez told United Rock Nations that it’s...
Paul McCartney Announces First U.S. Dates of “Freshen Up” Tour
After announcing the Freshen Up World Tour in July, bass legend Paul McCartney has unveiled the initial leg to take place in the United States. His previously announced shows at Austin City Limits will be followed in 2019 by five dates spread across May and June in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The former Fab Four four-stringer...
Marcus Miller and Ranajit Sengupta: Cantaloupe Island
Marcus Miller had just met Sarod player Ranajit Sengupta, and they decided to jam together on the Bimhuis stage in Amsterdam. In this clip, the duo performs a fantastic take on Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island.”
Jimmy Haslip Anchors ARC Trio Album
Jimmy Haslip has teamed up with keyboardist Scott Kinsey (Tribal Tech) and drummer Gergö Borlai to release ARC Trio, a ten-song album that features the virtuosos digging deep into their skills. It also digs into their personal experiences. “I wrote music that deals with deeper emotional experiences… searching for knowledge and opening my awareness of a world in need,” Haslip...
Fodera Reveals James Genus Emperor 5 Elite Bass
Fodera has teamed up with bassist James Genus to release a new signature model of their Emperor 5 Elite bass. Genus, who has worked with the top names in jazz and is currently the house bassist for Saturday Night Live, worked with the company to make the bass comfortable and tonally versatile. “The James Genus Signature Emperor is designed to...
YYNOT: Overture/The Temples of Syrinx (Live)
YYNOT has just shared another one of their epic live videos, and one monster cover of Rush’s “Overture/The Temples of Syrinx,” from 2112. Tim Starace looks like he’s having a lot of fun nailing those lines!
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in August 2018
We love checking out new bass gear as much as you do, and by the looks of the readership in August, you all really like checking out new gear. So it is once again time to celebrate the top 10 reader favorite gear stories for the month. Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing! 1. Dunlop System 65 Instrument Maintenance Tools...
Conversations: An Interview with Darryl Anders
Agapésoul has just released their sophomore album, Conversations, featuring a host of guest artists supported by a core group of musicians. In the center of that core is bassist and bandleader Darryl Anders. Originally from Florida, Anders grew up in a musical family and picked up the bass after starting on trumpet in third grade. One listen to the monster...
Esperanza Spalding: I Adore You
Esperanza Spalding performed at the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert in Havana, Cuba in 2017. Joined by Yaroldi Abreu (percussion), Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Bobby Carcasses (vocals), Antonio Sanchez (drums), and Christian Sands (piano), here’s their stunning performance of Spalding’s tune “I Adore You.”