Buzz
Brady Watt: “Roots Around My Ribcage” Live in Brooklyn with the Lifetronics
Brady Watt shared his new live video on Facebook, and I watched it more than a few times. “A live version of ‘Roots Around My Ribcage’ all music heads will dig this performance! On my Fretless Modulus Quantum 5,” Brady shared. Dig that tone! This one grooves.
The Wood Brothers Release “One Drop of Truth”
The Wood Brothers have returned with their sixth album entitled One Drop of Truth. The 10-song album deviates from their previous efforts by presenting each song as its own masterpiece, diving into a variety of styles and influences. “Often, when you’re making an album in the traditional way, there will be a unifying concept, whether that be in the approach...
Ibanez Unveils SRMS800 Series Basses
Ibanez has expanded their multi-scale bass lineup by adding the SRMS800, SRMS805, and SRMS806 to their Bass Workshop series. Each bass is built with a five-piece jatoba and walnut neck that has fanned frets for consistent tone across open strings, improved intonation, and comfort. The four-string SRMS800, five-string SRMS805, and the six-string SRMS806 all feature a gloss finish over a...
Kevin “KJ” Jacoby & The Oddysy: Incantation
Kevin “KJ” Jacoby shared this video with us, featuring his new project, The Oddyssey. “Last year I started a project with DJ Johnny Juice (Public Enemy, Beastie Boys) called The Oddysy. We recently shot a video for our first single, ‘Incantation’,” he shared. “This is a brand new sound for me. I’m dividing my signal between an Epifani amp and...
Cody Wright Featured on “Toejam and Earl” Soundtrack
Old school gamers got super excited in 2016 when it was announced that the classic Sega Genesis game “Toejam and Earl” was going to get a new chapter called “Back in the Groove.” The game is still being finished up, but the super funky soundtrack performed by Cody Wright is now available. Wright recreates some of the original grooves while...
Fender Unveils Limited Edition Parallel Universe ’51 Telecaster PJ Bass
Fender presented a retrospective line of instruments this year with the American Original Series, but they also imagined some axes from another dimension that blurred timelines. The Parallel Universe lineup was revealed to include several guitars and one bass: the ’51 Telecaster PJ Bass.
Scott Varney: Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Scott Varney sent us his latest video, featuring his unique bass cover of the Tears for Fears song, “Everybody Wants to Rule The World.” “I’ve been working on trying to really put my sound into the covers I do live at shows and this one fit so well and has such a fun groove I had to make a video,”...
Ozzy Osbourne Reveals North American Tour Dates With Blasko on Bass
Ever since Ozzy Osbourne announced he will stop touring after a massive farewell tour, we’ve been waiting for the North American dates. Now the first set has been revealed. Ozzy, who will be joined by longtime bassist Rob “Blasko” Nicholson, will first hit two festivals in Florida in April before heading out at the end of August. The trek will...
Tensor Updates Classic Series Basses for 2018
Tensor Basses is updating their Classic series of basses for 2018. Described as a “complete ground up redesign,” the new basses offer a deeper cutaway for access to the top frets, Nordstrand J-series pickups, and a new finish. It also updates the company’s main bass feature, the Force Balance System, which replaces the need for a truss rod. “As an...
Evan Marien x Dana Hawkins: Flashes (Live at Mondriaan Jazz)
I’m really digging the live videos Evan Marien and Dana Hawkins have been sharing from their Mondriaan Jazz performance. In this clip, the duo performs “Flashes,” which appeared on their Collections EP. Evan has made the full show available via Bandcamp.
EBS Reveals ReTracer Delay Workstation Pedal
EBS is celebrating 30 years in the business this year. While they have tried and true products, that doesn’t mean they aren’t innovating. This year at the NAMM Show they previewed the ReTracer Delay, a compact pedal that utilizes new hardware and software from the company. The ReTracer offers twelve distinct engines to produce different effects. “Benefit from useful features...
Finding the Groove Vs. Letting the Groove Find You
Q: When making music, i.e. improvising, making a song, creating a groove, etc., I find myself sometimes approaching it from what I hear while fiddling around, and at other times approaching it more cerebral, as in “let’s create a groove that has a flat nine in it.” I like to call these the bottom up (let the sounds guide me)...