Buzz
Dean Markley Renews SR2000 Bass Strings
Dean Markley has unveiled a renewed design of their SR2000 bass strings. The set is described as providing a “big, meaty bass tone” thanks to their construction. “The first thing that sets a Dean Markley string apart from any other manufacturer is the tension in which that core wire is held during the winding process. The second thing that sets...
Danny Ziemann Quintet: SKJ
Double bassist Danny Ziemann gets a huge tone while leading his quintet on the classic Milt Jackson tune “SKJ”. He also kicks off the solo section with a super lyrical solo to set up the song’s vibe.
Christian McBride Big Band Releases “Bringin’ It”
He started his career as a band leader by Gettin’ To It, but now Christian McBride is Bringin’ It on his new big band album. It’s the famed jazz bassist’s second album with his big band, which has a few new members this go around. The adjustment was a quick one. “These guys know my sound. They know my style....
Darkglass Electronics Unveils New Amp, Bass Cabinets
Darkglass Electronics has a new rig to offer after announcing the Microtubes 500 bass head and expanding into the realm of cabinets with the DG210C and DG410C. The new head unit is the smaller brother of the Microtubes 900 and carries many of the same features at 500 watts and a lower price point. The unit matches a solid-state preamplifier...
Tedeschi Trucks Band: Bound For Glory (with Jon Batiste)
Tedeschi Trucks Band gets down in this live version of “Bound For Glory,” with Jon Batiste joining Kofi Burbridge for a terrific keyboard jam. Tim Lefebvre anchors it all with a great bass groove.
Hot Tuna Head Out For Fall/Winter Tour
Hot Tuna is ready to hit the road again! The duo of Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen have announced a winter tour that will include acoustic and electric sets across the United States. The run includes several dates with guest guitarist Steve Kimock as well as a performance at Dark Star’s Jamaican Jam in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. Drummer Justin Guip...
Groove – Episode #34: Julie Slick
Many people know Julie Slick as a virtuoso bassist and composer. Some know her best for her work in the progressive rock outfit, Adrian Belew Power Trio (yes, he of King Crimson fame). Her story is much deeper and more astonishing than you might imagine. From her humble beginnings at the genesis of School of Rock to her own projects...
Ron Blair: Recording The Bass on Tom Petty’s “American Girl”
Ever since Tom Petty passed away, I’ve been watching tons of his videos on YouTube. There are tons of great performances, but this Reverb.com interview with Heartbreakers bassist Ron Blair stuck out. Blair talks about how they figured out the melodic bass line to “American Girl” from the band’s self-titled debut. “[I started] to play all these things up high,...
11-String Bassist Jean Baudin Releases Third Solo Album, “2600”
Extended range bassist Jean Baudin has released his third solo bass album, entitled 2600. The bassist recorded the entire 27-track album using only his 11-string Kenneth Lawrence bass and a pedalboard. “Having recorded my previous two solo ‘bass’ albums with a strict set of boundaries (no overdubs or edits), I wanted to try something different for my third album,” Baudin...
Suhr Introduces the Alexa Chorus/Vibrato Pedal
Suhr has announced the Alexa, a multi-wave dual channel analog chorus and vibrato pedal. The flexible unit can be used with bass, guitar, or keyboard. Featuring an all-analog signal path, the Alexa offers six selectable waveforms with independent Speed, Depth & Delay controls for each channel. It also has an assignable chorus/vibrato switch for Channel A. Other features include Selectable...
How to Get Called Back for the Gig (Or Not)
So I just came home from a recording session and the conversation I had before I split had me thinking for the entire drive home. We were speaking about a few other bassists that the band had tried to use, and the various issues they encountered. The songwriter chimed in at that point with a story about one of the...
First Fragment: Le Serment de Tsion
First Fragment, featuring bass monster Dominic “Forest” Lapointe, has just released a new music video for their song “Le Serment de Tsion”, and it’s brutal. Lapointe kills it with a biting tone and insane chops to add extra fire to the track.