Buzz
D’Addario Introduces Bass Tool Kit
Bassists looking to take care of their own instrument have a new set of tools to choose from. The D’Addario Bass Maintenance Kit includes a set of tools and cleaning equipment to keep your bass in shape. The case itself contains individual component compartments with pockets for extra strings and a magnet to hold loose screws, nuts, or washers. Inside...
Bass of the Week: Crom Custom Shop Romantic Warrior
Matias Crom sent us photos of his Romantic Warrior model, and I dropped everything I was doing. The 34-year-old, Italian-Argentinian luthier has been making baroque instruments like lutes and viols for the past 10 years, but he started making basses when he was 18 after hearing Primus. His unique influences are melded together in the bass, which features a beautifully...
King Curtis: Soul Serenade
I love all the footage from this 1971 performance by King Curtis & The Kingpins. The whole band is fantastic, and Jerry Jemmott shows us how it’s done. Here’s “Soul Serenade”. Be sure to also check out “Ridin’ Thumb” (my favorite of this excellent concert) and “Memphis Soul Stew“.
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in September 2017
September was a great month for new bass gear stories, as evident by all the reader interest in what we covered during the month. Here are the top 10 reader favorites for September. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing! 1. Chowny Bass Retrovibe EVO Davie 504 Signature Chowny Bass has introduced another artist signature model by teaming up with YouTube...
Han Beyli: Jeyran
I just discovered the music of Han Beyli thanks to this video. Han recently went into the studio at Berklee to record his original composition, “Jeyran,” which offers up some tremendous bass, vocals, horns, and more.
Will Lee’s Family: Georgy Porgy
In 2012, Will Lee performed at the Cotton Club in Tokyo, along with Steve Gadd, Chuck Loeb, Giulio Carmassi, and Oli Rockberger. Here’s a tune from that set, with the band covering Toto’s hit song, “Georgy Porgy.”
Etienne M’Bappe Anchors New John McLaughlin Live Album
In March of 2017, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension played two nights of sold-out shows at the world-renowned London jazz club Ronnie Scott’s. It was a special occasion for McLaughlin, whose history with the club goes as far back as the 1960’s when he was a member of the house band. He and his band performed works from early...
The Lightbulb Moment: Drums and Bass – Complementary Flavors
Every so often, I’m asked about some of my favorite drummers to play with and why that is. Whether it’s for a gig referral or for the sake of conversation with my fellow musicians, it’s a question that doesn’t always have the same answer. The context of a gig, the type of music being played, and the other musicians involved...
Curtis Mayfield: Freddie’s Dead (Live)
Here’s some old school funky goodness from a live, early ’70s performance of Curtis Mayfield and his band performing “Freddie’s Dead.” Joseph “Lucky” Scott puts on a master class of some textbook groove on this one.
Prophets Of Rage, Featuring Tim Commerford, Releases Debut Album
Last year, fans of heavy music that grooves were elated at the formation of Prophets of Rage. The rap-rock supergroup includes three members of Rage Against the Machine (guitarist Tom Morello, drummer Brad Wilks, and bassist Tim Commerford), two members of Public Enemy (DJ Lord and Chuck D), and one member of Cypress Hill (B-Real). Created in reaction to the...
Old School: 1972 Peavey VTA-800
Derrick Cook emailed us with a story about an astonishing piece of gear: “I have a one of a kind Peavey VTA-800 that was handmade by Hartley Peavey as a prototype only in 1972 – 400-watt tube head 8×6550. It’s the only one ever made,” he shared. We asked him for more on this rarest of rare pieces of equipment....
Bob Reynolds: Can’t Wait for Perfect
I recently discovered tenor saxophonist Bob Reynolds and his band on a recent Youtube binge, and I was glad I did. Here’s the band performing at the Blue Whale Jazz Club in Los Angeles, California, on January 21, 2016. The tune, “Can’t Wait for Perfect,” is from Reynolds’ album, Guitar Band and features some groovy lines by bassist Kaveh Rastegar....