Buzz
David Bowie: “Station To Station” Live (1978)
Here’s a great live clip from David Bowie’s 1978 tour with George Murray laying it down on bass. The band – which also features guitarist Adrian Belew – performs “Station to Station” in this video.
STS9 Goes Universal on Latest Album
Electronica/jam band Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) has released The Universe Inside, which the band says reflects the messages of the golden records that traveled on NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions. According to the band, with Alana Rocklin on bass, the album is about identity “and the magical truth of who we are, where we’re going, and our...
Fund Set Up for George Mraz Medical Expenses
A GoFundMe page has been set up for jazz bass legend George Mraz following serious medical issues. The 72-year old bassist, who has worked with everyone from Oscar Peterson to Chet Baker to Stephane Grapelli, was operated on this summer for his pancreas. Complications from the procedure have kept him in an extended hospital stay. “On July 8th George endured...
Bass Transcription: John Paul Jones’ Bass Line on Dusty Springfield’s “Take Another Little Piece of My Heart”
Dusty Springfield was a British singer whose early chart success in the UK and USA was with straightforward pop tunes such as 1963’s “I Only Want to be With You,” and more sophisticated ballads like 1966’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”. The 1968 Dusty… Definitely album began her change towards a more R&B/Soul sound, with inclusion of...
Nathan Navarro: Star Wars
Nathan Navarro has been bringing it with the nostalgia lately. His last video was a sick playthrough with the original Super Mario Brothers video game. Now he’s back with an all bass rendition of music from Star Wars. The clip starts out with the Star Wars theme cleanly played in five parts on his white Spector bass, but things get...
Bill Laswell’s Latest Melds Music & Literature
Experimental composer/bassist/producer Bill Laswell has reissued a work previously available only in a 100-CD limited edition at a show in honor of the late postmodern novelist William S. Burroughs. The piece, The Road to the Western Lands, pairs a recording of Burroughs reading from his book “The Western Lands” and Laswell’s music, which has been remastered and enhanced since the...
David Crosby Taps Michael League for Fall Tour
Folk rock icon David Crosby has announced a fall tour in support of his upcoming album, , and he’s hired a killer band to back him up. Joining “Croz” on the road will be Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis, and Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League, who also produced the album. “Michael and I write really well together,” Crosby said. “When we...
The Universe Inside: An Interview with Alana Rocklin
Veteran electronic jam band STS9’s latest release, The Universe Inside, is something new for the band. It’s their first full-length LP in nearly seven years and features more vocal songs than their typically instrumental output. It’s more influenced by pop of the ’70s and ’80s. It’s also the first to be anchored by bassist Alana Rocklin, who lays down fierce...
Charles Bradley: Ain’t It A Sin
Charles Bradley’s third record, dropped earlier this year, and once again features the groovy bass work of Nick Movshon on his Gibson bass. Here’s a track from the new album, “Ain’t It A Sin”.
Singles Set from The Meters Arrives
All the singles legendary New Orleans funk band The Meters ever made for the Josie, Reprise and Warner Bros. labels has been released on the two-CD set, A Message from The Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles, 1968-1977. The set includes every “A” and “B” side, meaning rare single and mono single mixes of some of the...
Quilter Amps Unveils the Bass Block 800
Quilter Amps has unveiled the Bass Block 800, a bass amp that delivers up to 800 watts while weighing in at just 3.75 pounds. The micro-sized amp sets itself apart by being completely designed by Quilter, the company says. “Unlike many of today’s compact bass amps, the Bass Block 800 is not simply an existing consumer-grade power module married to...
Defining “Practice”: A Discussion for Bass Players
Q: How do you define “practice”? I’m curious because a friend asked me how I practice, and I said that I just play a lot and wasn’t sure how to answer the question. He said that “there’s a difference between playing and practicing”. Do you agree with that? A: My quick answer is yes, I believe that there is a...