Bill Laswell Archives
John Zorn and Bill Laswell Team Up for First Duo Album, “The Cleansing”
Although they’ve been musical compatriots since the late ’70s, John Zorn and Bill Laswell have teamed up for their first recorded duo project. The Cleansing features the artists on just also saxophone and bass.
Gaudi Features Levin, Laswell, Edwin and More on New Album
London-based music producer Gaudi has tapped a wealth of bassists for his latest album, entitled Magnetic. Drawing inspiration from the RareNoise Records catalog, the composer blends electronica, rock, jazz, and ambient music for a tapestry of sounds. “It is not a departure from the Gaudi we know and love,” a press release states, “however, Magnetic is a celebration of bass...
Bill Laswell Collaborates with Gnawa Musicians For “TAGNAWWIT”
Bill Laswell has always been about mixing different cultures in his music, and his latest release is a stellar example of why it works so well. The bassist/producer teamed up with Maâlem Mokhtar Gania to create TAGNAWWIT – Holy Black Gnawa Trance, an album that fuses Gnawa from Africa with Western music. “GNAWA (or Gnaoua) MUSIC is a rich North...
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...
Bill Laswell Releases EP With Funk Keyboardist Bernie Worrell
Experimental composer, bassist, producer and record label owner Bill Laswell teams with iconic Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell and Indian drummer/DJ/producer Karsh Kale on his latest EP, Funkcronomic. The album, part of “M.O.D. Technologies: The Incunabula Series” features funk-based instrumental pieces combining old- and new-school sounds that evoke a stripped-down take on Funkadelic. Check out a portion of the album’s opening...
Bill Laswell Record is a Bass Extravaganza
The latest release from experimental composer/bassist/producer Bill Laswell is absolutely all about the bass. The seven-track piece, Bass Culture, features not only Laswell, but a divers group of bassists including funk icon Bootsy Collins (James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy’s Rubber Band), Robbie Shakespeare (one half of reggae legends Sly & Robbie), Jah Wobble (P.I.L.) and Gabe Katz (noise rockers Blind Idiot...
Eclectic Bassist Bill Laswell Releases Two Distinct Digital Albums at Once
Experimental/avant-garde bassist, producer, and composer Bill Laswell has released back-to-back albums as part of his M.O.D. Technologies’ Incunabula Digital Series. One album, On Brion Gysin, features the spoken word work of the late poet, photographer and filmmaker Ira Cohen, incorporated into Laswell’s music, in tribute to the work of the late artist and writer Gysin, who pioneered the cut-up writing...
Bill Laswell’s Latest Record Inspired by Hawaii
Eclectic, multi-genre bassist and producer Bill Laswell has turned his ever-prolific talents to the island of Hawaii with Kauai – The Arch Of Heaven. The album not only combines natural, environmental ambient sounds and traditional, tribal music of Kauai, but also incorporates Jamaican dancehall, dub and reggae. The five-song Kauai – The Arch of Heaven is available on and ....
The Process: An Interview with Bill Laswell
Being on the cutting edge of music in itself is no easy task, but Bill Laswell has been doing it for over three decades. A man of many hats, Laswell has been pushing the boundaries of music as a bassist, a producer, an engineer, and a record label owner. While he’s worked in nearly every style, his true passion is...
Bill Laswell Digs Into “The Process” with Chili Pepper Chad Smith
Eclectic bassist and producer Bill Laswell has teamed with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and New Orleans pianist/keyboardist Jon Batiste on the new album, . “The original idea was to film unfamiliar musicians playing together in a room with no preconceived direction. Over time it began to transform into making a record,” Laswell said. The movie was never...
Bill Laswell, David Smith and John Zorn Go Dark Ambient on “The Dream Membrane”
During his long career as a bassist and producer Bill Laswell has always defied expectation, working in almost every genre, from funk and jazz to world and ambient music. And he continues to do so with his latest collaborative project. The Dream Membrane features David Chaim Smith reading selections from his work, “The Awakening Ground”, over dark ambient music from...
Mumpbeak Releases Debut Featuring Tony Levin, Bill Laswell, Lorenzo Feliciati and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz
When keyboardist Ray Powell set out to fill out his project band Mumpbeak, he went straight to the top of prog rock royalty. Mumpbeak’s features drummer Pat Mastelotto and a host of talented bassists: Bill Laswell, Tony Levin, Lorenzo Feliciati, and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz. Described as “art by committee,” the project takes on shades of King Crimson, Yes and Gentle...