Janek Gwizdala Archives

As we reported last month, drummer Steve Smith is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Vital Information with a new lineup, new album, and a tour. Now the record, “Time Flies,” is out now.

John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” is one of the most daunting jazz standards due to its complex chord changes. Janek Gwizdala has published a book for bassists to get the most out of the song.

Steve Smith and Vital Information are marking their 40th anniversary this year with a new album and a tour to boot. “Time Flies” will be released on May 5th and will feature the drummer and his band

Janek Gwizdala has released another instructional book for bassists, this time focusing on altered harmony. “Bass Player’s Guide to Altered Chords & Scales” is, in fact, more than a book. It includes 60 backing tracks and 100 videos.

Janek Gwizdala is known for his incredible improvisations, both on and off the stage. For his latest project, the bassist recruited keyboardist Tom Cawley and drummer Nicolas Viccaro. The result is a set of EPs and a 45-minute documentary.

Janek Gwizdala has added another book to his jazz education series with “Iconic Lines for Bass Guitar: An Interactive Chronology of the Genes of Jazz Vocabulary”. The book aims to teach you vocabulary from the genre’s entire existence.

We’ve featured some great videos of Janek Gwizdala using looper pedals before, but this is just next level. “Factor 1000” is a song built from the bass guitar and a plethora of pedals.

With the holidays right around the corner, it’s nice to have a few ideas to give your loved ones for gifts for their favorite bassist. That’s why we’ve compiled a handful of our favorite bass-centric books that were released this year.

Janek Gwizdala has published a new book called “From Practice to Performance” that is written to translate your woodshedding to the stage. Split into two parts, the book walks you through how to actually utilize all the things you learn.

Janek Gwizdala is tackling another common issue for bassists with his latest instructional book, “Bass Player’s Guide to Sight-Reading”. It is accompanied by over 80 videos that provide a deeper understanding of each lesson and example.

Steve Bailey’s Berklee Bass Department Zoom Webinar is taking a break this week, but Victor Wooten is keeping the momentum going by hosting a hangout called DR Strings & Friends. The lineup is pretty incredible too.

The Berklee Bass Department/Bass Vault weekly bass hang is on again with an incredible lineup. Hosted by Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, and John Patitucci, “Solo Bass-Shed” will focus on bassists known for their solo work. The lineup includes Stu Hamm, Michael Manring, Janek Gwizdala, Hadrien Feraud, and Damian Erskine.