New Albums - Page 195

Pianist/composer Hiromi Uehara has just released Voice, her latest solo album. Bassist Anthony Jackson, who performed on a couple of tunes on Hiromi’s first two albums, performs on the entire album (excluding “Haze”, the one solo piano track), along with drummer Simon Phillips. “I’ve always been a huge fan of [Anthony Jackson’s] bass playing,” Hiromi said. “I’ve always liked playing...

Pianist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White are back at it. The trio, who formed the core for Return to Forever decades ago, have decided to revisit the group’s origins with the release of Forever, out today. The two-disc set includes 18 tracks. Disc one features live recordings from Return to Forever’s 2009 “RFT Unplugged” tour, with...

Bassist/composer/arranger Petros Klampanis has released his debut album, Contextual, on Inner Circle Music. The ten track collection includes a mix of original compositions and covers, including a rousing rendition of the Beatles’ “Blackbird,” featuring the vocals by Gretchen Parlato. Klampanis also tackles electric bassist Gary Willis’ “The Necessary Blonde” with a string quartet arrangement. Among the bassist’s original tunes is...

Warner Bros. is re-issuing the 1986 Miles Davis hit album, Tutu, in a new deluxe edition. The album, which features considerable work by bassist/multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller. This was Davis’ first release with Warner Bros., after he shocked the music world by ending a 30 year relationship with Columbia. The backstory behind this album is interesting. The album was originally titled...

Columbia Legacy is releasing the combined work of former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, in a box set dubbed The Roger Waters Collection. The set includes all of the bassist’s solo work, including The Pros And Cons Of Hitch-Hiking (1984), Radio Kaos (1987) Amused To Death (1992), In The Flesh (2000) and Ca Ira (2005) on seven CDs. A DVD...

Melvin Lee Davis has released Genre: Music, an album that stands to defy singular musical styles. The bassist, who also produced the record, enlisted the help of many of his friends, including drummer Ron Bruner, Jr., Lakin, Oscar Seaton, Jesse Milliner, Jeff Babko and more. As the title suggests, the 14 tracks are a unique blend of styles that the...

Bassist Alberto Rigoni has released his second solo album, Rebirth, on Nightmare Records. The 9-track set sees Rigoni flexing his compositional muscles with compelling tunes that range from ambient grooves to full-on prog-rock jams. Rigoni, who is also a member of Twinspirits and Lady & The Bass, enlisted the help of fellow bassists Michael Manring and Yves Carbonne on a...

Freekbass has released his fifth full length album, Concentrate. The bassist, who funk legend Bootsy Collins took under his wing, used the project to mix his two passions – electronica and funk bass – to create hard grooving and heavy soundscapes. The ten tracks are full of special guests, including DJ Spooky, Adam Deitch, Steve Molitz, Tobotius, and Bootsy himself....

Bassist Steve Lawson has released his first solo studio album in 6 years, entitled 11 Reasons Why 3 Is Greater Than Everything. Recorded between October 2010 and April 2011, “11 Reasons” is full of ambient as well as melodic music that the bassist describes as a “film in 11 discreet acts.” Lawson once again puts his looping expertise to good...

David Hughes has released his fourth solo album, entitled Hopeful Romantic. The album features ten of the bassist’s original tunes, revolving around jazz, funk, and jazz/rock fusion. While the bass gets a lot of time to shine on melodies and solos, the album’s tone centers more around the ensemble playing and the compositions. Hughes pulled out his arsenal of basses...

Bassist Alex Bershadsky has released his latest solo effort, Anonymous. The 8-track album is full of Bershadsky’s fusion compositions, with heavy influences from jazz, funk, and R&B. The final two tracks are his arrangements of the traditional song “Ma’oz Tzur,” on which he plays solo bass, and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The band on the album proves its versatility...

As we reported back in March, the original members of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones have reunited to record Rocket Science, released today. Pianist/harmonica player Howard Levy returned to the group for the first time since 1991, with bassist Victor Wooten, percussionist/drummer Roy “Futureman” Wooten and banjoist and leader Bela Fleck. The group wanted to avoid doing the “reunion thing”,...