News - Page 279

The Distance is jazz double bassist/composer Michael Formanek’s latest, this time featuring his 19-musician big band, Ensemble Kolossus. “I wanted a large, rich, chewy sound with this music – and the ensemble’s rhythm section is particularly big, with piano, marimba, guitar, bass and drums,” Formanek said of the album, which was recorded in December in Brooklyn, New York. “I also...

Snarky Puppy joined with a host of vocalists and musicians in February 2015 in New Orleans to record an album in front of a live studio audience. Now, that album, and an accompanying video, documenting the performance is available to hear and watch as Family Dinner, Vol. 2. The project from Snarky Puppy, led by bassist/composer Michael League, aims to...

Mostly Other People Do the Killing’s leader, bassist and composer Matthew “Moppa” Elliott has released his solo bass album, Still, Up in the Air. The jazz album was recorded live in one day — Feb. 15, 2015 — at St. Stephen’s Pro Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Elliott favors a non-linear approach to his work, using authors David Foster Wallace and...

The British band Suede, known as The London Suede in the United States, has released its 7th studio album, Night Thoughts. The Night Thoughts CD package features not only music, but also a feature film by photographer/video director Roger Sargent, which reflects the album’s themes related to familial anxiety — birth, decay, death, youth and parenthood, according to frontman Brett...

Chicago fans were elated when they found out the band is going to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. They were even more excited when former bassist and singer Peter Cetera announced he would join the group for the induction ceremony on April 8th. Sadly, that’s now out of the question. Cetera posted on...

The James Hunter Six’s first album on Daptone Records, Hold On!, netted an impressive producer — Daptone Records’ co-owner Bosco Mann (Gabriel Roth), who is also the bass player and bandleader of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. “The great thing about working with Gabe Roth is that he can get our tunes on tape exactly the way I heard them...

German progressive death metal band Obscura has released its fourth studio album, Akróasis. The album title is Greek for “listening” or “hearing” and features virtuosic bassist Linus Klausenitzer (Noneuclid, Alkaloid).”Without question, Akróasis is the heaviest, most complex record we have made to date,” says the band’s frontman, Steffen Kummerer in Blabbermouth. Check out the title track: Akróasis is available on...

The self-titled debut album from British band Nothing But Thieves has been released in the United States. The group, with Philip Blake on bass, draws inspiration from bands like Muse and Arcade Fire. According to Musical Merchandise Review, Blake uses Rotosound’s classic Swing Bass 66 strings in 45, 65, 80 and 110 gauges. The band also has almost 2 million...

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, especially if you’re new to playing bass. Hal Leonard Corp.’s First 50 Songs You Should Play On Bass aims to help. The book features easy arrangements (tab) of songs bassists often want to play. Check out the song list: American Girl Billie Jean Black Dog Blister In The Sun Blitzkrieg Bop Born...

Jazz bassist Janek Gwizdala released his latest solo bass album, American Elm, less than a month after recording it. Gwizdala, featured on the latest Peter Erskine release Dr. Um, recorded American Elm in one day – Dec. 27, 2015 – at Los Feliz Sound in Los Angeles, California. He uses his Fodera Signature 5-string bass, Aguilar SL-212’s and a single...

Peter Hook and the Light will be returning to North America for an extensive tour this fall. Continuing his series of retrospective performances, Hook and crew will be performing Joy Division’s and New Order’s respective Substance albums. The compilation albums collected all of each band’s singles up until that point. “Widely considered New Order’s strongest album, ‘their most popular, well...

Ever since its debut in 2012, the Mack Avenue SuperBand has become a staple of the Detroit Jazz Festival. Now the jazz supergroup is taking it on the road in support of their latest release, . Both the album and the tour are anchored by bass master and musical director Christian McBride. His bandmates for the tour include pianist Christian...