News - Page 282

Jeremy Davis has parted ways with Paramore, according to a post on the band’s Facebook page. The bassist was a founding member in 2004. “These last few years have held some of the most fulfilling moments we’ve had yet… as people, as friends, and as a band,” the statement reads. “The Self-Titled era was one that we knew would be...

Some of prolific Czech-born jazz double bassist George Mraz’s work from the late 1970s into 1980 with the John Abercrombie Quartet has been released by ECM records as part of a three-CD set in its Old & New Masters series called The First Quartet, which combines the albums Arcade, Abercrombie Quartet and M. Mraz performed on the albums in the...

The Allman Brothers Band’s landmark 1970 album Idlewild South is getting the deluxe treatment 45 years after its initial release. The album, which features “Midnight Rider” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” as well as the playing of late bassist Berry Oakley (d. Nov. 11, 1972 from a motorcycle accident), is being released in three forms: a single remastered album;...

Tusk was an unusual, unwieldy, experimental double album when Fleetwood Mac released it in 1979. A new deluxe edition of the album ups the ante even further, combining the original double LP on 180-gram vinyl with a 5.1 surround mix on audio DVD and five CDs. The CDs include an alternate version of the album from mostly unreleased session outtakes;...

The name of the latest release of short pieces from bassist/experimental musician MonoNeon (Prince, Ne-Yo), a.k.a. Dywane Thomas Jr. kind of says it all: Selfie Quickie. Three of the five songs on the EP clock in at less than two minutes, while the remaining songs run no longer than 2:55 and 3:11, respectively. Selfie Quickie is a collection of funk,...

Mogwai has released a compilation album, Central Belters, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The three-CD or six-LP set from the Scottish band, featuring bassist and co-founder Dominic Aitchison (Crippled Black Phoenix and Stage Blood), includes highlights from every phase of its career — from the band’s 1997 debut album to through its 2014 album Rave Tapes. The set also includes...

Bassist/bass transcriptionist Aidan Hampson is back at it with four new rock bass transcription books focusing on the music of Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, superstar bassist Leland “Lee” Sklar and the Best of Britpop. Hampson notes that the Pink Floyd book “includes all of ‘Echoes’ and 500 measures of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IX)’ which have never been...

Kneebody’s latest album, Kneedelus, a collaboration with electronic musician Daedelus, explores the theory of technological singularity. According to the jazz band’s website, technological singularity is “the notion that humans and computer technology will increasingly blend together.” The group’s saxophonist, Ben Wendel, is a high school friend of Alfred Darlington (a.k.a. Daedelus and a onetime jazz/double bass student at the University...

The music that accompanied visuals shown during set breaks at The Grateful Dead’s summer Fare Thee Well 50th anniversary concerts has been released as a separate album. The songs were commissioned by Justin Kreutzmann (drummer Kreutzmann’s son) for biographical pieces he assembled for set interludes, according to NPR. Hence, the album’s title, Interludes for the Dead. Justin tapped guitarist Neal...

It seems the end of an era has finally come upon us. After hinting that their recent R40 tour could very well be their last, Rush drummer Neil Peart confirmed that he is retired from music. The prog-rock hero spoke about it in a new interview with Drumhead Magazine. “Lately [my daughter] Olivia has been introducing me to new friends...

Jethro Tull’s 1976 album Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! has acquired some new life in a 40th anniversary box set. The 2 CD/2 DVD set, featuring the bass work of the late John Glascock (Carmen) includes the original; a version of the album re-recorded for a 1976 television special; the TV film; alternate versions of...

A new book aims to help left-handers begin to play bass. Hal Leonard Left-Handed Bass Tab Method — Book 1 uses famous riffs to instruct beginning lefty players comfortable way. You’ll learn from the music of bands like The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, The Who, and The Police. The book covers everything from parts of the bass and...