News - Page 308

John Patitucci has teamed up with David Gage String Instruments to release Episode 1 of the bassist’s new Kindle book, Melodic Arpeggios and Triad Combining for Bass. The book, which is made of exercises that Patitucci developed over 10 years, is the first of a six part series designed to take the tedium out of practicing valuable skills. “It is...

Les Claypool’s acoustic outfit, Duo De Twang, will be hitting the road in March and April. Starting in California, the tour will head East in mid-April with dates in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC and New York City. Claypool and guitarist Marc “Mirv” Haggard make up the duo, playing acoustic versions of the bassist’s tunes as well as...

Rush has just added 15 cities to its current North America tour, in support of Clockwork Angels, from June through August. The is the second time the trio has announced additional dates. The second leg of the North American tour will kick off in Austin, Texas on April 23rd, following the group’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of...

Just over ten years ago, the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown made its debut at the Apollo Theater in New York. The film’s detailed look into the musicians behind all of Motown’s hits reignited the passion for the era’s music and led to the Funk Brothers receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Recording Academy. As just about any...

Like many Brazilians, bassist Nilson Matta became entranced by the music from the play Orfeu da Conceição when he was just a boy. Matta’s interest grew even deeper when the film adaptation, entitled Black Orpheus, was released. The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and lyrics by de Moraes stuck with him all his life, and he’s now paying homage to...

Here’s a great lineup: King’s X frontman/bassist Dug Pinnick, guitarist Eric Gales, and ex-Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen have teamed up for a project aptly named Pinnick Gales Pridgen. The trio has just released their self-titled debut, which features thirteen tracks that blend each member’s unique styles into a mix of “psychedelic blues, hard rock, and progressive soul/R&B.” “[The album]...

Miles Davis went through several musical styles through his career, and the late 60’s proved to be an era of drastic change. That’s documented in part in a new box set, Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Volume 2, which compiles performances by his band at the Antibes Jazz Festival in France, “The Newport Jazz Festival in Europe” in...

Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington has good taste in bassists, and her new album Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue is more evidence of that as she recruited Christian McBride to lay down the low end. The effort pays homage to the classic Duke Ellington album Money Jungle, which featured bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Max Roach, on its 50th anniversary. “I...

Alice in Chains have announced a spring tour in support of their next yet-to-be-named album. The month-long trek will focus on the East Coast and Midwest starting in Miami Beach, Florida and ending up at Lincoln, Nebraska’s Pinewood Bowl Amphitheater. The group, anchored by bassist Mike Inez, is also confirmed for England’s Download Festival and Rock in Rio later this...

Bassist Olivier Babaz has released his first trio album entitled Midnight Cafeine. Featuring pianist Sylvain Ransy and drummer Mark Nelson, the 10-track effort includes lots of creative interplay between the musicians. Babaz, who composed all the songs on Midnight Cafeine, utilizes both upright and electric basses throughout the album to create unique textures in the soundscape. “[My] electric bass playing...

String Harmonies has released their latest effort, Trinity. The string trio, which consists of Vik Momjian on six-string bass, Antranik Kzirian on Oud and Yervand Kalajian on violin, weave a beautiful mix of modern and traditional Armenian music that soothes and excites. Momjian’s bass serves as a solid foundation with a fat, gorgeous tone. Throwing in chordal work from time...

Rush will be returning to the U.S. in April to catch some venues that the Canadian rockers passed over on their first go around. Kicking off in Austin, Texas on April 23rd, the trek will focus on the East Coast with stops in Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The group, which will be inducted to...