News - Page 352

Duff McKagan‘s side project, Loaded, has just released their latest album, The Taking, the group’s third studio effort and the follow up to the 2009 release, Sick. The album was recorded in August, 2010 with veteran producer Terry Date (Pantera, Slipknot and others), and features newcomer Isaac Carpenter on drums. The former Guns ‘N Roses bassist/cofounder had a busy 2010,...

Bassist/composer Ben Allison has released his tenth album as a bandleader, entitled Action-Refraction. The disc features Allison’s takes on songs by his favorite artists, including PJ Harvey, Donny Hathaway, Thelonious Monk, Neil Young, Samuel Barber and Roger Nichols. This is a new approach for the composer as only one of the tracks, Broken, is an original. The idea for the...

Jazz bassist Rufus Reid has teamed up once again with pianist Steve Allee and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca for Hues of a Different Blue, a 14-track album that also features the talents of saxophonists JD Allen and Bobby Watson, trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, and Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta. The songs are a nice combination of Reid’s originals with standards mixed in,...

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band has released their fifth album, That’s How We Roll, on Telarc International. The collection has the 18-piece band showcasing 9 new original tracks from band leader Goodwin, as well as his arrangement of the classic Gershwin tune, “Rhapsody in Blue.” Bassist Rick Shaw holds down the low end throughout the album with the exception of...

Cherry Lane Music has published a new series by Danny Gill, focusing on the music of Metallica. Metallica: Classic Songs for Bass is a book/DVD package, featuring note-for-note transcriptions of eight Metallica tunes. The book includes both standard notation and tab. The DVD includes instruction by Gill, demonstrating many bass lines from the song (run time: 1 hour, 24 minutes)....

A new album, entitled Jazz for Japan, has been released on iTunes, with proceeds going to the International Red Cross in Japan in an effort to benefit Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims. The project, which was recorded in merely two days last week, features a who’s who of the jazz community, especially jazz bassists. Low-end contributors include Marcus Miller, Christian...

Earth, Wind and Fire is celebrating their 40th anniversary with an extensive world tour. Originally formed in 1971, the group has released 23 albums, selling over 90 million copies worldwide. The band’s current lineup features three of the founding members including bassist Verdine White, whose on-stage persona and bass lines inspired an entire generation of bassists. With a few international...

Hot Tuna, the group formed in 1969 by Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, have released their first studio album in 20 years. Steady As She Goes represents over 50 years of the duo playing together, and as such, the 12 tracks are reflective of their lives thus far. Though there is an acoustic vibe, this is...

Bryan Beller has just released his first solo live album, Wednesday Night Live, recorded during his band’s September 15, 2010 performance at the Baked Potato in Los Angeles. Beller’s band included guitarists Rick Musallam and Griff Peters, Mike Keneally on keyboard and guitar and Joe Travers on drums. In prepping for the recording, Beller wanted to make sure the song...

80’s supergroup Asia has announced new dates to continue their extensive Omega tour, which began last year after they released their album of the same name. Led by bassist/vocalist John Wetton, the lineup includes drummer Carl Palmer, keyboardist Geoff Downes, and guitarist Steve Howe, each being from the bands Yes, ELP, King Crimson, UK, and The Buggles. The new leg...

Deep Purple have announced “The Songs That Built Rock” Tour, which will be the group’s first North American tour in four years. The trek marks another milestone as it will be the first time they perform with a symphony orchestra on the continent. The orchestra will accompany them on every date except for San Francisco. The lineup for the shows...

Alfred Music has released The Studio Builder’s Handbook, the latest entry in their Pro Audio Series. The handbook focuses on building and improving recording studios, for any budget. The book covers a variety of topics, from isolation booth acoustics to building a studio from start to finish, offering details on planning, engineering, construction and gear selection. The book also dives...