News - Page 354

By the 1950s, Oscar Pettiford had already made a name for himself as a force in the bebop movement and was working as a bandleader. But when the bass legend first arrived in Germany in 1958, he was lauded even more than he could believe. His signature style and use of bass as a solo instrument was extremely popular with...

Tom Kennedy newest acoustic CD, Just Play is out today. Bringing together many of the people Kennedy has performed with over the years, the album has a truly all-star cast of musicians. The core band is Renee Rosnes, Dave Weckl and George Garzone along with guests Mike Stern, Tim Hagens, Lee Ritenour, John Allred and Steve Wirts. The CD’s nine...

Veteran bassist Charnett Moffett has released Spirit of Sound, his thirteenth album as a leader and companion to his solo release, The Bridge which debuted in April. While Spirit of Sound is not a solo bass album like The Bridge, it does center heavily on Moffett’s bass virtuosity. The new album finds Moffett building upon the “Harmolodic Free Jazz” concepts...

Toto has announced their first full North American tour in almost a decade as part of a worldwide trek in celebration of the band’s 35th anniversary. Kicking off July 26th in Belleville, Ontario, the veteran rockers will skip across Canada and the United States before wrapping up on September 14th in Chandler, Arizona. The band’s current lineup includes Steve “Luke”...

Thundercat, aka bassist Stephen Bruner, has returned with his second full-length album, Apocalypse. Continuing Bruner’s unique hip hop meets jazz meets indie rock style, the effort centers on the cycle of life and all its ups and downs. The topic has been heavy on the bassist’s mind since the passing of his close friend and fellow musician, Austin Peralta, who...

Bassist Alain Caron was honored at the Montreal International Jazz Festival this past week with the prestigious Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a “Canadian musician who has made outstanding contributions to jazz in his country.” The occasion marked the first time a musician won the award twice, as he first won the award as a member of UZEB...

One thing a band with the Yellowjackets’ longevity is likely to experience is change. The 32-year run has seen their fair share of change, with the most recent one happening with the bass chair. Back in January 2012, we broke the news that Felix Pastorius – son of the late Jaco Pastorius – was replacing Jimmy Haslip. Haslip reportedly wanted...

After losing Kim Deal last month, the Pixies have certainly kicked things into high gear. The band has made many announcements including a world tour that’s set to begin this fall in Europe. The Muffs’ Kim Shattuck will be filling in the low end for the journey. Shattuck played bass in The Pandoras before becoming the guitarist for the pop...

Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are hitting the road again with Hot Tuna, with their “Hot July” tour. The longtime bandmates will once again be joined by multi-instrumentalist and mandolin wizard Barry Mitterhoff, and on the “Electric Hot Tuna” performances, drummer Skoota Warner. Hot Tuna Hot July Tour Dates All shows are Electric Hot Tuna unless noted. July 20, 2013:...

Earth, Wind and Fire is releasing their first new studio album in eight years. Now, Then & Forever is set for a September 10 release date. The band’s cofounders, singer Philip Bailey and bassist Verdine White said Now, Then & Forever is made with the band’s legacy in mind – a legacy that’s been building now for more than four...

One of the busiest bassists in the business is gearing up for a busy summer. Victor Wooten’s Wooten Woods Camps are starting later this month and running through October. Four different camps have been announced, uniquely focused on music and nature, as Victor’s camps are designed. Things kick off with the Three Week Residency (July 22 through August 11), a...

After nearly ten years, Jack Bruce is getting back into the studio with plans to release a new album in 2014. The bass legend has signed to Esoteric Antenna, a label of the Cherry Red Recordings Group, and has announced that he is currently in the writing and recording stage of the project. “It is an absolute honour to be...