Category Archives: New Release

New verison: Band in a Box 2009 for Mac

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PG Music has recently launched a major Update of the Band in a box music accompaignment software: version 2009 for Mac. Most impressive new feature is RealTracks: while older versions (version 12, released in 2004) have still used MIDI instruments, the 2009 version comes with a variety of different great sounding tracks and styles. Real instruments, recorded and cut into smaller units of e.g. 4 or 8 bars can be put together by BiaB to complete new changes. So finally, Biab knows how to swing … there is no demo version available, but you can get a brief preview at Youtube.

How Low Can You Go?

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Dust-to-Digital has published a 3-CD-Box with early american recordings of the double bass. This box comes with a 96 page booklet, and covers music „from tuxedoed symphony ensembles to tipsy calypso bands to honkytonkers in oil-field dives, from elegantly gelled tango orchestras to jazz combos in unspeakable speak-easys to methed-out rockabilly trios“ …

(Thanks, Edward, for this link submisson)

Charlie Haden – Rambling Boy

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Rambling Boy

“Charlie Haden – Rambling Boy”: the feature legth documentary presents the life and work of Charlie Haden. The film is set to be released in Europe by the end of 2008. An airdate for TV in Switzerland, Germany and Austria will be follow soon. After three years in production, the filmmakers are currently in the final stages of editing and adding the appropriate music to the documentary.

From the get-go it was clear for both director Reto Caduff and subject that the film has to go beyond the generic filmed music story: an intimate look at the music and life of one of Jazz’ most inspiring and influential musicians. With access to Haden’s own personal archive, film sequences shot during concerts and recording sessions, interviews with an incredible  selection of friends and collaborators and great archival footage, the documentary will please diehard jazz fans as well as the newly initiated.

The new album Rambling Boy will be released on Sept. 23.

Brandi Disterheft

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Brandi DisterheftWhile I’m looking forward to see bassist/singer Esperanza Spaldings (mentioned in my blog before several times …) on her concert tour in Germany next month, I just stumpled upon another young and promising female jazz bassist this morning: Brandi Disterheft from Canada. Oscar Peterson said about her: “She has the same lope or rhythmic pulse as my bass player, Ray Brown. She is what we call serious.” So I listened to some tracks of her first CD Debut (Superfran Records, 2007; samples availabale at Brandi’s website), and she really sounds great! On Debut, Brandi Disterheft not only plays bass, she also wrote the music, influenced by Charles Mingus and Bjørk. “They are not just original, but appear to have come from a voice so distinctive that one can safely say, ‘You’ve never heard anything like this before.’”, says Raul d’Gama Rose at AllAboutJazz about Brandi’s music.

My new electric bass

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Apple has finally launched the iPhone/iPod software update last week, which makes it possible to run a couple of new applications. The first software I downloaded for my iPod touch was, of course,  “Band”. This little application has a virtual drum set, keyboard, guitar and – and electric bass. So I don’t need to leave home without a bass at all anymore …

Direct link for downloading “Band” from iTunes

Eliane Elias’ new CD featuring Scotty’s Prescott bass

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Pianist Eliane Elias has dedicated her latest CD “Something for you” to Bill Evans. Her husband Marc Johnson, who was the bassist of Bill Evans last trio, played bass on this CD, and on “My Foolish Heart,” Johnson even uses the Prescott bass that belonged to Scott LaFaro. This bass was destroyed when Scott LaFaro died in a car accident in 1962, and got restored by luthier Barrie Kolstein in the 1980ies. Kolstein still owns this Prescott bass and has provided the instrument for the recording only.

Read more about this CD at All About Jazz.
For listening, click this Amazon-Link or iTunes-Link.

Latest (and last) issue of Double Bassist

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Today, I’ve found the new issue of the Double Bassist magazine in my post box. This “winter 2007” issue (don’t we already have 2008?) features articles about bassist Henry Grimes, a Gagliano bass, music by Gustav Mahler and Paquito de Rivera, video conferencing in teaching, a history of gut strings, the future of pernambuco bows, luthier Daniel Hachez and many other topics.

But there are also bad news: editor Chloe Cutts has announced that the Double Bassist magazine will no longer be published. It will be re-incorperated into The Strad magazine from the April 2008 issue onwards. Double Bassist was launched 11 years ago, and since then, 43 issues has been published.