Shalamar put out some of the most infectious R&B records of the early 80s. “There It Is” is one of those tracks I keep going back to because the groove
Continue readingShalamar — There It Is: Leon Sylvers III and the Groove That Doesn’t Stop
Some bass lines are so locked-in and so perfectly constructed that they’ve been sampled, transcribed, and studied for over forty years. “Act Like You Know” by Fat Larry’s Band is
Continue readingFat Larry’s Band — Act Like You Know: Philadelphia Funk at Its Finest
There are artists that come along once in a while and make you feel like music is being invented all over again. Tom Misch is one of them. Tom Misch
Continue readingTom Misch and the Bass Riff That Made Me Stop Everything
Twenty years of playing bass, and I still keep coming back to the same handful of songs. Not because I’ve run out of material. Because some grooves are just built
Continue readingThe Whispers — And The Beat Goes On: The Bass Groove That Still Hits
Most bass players have never heard of D’Mark. Even the ones who spend time on gear forums, who follow boutique builders closely, who know every Sadowsky model and every Ken
Continue readingD’Mark Omega Bass Guitar Review — Brazil’s Best-Kept Secret
A longer look at the Yamaha BB735A 5-string. The sweepable mid EQ is the key feature — here’s why it matters more than any other single control on a working bassist’s instrument. … Continue readingYamaha BB735A Deep Dive: Why the Sweepable Mid Changes Everything
The Sadowsky VTC adds active bass and treble boost plus a passive tone control to any bass in your signal chain. My honest take on whether this outboard preamp is actually worth it. … Continue readingSadowsky VTC Review: The Outboard Preamp That Makes Passive Basses Come Alive
The LTD AP-204 is ESP’s take on the Precision Bass format — arched body, split-coil pickup, passive electronics. My honest review of whether a guitar brand can do a P-bass right. … Continue readingLTD by ESP AP-204 Review: Precision Vibe From a Guitar Brand
The Yamaha BB424 is where the BB series becomes fully itself — Alnico V pickups, solid hardware, and the same passive character that makes the BB series work in any band context. … Continue readingYamaha BB424 Review: The BB Series Hits Its Stride at Mid-Range
A 30-year-old Music Man Stingray 5 tested against modern basses. Does it still hold up or is it just a collector’s piece? Here’s what I found after actually playing it. … Continue readingIs The 1995 Music Man Stingray 5 Still Relevant? My Honest Answer