'Blues the Most' - Hampton Hawes

This great little piano/bass piece is from Hampton Hawes 1955 album Trio Vol. 1. Hawes was a reknowed jazz pianist, and was highly influential during the 50's  hard bop movement.

New Fender Bass Models Announced

There have been several updates to the Fender lines in 2013, such as the American Vintage Series and just today a few new models have been announced:

Classic Player Cabronita Precision Bass

This bass was originally a product of the Fender Custom Shop, priced at over $4,500. Now it's available in a lower price as it's made in Mexico. Love the pickup, reminds me of the older Guild basses.

Classic 50's Precision Bass Lacquer

Continuing the Classic Series line, also made in Mexico, this bass is finished in nitrocellulose lacquer (or nitro for short) just like the old vintage basses, unlike the modern finishes which are polyurethane (poly for short). It is thinner than poly, and will wear out faster, giving a vintage sound and vibe. Only in black.

Classic 60's Jazz Bass Lacquer

Same as the 50's Precision Bass; only in 3 Color Sunburst.

The Fender P-Bass & The Blues

Clavin "Fuzz" Jones backs John Lee Hooker, from the Blues Brothers movie.

It is of no secret that I am a huge fan of the Fender Precision Bass; I have 3 of them for god's sake. It's simple, classic, old school sound that has been featured on millions of recordings and it's enduring legacy lives on till today (it is the most selling bass in the world).

When Leo Fender designed the electric bass in 1951, his vision was to give bassists the opportunity to use a smaller and more amped version of the upright bass.

My P-Bass with it's ancestral father.

What followed was a huge explosion in the music world; bassists can now be heard just as loud as their guitarists, and music was never the same since then.

It quickly caught on, but it wasn't until 1957 when the first (and only) redesign of the Precision was made, using the split coil humbucking pickups which is now the standard in electric bass.

Of the first bands to embrace and use this bass were the blues bands. The blues is the father of rock n' roll, and it was the electric Chicago blues that started it all. From Muddy Waters to Howlin' Wolf to BB King and all in between, it was the P-Bass that held the low end, and the foundation was set in stone.

Muddy Waters was one of the first to embrace the Precision Bass in his band once we went full electric; and one of the key performances where it was brought to nationwide recognition was the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival, where bassist Andrew Stephens is seen holding a 57 or 58 Precision on the backline.

Another important recording in blues, which I rated at no 5, is 'Born Under a Bad Sign' by Albert King, which had the legendary Donald "Duck" Dunn on the P-Bass. The title track, and other songs like "Crosscut" are among the top blues tracks. This also led to huge recognition.

Turnin' goat piss into gasoline.

Another notable P-Bass in the blues world, with a rock edge, is Dusty Hill of ZZ Top. Their infectious grooves and riffs (and beards) set the stage for a new era in music.

One of their most famous tracks is "La Grange" and you can't get anymore hardcore than this:

The simplicity of the P-Bass and it's sturdy build has been a favorite of blues bands and musicians, and I don't expect this relationship to die down anytime soon.

Here's to more thumpin the blues on the down low!

'Flood Water Blues' - Lonnie Johnson

This song from 1937 talks about the great flood of the Mississippi of 1927. Many blues musicians of old sang about hardships of nature as well, not just about money, race, women or alcohol.

Lonnie Johnson delivers great slide guitar work for this haunting track.

'Some Kind of Mean' - James Clay & David "Fathead" Newman

This song from the 1960 album "The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces!!!!" album by James Clay and David "Fathead" Newman is just pure hard bop joy.

The album was produced by the great Cannonball Adderley, and features drummer Art Taylor and pianist Wynton Kelly (of later John Coltrane Quartet fame).

Hope you have your moods and volume high!

First Ever Blues Reality TV Show Being Campaigned on Kickstarter

What possibly is a late experiment, a new campaign has started on Kickstarter for the first ever Blues music reality TV show.

It'll be called "Moonshine & Mojo Hands", being developed by hosts Jeff Konkel and Roger Stolle.

 They will "travel Mississippi’s back roads in search of juke joints, house parties, moonshine and the musicians who keep this uniquely American art form alive. Weekly episodes of Moonshine & Mojo Hands will stream for FREE on this website beginning this fall."

View the Kickstarter page [here]!

One of My Basses Chosen as 5 Sexiest Instruments In Kuwait

My Surf Green Refinished Fender P-Bass was chosen as number 4 as one of  Kuwait Music's "5 sexy instruments from Kuwait’s Musicians".

You can see the link [here]. Thanks KM!!

John Coltrane's Saxophone is Up for Auction

One of John Coltrane's saxophones, an alto Yamaha prototype, is now up for sale on eBay.

The price? Just $115,000! This sax was used in the 1966 "Live in Japan" concert.

So if you feel you have the cash, go ahead and buy this, and try to clone 'Trane from any DNA samples you can find.

Miles Davis' Last Concert to be Released on DVD

[SOURCE]

 A new DVD of the Miles Davis With Quincy Jones and the Gil Evans Orchestra Live at Montreux 1991 concert will be released soon by Eagle Rock Entertainment, of Miles' final concert in 1991.

This should be a treat for the lovers of his later works of fusion and jazz-rock.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Introduction 
2. Boplicity 
3. Maids of Cadiz
4. The Duke 
5. My Ship
6. Miles Ahead
7. Blues for Pablo
8. Orgone
9. Gone, Gone, Gone
10. Summertime
11. Here Come De Honey Man
12. The Pan Piper
13. Solea

And here's the video of "Miles Ahead":

Blues-Rock Heaven: 'Short Fuse' - Roy Buchanan

If you're into high octane blues-rock, this tune by Roy Buchanan called 'Short Fuse' will be your ticket. He's known as one of the pioneers on the Fender Telecaster, and was known as a very influential guitarist.

This song is on the 1985 album, 'When a Guitar Plays the Blues'. Enjoy and rock it!