Bass Frontiers Magazine

Well, summer is in full swing, and it is growing hotter each day here in Nashville, not to mention as humid as all get-out. A lot of people hate the heat of summer in Nashville - I personally LOVE it, the hotter the better. Motorcycle season is here!!!

Catch the New Hampshire Bass Fest on June 27th, 2009! Check out the New Hampshire Bass Fest's website for more details!

Jimmy Haslip – Revolutions
By Brent-Anthony Johnson

The Life Cycle in animal biology is a method of understanding evolved behaviors and strategies to optimize reproductive success. As I eagerly opened the latest Yellowjackets recording, “Lifecycle,” I wondered aloud how this 27-year-old legendary World-Jazz band would introduce its latest recorded composition. I noticed the guest appearance of guitarist Mike Stern, and I immediately knew something different was afoot! But more about that in a minute…

Today is May 1, 2009, and it is hard to believe how fast this year is screaming past! Life has been good here in Nashville, Tennesse, this year, and for this we are very grateful. Our visit to Winter NAMM was a blast, and we made some great new friends; our experiences there will help us to further grow our business.

No Minor Accomplishment.

Ricky Minor is an enabler. In the best sense of the word, and a first-order one at that. He enables up-and-comers and superstars alike to sound the best they can, to capitalize on their strengths, and to overcome their shortcomings, allowing them to grow as artists and people. He's also a mentor to many, as Quincy Jones has been to him, a man who always offers more than the situation calls for. That's why his new autobiography is called "There's No Traffic On The Extra Mile."

I am sitting on a plane today heading to the Winter NAMM show in L.A., and I am a ball of mixed emotions at this moment.

Bass Frontiers Magazine has been and will always be a magazine for Bass Players by Bass Players. I am thrilled and excited about this particular NAMM show as we are venturing on PURE 100% FAITH, believing for great things out of the next four days.

By Brent-Anthony Johnson

Bryan Beller continues to be one of my all-time favorite bassists! Ever since he showed-up with the bands Z and Beer For Dolphins, I have pointed young aspiring players to his abilities as both musician, composer and as a journalist and bass-gear guru for a number of bass-oriented publications and manufacturers. Bryan has also served as sideman for the likes of Steve Vai and Wayne Kramer, and his commercial session log is almost too monstrous to include in these few pages.

For Those About To Read!
By Lynne Davis

There are many ways to exchange musical ideas; number charts, chord charts, tablature, hand signals, by ear—but hundreds of years after its invention, standard notation (you know, the dots) still reigns as the most effective and specific way to share musical information. Although you may think learning to read music is difficult, all musicians can recognize what they hear, and musical notation is simply a graphic representation — a picture of a sound. All the music you hear can be translated into pictures, and as a reading musician it is your job to translate those pictures back to into sounds.

Know Thy Neck!
By Ed Friedland

It seems obvious that the better you know your fingerboard, the more musical options you'll have. While we can all agree on that, how many of us really take the time to explore the fingerboard to its fullest extent?

Masters Of Their Domain.

The first time I saw the movie Slingblade I felt it was among the best I had ever seen; it really moved me. It could have been the wonderful screenplay, the amazing cast, or any number of things, but I could relate to it in so many meaningful ways.