The SBL Podcast

Latest Episodes:

078 - In Conversation with Steve Jenkins - Groove Concepts Aug 30, 2017

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In today’s podcast Steve Jenkins tells us all about his new course for the SBL Academy and the secrets behind his killer tone.

As many of you will already know, earlier in the year the SBL team descended on New York’s coolest borough to rub shoulders with some of the most exciting bass players on the planet. We captured some fantastic behind-the-scenes footage and we’ve been bringing you exclusive monthly courses ever since. Our most recent course features the amazing Steve Jenkins who walks you through a mix of modern groove concepts with drummer Kenny Grohowski. Steve’s best known for his stints with Vernon Reid (Living Colour) and Dave Fiuczynski in Screaming Headless Torsos, but he’s not lacked ambition in his solo career, with Steve Jenkins and the Coaxial Flutter his second album and most focused to date.

077 - In Conversation with Joe Zon - Zon Guitars Aug 23, 2017

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In today’s podcast we talk to US luthier Joe Zon – a must-watch for anyone interested in the art of bass building.

Joe Zon’s open-minded approach when it comes to design has led to some incredible basses, such as the headless VB model, the Sonus and Micheal Manring’s signature Hyperbass, which features a three-octave fretless neck and is capable of something around 10,000 tunings! Completely self-taught, Joe honed his craft at a time when there was little, if any, literature on how to build bass guitars or fix them, largely relying on his own intuition to further his progress. His handiwork has since drawn praise from the likes of Troy Sanders (Mastodon), Billy Gould (Faith No More), Liam Wilson (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Dick Lövgren (Meshuggah).

076 - In Conversation with TJ Koleoso - EZRA Collective Aug 12, 2017

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In today’s podcast we meet the man pulling the bass strings with UK breakthrough act the Ezra Collective.

One of the few left-handed bassists around today, TJ Koleoso is currently making a name for himself with the award-winning Ezra Collective. Sonically inspired by the likes of Flea, Bobby Watson and Fela Kuti’s Nweke Atifoh, the basic template is jazz, but there are so many elements bubbling under the surface that it’s impossible to slap any single genre tag onto TJ’s instinctive bass playing. Having recently recorded their second EP at London’s Abbey Road Studios, The Ezra Collective have found a sound to redefine a genre.

075 - In Conversation with Uriah Duffy - Super Sideman Aug 08, 2017

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In today’s podcast we track down top US bass player Uriah Duffy…
For many years, Uriah Duffy has remained the ‘bass players’ bass player’, working with artists ranging from Whitesnake, CeeLo Green, Christina Aguilera, The Family Stone, Toni Tony Toné and Alicia Keys. As a seasoned sideman, producer and musical director, Uriah’s ability to leave his own musical ego and stylistic preconceptions at the door has proved essential. While his trademark grooves and outstanding musicianship are at the heart of his ongoing success as a bass player for hire. When we caught up with Uriah he was busy preparing for his next gig with 2017 Grammy Award Winner Fantastic Negrito...

074 - In Conversation with Richard Yale - Dead Can Dance Aug 02, 2017

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In today’s podcast we’re catching up with Richard Yale, bassist for Dead Can Dance, and Tour Manager/Backline Tech for the likes of Muse, Metallica and the Brand New Heavies.

Formed in Melbourne by Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, Dead Can Dance de-camped to London in 1982 and began creating some of the most far reaching goth music you are ever likely to hear. At this point, Perry and Gerrard became the core nucleus of the band supported by an ever-expanding cast of guest musicians. In 2011 bassist Richard Yale was tasked with holding down the low end of DCD’s breathtakingly hypnotic songs for a 2011 comeback tour. Richard also works as a backline tech/tour manager for bands like the Brand New Heavies, Muse and Metallica – which should tell you all you need to know about the calibre of musicianship he requires…

073 - In Conversation with Phil Mann - Essential Slap Bass Jul 26, 2017

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In today’s podcast we’re talking slap bass with SBL’s very own Phil Mann.

Having already made waves among the SBL audience with his first academy course on slap bass, Phil Mann is back with the next instalment that takes a closer look at some of his trademark slap techniques. Be it the polyrhythmic tapping and slapping of Victor Wooten or Mark King’s ‘chugging’ rhythms from Level 42, slap bass sounds great and looks impressive, but getting it right can be frustrating, let alone getting a good sound. So if the thought of combining slaps, pops, hammer-ons and fretting-hand slaps makes you feel decidedly uneasy, tune in to this podcast and be prepared to chill out.

072 - In Conversation with Randy Kertz - Injury Prevention Jul 19, 2017

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In today’s podcast we catch up with chiropractic physician and acupuncturist, Dr Randy Kertz

If you’re anything like me, you’ve experienced more than just blood, sweat and tears when it comes to playing the bass. We put our bodies through a lot of punishment while we’re out gigging and eventually our performance could suffer because of it. Luckily, guys like Randy are here to help us get in shape and stay motivated. Randy has treated countless musicians over the years and lectured on the subject of musician’s injuries and health education. He also attended the Bass Institute of Technology in 1989 and has written a book on injury management and prevention.

071 - In Conversation with Eva Gardner - Musical Roots Jul 12, 2017

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In today’s podcast Eva Gardner talks us through her inspired bass work with some of the biggest names in pop.

The daughter of Creation bassist, Kim Gardner, Eva Gardner may not be a household name in some corners of the bass world, yet Pink, Moby, Cher, Gwen Stefani and many others among the pop world’s elite have called upon her services as a first-call touring musician at one time or another. Eva got her start playing as a teenager and quickly worked her way through a slew of gigs and bands in LA, where she polished and mastered her craft. She has been a member of Pink’s band since 2007. In Eva’s case it’s an awareness of what it takes to make a situation work, together with an impulse to keep things simple, that allows her to communicate the crucial feeling of a song so decisively.

070 - In Conversation with Cameron Dawson - Mamas Gun Jul 05, 2017

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In today’s podcast we marvel at the awesome bass playing of Cameron Dawson.

Mamas Gun are a London-based five-piece that’s been gathering critical acclaim and an international audience since 2008. Cameron Dawson took up bass duties in 2012 and has been at the heart of the band’s dazzling pop and wicked grooves ever since. Commitments with Mamas Gun have taken up most of Cameron’s time for the past few years, but he’s still found time to finish a university degree, play numerous sessions, as well as write stacks of material for his experimental jazz group, Vels Trio, who’s new album, Yellow Ochre, has just been released.

069 - In Conversation with Damian Erskine - Groove Tools Jun 28, 2017

Show notes

In today’s podcast we’re talking to Damian Erskine, author of our latest SBL Academy course, Contemporary Groove Techniques.

Having honed his chops with some of the best musicians the West coast of America has to offer, Damian Erskine is the real deal. A player of both strength and depth, he more than matches the hard-swinging grooves of his counterparts, not to mention his exceptional soloing. Being the nephew of drummer Peter Erskine, who formed a formidable rhythm section with Jaco Pastorius in the late ‘70s, Damian is well positioned to take the lead in the latest Artist Course from SBL.

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