All of the songs are centered around Crawford’s bass, at times he can be a very busy player, yet he manages to do it with enough finesse that nothing seems overplayed.  Tracks include the dance friendly “For Tonight” with it’s pulsating synth bass line accented by Crawford’s singing bass lines, the funk infused “Jazz vs. Hip Hop”, and “Chopping That Wired” featuring awe inspiring solo work.  The softer “Baby” and “Only You” are sure to be R&B radio favorites, while “Flying High” is a star studded aural delight and “For My Mother” is a beautifully melodic solo bass piece packed full of emotion.

With a very lyrical feel and distinctive tone, “Urban jazz – My Story” demonstrates Crawford’s versatility with an impressive range of song styles and grooves.  Containing 11 stellar tracks peppered with cutaway scenes of the bassist speaking on his life experiences, “Urban Jazz -My Story” is certainly worth your consideration.

8/10

Stanton Lawrence

http://anthonycrawfordband.com/

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For ‘Feels like Home’, saxophonist Mike MacArthur has done just that. He has surrounded himself with some pretty fine players and has made an album which is simply terrific. Central to this success is bassist (and producer) Brian Bromberg, who’s playing lends a joyful sense of glee to the tunes, propelling them forwards in a flurry of excited quarter notes and mischievous flourishes. His quasi-funky approach to the double bass means that the album has a tremendous sense of groove throughout, his rhythm work neatly underpinned by Frank Richardson’s commodious drums. In addition, Bromberg’s marvellously audacious solos are just finger-blisteringly fabulous (particularly on the covers of Miles Davis’ ‘Jean Pierre’ and Sonny Rollins’ ‘Blue Seven’).

When the tempo slows, such as on the sax and bass duet of ‘In a Sentimental Mood’, the tender subtleties of MacArthur’s own playing shines through. Elsewhere, Rick Braun’s trumpet compliments the tenor saxophone beautifully (the trading of solos on ‘Mo’ Better Blues’ between these two players is a delight), and Jeff Lorber’s piano work is exemplary throughout.  Of the album’s ten tracks, three are MacArthur originals and it’s a testament to his skills that you can’t differentiate them from the standards. My only complaint is that when keys player Ron Reinhardt switches on the Hammond B3, he tends to get lost in the mix. However, that quibble aside, this is a warm and enjoyable album that is a treat for the ears.

9/10

(Photo Credit Front Page- Patrick Dean)

Richard Scarr

Recorded in Bologna in late 2009, ‘Per Sempre’ (or ‘Forever’ in English) didn’t get a release in the USA until 2012, and was only launched in the UK in February of this year, coinciding with Gomez’s European tour. It is laid-back ensemble piece, made by a co-operative – and highly simpatico – quintet rather than the output of a star player and his backing musicians. Gomez is very much a part of the team here, and, perhaps, because of this approach, the recordings have a striking sense of intimacy to them. The individual soloing is inspired throughout, with pianist Teo Ciavarella and drummer Massimo Manzi stylishly holding everyone together.

Of the tracks themselves, ‘Bologna d’Inverno’ has the sweetest of melodies and maximizes the effect of synchronizing Matt Marvuglio’s haunting flute with Marco Pignataro’s rich, inventive saxophone, ‘Pops and Alma’ contains the most charming of hooks, and the fresh approach which is taken to ‘Stella by Starlight’ breathes new life into this old jazz standard.

As for Gomez’s own playing, his arco work on both the aching lament ‘Homesick’ and the introductory section of ‘Arianna’ are just masterful. His solo on ‘Why Cry’, with its use of arpeggios and vibrato, simply shimmers with class. One of the true masters of his instrument, he sounds as inspired today as he ever did. Equally, he is content to sit back and let the others shine. A great jazz album by one of the world’s finest double bassists. Highly recommended.

9/10

Richard Scarr

Three Kings on the Hill feature the powerful vocals of Rossano Gabrielli, the intense guitar work of André Erbyeah, and the rhythmic drumming of Tomas Hobzek, but it is bassist Gian Luca Morleni’s phenomenal bass grooves that truly anchor the band.  Nowhere is this more evident than on discs opening track “Wolves” which kicks off with a searing Flea-like funk line that seems to set the albums pace.  Filled with heavy rockers, (“Herr Kleberstoff (Mr. Glue)”, “Gone Forever” & “People Rise”), driving funk, (“Disconnect”, “The Right” & “Each Other’s Eyes”), and melodic harmonies, (“Indignation” & “Believe in Yourself”), Three Kings on the Hill display a certain depth and technicality, all while succeeding in melding several genres into one superb album.

Three Kings on the Hill’s blend of heavy guitar riffs and infectious funk grooves are sure to get your head banging and your booty shaking.

8/10

http://3koth.com/fr_home.cfm

Stanton Lawrence

http://www.duostrap.com/

BPU:You’re a fourth generation antique dealer. What was it like growing up in and around your father’s shop in Spain?

OP:During this time I learned to appreciate everything that has to do with woods. We restored our own furniture and the woods used in antique furniture over 100 years, they are all truly unique. When I entered in the world of musical instruments I realized that the difference between standard woods that are used and the woods used in antique furniture is enormous! But after working with quality woods, I saw no other choice than to continue working with fine woods.

BPU:Can you tell us about the Basslet that was featured at NAMM, and what goes into making this type of bass?

OP:The Basslet is an extended range bass, it’s tuning is EADGCFBbEbAbDbGb. The E octave is an octave lower than a normal E in a 4 string. The idea to make this bass was to construct an instrument that was capable of reproducing the maximum range of frequencies developed for an extreme solo bassist. At the same time, I also wanted to build the most beautiful bass esthetically with highest upgrades available. The design was also created for maximum comfort. Starting with the headless system that offers a perfect balance for this kind of instrument, seeing as how the 11 string tuning machines headstock make them too heavy on their extreme side.

BPU:What was it like studying with Stephen Higgins?

OP:Steve is one of those great luthiers that you can find with an incredible knowledge of his work. His passion and talent go hand in hand but he also has special talent for teaching this skill which is very important for the future of a luthier. This job is not only technique, but also requires love and passion for the trade. Without these characteristics I think it would be impossible to build something special and we would turn into basic carpenters that make furniture with strings.

BPU:What motivated you to begin building bass guitars?

OP:I always wanted to craft my own bass. I tried to build several guitars when I was a kid, without any information or knowledge.. I was just exited by this idea! Of course, all these attempts were failures. During college I needed to sell my personal bass for economical reasons, and this was that moment I became really motivated to build a real instrument. A few books and a lot of sanding, along with my experience in furniture restoration and knowledge of wood, were enough to complete my first bass. Then something within me had been touched, and since then I have had no choice but to follow that destiny!

BPU:What modern methods do you use in your work? Are you using computer aided design, or CNC machines?

OP:I learned to build basses by hand, traditional style, but I love to have good tools to help me. I love technology, and in the last year I’ve learned how to use computer design programs. When somebody orders a bass, now I’m starting with a drawing made with Rhino 3D in a PDF file. Before that, I just was drawing by hand and sending a picture! About CNC’s, I think these are very good machines for the construction of instruments. But in my experience, nothing can replace the feeling of a handmade neck. I use CNC to build a few things, like pickup covers, inlays, etc. There is a very important thing that machines don’t have: Passion!

BPU:What can you tell us about the different woods use for your basses?

OP:Wood is a very vast subject. It is not a uniform material, so you always have variations. When I check a single piece of lumber, I can see big differences between one section or another.Grain, stiffness, cut or growth time are characteristics to bear in mind. Searching for woods consumes a lot of time in my work.I like to use all kind of woods with different sounds, colors, weight and working techniques. I craft 100% custom basses, I use all woods.

BPU:What can we expect from Prat Bass Guitars in the near or not so near future?

OP:The next few months will be very exiting! I’m going to present a line of bolt-on instruments, with my Classic shape. This shape is a “Fenderish” shape, but with the best of both words: modern and vintage. Miguel Lezcano, a great bassist from Madrid, designed the first prototype of this shape, and I have modified it and added it to my catalog because of its great success. Also, for the first time, I’ll present my first guitar model. The great Dann Glenn is working with me side by side with with the design and the concept. I’ll “officially” present both models in the next NAMM show.

BPU:When building a custom guitar for a particular bass player, what considerations do you take into effect?

OP:It is very important to listen between lines what the costumer wants. It is not only important to choose the proper woods and electronics! The custom bass client is expecting something personal, something that fits their needs, and something that is special and unique.

BPU:For someone interested in pursuing luthiery, what would you recommend for advice?

OP:Patience, knowledge, time, love.

BPU:Can you tell us about the different models offered by Prat

OP:Currently, I have 4 basic models:

Original I: My first design, double cutaway. Light and versatile, for all kind of styles.

Original II: Derived from the Original I, single cutaway. With the extra sustain of all singlecuts.

Classic: Inspired in the Jazz bass, for who wants a more vintage look.

Reverse: single cutaway for fanned frets. Perfect for big ERB’s.Of course, I make all models with frets, fretless or headless. I also  work with custom designs on a regular basis.

We caught up with some great bass players who have had the opportunity to play and get to know Prat Bass Guitars!

Jim Phillips – My first thought would be how Oscar likes to take his time to get to know his customer and their preferences regarding the build of their bass. He’s really talented when it comes to visualizing not only the look and feel of the bass, but also the voice of the instrument. His approach is very organic, and he’s not afraid to try a new idea or concept. (as obvious in some of the more exotic instruments he has produced) In my book, the ultimate positive feedback for any luthier is repeat business. He has customers who are on their second, third and even fourth instruments. That really says a lot in my opinion!

Scott Fernandez -Oscar (Prat) is truly one of the FEW true artisans in the luthier community. His eye for detail in combination with his ability to acknowledge, the need for function is one of the primary reasons he has taken the Bass Guitar to incredible new heights. It is honestly an honor just to know him, let alone have worked with him.

Stew Mckinsey-Oscar’s designs first caught my eye a few years back. While they are certainly appealing, they are also well made and great playing! More than that, Oscar is the kind of builder one wants to work with and he learns incredibly fast! The basses he’s making now are even better than those first ones I saw and by next year, I expect my jaw to drop when I see what he’s working on!

http://www.pratbasses.com/about_me.html

While the album shimmies with a splash of funk on occasion (not least in the fabulous slap solo which lifts the title track, but also on the James Brown inspired ‘Shake it’), it is primarily a straight-ahead blues rock album. Colorado blues dynamo Johnny O lends scorching guitar on four tracks and impressive lead vocals on two. Tony Black’s drums are energetic throughout, although the nuances and subtleties of his playing have a tendency to get lost beneath the cranked-up guitar volumes in the mix. However, there’s clearly a strong rhythmical bond beyond between Irvine and Black, as the two partner each other well.

My only criticism is that the Irvine’s lyrics are glib in places but – hey – it’s a blues record! No-one expects mesmerizing lexical complexity or artful rhymes. These are twelve bar shuffles where people wake up one morning, and it’s not to engage in a debate about the merits of Cartesian Dualism with the local philosophy society.

As singer, songwriter, bassist, guitarist and producer, Irvine has done a splendid job on this disc. It’s an upbeat, uplifting, rock out record which positions Irvine as a potential bass equivalent of Joe Bonamassa. Let’s hope he manages to achieve the same level of commercial success.

http://www.andyirvinebass.com

8/10

Richard Scarr

As a session player, Robbie has had the opportunity to play with many different musicians throughout East-Coast Canada and has been involved with full-time bands such as Gordon Gets Lost, Andy Brown, Shayde, Scarecrow Blues Band, The Bailey Brothers, and many more. He credits his time with these bands as a pinnacle moment in helping him with his tone skills, and credits these times for helping him to become the player that he is today. Robbie lists the following as his influences: Victor Wooten, Juan Nelson, Jaco Pastorious, Oteil Burbridge, Markus Miller, Ray Brown, and Jeff Ament. Robbie mentions that he spends a lot of time listening to, and jamming with random Jazz artists.

In 2002 Rob met guitarist Jason Merril and the two immediately began working on projects. “We started out writing and rehearsing the music that we would later put together with the group” he said. That group would soon become Gordon Gets Lost. Jay and Robbie were able to blend and harmonize their playing styles to a point that neither had experienced before. “Doing warm up exercises together for a solid hour every morning and then begin running over every note of music we had put together, and then when we were finished, we would start again. This would make up our entire 8 hour work day” he said. “Being session players we took advantage of our daytime hours very well.”

Gordon Gets Lost has been through a lot of changes and has overcome a lot of tribulation. It’s a group of musicians really cut out to be together. Jason Merril, Tyler Mcgee, Mike Humble and Peter Rioux are the only outfit of players Robbie play with these days and he would not have it any other way.

When Robbie is not traveling with Gordon Gets Lost he collaborates on more personal projects and recordings with his younger brother who lives abroad. Over the years Robbie has owned several different basses.

“Currently I play a 6-string Yamaha TRB 1006 (my main bass), a 4-string Fender Jazz bass (which has been around for years), and a 4-string Godin A4 SA. For an amplifier I am currently using a 4*10 Behringer BX 4410A and I also have a vintage Sunn 2000S head with a 2*15 Peavey cabinet.”

We have announced our winners for contest. We would like to take this time to thank you for voting, you made it very and your support. You all did an amazing job with your videos, and we hope to be able to do more contests like this in the future!

1st Place- Laura Andy 41.93%  (1,675 votes)

2nd Place- Prof ButtNutt- 39.85% (1,592 votes)

3rd Place- Louie Giacobbe- 12.29% (491 votes)

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