Here's the promo video for Japanese songstress Maki Ohguro's latest single "Anything Goes! (Ballad)," which is tied into a long running anime/TV show over here. (Ohguro herself has been around a while, too, notching up a bunch of No.1 hits over the years.)

Though the video will likely make little sense without a passing knowledge of the TV show Kamen Rider (currently in its 40th year!), you may nevertheless get a kick out of the antics of the Edinburgh-born bassist and his muso cohorts.

Incidentally, in a fit of inexplicable madness, I recently offloaded for financial recompense the lovely red and white Fender Precision that features in the video. (I'm already regretting my cash-hungry folly...)

Though maverick low-ender Les Claypool has already stamped his mark on low-end history, the California native's prodigious and quirky inventiveness show no signs of letting up.

During an recent interview I did for Japan's Bass Magazine, the California native waxed lyrical on the joys of recording again with the original lineup of Primus; his quest for the perfect bass; and the merits of a particular envelope filter built into his favorite vintage multi-effect bass unit.

It was the first time I'd spoken with Les, and he was a real treat to interview. Capturing his larger-than-life persona in Japanese was fun, too (though translating the phrase "drone-y, swampy, Hillbilly groove" took a while to get right!).

If you haven't yet done so, check out Primus' new album Green Naugahyde for a real treat. You can cop a streaming version of several tracks from the disk on Primus' home page here.

If you're familiar with genre-defying outfit The Mars Volta, then you're also likely acquainted with the sterling low-end work of Juan Alderete.

However, were you aware that Alderete was (still is) a member of metal-aces-cum-shred-darlings Racer X (alongside six-string whiz Paul Gilbert)?

Japan's Bass Magazine recently tapped me to transcribe/analyze Alderete's playing on the 2-fingered, 2-handed-tapping workout found on the instrumental track "Scarified" from the band's 1987 sophomore outing, Second Heat.

Sadly, the chances of copping the mag outside Japan are pretty slim (though they occasionally come up on eBay for four or five times the face value...). However, if you get the chance, have a listen to "Scarified." Even after 25 years, the track still stands up, and copping Alderete's killer tapping chops and crisp, plucked sixteenths will likely keep you in the woodshed for quite a while.

Are you familiar with bassist Doug Johns? If not, you really should be...

I thought I was relatively au fait with the Pedulla-wielding four-stringer until I helped him and his MD pull some transcriptions and charts together for an upcoming video project. Then I realized I'd only scratched the surface of his full output.

Three words: W.O.W.

To get a good overview of Doug's music check out his homepage at dougjohns.com or his killer YouTube channel.

You won't regret it, believe me...

At 74, Ron Carter might be forgiven for resting ever-so-slightly on his fairly significant laurels. Not so: The jazz legend continues to tour, record and teach at a pace that would shame folks half his age.

The tireless bassman will shortly be hitting a couple of Tokyo's finest jazz clubs with his Golden Striker Trio, and I was lucky enough to interview him for a Japanese daily. (The online version of the interview can be read here.)

It was great to get his take on what's happening in the world of jazz and beyond, and to hear about his various projects (and -- of course -- his time with Miles).

The Tokyo shows can't come fast enough!

If you've ever been been ripped off by a shady night-club owner or jettisoned from a sweet gig due to internal politics or some such nonsense (it's happened to us all!), then, like me, you've probably felt disillusioned with the ol' music-biz from time to time....

However, for a quick shot of anti-self-pity serum, have a gander at my interview/transcription in this month's Bass Player about Bob Daisley's contribution to Ozzy Osborne's "I Don't Know" (Blizzard of Ozz). Daisley's treatment by the Osborne management juggernaut can perhaps be likened to a showbiz version of a "Glasgow kiss." (Look this phrase up; you'll be glad you did!)

Even a cursory read of the BP article will you make you feel a whole lot better about your own problems. And, the next time you suffer a music-related blow -- such as being replaced by a keyboard bassist/midi sequencer just prior to a career-high 12 nights at Wembley Stadium -- I guarantee you'll simply shrug your shoulders and laugh philosophically.*

The mag also boasts a highly recommended and insightful interview with Roots groovemeister Owen Biddle, so miss it at your peril!

*OK, so you might swear a little under your breath
** OK, so you'll swear a LOT...

It's been a while since I've uploaded a bunch of transcriptions all at once...but it's also been a while since I've had even a couple of hours breathing space!

These transcriptions initially started life as teaching tools, but having sketched out most of the playing for each of the tracks, I figured why not go the extra .75 of a mile and knock 'em into shape properly.

Because these transcriptions were teaching-derived, there's also -- gasp! -- tab.

So, here you are:

Carmine Rojas: "China Girl" (David Bowie)
Carmine Rojas: "Let's Dance" (David Bowie)
Francesco DiCosmo: "Bring Me To Life" (Evanescence)
Rutger Gunnarsson: "Dancing Queen" (Abba)

Enjoy!

It's difficult to easily pigeonhole Brian Blade. Most folks likely know him as one of the top jazz drummers of modern times, as evidenced by his superlative work with the cream of the jazz crop -- but it's worth digging a little deeper.

His three albums as composer/ leader with The Fellowship Band ring with melodic invention and top-notch improv, while his surprising 2009 release Mama Rosa -- an intimate collection of guitar/vocal-based tracks -- force a pleasant reappraisal of his talents.

He's also one of those guys who actually thinks about music, and it was a real pleasure to interview him recently about his various projects. You can catch the article in today's issue of The Daily Yomiuri, or, alternatively, check out the online version here.

Solo artist, low-end gun-for-hire (Steve Vai, Dethklok, Mike Keneally, Wayne Kramer, Dweezil Zappa, etc.), clinician, composer and writer. Doesn't the man ever get tired!? Bryan Beller needs little introduction to discerning bassists, and/or readers of Bass Player magazine, where he's been an active presence since the mid '90s.

Last year, Bryan was kind enough to ask me to transcribe the bass parts from his 2008 album Thanks In Advance," and obviously, I jumped at the chance.

The transcriptions -- which run to a spectacular 140 pages -- were personally proofed by Bryan, so you can rest assured they're definitive. What's more, Monsieur Beller has written insightful introductions and performance notes for each track, and, as if that wasn't enough, you can also download bass/drums-only and bass-less versions of the album tracks upon purchasing the book.

Enough of my rambling already! Click here to visit Bryan's digital superstore, where you can buy the book, in addition to CDs and DVDs.

(p.s. For those who like to try before they buy, Bryan has uploaded the full transcription of "Greasy Wheel" and a supporting sound file.)

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I had intended to tap a few words about my transcription of Carol Kaye's playing on Quincy Jones' "Hikky-Burr," and the second part of my Mick Karn style study, both of which appear in the May issue of Bass Player...

...but let's face it, with the mighty Lemmy on the cover and a feature interview with the Motorhead icon himself, my small contributions pale into total insignificance. ;-)

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Ask any British muso of a certain age why they got into music, and chances are they'll get all misty-eyed and whisper "The Shadows" in a reverential tone.

I wasn't even a twinkle in my yet-to-meet parents' eyes when the pioneering UK band first rose to popularity in the late '50s, but I can still reel off a long list of their 69 charted hits, and probably sing many of them in their entirety!

Holding down the bass chair in the original incarnation of the band was one Terence "Jet" Harris, who sadly, passed away in March. Relatively unknown beyond his native shores, Jet was nevertheless a genuine pioneer who championed the electric bass in the UK when it was still considered a novelty instrument (a fact recognized by Fender, when the company presented him in 1998 with a Lifetime Achievement Award).

Jet also was likely the first electric bassist to record a bass solo in a pop/rock setting ("Nivram") preceding John Entwistle's legendary 1965 outing on "My Generation" by a good four years.

Inspired by Harris' career and playing, I recently transcribed his classic work on "Nivram."

If you don't have a copy of this classic track lying around, you can check out a low-res YouTube version here.

If, like me, you love all things notation-related—from the fear-inducing ink-smash of a Brian Ferneyhough string quartet or the beautiful simplicity of Gregorian chant—then you are going to love Elaine Gould's new book, Behind Bars, which is currently being hailed (as per the book's subtitle) as the definitive guide to music notation.

Weighing in at a hefty 4983 tons and costing the equivalent of Zimbabwe, the book covers more ground than all the grass on planet Earth, and effectively renders the word "minutiae" to musico-lexical history.

"Ah," you might be thinking. "What about the books by Gardner Read or Kurt Stone?" And I'd reply, "Noteworthy tomes and no mistake. Indeed, I own 'em both." I'd then likely babble on for several hours regarding the relative merits of each, sending everyone within a 10-kilometre radius into a sound slumber.

Bottom line: If you're dealing with notation on a regular basis and need a reference book that bests all others by a country mile, then look no further this link.

I'm now off to write a solo etude for harp that requires the use of Neolithic toothbrushes, a moonstone-encrusted loaf of bread and William Shatner's toupee, safe in the knowledge that this book will keep me right.

Wish me luck! ;-)

Just as I was beginning to think it would never happen, along comes the chance I'd long been waiting for: anime-related bass fun. Hurrah!

To be honest, I've no idea what show/characters are involved but the CD apparently has some tenuous connection to a well-known game series and blah blah blah. Yes, there's lots of shrill female voices, shimmering keys, wailing guitars and BPM speeds that make "speed" metal sound about as fast as the slowest ballad in Balladsville. In short: a lot of fun.

Anyway, here's a link if you're remotely interested in sullying your ears: I play on about two-thirds of the tracks, the remainder boasting keyboard bass. Prizes if you can guess which is which and/or give a jot about the whole sorry episode. ;-)

Stanley Clarke's two most recent albums, Jazz In The Garden and The Stanley Clarke Band prove that the Philly-born musician is still one of the most vital voices in the kingdom of bass.

Coincidentally, both albums feature Japanese keyboard whiz Hiromi Uehara, so there was a fair bit of buzz surrounding Clarke's recent gigs here featuring her at the piano and Lenny White on drums. (The tickets for the trio's three nights at Blue Note Tokyo quickly sold out.)

I was lucky enough to conduct an interview with Stanley regarding his recent work and the Japanese dates (the online version of the original print-based interview can be found here) and he was as enthusiastic about his craft as ever.

p.s. Based on the obvious chemistry that existed between the performers onstage, I wouldn't be surprised if another trio-based album appears before too long ;-)

Anyone familiar with singer-songwriter Joe Jackson's output since he first emerged in the late '70s has doubtless marvelled at the solidity, intricacy and inventiveness of the bass work that underpins many of his most celebrated songs. The man responsible for this low-end luster is U.K.-.born Graham Maby -- one of the most undersung stylists to emerge in the past 30 years.

I've been a longtime fan of Maby, but re-listening to some of his work confirmed what an outstanding talent he actually is. He also was good enough to talk to me (despite being mid-tour in deepest darkest Europe at the time) about his playing on Jackson's killer track "Friday" for the January edition of Bass Player.

Pino Palladino fans, too, may be interested in the "Instant Impression" style study, which hopefully helps provide an insight into the great man's thinking and approach to the bass. It certainly wasn't easy trying to cherry-pick examples from Pino's breathtaking long discography, and my recent iTunes activity likely pushed Apple's stock price up by a good few cents. ;-)

Click the above photo for a closer look...

There comes a time when carting a full-size bass around is a thankless task: carrying a 5- or 6-stringer, various pedals, leads and accessories simply notches the ol' body temp up a couple of extra degrees - just what you need when you're already melting in the midday Asian sun.

I'd been in the market for one of Fernandes' compact basses for a while but had been holding out after falling in love with this particular little spud when I first saw it on the Interweb a couple of years ago.

Made in a limited edition of only five, I didn't think there was much chance of one appearing on the market, but miraculously, it did.

Needless to say, I nabbed it quicker than a speeding poulet.

There's not a lot to be said about Sonny Rollins that hasn't been said already. While the oft-used phrase-cum-album-title "saxophone colossus" covers a lot of ground -- at least musically -- it doesn't say much about the man himself.

I recently had the good fortune to interview Sonny for a Japanese newspaper ahead of several dates here that tie in with his 80th birthday celebrations (the online version of the interview can be found here) and his enthusiasm and zest for life were truly inspiring; so much so that I actually toyed with the idea of buying a cheap sax just for kicks. Luckily, I quickly saw the light and bought a Kala U-Bass instead. (See below)

As an added bonus, Rollins' long-time four-string sidekick Bob Cranshaw will be laying down the low-end for the Japan shows.

OK, so I admit I was skeptical about the marketing surrounding this ukulele on steroids claiming it can project a meaty sound and vibrant warmth equivalent to an acoustic upright.

But guess what -- it's pretty much all true!

I've already used it on a couple of low-key gigs, and once the initial visual novelty wears off, bassists and non-bassists alike have been blown away by the power and mellow vibes of this little monster.

Best thing I've bought in a long while!

The upcoming Tokyo Jazz Festival 2010 boasts a wealth of riches, including Esperanza Spalding, Ron Carter and Kenny Baron, to name but a few.

Marcus Miller will also be featuring heavily, notably as part of guitarist Kazumi Watanabe's supergroup, Tochika All Stars, featuring Omar Hakim, Mike Manieri and Warren Benrhardt. The group will be reinterpreting Watanabe's 1980 album Tochika, which Miller, Manieri and Bernhardt all originally played on.

For those interested, I recently interviewed Watanabe (the online version of the article can be found here) and he waxed freely about the festival among other topics, including the time his guitar strap broke while he was playing a show with Richard Bona...ouch!

I usually don't bother to flag most of the gigs I do as they're customarily in some tin-pot dive in Nowhereseville playing for the music, man, ya dig? (You know, the Tokyo Blue Note, the Budokan and other little cupboards like that...) However, this gig is pretty cool -- the Sumida Jazz Festival.

A sprawling two-day event, it features the likes of trumpet legend Terumasa Hino and a host of other quality cats, including an appearance by Basie Orchestra pianist-cum-Roy Hargrove's keyboard man, Tony Suggs.

We (稲田・渉様グループ) hit the stage at 3 p.m on Sat. 21,. at Alka Central, which is in front of Kinshicho Eki on the Chuo, Sobu and Hanzomon Lines.

Hope to see you there!

It's not often that a Top 10 Billboard hit features a bass solo, especially one that constitutes almost half the song! Such is the case however with Dennis Coffey and The Detroit Guitar Band's 1971 smash "Scorpio," featuring low-end session legend Bob Babbitt.

Doing the transcription was a gas, as was talking to Bob, who is as enthusiastic about the bass as ever. But be warned, if you want to recreate that authentic "Scorpio" sound, you're gonna need a damp kitchen sponge. (I'm pretty sure at least some of you know what I'm talking about!)

In the same issue, I also had the privilege/sad task of taking a look at the late Marvin Isley's style, playing and contribution to bass history—a giant of the instrument has left our midst...

The August issue of Bass Player features an article on JJ Burnel, one of the most important and influential punk/new wave low-enders ever to wield a bass.

Writing the article set me off on a nostalgia kick...Only once in my life have I ever gone into a record shop and heard a song so good that I actually walked out with the product.

That song was "The Raven" from the Stranglers album of the same name. The intensity of the bass playing and the soaring keyboards at the end of the track completely blew me away and I bought the album there and then after interrogating the staff.

It was in a tiny little record on Edinburgh's West Maitland St. that likely disappeared centuries ago. Ah...happy days.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing guitarists Larry Carlton and Tak Matusmoto of B'z (Japan's biggest-selling band) about their new collaborative album Take Your Pick.

Both men were perfect gents and it was a real treat to rap with them both: Larry by phone (en anglais, naturellement…) and Tak face-to-face (in Japanese).

As a bassist, though, the icing on the cake is that Michael Rhodes is a part of the project, and boy -- he lays down some killer work on album's 12 tracks. Rhodes will also be part of the band when it kicks off its tour of Japan tomorrow. Hot diggety!!

The article, which takes up a full broadsheet-size page, is running in today's edition of The Daily Yomiuri (the English arm of The Yomiuri Shimbun, the world's biggest-selling newspaper) but if you can't be bothered to fly to Japan to buy a copy, you can read the article online here on Larry's own site.

Michael Rhodes!

Can't wait.

As well as being one of the nicest guys I've ever had the pleasure to talk with, New York session ace Gordon Edwards is genuinely humble regarding his sparkling track record, which includes work with such names as John Lennon, Paul Simon, Donny Hathaway, James Brown, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Aretha Franklin, Joe Cocker, Hall & Oates, Carly Simon, Grover Washington, Jr., Van McCoy etc. etc...

Need I say more?

For an insight into how he turned a simple song like John Lennon's "Mind Games" into a mini master class in pacing and timing, check out the transcription and analysis contained in this month's Bass Player.

A recent interview I conducted with Take 6 prompted me to dig out all their music, which was -- inexplicably -- nestled somewhere near the bottom of my not-inconsiderable CD collection...

Needless to say, I fell in love with the lads all over again.

I was initially turned on to their stuff while still a music undergrad (thanks Vicky!) and their eponymous1988 debut album turned my life upside down: I started skipping such fun classes as Shenkerian analysis and 5-part Palestrina-style composition, and instead, spent most of my time transcribing this album and trying to figure what the hell these guys were doing...

Since then, it's no exaggeration to say I've probably listened to this album a few trillion times.

And, even though I'm a hardened atheist, when the music is this good, I've got absolutely no problem with the basic "God is great" message that underpins the tracks.

IMHO, this is without a doubt the greatest album ever made in the history of mankind. Period.*

(* Opinion is subject to change on a regular basis without notification.)

Though Noel Redding is usually the first bassist to spring to mind when Jimi Hendrix is mentioned, West Virginia native Billy Cox also played a not inconsiderable part in the Hendrix history books, appearing with him at Woodstock and on the seminal Band of Gypsys' recordings.

And while my transcription of "Izabella" for this month's Bass Player may look fairly simple at first glance, it takes a bit of effort to make it through to the end of the piece without breaking sweat. Give it a try using two plucking-hand fingers ala Cox and you'll see what I mean...

This month's magazine is also packed with cool interviews and top tips from a bunch of modern-day metal bass-meisters, including semi-fictional legend WIlliam Murderface!

I think I feel a new tattoo coming on. ;-)

Allow me to introduce to you Japanese bassist IKUO. As well as featuring regularly in various music-related magazines he also tours and records with some of the biggest pop and rock acts here.

Until recently, I'd never really paid that much attention to his bass playing as I don't operate in quite the same arenas as he does -- both literally and figuratively.

Anyway, the "books, covers, folly" headline is a reflection of a recent live show I attended in a small club/bar in Tokyo's Sangenjaya district. I'd originally gone along to hear guitarist Hiroshi Shibasaki playing in a band comprising "session players," and was therefore somewhat surprised when IKUO took the stage as part of the band, and even more surprised when said group began knocking out an evening's worth of pop-tinged jazz-rock fusion, with looooong solos.

Confounding my bass-related expectations, IKUO proceeded to set the low end on fire with his 4-string ESP, explosive technique (I didn't even know what he was doing half the time as the hemidemisemiquavers exploded around my head and his fingers moved with cartoon-like speed), startlingly sharp harmonic awareness and no-nonsense in-the-pocket grooves. In short, a major dude.

The folly of preconceptions, indeed...