We had a nice chat with endorser Carmine Rojas this week, catching up with the bass legend as he rested up after the close of the Joe Bonamassa 2008 tour. "This was a busy year," said Rojas in a telephone interview. "We were beat before we ever got to the last European leg. But, man! We had a lot of fun!"

That's about what you'd expect after a twenty-two hour trip home from Budapest, Hungary. Carmine tells us the band has a break, not only through the holidays, but until mid-February, when rehearsals begin for next year's tour. While on break, the band will put the final touches on Joe's new album (working title - The Ballad of John Henry), and catch up on personal lives. "We hit the road again at the end of February, for a string of US dates," said Carmine. "Then it's back to Europe, and who knows where."

The Crown Jewel of next year's tour has to be their 4-day stint at Royal Albert Hall, in early May. "We're doing 4 nights, and they sold out in less than five days," Rojas said. "It's going to be incredible - two drummers, full horn section, the whole thing. Plus, they're taping at least one of the shows for potential release as a live DVD."

For more info on Carmine's touring schedule with Joe, check out the Joe Bonamassa web site.

Like many of our endorsers, Sean O'Bryan Smith regularly donates his time and services to charity. And even though he's had a very busy year, including the release of his frist solo CD, a free holiday download to produce and distribute, and a schedule packed with writing deadlines and gigs/studio dates, he's managed to contribute to numerous charity projects. The Crown Jewel of the Year, however, probably goes to the song and video, "A House, A Home", from Anna Wilson.

Ms. Wilson is a spokesperson for Habitat for Humanity, and is very active in their efforts. This song and video were written and recorded to help raise awareness and funds, helping to build more houses for those in need. Sean has worked with Anna for many years, wearing a ton of hats. "I've led the band," said Smith in a recent telephone interview,"and filled the bass chair for seven years. She's one of my favorite artists to work with, for a number of reasons. I'm very proud to have been a part of this project." Check out the video here.

Building on his successful debut CD, Tapestry, Sean O'Bryan Smith will soon his Smooth Jazz version of Let it Snow just in time for the holidays. "This is my way of saying thank you to all the fans, friends, radio stations and musicians who have helped to make Tapestry such a huge success," said the veteran producer, label owner and multi-instrumentalist. "I wanted to give something back to show how grateful I am."

The tune features many of Sean's closest friends and musical allies, including saxophonist Tommy Ogle, drummer Mel Watts, and keyboardist Shannon Wickline. Sean himself covers the bass and guitar chairs. The song will be released as a free download on Tuesday, November 25th, and will be the featured Download of the Day at All About Jazz. It will be available on Sean's MySpace page on that day as well.

Just a year old, and Manic Bloom is rapidly gaining an audience. We caught up with bassist Andy Neale recently, who told us about the band's recent success. Most notable is their win on OurStage.com. Their hit single "Running From the Scene" beat out more than 600 other entries to win the Alternative Rock category for October. Even better, they were then selected as the Grand Prize winners for the month!

Andy also recently was the subject of an in-depth profile by his hometown paper, the Wabash (IN) Plain Dealer. "Of course, gaining recognition for the band has been a top priority," said the young bassist. "But to be profiled in the paper my whole family reads, man, that's pretty cool!"

Check out Andy and his band mates in Manic Bloom on their MySpace site. While you're there, grab a copy of their self-titled debut CD.

On November 1, Punk Pioneer Mike Watt was honored at this year's Bass Player Live! event with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented by his close friend, Flea, the award honors Mike's decades of pushing the musical envelope.

"I can't tell you how it stirred me all up deep down inside," he said in a recent trade of emails. "What a wonderful trip to have bass to help me absorb all I can in the eternal classroom of music."

"[G]etting this award, now I have to try even harder to learn how to work this bass," he wrote. And work the bass he certainly did, delivering a blazing set with his band The Secondmen. "I went up and did my thing, [and let] my very happening Eden rig roar and help me let my bass do the rest of the talking."

Eden congratulates Mike on his many accomplishments, and his recognition as an icon in the bass community. We're proud to have such an amazing musician - and a wonderful human being - as part of the Eden family. Learn about all things WATT on his Hoot Page.

While Stuart Watkins is world-renowned for adding the bottom line for a host of internationally acclaimed artists, now his home town knows how special he is. This year, Ottawa Life Magazine chose the multi-faceted bassist as one of their Top Fifty people. (Ottawa is the capital of Canada.) "What a thrill!" he wrote in a recent email. "The rest of the list is comprised of high profile people - politicians, hockey starts, radio and TV personalities. I guess every group needs a good bass player, though!"

The rest of the year has been memorable as well. In August, Stuart made his third trip to the Olympics, traveling to Beijing with the Canadian Olympic Team. He then spent three weeks touring Japan and the UK. In September and October, he did a six-week US tour with East Village Opera Company. And he recently returned from a week in Trinidad and Tobago, performing with Jazz singer, Diane White.

Now at home for a brief "rest" period, Stuart is cramming as many recording sessions as possible into his busy schedule. Among them are sessions for a new CD from Crystin (from Dusseldorf, Germany). "I'm really enjoying them," he said of the sessions with Crystin. "The last recording we did together hit #1 on Radio Berlin!"

Learn more about Stuart and his busy career at his web site.

OK, so your freshman release garnered rave reviews around the world. Now what? If you're Cold Truth, you follow it up with a sophomore effort twice as cool... er, COLD!

We caught up with bassist Abe White during rehearsals for the release of Do Whatcha Do, the rock quartet's second outing, and the release concert in their hometown turf of Murfreesboro, TN (near Nashville). The release was held up for several months as vocalist/rhythm guitarist Shane Theron healed from a devastating motorcycle accident. "To be honest," said Abe, "he's lucky to be alive, and we're all lucky to be getting this CD to market."

With strong guitar riffs and powerful grooves, combined with rich harmonies and soaring lead vocals, Do Whatcha Do is a must-have, according to Joachim Domrath of Rock Magazine, who also calls them a superb, rocking band. Andy Fraser, bassist for the legendary band, Free, says that the band's cover of Fire and Water is "outstanding," and "exceeds the original." He also complimented the "great bass playing."

Rounding out the band are Kurt Menck (lead and rhythm guitars) and Matt Green (drums). Guitar legend Ed King (Lynyrd Skynyrd) even made a guest appearance on Track 3, If That Ain't Enough. Abe calls Cold Truth his dream band. "These guys are all outstanding players," he said, "and they're also some of my best friends. And let me tell you, when you get to make great music with people you love, that's the best there is."

The CD will release on Friday, Novmber 7th, and will be commemorated by a special concert at the Blue Rooster in Murfreesboro. For more info on Cold Truth, check out their web site. To order the CD, head over to CD Baby.

Congratulations to endorser Minister K. Farrar and her fine band Bloodline for their Top Ten listing in Gospel USA Magazine's Top 30! Gospel USA is the leading publication in the market, and to receive a Top Ten rating is a real testament to Bloodline's music. The song "Time for Change", from the CD of the same name, is one of the band's most popular songs among fans.

In a telephone interview earlier this morning, bassist and bandleader Minister K. said the band "is just thrilled! It's such an honor to all of us to place so highly." Asked what this means for the band, she continued, "Gospel USA has a huge audience, so this will helps us reach many more people, and to expand our ministry. It's a major opprotunity and we're very grateful."

To learn more about Bloodline, check out their web site.

We've known for years that Joe Sanchez is one of the hottest bassists out there. See, that's why we're so happy to have him in our family of endorsers. Now, the world will get to see what we mean. A friend of Victor Wooten's for over a decade, Joe was invited to take part in the latest instructional DVD from Mistah Victah. That DVD is now available for purchase.

"I was just sitting around, practicing, and I got a call from Victor," Joe said in a recent email trade. "He wanted to know if I'd be interested in taking part in the Groove Workshop DVD. Obviously, I was thrilled and jumped at the opportunity."

The DVD covers many aspects of playing bass that are seldom, if ever, taught. Things like "how to build a groove" from the ground up. Joe was one of several bassists invited to take part. What he didn't know until Taping Day, however, is that he is featured in one of the segments. "What an honor," Joe wrote. "He could have asked anyone on the planet, so it's very special to me that he called."

In addition to the DVD, Joe's schedule is packed with sessions, including a recent romp with Jazz artist George Lesiw, performances in New York and Connecticut, and a full teaching schedule. Check out the new video at the Hudson Music site, and learn more about Joe at his web site.

Uriah Duffy

Darkest Hour

We had a chance to talk with Uriah Duffy as he was waiting for the plane to take off for Japan. After a nice summer hiatus, during which the U-Dawg had ample time to hang at home with friends and family, the band continues its world domination. First, it's a week of sold-out shows in Japan. The band will take a short break over Halloween, then return to Europe for more mayhem and fun.

During the break, Uriah tells us he'll be at the Bass Player Live event, and will make sure to do his patriotic duty, voting in this year's election. "It's been an incredible year," said Uriah, "as always. There's always something interesting, something fun to do when we travel. On top of that, this is one kicking band! I don't think we've ever been in better form than we are now."

Check out Uriah's web site for tour info, and his blog for all the inside scoop.

Darkest Hour Begins Sixth CD

This week's mail bag included a message from Paul Burnette of Darkest Hour, who dropped us a line to tell us the band has begun work on its sixth full-length CD, their final for Victory Records. This time around, the band will be recording at Salad Days Studio with Brian McTernan at the board. "I'm really excited to work with Brian," Paul wrote, "especially on the bass tracks. Brian's got a geat approach that makes the bass a more integral part of the sound... something I think a lot of Metal records have failed to do properly. And, of course, the Eden rig is going to get a serious work out!"

When not recording, the band is having a blast in the historic Fells Point district of Baltimore, MD. "We're all really enjoying the restaurants in Fells Point and Little Italy," he wrote. "And you know that good food makes for a good record, right? Well, I'm happy to say that the food here is GREAT!"

Check out all things Dark at the band's web site. And keep an eye peeled here for continuing reports on Paul and his band mates.

Rev Jones

Dennis Edwards

We just caught up with endorser Rev Jones (Michael Schenker Group, Steel Heart, Kottak) as he begins his tour with the legendary Leslie West and Mountain. "Leslie and I have talked about this for years," said the energetic bassist/Warr guitarist. "I'm thrilled that we finally put it together."

Leslie is just as happy with the collaboration. "We are thrilled," he says on the Mountain web site. "He can play the crap out of the bass. . . . I could not stop laughing it was so much fun!"

Joining Mountain will be guitar icon Joe Satriani and his band. The tour starts this Friday (October 3) in Calgary, Canada, but most of the dates are in the US. So far, the tour is set to run through mid-November. Those wishing to meet Rev, Leslie and drummer Corky Laing, can also purchase a special VIP Meet and Greet package. For more information, check out Mountain's web site. For more on Rev, check out his site.

No Breaks for Dennis Edwards

Endorser Dennis Edwards can't seem to get a break. But that's a good thing, as far as he's concerned. Dennis' band, Lady Antebellum, has been touring virtually non-stop through out the summer. One highlight was a festival show with Kenney Chesney, which was filmed in its entirety and is now airing as part of the DirectTV concert series. They've also taped spots for Jimmy Kimmel, and more recently, Craig Fergasun, which airs October 26th. This fall, the band heads out, along with Jason Aldean, for the CMT Tour.

Lady A has also been nominated for a pair of CMA awards -- Best New Artist and Best Vocal Group. "This has been an amazing year for the band," Dennis said. "By the end of it, we'll have done more than 200 dates, and we've managed to meet hundreds of thousands of new fans. I couldn't ask for a better year."

For more on Dennis and Lady Antebellum, check out their web site.

We just caught up with endorser Kim Farrar, bassist and bandleader of Bloodline, a fast-rising Urban Gospel group out of Richmond, VA. Minister Farrar and her team have been working hard to spread their special brand of ministry, and the efforts are paying off in a big way.

For starters, the band will be featured on The Gospel of Music with Jeff Majors, some time in the near future. The band will be taping their bit in LA over the coming weekend. Jeff is a driving force in the Gospel industry, and his show is extremely influential, having helped many worthy acts into the spolight. Now it's Bloodline's turn. "The producers said they were blown away by our package," said Kim. "We all know what a break this is, and we're really looking forward to it."

Next up for the busy band is the release of their new CD. "This time around, we're doing all our own music, spreading our message," Farrar said. "We're in discussions with several large Gospel distributors, and I'm confident that this one is going to go a long way!"

Check out Minister Farrar and Bloodline on their MySpace page.

As part of our ongoing Eden in the Schools sponsorship of Belmont University's School of Music, Eden wil sponsor a seminar by Deeper Blues. The seminar is open to all music students and will be divided into two parts: The History of Blues and its Relevance Today, and Building a Successful Music Career.

"We've hosted Lane [Baldwin, Eden's Special Projects Coordinator and a 15-year endorser] before and his presentations are always excellent," said Roy Vogt, Bass Professor at Belmont and another long-term endorser. " This time we get Deeper Blues, too, and I know my students will love them. They're also going to get some great insight into the life of a professional musician."

For Lane, the event is doubly fun. "I've known Roy for over twenty years," he said, "and I have a lot of respect for him as a player and an educator. And, like him, we believe it's important to support music education as much as possible. That's why Deeper Blues is so excited to be part of Eden's Music in the Schools program."

The seminar will take place on September 18th. Keep an eye on Lane's blog for updates and further info. Read the press release.

Photos by Brian K. Denton.

Talk about burning the candle at both ends! Long-term endorser Rev Jones does everything but throw the candle into a bonfire. For starters, his band Steelheart has been tearing up the country all summer long. They recently returned to the Rocklahoma festival, where they were the crowd favorite. This year, "we were originally not on the bill," Rev said, "but they got so many emails requesting that we play there again, so they added us back on the line up." In fact, so many Steelheart fans attended that the band spent three hours after their show signing authographs! Even better, the entire show was filmed by Dana Altmon. Some of the footage will be used for a video of the song "L.O.L.", from the upcoming release Good 2 B Alive, while other portions will become available on Steelheart TV in the future.

Next up for the Oklahoma madman will be a fall tour of US and Canada with Rock legends, Mountain, as they open shows for Joe Satriani. For Rev, it's a dream come true. "I'm very excited to play with Leslie [West] and Corky [Laing]," Rev said. "I've always dug their songs and Felix [Pappalardi] was such a tasty bass player; it will be great to see what I can add to the band."

And to top it all off, Rev has been doing shows and recording with his new Rev Jones Band. Some of the new tracks are for "upcoming tribute albums"; the rest are slated for release on an upcoming EPCD. To learn more about Rev and his many activites, check out the web sites below:

Web site | Buy Rev's DVD | RevSpace

We recently caught up with busy session and recording artist Ace Livingston, and got a double ear-full of news. Ace is featured on the new CD and DVD releases of Youthful Praise, a top-selling Gospel choir. Both releases are available on Itunes and in major stores. His debut Jazz CD, The Ace Livingston Project, is also out and rapidly gathering sales. It should do even better once Ace nails down "a major distribution deal" he's negotiating.

As always, Ace is spending a lot of time in the New York studios, tracking numerous independent artist projects and jingles. He also has a full schedule of clinics, mostly in the Northeast. And if that's not enough, he recently got married! Yes, there's now a Mrs. Ace, and we hear nothing but wonderful things. The best thing we hear is that she's not going to make Ace get a "real job"! Says Ace of his new bride, "She's incredibly supportive and understanding. I really am the luckiest man alive!"

For more on Ace and his many activities, check out his web ite and MySpace page.

The rain in Spain may indeed fall on the plain. But in Bulgaria, it drenched the band, along with tens of thousands of fans.

We recently traded a few emails with endorser Uriah Duffy. He's been out on yet another World Tour with Whitesnake. David Coverdale (the Supreme Viscount of Rock Vocals) and company have been taking no prisoners on this one, as usual, and the tour has been extremely successful. In addition, the new CD, Good To Be Bad, has been topping charts everywhere, including taking Japan's #1 slot the week of its release.

Currently Uriah and the boys are on a co-bill leg with Def Leppard, blazing through Europe, playing to tens of thousands of fans every stop. There's some serious talk about adding more dates in more places, but we're sworn to secrecy until the band makes its own announcement.

This month will end with a concert in Madrid on Uriah's birthday. "You know that one's going to be a lot of fun," he wrote. We laughingly suggested he turn up a little extra for that concert. [Uriah uses a pair of WT800s to power a pair of D610XLTs, with a spare amp and cab.] His response: "Man, my amps already overpower the sound guy in arenas... at 10:00!! You gotta love that!"

For more info on the tour, check out Uriah's new blog. For more on the man himeslf, check out his web site.

To help get the NAMM summer show in Nashville, TN, (June 20-22) off on the right foot, Eden and sister US Music Corp. division Randall Amplifiers will present a Pre-Show Kick Off event on Thursday, June 19th. The event will be held at the Rutledge, one of Nashville's premier live music veunes.

Doors open at 5 for two hours of schmooze time, and a chance to check out new gear from both divisions. Music begins at 7, with appearances by:

Manic Bloom (featuring endorser Andy Neale)
Doug Johns (with drummer Chris Ceja)
Justin Conn Band (featuring Sean O'Bryan Smith)
Roy Vogt and Sean O'Bryan Smith in a double solo set
Deeper Blues (featuring endorser and SPC Lane Baldwin)

"It's always great to hang with my fellow endorsers," says Baldwin, who will co-host the show with Sean O'Bryan Smith, "but to be on the same bill is even better! Plus, I get to show off a bunch of cool gear and meet new people. This is going to one serious throw-down!"

Guitarists will have just as much fun, as Randall endorsers Justin Conn and Gary Jones (Deeper Blues) will be showing their MTS rigs. Admission to the event is FREE, so come early to make sure you get in the door! For more information, visit our Events page.

Eden's first endorser, Al (The Burner) Turner touched bass with us this week to let us know what's going on in his world. This week, he's rehearsing with Kem (Motown) for a series of high profile appearnaces over the weekend. Next week, he'll be performing with Earl Klugh in the Washington, DC, area. Al will also be in Japan with Earl for the last part of the month. Whew! And that's just the live work.

Turner is also on Klugh's new CD, Spice of Life, and co-wrote Snap for the project. And when he's not busy working for Jazz and R&B legends, he's busy with his own solo career. Al recently signed with Megawave Records to release "Movin'". "This has been a very good move for me," Al said. "Megawave has strong distribution and is showing a lot of support for the CD.

Working with Ken Freeman, who has produced albums for Bob James and Fourplay, Al reworked two songs from "It's Good to Have Friends", removing the vocals and replacing them with solo bass, remixing and remastering the entire project and re-releasing Al's first CD with a new sound and new packaging. "Ken did an outstanding job," Al said. "He really made the whole thing come alive."

For tour dates and further info, see Al's web site. To purchase Al's new CD, Movin', visit itunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders.

The South Goes Goes to China

New Endorser Dennis Edwards has been very busy lately with his band, Lady Antebellum. In addition to a string of recent TV appearances, the band just recorded a song especially for the Bejing Olympics. The song, and the videotape shot during recording will be used for various marketing projects, including a look back on great Olympic moments. "It was an exciting experience for all of us," Dennis said in a recent telephone converstaion. "I mean, this song is going to be heard by millions upon millions of people all over the world. You have to love that!"

Also in recent news for the band, they just performed for the CMA Musicfest, playing to 50,000 fans.They are now preparing for a full summer tour schedule. Deatils are still being ironed out, but you can get all the latest news at the Lady Antebellum web site.

Rich Krainak keeps the low end thumpin' for fellow bassist and Eden endorser Sean O'Bryan Smith.

We just caught up with endorser Johnny Castle, bassist for Roots icons, The Nighthawks. Seems Johnny and the crew have been busy over the past few months. For starers, The Nighthawks have finished recording a new CD at Cue Recorders, Falls Church, VA. Johnny says they don't have a title yet, but they do have 13 songs to choose from, including four penned by Johnny. If all goes well, the CD will release by the end of Summer. In additon, Johnny's band The Thrillbillys are working on a new CD of their own music. No release target yet, but Johnny promises to keep us tightly in the loop.

The 'Hawks have a busy Spring and Summer planned with festivals, outdoor concerts, Wine festivals, and more on the schedule. Johnny tells us they also have 3 dates at the end of June playing with the legendary Hubert Sumlin, a long-time friend of the band. They also performed at numerous Memorial Day weekend events, most notably for Rolling Thunder, one of the largest motorcycle gatherings in the US. The highlight of the week was a special performance for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Sunday, June 1st. "It was really a blast to do," said Johnny in a telephone interview. "The troops loved it, the barbecue was excellent, and we really enjoyed showing our appreciation for their sacrifice. We're already talking to them about doing it again next year."

For more on Johnny, check out his web page. You can also check out The Nighthawks for tour dates and more info.

Multitasking Maniac

It's a well-known "secret" that bass players are excellent multi-taskers and Eden user Rich Krainak is no different. Rich is a musician's musician, and brings his groove, experience, and skills in tow wherever he goes. Fans are already aware of Rich as utility man and backing bassist for fellow Eden endorsee Sean O'Bryan Smith. During the course of a show on any given night, Rich can be seen on fretted and fretless basses as well as keyboards and percussion.

His decades of experience on the groove prompted Krainak to co-found the independent jazz label Groove Therapy Records. With his duties as Executive Partner, Rich is now actively involved in spreading his bass skills to producing more and more. He was deeply involved with Sean O'Bryan Smith's debut CD Tapestry and is already in pre-production for a number of other projects and CDs. Rich is also planning on rolling his Eden rig on tour with Sean as well as in the studio. "It's a blast playing with Sean," Rich says. "You get those two Eden rigs pumping out the low end and it's like Bass Nirvana! It's one of my favorite gigs."

Learn more about Rich on his MySpace page.

Brother Uriah Duffy caught up with us recently via email to let us in on all that's been going on for him. For starters, Whitesnake is back out on tour worldwide. Although the tour has just begun, the band has already played to more than 100,000 fans. In addition, the new album, Good to be Bad - which ROCKS, by the way -- is selling like probverbial hot cakes. Here in the US, it's being hailed as one of the strongest come-back albums ever. This is interesting, as the band has never lost its strong popularity in the rest of the world. No matter where they go, they draw huge crowds and put on an amazing show.

When U-Dawg isn't slamming with Whitesnake, he's pounding out the Hip-Hop with Lyrics Born. Recently the band performed on Jimmy Kimmel, as they are rapidly gaining populatiry across the US, thanks to their powerful new CD, Everywhere Once. (You can see the video here.)

And as if that isn't enough, Uriah's also running his own trio for dates when he's not otherwise occupied. It appears that Uriah doesn't have a blank page on his calendar until 2009! Check out all the Whitesnake news on Uriah's new blog. Find Uriah's tour dates here.

Tapestry, the freshman CD from endorser Sean O'Bryan Smith, is rapidly gaining worldwide recognition. Released on Groove Therapy Records, the CD brings Sean into the limelight (or is that spotlight?) after years as a sideman to major label artists. Reviewers and listeners alike are rallying around Tapestry as more traditional and Internet radio stations add it to Heavy Rotation lists. In addition to strong US sales, the CD has broken in The Netherlands, Canada, UK, Indonesia, Russia and more.

"The response has been amazing," Sean said in a recent interview. "Every review is better than the last one, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate them all."

For example, in their current issue [June, '08], Bass Player Magazine called it "...soulful, melodic, and unpretentious...", while Bass icon Mark Egan raved about "...great groove, melodic phrasing, and flow on fretted and fretless... Sean is slammin'!"

Tapestry is available at CDbaby, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, Amazon, and MyMusicStream. For more information on Sean O'Bryan Smith, visit his MySpace page.

Circus Act in Bass Player

When Craig Harris of Cirque du Soleil read through the May '08 issue of Bass Player Magazine, he had no idea he'd be reading about himself. And yet, Craig is featured in the Introduce Yourself section.

"I was speechless," Craig said, laughing. "I submitted my information months ago, and thought that was the end of it. I had no warning at all that I'd be in there."

The article was perfectly timed with Craig's arrival in Tokyo, as Cirque du Soleil prepares for the opening of its show at Disney Tokyo. "This is the first permanent international placement for Cirque du Soleil," Craig said. "And so far, it's been a very exciting time. We're all looking forward to our time here, and getting to know the country and the people."

For more information on Craig, check out his MySpace page.

Canadian bassist Shaun Huberts has been one busy bee lately. We caught up with him via email recently and got to hear tons about Tegan and Sarah, the twin singer/songwriters he's been working with for several years. After spending a day preparing for, then appearing on Jay Leno, the band left immediately after the taping for a sold-out show at the Glass House in Pomona, CA. Next day, the band was off to Lost Wages (that's Las Vegas to civilians) for another sold-out show with Death Cab for Cutie. One more day and it was a primo main-stage slot at the Coachella festival.

If you haven't checked out Tegan and Sara, you should. Now. Better hurry, too... this is one band that doesn't stay in any one place for very long. You can also watch a pair of videos (one from Leno, the other from Coachella) on our Video page.

Ever wonder what would happen if you took modern hard edged rock and married it to Christian music? Well that's exactly what Eden endorser Merlin Shippy has done in his Christian Rock band Staynlis. "When we formed this band 2 years ago we set out to change the stereoypes of what Christian music is supposed to sound like", says Merlin. "And based on the comments we're getting from listeners and fans, especially on MySpace, we're starting to see those stereotypes being broken."

We caught up with Merlin recently, as the band gears up for another year of spreading the Word and the music. "Things are starting to really pick up for us this year. We're getting some great opportunities to tour and also open to for several popular, main stream Christian acts, such as Decyfer Down, Kutless, and Disciple to name a few."

Remnants prepare for Fifth Release

Endorser Jay Turner checked in recently to inform us that his band, The Remnants are closing in on the June release date for their 5th CD, American Grit, on the band's own Slow Summer Records label. Currently being mastered at Rodney Mills Masterhouse in Atlanta, GA, the disc features their most political and personal songs to date.

With songs penned by guitarist and lead singer Tom Boynton, "American Grit" showcases the brand of roots rock that the band has been known for throughout the Mid Atlantic and Eastern seaboard. Recorded and mixed by Steve Wright at Wrightway Studios in downtown Baltimore, MD, the CD also features guest musicians Bill Starks on keyboards, Nadine Rae on backup vocals and Nashville session musician Russ Pahl on pedal steel.

"Every project is a challenge, because you want to get the band's true personality on the CD," Jay said. "This time around, I think we really got the job done, and I can't wait for our fans to here it."

Eden endorser, bassist and session musician Sean O'Bryan Smith has already had a career that many musicians long for. Throughout his twenty-plus years of playing, Sean has had the opportunity to perform for thousands of people and share the stage or studio with a number of artists including Billy Ray Cyrus, Anna Wilson, Sara Evans, Rodney Atkins, Steve Azar, Rebecca St. James and Justin Conn, just to name a few. For the next phase of Sean's musical journey, he's taken on the role as recording artist with the release of his first solo CD for Groove Therapy Records, "Tapestry."

"Tapestry" is a return to Sean's roots in jazz, blues, and soul, and features him on fretted and fretless basses as well as guitar and keyboards. The CD transcends many musical genres and also reunites Sean with a collection of his favorite fellow sidemen including Jeff "Skunk" Baxter ( Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers ), Jerry Marotta ( Peter Gabriel, Sarah McLachlan ), Rich Eckhardt ( Toby Keith ), and Ken Rarick ( Madonna, Cher ) as well as some of the Nashville areas greatest unknown players. The initial responses to "Tapestry" cover the gamut of top radio personalities to legendary musicians and prove why Sean has become one of the most in demand bassists in the industry. Fellow Eden endorser and Jazz legend Mark Egan says the CD has "great groove, melodic phrasing, and flow on fretted and fretless."

"Tapestry" is available for download on My Music Stream and will be available for order April 22nd from CD Baby, iTunes, and Rhapsody. Sean will also be performing at the CD release party for "Tapestry" at The Rutledge in Nashville, TN on April 18th. For advance copies and more information on Sean's news ,performances, clinics, articles, and more check out Sean's MySpace page. You can meet the man behind the bass at Eden's clinic at L&M Music on Saturday, April 5th. For more info, visit our Events page.

Ever wondered how to win the heart of a special lady? Think outside the (chocolate) box.

"No need for flowers, chocolates or diamond rings. Just give me a gig at the Filmore [San Francisco] on Valentine's Day and I'm a very happy girl!"

So says Eden endorser Angeline Saris. This slamming bassist holds down the bottom for Flametal, a unique blend of flamenco and metal that's as hot as a habanero pepper, and also The Skeletons, a scaled-down acoustic version of the same band.

This year, Angeline got her Perfect Gift for Valentine's Day - opening a show for the legendary Robin Trower at the Filmore. The Skeletons performed to a sold-out house that seriously dug the grinding flamenco rhythms. Asked about it in a telephone interview, she enthused, "It was great! Are you kidding? We got to play one of the most historic concert halls in the world, and opened for a legend. It doesn't get any better than this."

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We caught up with endorser Shaun Smith recently, only to learn that he's got a brand new gig. Seems that his former "boss" decided to take a year off, and Shaun looked over the horizon to the next opportunity. He's now holding down the low end with Arista recording artist Jason Michael Carroll. "Jason's an awesome singer," Smith said, and a great performer. I couldn't be happier!"

The band is in full swing, performing in concert and on TV (most recently on Good Morning America) as often as possible. And, as you can see, Shaun's a pretty happy boy. We're not sure if it's the gig or the rig, but we should all have so much fun!

Deeper Blues, led by Eden endorser Lane Baldwin, will sponsor and produce Danville Foodstock '08, a benefit for the Danville Area Food Pantry on Saturday, March 1, 2008. The event will be held from noon to 5PM at the Bremer Center on the Danville Area Community College campus. The concert is free to all, but a donation of food or money is strongly suggested. All proceeds will go directly to the food pantry. "We're very grateful to our sponsors," said Baldwin, Executive producer of the event. "Because of their contributions, every penny and every pea we collect will go directly to the food pantry. No one is taking a dime for their work."

Baldwin and his band will headline the five hour event, which also includes local Jazz luminaries Doc Ashton and the Root Canals, the New Kingdom Christian Church Choir and the R&B band Phaze II. Sponsoring businesses include DACC, KISS Country and KOOL Oldies radio stations, US Music Corporation, Speedy's Quick Print, MB Music & Sound, Days Inn, and dozens of local businesses.

Fundraising activities will include numerous gift basket raffles, food and beverage sales, and various gift items available for purchase. Auctions will include an all-expenses-paid private party with food for up to fifty guests and a private performance by Deeper Blues. For those unable to attend, a PayPal Donation Link is included on every page of the Danville Foodstock website.

The producers of the event hope to raise as much as $52,000, allowing them to provide $1,000 of extra food per week to Danville's neediest. "We've wanted to do something for our community ever since we formed this band," said Baldwin. "We also wanted to commemorate the release of our new CD with something special. And we can't think of anyone who needs help more than those who can't afford food for their families."

The event grew from Deeper Blues' commitment to building a strong, supportive community. "A strong sense of community is integral to the origins of the Blues," said Baldwin. "The Blues brought people together and gave them a way to deal with their pain so they could all survive in the face of despair. We want to revive that sense of community, to remind our listeners that there's a reason for the music. Today, this is our reason: to show those in desperate need that the community cares."

For more information, or to make a donation, visit Danville Foodstock.

New York City bassist and Eden endorser John Montagna has released a new solo CD, entitled "Senza." The 5-song EP was recorded entirely at John's home studio
in Brooklyn, with John handling all of the instruments and vocals himself. Stylistically, John's music incorporates elements of jazz, folk, R&B, and his beloved British rock; but it's John's thick, melodic bass playing that serves as the common thread between these diverse musical elements.

"I wanted my bass to be the focus of the music on Senza" John explains, "which meant that my sound had to be just right: plenty of bottom to support and push the groove along, but enough snap, crackle and pop in the higher frequencies to catch your ears. All of the bass parts were recorded direct through my Nemesis/Eden head, and in some cases the DI sound was combined with a miced Nemesis 2x10 cab. This is how I've been hearing my music in my head for so long, and it's a pleasure to realize my vision so beautifully with the help of Eden Electronics."

"Senza" is available at CD Baby, iTunes, and at John's live shows (where he performs solo, with just a 4-string bass). John also keeps a very entertaining blog on his website, detailing his exploits as a working musician in today's world. Whether he's grooving behind a local NYC artist, doing a solo show, or touring the world with legendary rockers such as Alan Parsons and Todd Rundgren, there's always a story to tell! Visit his website to keep up with everything he's up to.

After searching for more than a decade to find the right partners, Eden endorser Lane Baldwin, founded his dream band in the summer of 2006. Now, a year and a half later, Deeper Blues has released its first CD, Dig the Hole, on its own label, Blue Empire. Produced by Lane and guitarist Gary Jones, with Rick Plester (FTM Records) coproducing, mixing and mastering, and Polo Jones (Raven Records) handling executive production duties, the CD features 13 tracks of pain, joy, loss, renewal and redemption that the band guarantees will make listeners "blue to the bone"™.

"Deeper stories, deeper emotion. That's Deeper Blues," said Baldwin, bassist and vocalist for the band. "Our goal is to return to the reason for the Blues, to give ourselves and our listeners the chance to release the pain, to be renewed."

Of course, Lane used his WT1205 and D610XLT for the recording. "We just set it up the same I way to do live," he said, "everything flat and turned up loud! We took the DI and blended that with the miced cabinet. No EQ and no compression in the mixdown. Just pure Eden tone!"

After almost three decades backing other artists, Baldwin is looking forward to touring his own band. "I've been waiting my whole career to do this CD," he said. "This is my dream come true."

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