In today’s podcast we chat to Rick Barrio Dill, bassist with Vintage Trouble.

Vintage Trouble have been busy wowing audiences right across the globe with their high-energy brand of 1960s-style rhythm and blues. The LA-based four-piece have opened for the Rolling Stones in London’s Hyde Park, toured North America and Europe with The Who, not to mention the likes of Bon Jovi, Queen’s Brian May, AC/DC, The Dave Matthews Band and Lenny Kravitz. They’re even signed with legendary rock 'n' roll manager Doc McGhee (who's helped guide the careers of bands like KISS, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, and Hootie & The Blowfish).

In today’s podcast we’re talking to a bass player who’s taken the art of groove playing to a whole new level.

Jonathan Maron has developed a reputation as one of the New York bass scene’s most reliable musicians. D’Angelo, Maxwell, Tupac Shakur, Jewel, India Arie, Donny McCaslin, Anoushka Shankar, Kurt Rosenwinkel and many others have recruited Jonathan at one time or another. His best-known gig has always been with the legendary Groove Collective, who acquired a cult following among club goers in the early 90s with their eclectic mix of jazz-inspired funk. His recorded catalogue grows more impressive and more dialled in from album to album, and the great news is, we've just released his first ever course into the SBL Course Library.

In today’s podcast we chat to Tom Peel, bassist with English singer-songwriter James Bay.

James Bay shot to stardom with the release of his debut album, Chaos and The Calm, back in 2015. Recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, the album debuted at number one in the UK and cemented Bay’s reputation as an incredible songwriter. But as with all bands that emerge as if from nowhere, the backstory often proves more extensive than you might expect. Tom Peel’s journey has been a steady and assured one, from a natural inclination towards music as a young lad through to playing festivals and rock arenas all over the world.

In today’s podcast we meet Henrik Linder, bassist with YouTube sensation Dirty Loops.

First thing’s first; Dirty Loops aren’t dirty and they don’t use loops! But if you’ve seen anything of the Swedish trio’s YouTube channel then you will know all about the funky, head-bobbing swagger of bassist Henrik Linder. He slaps and plucks with the utmost precision, making faces of both concentration and sheer joy in doing so. To execute technical lines of that calibre, Henrik confidently trusts his 6-string signature model to steady the growl - a bass designed by Swedish luthier Anders Mattison.

In today’s podcast we talk modes with 6-string bass pioneer Rich Brown.

Having recently released a brand-new course into the SBL course library, this week’s podcast sees Rich Brown take centre stage. Rich is one of those players who regularly pushes the instrument to its limits, and sometimes beyond. He has performed and recorded with some of the finest musicians on the planet including Dapp Theory, Steve Coleman & 5 Elements, Vernon Reid, Bruce Cockburn and David Clayton Thomas (of Blood, Sweat, & Tears). Rich is also on the verge of stepping out with his own duo project featuring Snarky Puppy drummer, Larnell Lewis.

In today’s podcast we catch up with Morten Ehlers, the self-confessed bass junkie from Denmark.

Having enjoyed a ten year career as the driving force behind the bass department at TC Electronic, Morten Ehlers is currently amassing an Aladdin’s Cave for bass players. Look around his new bass store and you sense immediately that this is no ordinary shop. Bass Buddha sells instruments from a number of luxury and boutique luthiers – Marleaux, Stenback, Dingwall, Sadowsky and Overwater among them. Morten is clearly a man happy in his work.

In today’s podcast US bass ace, Mike Bendy, gives us an insight into his signature tone.

From Kenwood Dennard and Roy Hargrove to the Hipster Assassins, Brooklyn-born bass player Mike Bendy is forging a reputation as one of the bass world’s most exciting players. His formative days were spent listening to bands like Metallica (‘Cliff Burton was my first bass hero’) and then Primus and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while toying with his Ibanez CT Series bass and dreaming of joining a band. As Mike’s professional career began to take shape, he formed a solid musical and personal friendship with Felix Pastorius, who he currently shares the stage with at New York’s famed 55 Bar in their group Hipster Assassins.

In today’s podcast The Darkness bassist talks us through the band’s brand-new album.

Frankie Poullain has been entertaining crowds with The Darkness for years. Since hitting the big time with their 2003 debut album, Permission To Land, he’s hardly had time to catch his breath. This year has been a busy one for the band, who are fresh off shows with Guns N’ Roses and a run of European festivals. The new album is a masterclass in retro rock, a feast of big riffs, killer guitar tones and searing vocals. More importantly it crackles with the raw, spontaneous energy of a live show, something often absent from many modern rock albums.

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

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.