Bass CDs
New Album: Mark Haney, Placentia Bay: Summer of 1941
“Placentia Bay: Summer of 1941” is the final installment of what Vancouver-based composer and double bassist Mark Haney regards as his “storytelling trilogy,” which began with his acclaimed 2010 album “Aim For The Roses.” Haney’s penchant for unique stories is a theme throughout his entire opus, though. And while many embed narratives into their music, what’s striking about his approach is the myriad ways that he does.
“Aim For The Roses” took the fateful jump of failed daredevil Ken Carter as its inspiration, and musically it seemed to sit somewhere between Harry Partch’s tales and the Rheostatics’ Music Inspired by the Group of Seven, with bits of sung and spoken text strewn throughout music that spanned folk to hovering bass drones. The album was subsequently rendered into a noted documentary film. His collaboration with the beloved cartoonist Seth, “Omnis Temporalis” (2022) went somewhere different entirely. The eccentric, multi-form work deconstructs Seth’s graphic novel George Sprott: 1894-1975 and its explorations of identity, time, change, loss and memory in what Haney dubbed a “chamber novella.” The piece employed a trio of musicians and actors Richard Newman, Dorothea Hayley, koralee, and Jovanni Sy, and was brought to life as an elaborate installation performance over ten days at the Richmond Gallery and as a deluxe LP package.
The atmospheric “Placentia Bay” veers considerably from its predecessors in several ways. The forthcoming LP is a chamber concerto for Haney’s longtime friend the gifted Canadian double bassist Meaghan Williams. Its underlying story: the secret meeting between British PM Winston Churchill and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt off the coast of Newfoundland on August 9, 1941, that resulted in the so-called “Atlantic Charter.” Said charter cemented the British-American allyship during World War 2 while formulating a post-war outlook with an emphasis on peace.
Both of Haney’s earlier recorded efforts featured him as a performer and also foregrounded their narrative features (whether more linear or more fragmentary) through copious texts. “Placentia Bay” allows the storytelling dimension to reside someplace more oblique in favour of its radiant ensemble writing and a solo part demonstrates Haney’s deep knowledge of the instrument as well as Williams’ boldness and precision as a performer. There is still some voice, but it is limited to choral singing courtesy of the vocal ensemble music intima. All in all, it’s quite a bit more sporadic and diffuse than on the earlier records, its text feeling more textural than descriptive. Even Haney’s poetic liner notes assert a certain distance with respect to his subject matter; most of all, he’s adamant in them that the piece is not about war, and this fact is audible.
Haney traveled to Placentia in the summer of 2018, taking the overnight ferry from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to have the feeling of arriving by water. He rented a room above a cafe where he had Williams’ father deliver her student bass permitting him to write on the Newfoundland native’s own instrument. He spent five days there sketching and observing his surroundings—the shore at dawn, the mist on the water, the rusting American guns and bunkers.
With its richly lyrical ensemble colours and use of the bass’ full range of pitch and articulation, the work exudes a sense of the personal. It may not have the outwardly experimental spirit of some of Haney’s earlier output, but it’s hard to look at his treatment of the concerto medium as entirely straightforward either. It’s a carefully crafted piece that acknowledges the history of the form and its thematic content but skillfully brings this into the present moment.
Raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Meaghan Williams completed her undergraduate degree in performance at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto with virtuoso bassist Joel Quarrington. During that time, she also had the privilege of studying with bass legend Gary Karr. Williams earned her Konzertexamen with Michael Wolf at the Universität der Künste in Berlin. She also attended the Carl-Flesch Akademie in Baden-Baden, Germany, where she studied with Finnish double bass phenomenon Janne Saksala. Following her studies, Williams performed with the Neue Lausitzer Philharmonie in Germany, and she was a founding member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Symphony Orchestra in Japan. Since returning to Canada, Meaghan has performed with ensembles from coast to coast including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, and the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. Meaghan is the Principal Bass of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. A believer in diversity and innovation, Williams enjoys working with living composers and expanding the repertoire for double bass. In addition to premiering Placentia Bay with the Okanagan Symphony in November 2019, she also performed the debut of Concerto for Cello, Bass, Suona & Dizi by Dr. Ning Wang (Beijing) with the Nu:BC Collective in 2011.
Named one of the Globe and Mail’s “Canadian Arts Heroes” of 2020, Mark Haney is deeply motivated by issues of Canadian identity, culture, and community. Formerly the Composer-in-Residence at Mountain View Cemetery (2015-2024) and the Managing Artistic Director of The Little Chamber Music Series That Could (2012-2024), several of Haney’s compositions have earned him national attention including a Jessie Richardson Award Nomination for Composition (Small Stage) and extensive press coverage. In addition to the works represented in his discography, his major works include 3339, a retelling of the Terry Fox Story through the lens of the Hero’s Journey, Life Is Not a Horse Farm a 20-minute string quartet detailing his own journey on the Camino Santiago and 11, an 11-minute Remembrance Day-themed piece employing 11 brass instruments.
In 2016 producer/writer/director John Bolton and Opus 59 Films made a musical docudrama about his album Aim For The Roses and its creation, in association with Super Channel, and with project assistance from the BC Arts Council. In 2020, Haney spearheaded the Isolation Commissions project under the auspices of the Little Chamber Music Series, where patrons chose artists to film four-minute performances of themselves that evoked how the pandemic was impacting their artistic practices. As a double bassist, Haney has performed throughout North America in a wide variety of genres and continues to commission and premiere new works by Canadian composers.
Available Friday, August 9th from markhaney.bandcamp.com
Pops Magellan unveils her debut live EP, DAMAGE (Live at EastWest Studios), a three-track performance project recorded at the legendary EastWest Studios. Captured in Studio One using one-take camera performance, the session offers a raw and intentional introduction to Magellan’s artistic world as a solo artist, bandleader, and producer.
The live EP features three compositions from her DAMAGE era:
“Misunderstood,” featuring Taylor Graves and Robert Sput Searight
“Deep Thoughts,” featuring Noa Kahn
“Drive Complaining,” featuring Robert Sput Searight and Artur Menezes
Originally released as a series of live performance videos on YouTube, the session now lives as a body of work, highlighting Magellan’s ability to merge high-level musicianship with groove-driven, emotionally resonant compositions. Each track unfolds as a conversation between players, balancing technical precision with spontaneity.
Recorded in a single day at EastWest, the session reflects Magellan’s commitment to capturing music in its most honest form. With a focus on raw live interplay, DAMAGE (Live at EastWest Studios) sets a clear tone: this is an artist building her identity in real time.
The session features a handpicked group of collaborators. Robert Searight, founding member of Ghost-Note, brings his signature groove, alongside virtuoso Noa Kahn, acclaimed guitarist Artur Menezes, and Grammy winner Taylor Graves, who co-produced two songs on the original EP.
“It was a way to start a strong foundation for the world I’m building.” says Pops. “I wanted to make something beautiful, strong, and honest, something I’d be proud of looking back.”
Pops leads every aspect of the project, from curating collaborators to shaping the sonic and visual identity. The result is a refined yet powerful debut live statement that positions her at the intersection of musicianship, artistry, and modern performance culture.
With more music on the way and live shows to be announced soon, DAMAGE (Live at EastWest Studios) marks the beginning of a larger vision still unfolding.
Stream DAMAGE (Live at EastWest Studios) HERE
Watch the Live Session HERE
Martin Wind celebrates 30th Anniversary and release of new CD “September”…
Bassist/ Composer Martin Wind celebrates the 30th anniversary of his move to NYC with the release of his new album “September” (Laika Records) at these Tri-State concerts:
April 9: Smalls, NYC (sets at 6 and 7:30 pm)
April 10: Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck, NJ (7 pm)
April 11: Deer Head Inn, Delaware Water Gap, PA (7 – 10 pm):
He will be joined by the partners of his acclaimed Gravity Trio – Peter Weniger on tenor saxophone and Jonas Burgwinkel on drums.
The trio’s special guest will be pianist Glenn Zaleski, who’s been playing for artists such as saxophonist Melissa Aldana and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, among others. Together, Martin and Glenn used to work frequently with the late, great clarinetist and saxophonist Ken Peplowski.
The group will be performing selections from the new CD “September,” which is now available as of March 6 on all streaming platforms and for sale at
www.laika-records.de and www.martinwind.com (U.S. only).
As leader and co-leader, Wind has released more than 30 albums, among them Turn Out the Stars – Music Written or Inspired by Bill Evans (2014), My Astorian Queen (2021), and New York Bass Quartet – Air (2022), which DB Magazine heralded as “a bass manifesto”.
Also available as of January 30: Newvelle Records release of Martin Wind’s LP “Stars” featuring the
All-Star line-up of Anat Cohen (clarinet), Matt Wilson (drums) and Maestro Kenny Barron on piano.
Bassist Nate Edgar and The Nth Power have released their latest single, available on all major streaming platforms.
“Simple Life” showcases Nate’s deep-pocketed, country-funk groove, locking in seamlessly with bandmates Nick Cassarino (guitar/vocals) and Nikki Glaspie (drums/vocals). The tune also features the brass power of The Soul Rebels.
“Simple Life” is the second single from The Nth Power’s upcoming album, out May 1. The album “Never Alone” marks the band’s first release on the GroundUp music label, and includes contributions by:
Nicholas Payton
Skerik
Courtney Smith
Dominique Xavier
Jon Deas
And The Soul Rebels
The Nth Power:
thenthpowermusic.com
https://ffm.bio/thenthpower
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-nth-power/657446657
https://soundcloud.com/the-nth-power
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC95_b9RpVDiTUt1EpPI3OEQ
Out today, April Records proudly presents the new album from Stockholm-based bassist and composer Jon Henriksson – a confident and flexible statement that deepens his place within contemporary Scandinavian jazz. Following the success of his 2023 debut Harmonia, which placed second in Orkesterjournalen’s “Golden Album” readers’ poll, Henriksson returns with music that foregrounds collective interplay, shifting forms, and a strong compositional voice.
Born in Gothenburg and now active across Sweden and Europe, Henriksson has collaborated and toured with artists including Lars Jansson, Håkan Broström, Erik Söderlind, Klas Lindquist, Jonas Kullhammar and Christina von Bülow. Alongside leading his own ensembles, he remains a sought-after bassist in a wide range of projects, balancing a deep connection to the jazz tradition with a modern, exploratory approach.
Shapeshifter is built around a core quartet of tenor saxophone, piano, double bass and drums, expanded with guitar on three tracks and trombone on two. The album moves fluidly between contrasting moods, from forceful and driving to reflective and restrained, with each piece shaped by the musicians’ intuition and responsiveness. The title reflects Henriksson’s compositional philosophy: allowing roles, textures, and forms to evolve as the music unfolds.
The ensemble brings together long-standing musical relationships. Pianist Rasmus Sørensen and Henriksson have collaborated since their studies at Skurups Folkhögskola (Henriksson is a longstanding member of Sørensen’s own trio), while drummer Jonas Bäckman forms part of a well-established rhythm section partnership with the bassist across numerous projects, including the Britta Virves Trio. Saxophonist Karl-Martin Almqvist, a member of the Danish Radio Big Band, completes the quartet, with guitarist Pelle von Bülow and trombonist Rasmus Holm joining the session shortly before recording to expand the album’s sonic palette, where the music called for it.
Originally conceived as a quartet album, Shapeshifter took its final shape in the lead-up to recording as additional instrumental colours were introduced organically. The piece Toninho, a tribute to Brazilian guitarist and composer Toninho Horta, features acoustic guitar and subtle wordless vocals, reflecting melodic influences that sit naturally within the album’s contemporary jazz framework.
Across the record, space, pacing, and interaction remain central. Rather than forcing constant motion, the music allows ideas to develop with clarity and intent, resulting in an album that highlights Henriksson’s growing assurance as a composer and bandleader, while keeping the collective at its core.
Bassist Oteil Burbridge and vocalist Lamar Williams. Jr. have announced the release of The Offering, a full-length studio album coming out via Floki Studios on May 1st. Recorded at the rising destination studio in Iceland’s Northern Coast and produced by drummer, engineer, and Soulive co-founder Alan Evans, the collaborative project shares the first offering off of the new album, “The Way We Rise.”
The album features an all-star lineup of drummer John Morgan Kimock, percussionist Weedie Braimah, organist Melvin Seals of the Jerry Garcia Band, pianist and violinist Jason Crosby, guitarists Tom Guarna and Jaden Lehman — musicians whose overlapping histories connect the Allman Brothers Band, Dead & Company, the Jerry Garcia Band, Soulive, and West African percussion traditions.
“The Way We Rise” opens the album with a message of endurance. Burbridge describes it as a reflection on “how we get through hard times” and on “tenacity and perseverance,” adding that its closing groove feels “spiritually fortifying” and “like a strengthening thing.”
Across its eight songs, The Offering centers on melody, groove, and message rather than genre, drawing together Southern soul, gospel harmony, improvisational rock, and African-rooted rhythm carried through Burbridge’s banjo explorations into song-driven ensemble music.
The music began more than a decade earlier during informal writing sessions between Burbridge and Williams in Burbidge’s basement studio in Georgia, where Burbridge was teaching himself banjo and developing rhythmic and harmonic exercises as a way of learning the instrument’s structure and lineage.
“I didn’t have any kind of aim in mind when we wrote these songs,” Burbridge says. “I was just learning to play the banjo, and those exercises ended up turning into songs.” He brought the melodies to Williams and asked whether he heard lyrics within them. “He did, so we just put two and two together,” Burbridge adds.
The material remained unfinished for years — written but not arranged — carried through touring schedules, family life, and other projects until the collaborators unexpectedly circled back. “It was mind-blowing that after all those years we came back and got to record this music,” Williams says.
Their connection reaches back to the late 1990s in the extended orbit of the Allman Brothers Band. Burbridge first gained national recognition with Aquarium Rescue Unit before joining the Allman Brothers in 1997, performing with the group for seventeen years and later co-founding Dead & Company.
Williams — the son of Allman Brothers bassist Lamar Williams — forged his own path as a vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader shaped by gospel phrasing, soul repertoire, and years of touring. What began as porch writing between friends slowly became the foundation of The Offering, though more than ten years passed before the music was finally recorded.
Producer Alan Evans provided the bridge from unfinished material to a completed album. His path into production emerged organically through years of recording, mixing, and problem-solving in the studio, often finding himself asked to guide projects once musicians recognized his broader creative perspective. “It all comes down to the song,” Evans says.
Having previously worked with Burbridge at Flóki Studios, he returned to Iceland determined to capture a live, ensemble-driven performance rather than assemble recordings piece by piece. The demos, Evans explains, revealed something distinct from any expected Dead-adjacent sound, pointing instead toward a more song-centered approach shaped by banjo textures, deep groove, and layered influences. This ensemble, Evans says, could perform “both live and in the studio at a high level.”
Nathan East, Echoes of a Lineage – April/May 2026 Issue
Gear Review: Italia Leather Straps
New Album: Oteil Burbridge & Lamar Williams, The Offering
Interview With Bassist Tom Doyle
Interview With Bassist Alex Blake
Feb 16 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Feb 23 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Mar 2 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Mar 9 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram