Darbucka London Gig - Take Two

For anyone who went along to London Solo Bass Night or who missed it and wished they were there, you'll want to that Steve and Lobelia will be performing as a duo (congratulations Mr and Mrs Lawson!) - you can get a taster of the material in Steve and Lobelia's YouTube videos.


There will additional guests including another chance to see Yolanda Charles, as well as Lloyd Davis on Ukelele and the Dodds/Lawson/Wood trio (listen on Reverb Nation). Fuller details on the event's Facebook page or here on Steve's blog.

It will definitely be a corker, with some serious bass and ear-opening music. I'll be there, with my better half and a better camera this time, hopefully checking out the Darbucka World Music Bar menu too! I'll be reporting back...

Deep 2 Deep

Wow... The week rattles by! Last weeked was the Deep to Deep meet up in the UK. Lots of church-playing bassists hanging out together. Wulf has a write up and took some great photos.

People put up with me rambling about things you can do with your right hand...
... And I got to play a double bass for the first time too (thank you Andrew)! Boy are those things monsters - very very physical!

Bass not for girls, say the girls?

image courtesy of Marissa Cap.

A bass guitar on the BBC news site? Oh yes, right here: Why don't girls play guitar?

Interesting that it is either a lefty bass (yeah!) or they have mirrored the picture (looks like the later, from the headstock - doh! Slaps forehead). Anyway, that niggle aside. The article talks about the influence of gender stereotypes on musical choice.

There is still a lot of "girls play flute, boys play guitar" about, and it needs to go.

Top instruments for the boys:

1. Electric guitar - 81%
2. Bass Guitar - 81%
3. Tuba - 77%

Top instruments for the girls:

1. Harp - 90%
2. Flute - 89%
3. Voice - 80%

On the good news front, I am surprised and happy to see bass right up there with the miniature squeaky guitar. On the bad news front, it is sad to see no guitar at all in the girls list.

The article says it is hard to step across the gender line, but easier for girls to play 'boys' instruments, than the other way around. I know a male bass player learning flute - wulf, your secret is out - and I know of infinitely more female bass players around now that I did a decade ago (ok, that is from zero to about a dozen now). So, hopefully, things are on the mend.

Let's break the stereotypes. Bass is for everyone, come and play!