Harp Magazine has recently interviewed Derek Trucks about recently touring with Eric Clapton, playing with the Allman Brothers, and touring with his own band. It’s no secret to anyone reading this blog that I’m a big fan of Trucks’ guitar playing and music, and it’s great to see him enjoying so much success and getting the recognition he deserves. I’ve seen him play live several times, both with his band as well as with the Allman Brothers, and I’ve enjoyed it each time. It seems like he’s constantly touring, so if he’s playing in your area, I’d highly recommend catching the show.

Favored Nations artists Eric Johnson, Johnny Hiland and Andy Timmons will be performing at this year’s Dallas International Guitar Festival. The event will be held on April 20-22. Other guitarists performing at the festival include Phil Keaggy, Joe Bonamassa, George Lynch, Johnny A, Gary Hoey, and many more. There will be concerts and contests throughout the weekend. If you’re a guitarist living in the Dallas area, this looks like a festival that shouldn’t be missed. Tickets can be purchased at most Texas Guitar Center locations.

Gibson has recently added a wiki to their Web site. If you don’t know, a wiki is a collaborative Web site where users can add and edit content. Wikipedia is perhaps the most famous wiki implementation. Gibson’s stated goal for their wiki is to “amass the definitive body of knowledge on the products in the Gibson Family of Brands.” This is an interesting approach for a guitar Web site, and I’m curious to see how it develops. In my opinion, Gibson is doing some of the most interesting things with their Web site. For example, in addition to the wiki, they have several showroom blogs that highlight news and events happening at the individual showrooms. They also have lessons on their Web site, featuring Gibson artists Warren Haynes, Hubert Sumlin, as well as lessons for blues rock soloing, electric bass, and dobro. Gibson has also created a Gibson channel on YouTube, where you can view videos posted by Gibson.

I realized recently that although I’ve been playing guitar for over 15 years now I’ve actually played the bass more in concert than the guitar. This is mainly because I’ve rarely played in concert and each time that I have played in public it’s been to fill in for someone else or for a band that didn’t have a bassist. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this realization is that, until recently, I’d never actually owned a bass guitar. I decided earlier this year to finally purchase a bass, and not needing anything more than a fun practice instrument, I purchased the Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass. In researching basses, I found this positive review of each of the Vintage Modified Series basses in the November issue of Bass Player magazine. I’ve had the bass now for several weeks, and I’ve been pretty impressed with it so far. It’s an excellent value for the money. Additionally, I purchased a Fender Rumble 15 bass amplifier, and have been pretty impressed with it, as well, although I must admit I have my eye on the Fender B-DEC 30 bass amplifier.

Les Paul has recently donated $50,000 to his hometown of Waukesha, Wisconsin, which is located just outside of Milwaukee. Half of the money is being contributed to a hospital that has served his family, and the other half is being contributed to a local museum that is planning a Les Paul exhibit honoring his career and his contributions. It’s nice to see a person who has contributed so much to music and the guitar also contribute back to his hometown. We have family in Waukesha that we visit once or twice a year, and as a guitarist, it’s always a treat to see the “Birthplace of Les Paul” sign as you enter the city.  I’m looking forward to being able to visit the museum when the Les Paul exhibit is completed.

Musicians On Call (MOC) is a volunteer organization that brings musical performances to the bedsides of hospital patients who are too sick and unable to attend concerts or otherwise hear music. The current focus of the program is regularly scheduled performances at hospitals in the New York and Philadelphia areas, but they are expanding to the Nashville area in early 2007.

Additionally, MOC provides hospitals with CD Pharmarcies, which are complete CD libraries with players that are available for patient use. MOC’s Project Playback program allows patients to record their own original music, some of which can be heard on MOC’s Web site.

I don’t know much more about the program other than what’s listed on their Web site, but it sounds like a great program. I’ve long believed in the healing power of music, so I’m glad to see an organization putting that belief into action. On Friday, March 30th, 2007, Musicians On Call will be holding its Third Annual Benefit Concert and Auction at Sotheby’s in New York City. Maroon 5 and country artist Carolyn Dawn Johnson will be performing acoustic sets at the benefit. To view available auction items, visit CharityBuzz.

Gibson has recently introduced the Jimmy Page Signature Double Neck. The signature guitars are based on the specs of the iconic ‘71 double neck that Page used in Led Zeppelin. Gibson is producing a limited number of these guitars, with 25 Aged Series being made available to the public, and 250 Vintage Original Spec (VOS) guitars being made available to the public. The VOS guitars feature a mahogony body and mahogony necks, Jimmy Page humbuckers, dark cherry finish, and other specs true to the original. The 25 Aged Series guitars include all of these features plus a specially designed Custom Shop case, signed certificate of authenticity, a copy of a private interview with Page about the guitar, and a two-DVD box set of Led Zeppelin.

The Jimmy Page Signature Double Neck guitars will be available through Guitar Center locations. The Aged Series guitars will retail at $33,500, and the VOS guitars will retail at $10,586. Several Guitar Center locations will be hosting a Platinum Night on Sunday, March 18th, where customers will have a chance to win the right to purchase a low serial number Aged Series guitar. The locations having Platinum Nights include Hollywood, Manhattan, Nashville, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Rockville, Atlanta, and San Jose. The VOS guitars were available for sale starting on March 7th.

It looks like the Van Halen tour with David Lee Roth that was supposed to happen this summer is likely not going to happen. According to CNN, Eddie Van Halen has checked himself into rehab for unspecified reasons. It’s unfortunate that this has happened in a year that seemed like it was going well for him and Van Halen, with the reunion announcement and Van Halen’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is happening on Monday.

Ibanez has recently introduced the 20th Anniversary Jem guitar. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the introduction of the Jem guitar, which was introduced at the NAMM show in 1987.

The 20th Anniversary guitar has some very unique features. The body is made of clear acrylic resin, and color has been threaded throughout the body, which lights up when the tone knob is pulled up. Steve Vai’s home page displays the body as it lights up. Apparently, only 500 of these unique guitars will be made available, and only 200 of those will be available in the US.

You can view more details about the guitar here and here.

My Review of Primus They Can’t All Be Zingers: 5 out of 5 Stars

From the packaging, which looks like a package of cheddar cheese, to the “best of” songs on the CD, the quality of this Primus CD is top-notch. I’ve been a fan of Les Claypool and Primus since first hearing Tommy the Cat in the early 90s, but I haven’t given much thought to them over the years since. While browsing CDs at a local retailer, I noticed this CD, primarily because of its unique packaging. However, a closer look revealed a greatest hits CD spanning each of the CDs released by Primus. Many of their most popular songs are on this CD including Tommy the Cat, Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver, Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, Too Many Puppies, John the Fisherman, My Name is Mud and Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweakers, as well as many more. In total, this CD has 16 songs on it. This CD features the trio at their best.

Conclusion
If you are a fan of Primus and would like their greatest hits on one CD, then I’d highly recommend They Can’t All Be Zingers. If you’re new to Primus, then They Can’t All Be Zingers is a great way to get introduced to their unique music.