We’re featuring an interview with and music from double bass soloist DaXun Zhang this week on Contrabass Conversations. The winner of numerous prestigious solo competitions, DaXun is a true virtuoso, capable of a level of musical expression and technical dexterity rarely seen on the instrument. In this first segment of our interview (which we will conclude [...]

Listen Now:

We’re concluding our interview with double bassist Barry Lieberman. The former Assistant Principal Bass of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Principal Bass of the Winnipeg Symphony, Barry now serves as co-director of The American String Project, an innovative string ensemble which features arrangements of string quartets for small string ensemble with double bass. On today’s episode, [...]

Listen Now:

This week, we’re featuring an interview with double bassist Barry Lieberman. The former Assistant Principal Bass of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Principal Bass of the Winnipeg Symphony, Barry now serves as co-director of The American String Project, an innovative string ensemble which features arrangements of string quartets for small string ensemble with double bass. On [...]

Listen Now:

We’re featuring Gary Karr, one of the all-time most influential double bassists, on Contrabass Conversations today. Hearing Gary Karr on record was a defining experience for me in my youth (as was the case for bassists worldwide), and hearing him live remains one of my most memorable double bass performances of all time. The complete audio [...]

Listen Now:

This is the link to the video version of CBC 88 with Guy Tuneh for our subscribers.

Watch Now: Play in Popup.

We’re featuring a video episode of double bassist Guy Tuneh on this week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. Guy has been featured many times on the podcast in the past, and it’s a real pleasure to hear his fine playing again on the show. This episode is being released in both audio and video versions. You [...]

Listen Now:

We’re featuring an interview with jazz bassist Rufus Reid on this week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. This interview was conducted by guest host Win Hinkle, a former member of the Florida Symphony Orchestra (this orchestra dissolved in 1993) who also worked in Florida as a trombonist, electric bassist, and double bassist, including a lot of [...]

Listen Now:

We’re featuring a conversation with double bassist and composer Weldon Anderson on this week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. In this episode, we’re chatting about Weldon’s experiences as a Broadway musician with the innovative Squonk Opera, his perspectives on freelancing, and an interesting back-and-forth on the music business in general. Check out the first part of [...]

Listen Now:

This week?s episode concludes the interview with jazz bass legend Steve Rodby that we featured on episodes 58 and 78 of the podcast. Rodby has played bass on every Pat Metheny Group record since 1980, co-produced the group?s last five albums and won 10 Grammy Awards with the group. He has toured with jazz greats [...]

Listen Now:

We?re featuring something a bit unusual for this week?s Contrabass Conversations episode. Ball State University bass professor and International Society of Bassists president Hans Sturm has been featured several times on the podcast in video episodes, and this week we’re featuring Hans discussing the fundamentals of the Rabbath technique left hand positioning system.This dialogue was [...]

Listen Now:

We?re concluding our chat with Michigan State University and Interlochen Arts Academy double bass instructor Jack Budrow this week on Contrabass Conversations. In addition to helping place students in major orchestras across the globe, Jack has had a very distinguished performance career as a former member of the Houston Symphony, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, and [...]

Listen Now:

Text transcript available! We’re concluding our chat with double bassist Anthony Stoops today on Contrabass Conversations, which we began on episode 67 of the podcast. Anthony is the Artist/Teacher of Bass and String Area Chair at theUniversity of Oklahoma School of Music. He also won first prize in the International Society of Bassists international solo competition and is the [...]

Listen Now:

We’re changing up the podcast format for today’s show and featuring a group of present and former members of the Midwest Young Artists program located on the North Shore of Lake Michigan in metro Chicago. As an educator, I find it very interesting to hear the perspective of younger bassists–what they enjoy about performing, if [...]

Listen Now:

We’re featuring double bassist, composer, and conductor Peter Askim on today’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. A former member of the Honolulu Symphony and an internationally acclaimed composer, Peter currently serves as music director and composer-in-residence for the Idyllwild Arts Academy. His Eight Solitudes for Double Bass won the 2002 International Society of Bassists Composition Competition. [...]

Listen Now:

Here’s episode 5 of Story Time with Contrabass Conversations, based upon a tale about an audition I did for the now-defunct San Jose Symphony.

Listen Now:

We?re featuring the multi-talented and extremely engaging double bassist and vocalist Kristin Korb on this week’s Contrabass Conversations episode. Kristin and Jason chat about her early years as a bassist and vocalist, life growing up in Montana, her studies on the bass, and how she established herself as a jazz performing artist. We also feature [...]

Listen Now:

This week?s episode continues the interview with jazz bass legend Steve Rodby that we began on episode 58 of the podcast. Rodby has played bass on every Pat Metheny Group record since 1980, co-produced the group?s last five albums and won 10 Grammy Awards with the group. He has toured with jazz greats Joe [...]

Listen Now:

Here’s the latest episode of Story Time with Contrabass Conversations. These stories recount some of the funny, sad, poignant, and painful moments in the life of a freelance road warrior. Find the text version of this story here, and check out Contrabass Conversations for more weekly double bass content.

Listen Now:

We?re concluding our interview with the multi-talented bassist Dave Anderson on this week?s episode of Contrabass Conversations. In addition to serving as Principal Bass of the Louisiana Philharmonic, Dave is a prolific composer, active teacher, and electric bassist. He serves as Principal Bass of the Britt Festival Orchestra in southern Oregon, and he plays in [...]

Listen Now:

Welcome to Exploring Chamber Music with Chicago Symphony bassist Brad Opland and the Chicago Chamber Musicians. This Contrabass Conversations special series highlights chamber music that includes the double bass. Learn more about the Chicago Chamber Musicians by visiting their website at chicagochambermusic.org. Today’s program features several works by double bass virtuoso and composer Giovanni Bottesini. All [...]

Listen Now: