Contrabass Conversations double bass life

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of what it’s like working these days as a jazz bassist: Ben Allison - NYC Dan Chmielinski - NYC Herbert Smith - Brazil John Goldsby - Germany Katie Thiroux - Los Angeles Kenneth Knudson - Denmark Larry Gray - Chicago Rufus Reid - NYC Sean Conly - NYC Listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights. •Subscribe to our newsletter: http://smarturl.it/cbcnews

We're all experiencing difficult times right now.  Ranaan Meyer, my longtime friend and member of Time for Three, reached out to me this week, and we had an inspiring conversation about how we're handling the current situation. Ranaan has been on the podcast many times in the past, and I felt much better about what I can do to make the best of things after chatting with him.

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of what it’s like playing in major American orchestras: Chris Hanulik - LA Phil Jeff Weisner - National Symphony Micah Howard - Pittsburgh Symphony Orin O’Brien - New York Philharmonic Rex Surany - Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Scott Dixon - Cleveland Orchestra Steve Tramontozzi - San Francisco Symphony Tom Zera - Utah Symphony Listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of bass gear: Christian McBride - jazz bass legend Daniel Kimbro - Jerry Douglas Band Derek Jones -  bassist for Cirque du Soleil’s show KÀ Ethan Jodziewicz - newgrass bassist Gael McKeon - luthier Joel Quarrington - noted orchestral principal and soloist Kevin Smith - bassist for Willie Nelson Ralph Alcala - luthier David Gage - luthier Luthier roundtable Tom Mendel - Chicago-based theater musician and more!

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of working with the jazz greats: Brian Bromberg - jazz bass legend Chuck Israels - jazz bass legend Frank Proto - bassist and composer Gary Peacock - jazz bass legend Jim Miller on Art Davis Kenny Davis - NYC jazz bassist Kurt Morrow on Milt Hinton Larry Grenadier - jazz bass legend Marco Panascia - NYC jazz bassist and more! Listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topics of improvisation and learning in jazz: • Ben Robertson - Melbourne jazz bassist • Christian McBride - jazz bass legend • Carlos Henriquez - jazz bass legend • Larry Grenadier - jazz bass legend • Marlene Rosenberg - Chicago jazz bassist • Ron Carter - jazz bass legend • Sélène Saint-Aime - French jazz bassist and more! Listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of developing your sound: Christine Hoock - German bassist and pedagogue Dan Styffe - Oslo Philharmonic David Allen Moore - LA Phil Ethan Jodziewicz - newgrass artist James VanDemark - Eastman School of Music Matthew McDonald - Berlin Philharmonic Pablo Aslan - tango bass specialist Thierry Barbe - Paris National Opera and more! Listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

Today’s episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of what makes a teacher great: Caroline Emery - renowned UK bass teacher Paul Ellison - Rice University Ira Gold - National Symphony and Peabody Conservatory Francois Rabbath - teacher and soloist Lawrence Wolfe - Boston Symphony and New England Conservatory faculty Victor Wooten - electric bass legend and many more! Listen to more “best of” episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights.

It was such a pleasure to spend time with composer and Melbourne Symphony bassist Stephen Newton during my trip to Australia in 2019.  Stephen is an outstanding performer, and he has a compelling voice as a composer. A native of Sydney, Stephen joined the Melbourne Symphony in 2006, and he has performed internationally with the MSO and other ensembles. We talk about this recent solo bass suite, developing his voice as a composer, connecting wit the audience, and much more.  Enjoy!

I first learned about Eleonore Oppenheim from Contrabass Conversations team member Krista Kopper. Eleonore describes herself as a “genre surfing musical polyglot,” and she explores the bass and its role as a solo and chamber instrument. We dig into her musical background, studying with Orin O’Brien and Don Palma, the challenges involving traditional music school environments, the audition trail, creating her 2016 album Home and how she has evolved since then, her current project The Hands Free.

Stuart Riley has led a multifaceted and inspiring musical life as a bassist. Both in the UK, Stuart moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1999 and worked as a freelancer in all sorts of ensembles.  He took a permanent position with Orchestra Victoria in 2017 as Principal Double Bass. Stuart has a wealth of information regarding orchestral auditions and musical development on his website. We dug into his background, how he ended up with his bass, freelancing, the setup of Orchestra Victoria, more.  Enjoy!

Melbourne bassist Ben Hanlon lives a vibrant musical life as a classical and jazz musician.  In addition to his job as a member of the Melbourne Symphony bass section, Ben enjoys a career performing in Melbourne’s many jazz venues.  He works with guitarist James Sherlock and has released an album featuring several of their duos. We talked about growing up in Australia, heading to LA to study with David Allen Moore, Paul Ellison, Leigh Mesh & Peter Lloyd, Melbourne’s thriving jazz scene, and more. 

In October 2018, Sebastiano Dessanay embarked on an adventure: cycling between all 377 towns of his native Sardinia in 377 days.  This project, which he called 377, involved him putting his bass ukulele on his back, chronicling his travels via photo, text, and music on his blog. We talk about how he worked up the courage to make this tremendous journey, the logistical planning involved, high and low points in the journey, what he’s planning to do with all of this detailed material, and much more. 

I’ve been following Lila Horovitz and her career for well over a decade, and it was a pleasure to finally have her as a guest. Lila’s album Preludio del Primer Dia and her video Alone... All one was groundbreaking in highlighting the bass as a solo instrument, and the influence of her Argentinian upbringing is evident throughout her compositions. We talk about her new video series covering tango bass techniques, what it was like playing for Cirque du Soleil’s show Algeria, living in Spain, and mor

Kees Boersma has had a remarkable musical career.  In addition to serving as Principal Bass of the Sydney Symphony since 1990, Kees teaches at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is an active clinician and guest artist. He was one of the headliners for the Melbourne BassDay, and we met to talk through what he played on his recital for this event, his varied career, favorite gig stories, what it’s like behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House, and much more.  Enjoy!