Contrabass Conversations

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 a recording of Kristin performing her own unique t...

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 metropolitan New Orleans and beyond...

We're continuing our chat (check out part one on episode 73 ) 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 a...

We're featuring music from Louisiana Philharmonic Principal Bass Dave Anderson on this week's Eclectic Bass episode. Learn more about Dave on his MySpace page , order Dave's compositions here , and check out our interview with Dave here . Tracks played: "Teen Town" by Jaco Pastorius "Surf Ride" from Yule Logs by Dave "Schweik Fahrt" featuring Dave and Hal Robinson Quintet Mvt. 4 by Dave featuring...

We're featuring 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 metropolitan New Orleans and beyond in a variety of band...

I'm pleased to be able to share this interview with Robert Meyer, one of our most experienced and interesting members of the double bass community. Robert has had a long and illustrious career on the double bass, working for over 50 years in most of the major orchestras in London (including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, and BBC Symphony), as Principal Bass of the Vancouver Symphony, an...

We're chatting 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 as Principal Bass of the North Carolina Symphony...

The first episode of our new all-music series Eclectic Bass is now available! Listen to it with the player above (click the play button, or click 'play in popup' to keep browsing while you listen), download the episode (right click and choose 'save as…'), or subscribe to Contrabass Conversations to get all these episodes downloaded directly. Enjoy! Featured Artists: Frederick Charlton Sarabande an...

We're wrapping up our chat with Barrie Kolstein this week on the Contrabass Conversations show. We began this interview on episode 70 of the program, and in it we discussed Barrie's father Samuel Kolstein and how he got into the bow making business, the progression into the bass making business, and the development of the Kolstein line of products (including rosin, stings, and cases) that bassists...

We're chatting with Volkan Orhon, David Murray, Anthony Stoops, and Paul Sharpe on this week's episode of Contrabass Conversations . Anthony Stoops was featured recently as an interview guest on the podcast, and we also featured Volkan playing one of Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand 's basses on our interview with this fine luthier. In this interview, we chat about the formation of the ensemble, the rehear...

This week, we're featuring Barrie Kolstein on the Contrabass Conversations show. Barrie discusses his father Samuel Kolstein and how he got into the bow making business, the progression into the bass making business, and the development of the Kolstein line of products (including rosin, stings, and cases) that bassists worldwide use today. Barrie is a perceptive and extremely knowledgeable figure...

We are exploring chamber music with 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 www.chicagochambermusic.org . We'd like to extend special thanks to both Brad Opland and the Chicago Chamber Musicians for making this series possible. Liste...

We're chatting with double bass luthier and Heartland String Bass Shop owner Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand today on the Contrabass Conversations podcast. Chris formerly worked at Robertson and Sons Violins before starting his own shop, and he makes extensions and does repair work in addition to crafting his own unique instruments. It was a real pleasure to sit down and chat with Chris. I own a low B ext...

This is an interview-only Contrabass Conversations episode concluding our chat with Cincinnati Symphony Principal Bassist Owen Lee. We chat about practicing, summer festivals, recording yourself when preparing for auditions, and much more. To hear the first two segments of this interview plus several musical selections featuring Owen, check out episodes 55 and 66 of the show. Enjoy!

We're chatting with double bassist Anthony Stoops today on Contrabass Conversations . Anthony is the Artist/Teacher of Bass and String Area Chair at the University of Oklahoma School of Music . He also won first prize in the International Society of Bassists international solo competition and is the past recipient of a Karr Foundation double bass. Learn more about Anthony by visiting his website a...

We're continuing our chat with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Check out the first segment of this conversation on episode 55 of the program. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regul...

We're wrapping up our interview with double bassist Peter Seymour this week on Contrabass Conversations. We began this interview on episode 53 , so be sure to check this episode out if you missed it! Peter has performed for the New World Symphony and spent a season playing with the Cleveland Orchestra, and he is now involved with an exciting new trio called Project. This group is made up of Peter...

This week we feature an interview with and music from the Chicago Bass Ensemble . Group founder Jacque Harper joins former Contrabass Conversations guests Michael Hovnanian and Doug Johnson plus double bass blogger John Floeter to create the core quartet of this ensemble. The Chicago Bass Ensemble will be performing at Northern Illinois University on February 14. Click here for more details, and l...

Contrabass Conversations regular contributor John Grillo and I recorded a follow-up episode to our recent Opera Excerpt Breakdown episode. In this episode we chat a little more generally about opera bass playing and how it differs from orchestral bass playing. John has played for numerous opera companies in the past, including the Pittsburgh Opera and Spoleto Festival die Due Mondi in Italy. He re...

his week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an in-depth analysis of the double bass opera excerpts most commonly requested at auditions. Double bassist (and regular Contrabass Conversations guest and co-host) John Grillo discusses each of these excerpts–stylistic considerations, differences in articulation and bow strokes, and suggestions for effectively learning them–and then performs th...

We're wrapping up our interview with author, corporate speaker, and double bassist Justin Locke today. Justin is the author of Real Men Don't Rehearse , a book filled with wonderful anecdotes about his life in the music business. Justin was a freelance double bassist in the Boston area for nearly two decades, working regularly during that time with the Boston Pops and other area ensembles. We bega...

This week's episode features an interview with and music from jazz bassist Lynn Seaton . Lynn teaches at the University of North Texas , and he maintains an active performing career. He was a member of the Woody Herman Band and Count Basie Orchestra, and he played extended tours with Tony Bennett and George Shearing, as well a wide array of many other jazz luminaries. We also feature music from th...

We're wrapping up the interview with Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Bassist Jeff Turner that we began on episode 26 of the podcast, plus featuring music from U.K.-based bassist Leon Bosch's new album titled The British Double Bass on this week's episode of the podcast. About Jeff Turner: Principal Bass Jeffrey Turner joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1987. He served as Principal Bass of t...

This Contrabass Conversations special series highlights chamber music that includes the double bass. We'd like to extend special thanks to both Brad Opland and the Chicago Chamber Musicians for making this series possible. Listen to all Exploring Chamber Music episodes here , and hear Brad Opland in a Contrabass Conversations interview here . We will be featuring two pieces on the program today. T...

Jason chats about the state of affairs for Contrabass Conversations after one year of podcasting and future goals.