Upright Citizens

‘Practice in all  12 keys’…It’s advice we often hear, but do we really need to??? ★ Support this podcast ★

"Any musician always dreams of getting to play with their heroes, and we also have our own unsung personal heroes in our lives as well. Join Reuben and Bob for a candid discussion about what it's like playing with their heroes, and how their personal mentors have changed their lives forever for the better."  We hope you enjoy this conversation and we'd love to hear your thoughts. Reach out to the...

"What does it mean to lead a band from the bass? What's different, what's the same, and what do two professional bassists think about what it takes? Listen in to this discussion about what we really think about being a bass leader..." We hope you enjoy this conversation and we'd love to hear your thoughts. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com and let us kno...

"Your life is your greatest musical asset - so go live it. In this episode of Upright Citizens, we're talking about why the best thing you can do for your playing might have nothing to do with practicing." We hope you enjoy this conversation and we'd love to hear your thoughts. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com and let us know what's up. Peace!  ★ Suppor...

"In this episode, Bob and Reuben explore the hidden beauty inside musical “mistakes” - and why the notes we didn’t mean to play might be the ones that move us forward. Through stories and reflection, they invite us to loosen our grip on perfection and discover how missteps can open the door to something honest, creative, and unexpectedly beautiful." We'd love to hear your thoughts as well! Reach o...

"We do need to have good technique to play and say what we hear on the bass - but how much is enough? Can technique go too far, and what is essential? In this episode Reuben and Bob share their thoughts on just how much technique we really need" We'd love to hear your thoughts as well! Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com and let us know  ★ Support this pod...

"There are always certain traits, habits, or even non-tangible elements that draw us to our favorite people and artists. Find out what those elements are to Bob and Reuben in this episode." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carte...

"Music is all about connection, and nurturing your relationships is so important to keeping those connections happening! Hang with Bob & Reuben today as they discuss their thoughts on staying connected and keeping your relationships happening." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much...

"Bassist extraordinaire Joe Sanders is getting his flowers from the Upright Citizens this time. Nobody plays like Joe, and his writing and collaborations are always incredible. Let's listen and share thoughts on this master!" The UC Joe Sanders playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ASufk595TtFJygTLRQGt9?si=b1d483320c8043e7 If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more mus...

" The role of the bass is support of course, but there's ways that we can be more or less 'melodic' with our playing. This episode dives into what it means to play 'melodically' and why you might want to... " If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reube...

" We're back with another drum & bass teamup focus! This time we're celebrating the connection that Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard have, as well as the the incredible driving force of the Rodney Whitaker and Carl Allen hookup ." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world...

"Everybody makes "mistakes"...and there's no better way to learn! Join Bob & Reuben on this discussion of what's important to keep in mind when we have things go other than expected..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carte...

"In this episode Reuben mentions three names and has Bob respond on the spot with his thoughts. You'll have to listen to find out who gets mentioned...and to hear what Bob has to say about them!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron...

"The connection between the bass and the drums is a deep one! In this episode we shine light on two of our favorite teams: Peter Washington/Kenny Washington and Robert Hurst/Jeff Tain Watts. Let's listen together and dig into what makes these teams so great..." Peter Washington/Kenny Washington: 1) Bill Charlap Trio "While We're Young" (Live at the Village Vanguard) 2) Grant Stewart "Koko" (Downto...

"This is a fun one! Bob says three names, and Reuben shares his immediate thoughts on those folks. There's a theme here, but you have to listen to find out!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo...

"Finding the right bow is a very personal journey and can be daunting. Join the Citizens as they discuss Reuben's recent search for a bow while on tour..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo an...

" Music 'theory'....Is it helpful? Is it a crutch? Can it make you a better player? Can it stifle your creativity? Come join the Upright Citizens as we kind of say 'yes' to all of these questions! " If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers,...

The Upright Citizens are back! This time with some inspired ideas on creating new habits in your musical life that will set you up for success. We tend to focus so much on goals, but in this episode Bob and Reuben take time to talk about the journey. If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and mu...

"We're taking a look back at some of our favorite Upright Citizens moments of 2024!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspod...

"It's not always easy to hear, but receiving criticism is a gift! This episode deals with ideas on how to be open to criticism, what to do with it, and perhaps how to give it to yourself..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Cart...

"We all end up so busy and it's easy to get burned out these days....so what can we do to get and stay inspired as musicians? Join the Citizens this time as they share their ideas about keeping it fresh!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Ro...

" This time the Citizens celebrate one of the greatest, and perhaps underrated, bassists of all time - Percy Heath. He played and recorded with everyone from Bird to Dizzy and was a crucial component to the Modern Jazz Quartet. Join us as we listen and learn more about the great Percy Heath! " UC - Percy Heath Playlist If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and prac...

Many upright bassists start on the electric first - we both did! They are very different instruments that often function in similar ways, but there is a lot of technical considerations that must be addressed. In this episode we share our thoughts and suggestions for electric bassists looking to make 'The Switch!' If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice a...

As musicians, our ears are one of the most important tools we use! They are instruments unto themselves and we have to practice listening to grow in our musicianship. In this episode we delve into our thoughts on how to get "Better Ears"... If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by...

We're back with another 'Guess THAT Bassist' episode! This time Reuben will say a few bits of trivia about some well-known jazz bassists, and let's see how quickly Bob can figure it out. Can you guess before he does? If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists li...