Upright Citizens

"Having a love of learning and a growth mindset is a great way to live, and as musicians we are always aiming to grow and learn more about our craft. Let's talk about some creative ways to grow as a person and musician..." 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 bassi...

"In modern society, where we are bombarded with information constantly, it can be challenging to slow down and absorb glorious details that surround us in depth. This relates directly to our music life as well, so we better pay attention! In this episode Reuben and Bob discuss their thoughts on why details matter, and what you can do to build your awareness muscle..." If you like Bass - you're in...

"Bassist and Composer Matt Penman has long been a favorite of the Upright Citizens. In this episode we rap about his sound, writing, playing, wine-making prowess, and so much more..." 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, Chr...

"Massimo Biolcati: bassist extraordinaire and creator of the widely-popular app, iRealPro, joins the Upright Citizens to talk bass, life, tech, AI, and much more..." 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, Bo...

"Bob Hurst has been inspiring the music world for decades, and it's time for the Upright Citizens to do our part to shine some light on him for this 'Bassist Spotlight' episode. Come listen to a few of Bob and Reuben's favorite tracks featuring Mr. Hurst, and hear them share their thoughts..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Ope...

"Master Luthier David Gage has been THE guy in the NYC scene for decades. He's worked with all of our bass heroes and has been an innovator in bass technology like his ubiquitous "Realist Pickup" and the famous flight cases. In this interview the Upright Citizens pick his brain about all things bass and talk about what's in store for the future..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Int...

"Bob and Reuben discuss the pros and cons of playing one main instrument, versus playing many different basses. There are some perhaps unexpected benefits to both and the Upright Citizens share the down-low on both 'situations'..." Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and online practice community that is Open Studio Pro ...where you'll find regular live guided practi...

Bassist Avishai Cohen is truly beyond category. Known for playing the upright and electric bass at an extremely high levels, but equally celebrated for his writing and arranging. The epitome of a 'Bassist as Leader,' he has 22 solo albums out and runs his own record label - Radaz Recordz. Join the Upright Citizens as they scratch the surface of the immense talent that is Avishai Cohen!   Our Avish...

Bassists will often find themselves busy as soon as they are on a scene, the demand is always there...but that doesn't always put us in a highly creative or engaging situation. In this episode the Citizens discuss balancing being a creative artist, as well as being a "working bassist" that has bills to pay. Have feedback or a suggestion? Email the Upright Citizens: uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com...

This episode is all about advice buying your first Upright Bass, or perhaps even your 2nd or 3rd! There's a lot of details that go into finding and buying an upright bass, but don't worry -  Reuben and Bob are here to share their stories and thoughts on the process. Have feedback or a suggestion? Email the Upright Citizens: uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com Interested in more music advice? Check ou...

Bassist and composer Steve Swallow is a true original. After gaining prominence on the upright in more traditional situations he had an 'epiphany' that led him to develop his unique voice on the electric bass. Sit back, get comfortable, and let's listen and learn a bit about the great Steve Swallow! Our Steve Swallow Playlist Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and o...

This episode is being released on April 4, 2023 (4/4 day!) so the Upright Citizens are taking it as an opportunity to once again talk about 'Walking'...a very common practice for jazz bassists. This time, however, we'll take a look back to the pioneers of the artform and investigate where "modern-day" walking bass comes from... Early Walking Bass Pioneers Playlist Interested in more music advice?...

In this episode the Upright Citizens show love to one of our favorite bassists and early jazz adopters of the electric bass, the one-and-only Mr. Bob Cranshaw! ( Bob Cranshaw Playlist ) Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and online practice community that is Open Studio Pro ...where you'll find regular live guided practice sessions and masterclasses by Open Studio A...

Reuben and Bob get into it with their own personal 'pet peeves' this week. See if you have some in common, or if perhaps you've been a culprit! (Opinions do not reflect OpenStudioJazz.com and are solely the thoughts of the Upright Citizens! LOL) Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and online practice community that is Open Studio Pro ...where you'll find regular live...

Okay, we're finally doing this! We're talking about odd-time signatures this week, and if you know Reuben's discography then you know he can speak to this as well as anybody!  Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and online practice community that is Open Studio Pro ...where you'll find regular  live guided practice sessions and masterclasses by Open Studio Artists li...

The Upright Citizens are back and here to share their favorite 'aphorisms' - once they figure out what that word actually means! Bob and Reuben share their favorite short sayings that help them on their search for wisdom in music and life. Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and online practice community that is Open Studio Pro ...where you'll find regular  live guid...

As 2022 winds down, the Upright Citizens take a look back at some of the highlights from 2022. Reuben and Bob pick some of their favorite moments, especially talking with Dave Holland and Bill Frisell... Interested in more music advice? Check out the Open Studio courses and online practice community that is Open Studio Pro ...where you'll find regular  live guided practice sessions and masterclass...

In their latest adventure the Citizens are forced to choose 'Desert Island' album picks. An unenviable task for any music lover, but they managed to choose 3 albums each...of course with a bass-forward focus! Here's the Upright Citizens 'Desert Island' playlist Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some jazz courses...

Joe Martin is one of the most in-demand bassists out there, and the Upright Citizens are here to give him his flowers!  Check out our Joe Martin Playlist Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some jazz courses taught by Reuben and Bob? Our Bass Access Pass includes every bass course in one convenient place. Let us kn...

The Upright Citizens share their thoughts on Jazz Bass Education...buckle up! Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some jazz courses taught by Reuben and Bob? Our Bass Access Pass includes every bass course in one convenient place. Let us know what you think by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, or head over to our Yo...

The legendary bassist Dave Holland joins the Upright Citizens for a very special conversation covering all kinds of aspects of Life and Music...and maybe a little Netflix Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some jazz courses taught by Reuben and Bob? Our Bass Access Pass includes every bass course in one convenient...

The first installment of a series that the Upright Citizens will be getting into, a spotlight on the great bassists that are also great bandleaders. From the back to the front of the stage! Bob and Reuben's Oscar Pettiford "Bassist as Leaders" Playlist Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some jazz courses taught by...

This time we discuss some of the ins and outs of playing in groups without a drummer, which can change how we approach our playing. We also share some stories and a few of our favorite recordings without drums... Here's Reuben & Bob's "Drummerless Situations" playlist Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some ja...

This time Bob and Reuben share their thoughts regarding learning new music. Is it essential to be able to read? How does one REALLY learn new music in preparation for a rehearsal, performance, or recording....? Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. Want some jazz courses taught by Reuben and Bob? Our Bass Access Pass incl...

The Upright Citizens sit down with the legendary guitarist Bill Frisell while on tour in Italy and discuss a wide range of topics from: Bill's first time playing with Thomas Morgan, his admiration of Ron Miles and Jason Moran, being comfortable in silence, how to let the music "take off," and more... Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses availab...