Contrabass Conversations

Today's episode covers details about the BASS2018 European Bass Congress that will be taking place in Lucca, Italy.

Follow along with the slideshow through this link, and be sure to keep up with curr…

Today's episode features a panel discussion with individuals that started the International Society of Bassists, guided it through the early years, and helped shape it to what it is today.

I've been dreaming about having Gary Karr on Contrabass Conversations ever since starting the show.  We got a chance to sit down and chat during the 2017 International Society of Bassists Convention,…

This is a “best of” episode from three classic Contrabass Conversations episodes. Back in the early days of the podcast, John Grillo and I recorded two episodes that dissected various excerpts. He an…

This listener-generated episode came from a question posed on Facebook in our Contrabass Conversations Community group.

You can view the original thread and add your own thoughts.  Also, be sure to j…

James VanDemark just celebrated his 40th year of teaching at the Eastman School of Music. His students have held positions with many of the world’s major orchestras, including the Cleveland, Pittsbur…

Tom Mendel is currently playing bass for the Chicago production of Hamilton.  He has performed on over 100 musical theater productions like Wicked, The Lion King, Billy Elliot, and Book of Mormon.  T…

Derek Jones is the bassist for Cirque du Soleil’s show KÀ. He joined Cirque after spending time playing with Chris Thile and Nickel Creek and then with Jerry Douglas, and he has played over 5,200 per…

iPhone app

Android app

This short episode features Allegra Hale describing the features of the 2017 ISB Convention app.  Download it and find us on the app to connect with us during the convention!

C…

Joey Naeger recently wrote an article for Bass World titled Fingerboard Geometry.  Optimal fingerboard set-up is a major topic of interest for all bass players, and I reached out to Joey to chat for …

The 2017 International Society of Bassists Convention starts a week from today! We begin our ramp-up to this 50th anniversary event with perspectives from past guests.

Today's episode features highli…

Heather Miller Lardin leads a diverse career performing and teaching on historical and modern double basses and viola da gamba.  Heather is also the editor of Bass World's column 'Rumblings' and dire…

Today's episode is a "best of" feature from audition content released since Winning the Audition came out.  

• David Allen Moore - LA Phil and 2x past podc…

Andrew Pedersen recently won a position with the Houston Symphony.  He was a student of Tim Pitts at Rice and a student of Rob Kassinger's at DePaul.

I actually had the chance to work with Andrew at …

Tim Dilenschneider is the latest addition to the Baltimore Symphony double bass section.  Tim is a former student of Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer at Curtis, and he studied with Ranaan Meyer while in …

Jon McCullough-Benner serves as principal bass of the Milwaukee Symphony, assistant principal bass of the Grant Park Symphony, and is on faculty at Roosevelt University.  Jon joins the Milwaukee Symp…

This episode features highlights from past jazz bassist guests discussing the business of music.  Follow along with all of our jazz content at contrabassconversations.com/jazz.

David Arend is active as a classical, jazz, hip hop, singer/songwriter and electroacoustic musician. 

• what David has done to stand out from the crowd
• how his studies at Oberlin propelled h…

Matt Ulery is a jazz bassist, bandleader, and composer based in Chicago, Illinois.  He recently released his seventh album and has started his own record label.

• the Chicago jazz scene
• h…

Normand Guilbeault has been active on the Montreal jazz scene since the mid-80’s and works in an incredibly wide variety of genres.  

• Normand’s aboriginal music ro…