Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1026: The Only Girl in the Orchestra

In this episode, we delve into The Only Girl in the Orchestra, a new documentary directed by Molly O’Brien about the life and career of trailblazer Orin O’Brien, the first female musician in the New York Philharmonic. Despite the spotlight her unique position brought, Orin always preferred playing a supporting role to her family, students, friends, and colleagues.

Jason and Molly are joined by editor Monique Zavistovski to discuss this remarkable profile of one of the double bassist’s major figures. Watch the documentary on Netflix.

Learn more about this documentary on their website, and learn more about Molly, Monique, and all of the other collaborators here.

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Thank you to our sponsor, Dorico

This podcast episode is sponsored by Dorico, the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg that’s packed with smart, time-saving features to help you spend less time in front of your computer and more time doing what you love: making music.

The latest version of Dorico 5 includes Iconica Sketch, a new orchestral sound library, bringing more expressive playback and making it easy to produce more life-like performances with a dynamic stereo soundstage. Try Dorico Now For 60 Days For Free: visit dorico.com.

1025: Michael Bates on Lutoslawski

Michael Bates recently released an album titled Metamorphosis: Variations on Lutoskawski. This album contains Michael’s arrangements and is based on arrangements of the composer Witold Lutoslawski, with music for clarinet, violin, bassoon, double bass, drums, plus string quartet. It’s a hybrid of jazz, classical, and improvisation and is a wild ride of styles and textures.

We talk about the genesis of this idea, what it was like traveling to Poland to record this album, plans or touring with this ensemble, future projects with the Lutoslawski quartet, and more.

Check out the promo for this project on YouTube, give the album a listen on Spotify and Apple Music, and follow along with Michael’s inspiring work on Instagram!

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Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and Album Promotion

00:08 Discussing Michael Bates’ New Album

01:02 Catching Up with Michael Bates

01:16 Exploring Lutoslavsky’s Music

04:03 The Making of the Album

09:55 Sponsor Shoutout: Carnegie Mellon University

12:05 Deep Dive into Lutoslavsky’s Music

16:32 The Composing Process

22:51 Finding Inspiration in the Backyard

23:31 The Art of Balancing Work and Rest

24:19 The Challenges of Being an Early Riser in the Music Industry

25:19 The Ideal Environment for Writing Music

26:22 Drawing Inspiration from Ludo Slavsky

26:43 The Journey of Creating the Album

31:03 The Influence of Polish Musicians and Culture

34:25 Future Projects and Plans

36:48 The Role of Instruments in Music Creation

42:03 The Power of Podcasts in Connecting Musicians

42:52 Wrapping Up and Looking Forward

1024: Hein Van de Geyn on his jazz bass journey

Hein van de Geyn  is a jazz double bassist, composer, teacher and band leader from the Netherlands.  His groundbreaking Comprehensive Bass Method has influenced a generation of bassists and is widely regarded as one of the leading pedagogical works for jazz double bass.

We talk about Hein’s remarkable career, his time in San Francisco, writing his bass method, what life in South Africa has been like these last several years, and much more.  Enjoy!

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Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

01:28 Getting to Know Hein van de Gein

01:50 Reminiscing About San Francisco’s Jazz Scene

03:17 Exploring the Jazz Scene in South Africa

04:35 The Importance of Practice and Mastery

10:17 The Role of a Music Teacher

14:10 The Art of Improvisation and Composition

18:12 The Value of Consistent Practice

22:33 The Journey of Learning and Teaching Music

26:58 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

28:50 Discovering Pablo Records and Dreaming of Playing

29:09 Memories of Performing with Joe Pass

30:07 The Art of Musical Language and Influence of Charlie Hayden

31:14 The Impact of Michael Brecker and the Role of Charlie Hayden

32:03 Reflections on Early Musical Influences and Evolution

32:56 The Shift in Bass Playing and Amplification Over the Years

33:33 The Unexpected Impact of Jaco Pastorius

34:57 The Evolution of Bass Amplification and Sound

36:56 Memories of Playing with Jazz Legends

39:00 The Importance of Technique and Style in Bass Playing

42:10 The Transition from Jazz Musician to South African Entrepreneur

47:32 The Enduring Passion for Music and Jazz

52:31 Lessons Learned from Playing with Jazz Greats

53:55 Closing Thoughts on the Global Jazz Community

1022: Steve Husted on San Francisco, Austin, and his new album

Steve Husted began his musical journey at the ripe old age of 6. From there, he was always involved in everything musical, from school band to private instruction to playing at local parties for friends. At age 15, Steven moved from CT. to San Francisco, where he jumped head first into the study of jazz. By the time Steven was 23, he was one of the top call bassists in the San Francisco Bay Area, including 6 years teaching at the acclaimed Stanford Jazz Workshop. Steven has played with many jazz greats, including Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins, and Vince Wallace. Now residing in Austin, TX, Steven remains an in-demand bassist/composer and band leader.

We talk about growing up in San Francisco, his new album Standards and Then Some, how life led hi to move to Austin, and much more.  Enjoy, and be sure to check out Steve’s cool new album and also follow him on Instagram and his website!

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio – The School of Music at CMU highly values each and every individual who wants to be a part of an innovative fine arts community immersed in a top research university. 

Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city’s ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah’s website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

  • theme music by Eric Hochberg
  • 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
  • 00:43 Conversation with Steve Husted
  • 00:55 Discussing San Francisco and Austin Music Scenes
  • 06:14 Reflecting on the Impact of the Pandemic
  • 13:05 Sponsor Shoutout: Carnegie Mellon University
  • 14:27 Continuing the Conversation: Life in Austin and Music Career
  • 25:54 Discussing the Stanford Jazz Workshop
  • 30:45 The Unpredictability of a Music Career
  • 31:17 The Challenges of Being a Musician
  • 31:32 The Impact of Internet on Music Industry
  • 32:03 The Art of Bass Playing
  • 32:40 The Importance of Technique in Playing Instruments
  • 32:54 The Role of Internet in Learning Music
  • 33:28 The Difference Between Arco Playing and Pizzicato in Jazz
  • 33:46 The Struggles of Learning Classical Music
  • 34:20 The Fear of Performing Solo
  • 35:25 The Mastery of Arco Jazz
  • 35:33 The Influence of Christian McBride in Arco Playing
  • 36:18 The Art of Playing Double Bass
  • 37:06 The Challenges of Playing Different Instruments
  • 39:09 The Importance of the Right Equipment in Music
  • 39:18 The Influence of Heavy Metal in Bass Playing
  • 56:16 The Experience of Touring with Different Bands
  • 01:02:55 The Journey of Podcasting

1021: Sonia Ray on her creative double bass career

Sonia Ray is the titular professor of double bass at the Federal University of Goiás (Brazil). She holds an undergraduate degree in Conducting and Composition from the State University of São Paulo and master’s and Doctoral Degrees from the University of Iowa, both in Double Bass Performance under Dr. Gannett. Ray performs regularly performing both Brazilian and contemporary repertoire as a priority. Guest artist of ISB since 1993, Ray is a co-founding member of the Brazilian Society of Music Performance (ABRAPEM) and the Brazilian Society of Bassists (ABC).

We talk about Sonia’s background, her cool daily interview series from 2020, how she got into composition and bass, and much more.  Enjoy!

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio – The School of Music at CMU highly values each and every individual who wants to be a part of an innovative fine arts community immersed in a top research university. 

Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city’s ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah’s website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

  • theme music by Eric Hochberg
  • 00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation
  • 00:41 Podcast History and Personal Connections
  • 01:08 Memories from ISB Conventions
  • 02:40 Influence of Diana Gannett
  • 05:43 Adapting to Remote Music Making
  • 07:15 Daily Interview Project During Pandemic
  • 08:43 Reflections on Career Choices
  • 10:58 Sponsor Shoutout: Carnegie Mellon University
  • 11:53 The Upside of the Pandemic
  • 12:55 The Challenges of Online Community Building
  • 17:26 The Artistic Freedom in University Positions
  • 20:38 The Joy of Chamber Music
  • 22:41 The Art of Making Choices
  • 22:49 Exploring New Musical Horizons
  • 24:06 The Joy of Learning New Instruments
  • 24:58 The Challenges and Rewards of Musical Experimentation
  • 25:56 The Evolution of a Musician’s Journey
  • 26:31 The Power of Collaboration in Music
  • 29:22 The Impact of Technology on Music
  • 36:46 The Importance of Preserving Musical History
  • 39:19 The Future of Music and Education
  • 41:49 Reflecting on Personal Growth and Future Plans