Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

731: Katie Thiroux launches The Hump

It’s great to have Katie Thiroux back on the podcast to chat about her new show The Hump.  Katie was on the podcast in 2018, and it is so inspiring to follow along with her artistic career.

We talk about our respective Discover Double Bass courses, including Katie’s “baseball card,” which I hold up at the beginning of our chat.  We mostly dig into her new show The Hump, online teaching, and how she has been spending her time during the quarantine.

Be sure to follow The Hump on Instagram, and check out Katie’s great course From Beginner to Bandstand on Discover Double Bass!

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730: Deep Tones for Peace with Mark Dresser and William Parker

On today’s episode, we’re featuring Mark Dresser and William Parker in a discussion about Deep Tones for Peace 2020.  

Here’s a description of the current project, which is a continuation of the Deep Tones for Peace international event in 2009:

Deep Tones for Peace 2020 is a regular streaming of live meditations for peace, healing and transformation. Musicians transmitting deep tones to counterbalance the many systemic injustices woven into the fabric of our society. Deep tones can strengthen the unseen bonds of our diversity as we oppose economic, educational, and environmental inequities fueled by racism, sexism, and greed.

The idea is to play your bass for 5-30 minutes with the intent of musically sending healing vibrations to be felt worldwide. Participation is open to all bassists who wish to join in an ongoing musical transmission of vibrations for peace. Any style or form of music and any level bass player can generate Deep Tones for Peace. The main requirement is the intent and desire to create peace in the world. We truly believe this project will have a positive impact on the balance of life.

If you’d like to get involved, email deeptonesforpeacelive@gmail.com, and check out the archive of all past performances on the Deep Tones for Peace Facebook Group.

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728: Ian Allison on finding his niche

Ian Allison has been going all in on Instagram these past few years, and he has been inspiring countless people in the process.  As the bassist for Eric Hutchinson and a seasoned veteran in the industry, Ian has been working to connect and educate through Instagram, and the results have been incredible.

We talk about growing up in Montana, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and its early influence on him, basing his career in Minneapolis, the “synth bass on electric” niche that he has created for himself, what the pandemic is like, the practice routine he outlined for a Bass Magazine article, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Ian and his remarkable work on Instagram!

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725: Richard Myron on early music

Brooklyn native Richard Myron has spent his professional life in Europe working in the early music world.  Currently residing in Paris, Richard is professor of contrabass and chamber music in the early music department of the CRR de Paris and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Music de Paris.  

He is also a founding member of the Freiburger Barockorchester and Consort, the Atlantis Ensemble, Il Seminario Musicale, les Basses Réunies and a member of the Ensemble Mosaïques, and he has performed internationally with a great number of other ensembles.

We dig into many topics, including growing up in New York City, memories of his time at Juilliard studying with Homer Mensch, how he found himself being drawn to Europe, discovering early music, parallels between jazz and early music, how the scene for this music has developed over the decades, and much more.

I hope you enjoy this spirited conversation, and I can’t wait to have Richard on the podcast again for a round two!

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724: Jonathan Haskell reflects on new directions

I had a wonderful conversation with Jonathan Haskell a few years ago, and a lot has changed in his life since then.

He recently retired from L’Orchestre De La Suisse Romande in Switzerland, and he has been diving deep into the world of contemporary music.  He also wrote a thoughtful article for the Chicago Tribune about the conflicting emotions surrounding retiring after 40 years on the job.

We talk about a wide range of topics, including diving into contemporary music, how he approaches learning a piece, the bass’ role in contemporary ensembles, how he has been handling the pandemic, and much more.

I hope you enjoy this wide-ranging conversations from one of the most interesting musicians I know!

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