Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

736: Fumi Tomita on playing jazz and academia

Fumi Tomita just released a new album called Celebrating Bird: A Tribute To Charlie Parker.  This new release from Fumi explores the ideas of Bird in a fresh and creative way.

We dig into all kinds of topics, like what it was like growing up in New York City, Fumi’s move into academia and his current position at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the surprises and opportunities of this career pivot, and much more.

Check out the latest album and more on Fumi’s website, and be sure follow along with him on YouTube and Instagram!

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Check out my Beginner’s Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass!

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735: Chris Lightcap on forging a path in jazz

Chris Lightcap is a bassist and composer with over 80 album credits and six critically acclaimed albums of original music.  Chris is known for his work with Marc Ribot, Regina Carter, Craig Taborn, and many other noted artists, and his 2019 album SuperBigmouth was listed by Rolling Stone in their Best Jazz of 2019 article.

We dig into Chris’ early years, his circuitous path through the music world, his appearance on the burning ambulance podcast, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Chris and his great albums on his website and follow along with him on Facebook snd Instagram!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Check out my Beginner’s Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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734: Heidi Kay Begay of Flute 360 podcast

Heidi Kay Begay is the host of the Flute 360 Podcast as well as a flutist, teacher, and non-profit organizer.  She and I connected to talk about all things podcasting, and she cross-posted this conversation on her podcast as well.

We dig into content creation, daily and weekly routines, social media and marketing, email newsletters, and much more.  Heidi also recently featured my friend and colleague (and fellow bassist!) Garrett Hope, which was an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation.

Enjoy, and be sure to follow Heidi’s great work on Instagram and Facebook!  

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Check out my Beginner’s Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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733: Alan Lewine on Sephardic Treasures

I’ve had the good fortune to work with Alan Lewine on the International Society of Bassists board for several years, and his artistic journey has always seemed fascinating to me.  The recent release of Sephardic Treasures, his latest album with his wife Ana María Ruimonte, was a good excuse to sit down and chat about his multifaceted career and unconventional journey.

We dig into Alan’s path through the music world, the decision to go to law school and the career shift that resulted, this new chapter in his life after retiring, the latest album, and much more.

Check out the latest album here and on Ansonica Records, and be sure to follow along with Alan and Owlsong Productions on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!

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Contrabass Conversations production team:

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732: Tomoya Amori of AKDuo

Tomoya Amori is truly one of the most well-rounded musicians I’ve ever met.  Not only is he an incredible bass player, but he also subs as a percussionist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and has a vibrant career as a multi-genre cellist!

Tomoya and his wife Julia Kang form AKDuo, which specialize in playing jazz/classical/pop fusions composed or arranged by Tomoya.  They also run performance workshops titled “Be Creative!” and have performed worldwide.

Learn more about Tomoya and his creative explorations on the AKDuo website, and follow their YouTube Channel to check out Tomoya’s super-interesting Cello Vlog!

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Contrabass Conversations production team:

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