Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1158: Neal Miner on Juzeks, Golden Spirals, and the Art of Playing Bass Melodies


New York City jazz bassist Neal Miner joins the podcast to talk about his new book of original bass-feature compositions, an 11-song collection designed for students and professionals to use in ensemble settings.

Neal shares how longtime collaborator Chris Byars encouraged the project, how the book grew into play-alongs and a My Music Masterclass, and how his work as a bassist, teacher, composer, and documentary filmmaker all connect through a patient “chip away” creative process.

We dig into Neal’s love of bass melodies, contrafacts, gut strings, his longtime Juzek bass, Golden Spiral strings, DPA mic setup, recording acoustic bass, and the realities of playing unfamiliar instruments on the road. Neal also talks about his YouTube documentaries, his trio album Invisibility on Cellar Music, and life as an active New York jazz musician.

Enjoy, and learn more at Neal’s website, follow him on Instagram, and check out his work on YouTube! Be sure also to check out Neal’s excellent appearance on Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsor!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio – CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. 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.

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Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1147: Unsung Songs – David Bowden Goes Solo

Glasgow-based bassist David Bowden joins the show on release day for Unsung Songs, a solo double bass record shaped by years of gigging and arranging. David talks about coming up in London before moving to Glasgow for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, finding a creative home in Scotland’s close-knit jazz scene, and how folk music and “sounding like yourself” became central to the way he thinks about writing and playing.

We also talk solo bass, favorite recordings, right-hand technique, gear, touring, teaching, and new-parent life. Enjoy, and be sure to follow David on Instagram and YouTube!

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Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1144: John Goldsby on Big Band Bass

John Goldsby returns to the podcast to celebrate Big Band Bass, a project that spotlights the double bass at the front of the band alongside the legendary WDR Big Band and arranger/conductor Bob Mintzer. We talk about what it felt like to close a 30-year run in one of the world’s rare full-time jazz ensemble jobs, and how stepping away has opened up space for hand-picked gigs, home projects, and new recordings.

We dig into the album’s origin story—why Vince Mendoza’s “Sonatinita” is the lone non-Goldsby composition, how Bob Mintzer turned John’s “little ditties” into full-blown big band architecture, and what it’s like hearing your writing amplified by master arrangers. We also get nerdy (in the best way) about gear and sound: Spirocore light gauge vs. Gerald Genssler’s silk-core strings, recording with a Schoeps MK 41, using a Fishman Full Circle onstage, and the realities of earplugs and in-ears in a loud big band environment. Connect with John at john.goldsby.de and explore his work with Discover Double Bass.

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Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1136: Finding Your Sound – Marlon Martinez on Craft, Groove, and Identity

In this episode, we’re joined by bassist, composer, and bandleader Marlon Martinez, the creative force behind the Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. We talk about growing up in a deeply musical family, moving through a serious classical conservatory track at Colburn, and the long arc of building a personal sound.

We dig into Marlon’s early encounters with Stanley Clarke, what it means to live in the “in-between” of jazz and classical worlds, and how rhythm (including Marlon’s time on drum set) shapes everything from groove to orchestration. We also get into Billy Strayhorn’s legacy, why Marlon is so drawn to Strayhorn’s voice, and what’s coming next for Marlon’s first full-length Marlonius Jazz Orchestra studio album. Follow Marlon on Instagram and check out The Strayhorn Sessions Vol. 1 on Spotify and Apple Music, plus more videos on YouTube.

Connect with DBHQ

Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1134: Still Waters – The Art of Bass with Niklas Lukassen

Niklas Lukassen is a German bassist, composer, and doctoral researcher splitting his time between London and Berlin. His bandleader debut album Still Waters releases February 20th on Kurt Rosenwinkel’s Heartcore Records with liner notes by Ron Carter. 

The quartet features Ben Van Gelder on saxophone, Kit Downes on piano, and Francesco Ciniglio on drums, with guest appearances from Rosenwinkel, Wanja Slavin, and Geoffroy De Masure. Niklas is also exploring the bass cello—a unique hybrid instrument—in his trio with Gwilym Simcock and James Maddren, while pursuing doctoral research at the Royal Academy of Music on the reciprocal effects of bass doubling.

In this conversation, we explore Niklas’s musical journey from a tiny village in Germany’s Black Forest to studying at Manhattan School of Music with Ron Carter, his forced exit from New York during the pandemic, and how he rebuilt his career between London and Berlin. 

We discuss the different scenes and aesthetics of these global jazz cities, his approach to playing upright bass, electric bass, bass guitar, and the bass cello, and how working with different instruments sparks new improvisational ideas. Niklas shares insights on collaboration, giving space in the music, and the challenges and gifts of constantly adapting to new instruments and environments.

Enjoy, and connect with Niklas at his website and Instagram!

Connect with DBHQ

Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Theme music by Eric Hochberg