When Jay Starkes of the Neo Bass Ensemble called me up to let me know about an upcoming performance, I knew that I had to check out this group. Lisle Atkinson, the group’s founder, has been on the Jazz scene in New York for decades and has played with some of the biggest names in the business like Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, Clark Terry, and Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Big Band.
Lisle was in the New York Bass Violin Choir along with Richard Davis, Ron Carter, Milt Hinton, Michael Fleming, Bill Lee (Spike Lee’s son), and Sam Jones. He started the Neo Bass Ensemble 25 years ago, and this group performs regularly throughout the tri-state region.
I hope you enjoy this brief but engaging conversation that I had with Lisle backstage during the intermission of the Neo Bass Ensemble performance. Along with Lisle, that performance featured Karen Atkinson, Darnell “Jay” Starkes, Phillip Wadkins, Sam McPherson, John Robinson, Mimi Jones, and rhythm section members Paul West, Richard Wyands, and Charles McPherson, Jr.
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Contrabass Conversations production team:
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- Jason Heath, host
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- Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
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- Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
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- Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
- Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
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We’re chatting with jazz bassist Jon Burr on this week’s Contrabass Conversations episode. In addition to an active career recording and performing original tunes with the Jon Burr Quartet, Jon has toured and recorded with many great jazz masters, including Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Art Farmer, Stephane Grappelli (from 1986-1997), Sir Roland Hanna, Dorothy Donegan, and Buddy Rich. From 1980 – 1985 he toured with Tony Bennett; he has also worked with Lainie Kazan, Rita Moreno, Barbara Cook, Eartha Kitt, among others. Jon was a founding member of violinist Mark O’Connor’s “Hot Swing” trio, with guitarist Frank Vignola.
This week’s episode features an interview with and music from jazz bassist 
This week we bring you a conversation with Chicagoland double bass luthier, teacher, and performer Steve Reinfranck. Steve runs