Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

You’d think that it would be virtually impossible to forget your instrument when heading off for a concert, yet many musicians have found themselves halfway to a gig when their eyes suddenly widen and they whirl around in the car, breath catching in their throat, wondering if they really remembered to put their violin, clarinet, [...]

 

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We’re featuring an interview with jazz bassist Rufus Reid on this week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. This interview was conducted by guest host Win Hinkle, a former member of the Florida Symphony Orchestra (this orchestra dissolved in 1993) who also worked in Florida as a trombonist, electric bassist, and double bassist, including a lot of [...]

I’m soliciting suggestions for an upcoming “Dozens” piece that I’m writing for jazz.com. What are your favorite recorded jazz bass solos of all time? Please leave a comment or drop me an email if you’d like to suggest a favorite track. Thanks.
BTW, if you haven’t visited the site yet, it is a lot of fun [...]

 

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We’re featuring something a bit unusual for this week’s Contrabass Conversations episode. Ball State University bass professor and International Society of Bassists president Hans Sturm has been featured several times on the podcast in video episodes, and this week we’re featuring Hans discussing the fundamentals of the Rabbath technique left hand positioning system.
This dialogue was [...]

We’ve had all sorts of interesting things going on behind the scenes at Bass Blog HQ (which currently happens to be a coffee shop in north Evanston), starting with an interview with the fabulous Kristin Korb. I’ll be recording and editing this episode today and will be launching it tomorrow morning, so stay tuned! In [...]

The class glances uneasily at the clock as it slowly ticks:
1:13…..1:14…..1:15….
Suddenly, the professor bursts in, shirt rumpled and tie caught within the jumbled stack of file folders, books, and binders he clasps in his arms.
“Hi class, sorry sorry sorry…um, how’s everybody this Tuesday..er, Wednesday. Sorry, sorry, let me just get things…. set up… uh…. what [...]

I’m writing this blog post from my brand-spanking new Macbook! I’ve
been planning a move (back) to the Mac side of things for quite some
time now, and I’m really digging how this device improves my workflow.
I wrote a post about my big and clunky Acer laptop running Windows XP
and how this is… well, a less [...]

CBC 69: Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand interview
We’re chatting with double bass luthier and Heartland String Bass Shop owner Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand today on the Contrabass Conversations podcast.
(tags: MP3 jasonheath MP3/jasonheath)

Exploring Chamber Music 3 - Brahms Serenade No. 1
This Contrabass Conversations special series highlights chamber music that includes the double bass.
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I am a big fan of Twitter, putting up daily posts about whatever I’m busy doing. I think of my Twitter account (twitter.com/jasonheath) as my personal blog, with doublebassblog.org and artsaddict.com being more business-oriented web sites rather than traditional personal blogs.

Scanning The Dial: CBC cuts classical; Kansas station airs taped local concerts; N.Y. host retires
Mike Janssen on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: “CBC is cutting back on classical music aired during its weekday schedule in favor of more pop, rock and alternative.” Now check out the “other” CBC over at contrabassconversations.com!
(tags: cbc canadian broadcasting corporation [...]