Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

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This week’s episode continues the interview with jazz bass legend Steve Rodby that we began on episode 58 of the podcast. Rodby has played bass on every Pat Metheny Group record since 1980, co-produced the group’s last five albums and won 10 Grammy Awards with the group. He has toured with jazz greats [...]

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…. [...]

Folks out there in blog and podcast land are really going to dig this new project launching next week from Adaptistration blogger Drew McManus and me. Titled “Because Shut Up, That’s Why!”, this podcast is a lighthearted musical review podcast that features a wide variety of musicians debating various pieces in a fun environment. Drew [...]

For the past month, I have been hosing and producing a podcast for Midwest Young Artists, a Chicagoland organization encompassing orchestral, jazz, choral, and chamber offerings. To me, this podcast (which can be found at WMYA.FM is a fantastic idea, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the process. In addition to handling the [...]

 

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Welcome to Exploring Chamber Music with Chicago Symphony bassist Brad Opland and the Chicago Chamber Musicians. This Contrabass Conversations special series highlights chamber music that includes the double bass. Learn more about the Chicago Chamber Musicians by visiting their website at chicagochambermusic.org.
Today’s program features several works by double bass virtuoso and composer Giovanni Bottesini. All [...]

A recent article in the Chicago Tribune (Sunday, April 20, 2008 by Howard Reich) on the dramatic increase in music school funding caught my eye over the weekend. Several prominent music schools have new facilities either recently completed or in the planning stages, and the figures are pretty significant:

$22 million - Oberlin Conservatory [...]

Anyone who’s spent some time in Chicago on a Wednesday morning knows that this is when the city tests its emergency alert system. These loud sirens can be heard all over downtown Chicago for a few minutes each week, letting folks know that the city is ready for emergency situations.
The Grant Park Symphony [...]

University of Chicago student Kirsten Paige recently completed a set of transcriptions for the double bass, and she has graciously offered to make these available to the double bass community.  I just added them to the doublebassblog.org downloads page, and you can find individual links to the files below.  Check them out!
Transcriptions by Kirsten Paige

Beethoven [...]

As a performer of an instrument traditionally used in multi-member orchestral  sections, much of my energy and focus in rehearsals and performances is spent achieving unanimity of blend, pitch, timing, and tone with my double bass colleagues.  My goal is to first amalgamate with my section mates, then to weave this cohesive sonic product with [...]

 Check out the gig commuting cost calculator by Drew McManus here and determine if you should really be taking that gig.

A recent feature in the Chicago Tribune (Sunday, April 13, 2008 by Jim Mateja) about the actual operating costs per mile for a variety of different vehicles caught my eye–not surprising considering how much [...]