Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

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One of the pieces I played for my recent recital on Gary Karr’s old bass was the Eccles Sonata. As I was preparing it I did a Google search to find a piano part in solo tuning. I hunted all over but could not find a solo tuning bass version for sale, [...]

Buying the right double bass is never easy. Basses vary drastically in quality even when the cost is the same. There are quality basses out there in every price range–the challenge is where to look. What characteristics should one look for in a bass? Private teachers and knowledgeable bass dealers are incredibly valuable in [...]

Michelle Fiore, the owner of Classic Contrabass in Wheeling, Illinois, recently redesigned her website, and it is really excellent. I’d encourage any bass player (in or out of the Chicago area) to check it out. It is all done in Flash with a very elegant interface. Michelle is an excellent luthier. [...]

Yesterday I played the Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s annual free outdoor Wing Park concert. This concert is always a lot of fun. Wing Park is a 121 acre park complete with a golf course and music shell. It is a very old park (well over 100 years old) set on the northwest side [...]

Here are some recent double bass links I have uncovered while surfing the web. I will occasionally post this information, which is derived from the social boomarking website del.icio.us. If you also use del.icio.us, you can click on the link below to add me to your network:

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This story is not bass or music related at all, but it is simply too good to pass up. I missed this particlar Colbert Report, but I found out about it from Corey Spring’s Newsvine page. Stephen Colbert used “Wikiality” for his “THE WORD” segment on the July 31 Colbert Report. [...]

Here are some interesting upcoming Chicago musical (bass-related) events. These are recent press announcements from the various ensembles:
Gunnelpumpers
This is a heads up for what we’re calling the BIG WEEKEND. No, Gunnelpumpersare not playing at Lollapalooza, but will be the house band for anambitious program called The Dutch National Ballet Project. The culmination of acollaboration [...]

Today I played bass for a children’s concert for the Grant Park Music Festival. The weather in Chicago has been ridiculously hot recently, and today was no exception, with highs around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat index reaching well over 100. Whenever possible I try to take the train to work. [...]

Being able to play below the open E string is an essential part of the skill set for the modern bassist. Most orchestral bass parts reach below the low E, and not being able to play these notes means not really having all of the professional tools necessary for the job. Reaching these [...]

Tonight I went down to Chicago’s beautiful Millennium Park to check out the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra moved into the facility just a couple of summers ago, and it is a massive venue improvement for this fine ensemble. Frank Gehry designed the pavilion, which is obvious to anyone familiar with his [...]