Franz Simandl in Ceremonial Dress

Here is a great shot courtesy of Greg Sarchet featuring the great double bass pedagogue Franz Simandl in full ceremonial dress. I especially like the sword he has on his belt. That Simandl was one fearsome bass teacher–one false move in your bass lesson with him...

Why Most Artisits Profit from Piracy

Torrentfreak’s recent post about how 75% of artists actually profit from music piracy is very interesting:Piracy is not all that bad for musicians. In fact, research has shown that less popular artists actually profit from piracy. This can be concluded from, and...

Boston 1775 Blog

This is not a music blog, but it is a great example of the power of blogging. Boston 1775 is a blog about the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts. Here is a little information about the author: J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among...

John Grillo – The Renaissance Man of the Double Bass

I just got an e-mail from my friend John Grillo, and I realized that I have never mentioned him on the bass blog. This is surprising, because John is one of the most interesting and original musicians I have ever met. John performs frequently with the Pittsburgh Opera...

Serge Koussevitzky’s Wikipedia Page

Double bassists looking for a great comprehensive reference for the life and times of Serge Koussevitzky should visit his excellent Wikipedia page. The former music director of the Boston Symphony and double bass soloist left quite a footprint on both the double bass...