My busy schedule prevented me from seeing two fantastic double bassists play concerts last week. Edgar Meyer played at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston, Illinois with the fabulous mandolinist Chris Thile. Seeing Edgar perform is always a treat. I remember...
Does sprawl really make people fat? A drive around the Chicago suburbs would certainly lead to this conclusion. It is always jarring to spend some time in downtown Chicago observing people and to then hop in the car and drive out to Naperville, Schaumburg, or some...
I just finished reading Matt Heller’s recent post on fingerings and score study for the double bass, and he makes some interesting points. Often what one hears from a coach in a setting like the New World Symphony (where Matt currently plays), the Civic...
Matt Wengerd (104 Weeks) recently wrote a post detailing his trip to the International Association of Jazz Educators conference in New York City earlier this month. He’s got a great description of his experiences as a representative for the University of South...
There is a new bass ensemble that formed recently here in Chicago. It is an extremely high quality quartet composed of four people that I consider good friends and colleagues. The members of the new Chicago Bass Ensemble include Jacque Harper, who I have known for 12...
