Contrabass Conversations

Latest Episodes:

733: Alan Lewine on Sephardic Treasures Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

I've had the good fortune to work with Alan Lewine on the International Society of Bassists board for several years, and his artistic journey has always seemed fascinating to me. The recent release of Sephardic Treasures, his latest album with his wife Ana María Ruimonte, was a good excuse to sit down and chat about his multifaceted career and unconventional journey.

We dig into Alan's path through the music world, the decision to go to law school and the career shift that resulted, this new chapter in his life after retiring, the latest album, and much more.

Check out the latest album here and on Ansonica Records, and be sure to follow along with Alan and Owlsong Productions on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!

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Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

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732: Tomoya Amori of AKDuo Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

Tomoya Amori is truly one of the most well-rounded musicians I've ever met. Not only is he an incredible bass player, but he also subs as a percussionist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and has a vibrant career as a multi-genre cellist!

Tomoya and his wife Julia Kang form AKDuo, which specialize in playing jazz/classical/pop fusions composed or arranged by Tomoya. They also run performance workshops titled "Be Creative!" and have performed worldwide.

Learn more about Tomoya and his creative explorations on the AKDuo website, and follow their YouTube Channel to check out Tomoya's super-interesting Cello Vlog!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

731: Katie Thiroux launches The Hump Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

It's great to have Katie Thiroux back on the podcast to chat about her new show The Hump. Katie was on the podcast in 2018, and it is so inspiring to follow along with her artistic career.

We talk about our respective Discover Double Bass courses, including Katie's "baseball card," which I hold up at the beginning of our chat. We mostly dig into her new show The Hump, online teaching, and how she has been spending her time during the quarantine.

Be sure to follow The Hump on Instagram, and check out Katie's great course From Beginner to Bandstand on Discover Double Bass!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

730: Deep Tones for Peace with Mark Dresser and William Parker Sep 07, 2020

Show notes

On today's episode, we're featuring Mark Dresser and William Parker in a discussion about Deep Tones for Peace 2020.

Here's a description of the current project, which is a continuation of the Deep Tones for Peace international event in 2009:

Deep Tones for Peace 2020 is a regular streaming of live meditations for peace, healing, and transformation. Musicians transmitting deep tones to counterbalance the many systemic injustices woven into the fabric of our society. Deep tones can strengthen the unseen bonds of our diversity as we oppose economic, educational, and environmental inequities fueled by racism, sexism, and greed.

The idea is to play your bass for 5-30 minutes with the intent of musically sending healing vibrations to be felt worldwide. Participation is open to all bassists who wish to join in an ongoing musical transmission of vibrations for peace. Any style or form of music and any level bass player can generate Deep Tones for Peace. The main requirement is the intent and desire to create peace in the world. We truly believe this project will have a positive impact on the balance of life.

If you'd like to get involved, email deeptonesforpeacelive@gmail.com, and check out the archive of all past performances on the Deep Tones for Peace Facebook Group.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

729: Jon Liebman on developing For Bass Players Only Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

Jon Liebman has led a varied and prolific career through the music world, and a lot has changed about his website For Bass Players Only since we last chatted for the podcast.

We talk about how Jon has consolidated his offerings into a single site, how he has restructured his interviews for the site, his online teaching offerings, and upcoming book projects. We also dig into a ton of great tales from Jon's wild adventures from his years in the music business.

Enjoy, and be sure to follow along with Jon and his great content at For Bass Players Only!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

728: Ian Allison on finding his niche Aug 31, 2020

Show notes

Ian Allison has been going all-in on Instagram these past few years, and he has been inspiring countless people in the process. As the bassist for Eric Hutchinson and a seasoned veteran in the industry, Ian has been working to connect and educate through Instagram, and the results have been incredible.

We talk about growing up in Montana, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and its early influence on him, basing his career in Minneapolis, the "synth bass on electric" niche that he has created for himself, what the pandemic is like, the practice routine he outlined for a Bass Magazine article, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Ian and his remarkable work on Instagram!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

727: Alyssa Peterson on launching a podcast Aug 27, 2020

Show notes

Alyssa Peterson has had quite the freshman year. She hails from La Crosse, Wisconsin and has spent the past year at New England Conservatory, where she launched a podcast called Something to Consider: College Edition.

We talk about how crazy her first year of school has been with the pandemic, her goals for starting the podcast, the importance of self-care for musicians, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Alyssa on Instagram and her podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

726: Jason Haahiem on how to actually improve Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

Jason Haaheim's path to his current position as principal timpanist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra is unconventional and inspiring. He didn't go to music school, instead of getting a PhD and working for 10 years as an engineer and researcher for a Chicago-based nanotechnology startup.

Through the principles of deliberate practice, Jason set out on a long journey of continual improvement in his playing, ultimately winning an audition for his current position.

We dig into a ton of topics, like our shared time spent freelancing in Chicago, discovering deliberate practice, the groundbreaking work of Anders Ericsson and his impact on Jason, realities of life in the MET Orchestra, the two fascinating podcasts he did on The Bulletproof Musician, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Jason's website for more great content on deliberate practice and information about his next upcoming Deliberate Practice Bootcamp Online!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

725: Richard Myron on early music Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

Brooklyn native Richard Myron has spent his professional life in Europe working in the early music world. Currently residing in Paris, Richard is professor of contrabass and chamber music in the early music department of the CRR de Paris and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Music de Paris.

He is also a founding member of the Freiburger Barockorchester and Consort, the Atlantis Ensemble, Il Seminario Musicale, les Basses Réunies and a member of the Ensemble Mosaïques, and he has performed internationally with a great number of other ensembles.

We dig into many topics, including growing up in New York City, memories of his time at Juilliard studying with Homer Mensch, how he found himself being drawn to Europe, discovering early music, parallels between jazz and early music, how the scene for this music has developed over the decades, and much more.

I hope you enjoy this spirited conversation, and I can't wait to have Richard on the podcast again for a round two!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

724: Jonathan Haskell reflects on new directions Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

I had a wonderful conversation with Jonathan Haskell a few years ago, and a lot has changed in his life since then.

He recently retired from L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande in Switzerland, and he has been diving deep into the world of contemporary music. He also wrote a thoughtful article for the Chicago Tribune about the conflicting emotions surrounding retiring after 40 years on the job.

We talk about a wide range of topics, including diving into contemporary music, how he approaches learning a piece, the bass' role in contemporary ensembles, how he has been handling the pandemic, and much more.

I hope you enjoy these wide-ranging conversations from one of the most interesting musicians I know!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations production team:

Jason Heath, host
Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Krista Kopper, archival and cataloging
theme music by Eric Hochberg

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

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