In this episode, acclaimed bassist Daniel Kimbro reflects on his experiences as a touring artist and the challenges of maintaining routine and mental well-being on the road. Daniel recalls significant moments from his musical journey, including his collaborations with Jerry Douglas and Tommy Emmanuel.

He emphasizes the importance of staying grounded through activities like fly fishing, despite the rigors of tour life. Daniel shares his writing process, his passion for music, and the excitement surrounding his upcoming solo album, 'Carpet in the Kitchen.' The discussion also touches on the support and inspiration he gets from fellow musicians and the bass community.

Enjoy, and check out, Daniel’s past podcast appearance here, along with this great interview on ForBassPlayersOnly.com.

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Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah’s website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

In this episode,  Alessandro Fongaro shares his fascinating journey from Italy to the Netherlands, where he fell in love with the vibrant jazz scene. He discusses his extensive experience with orchestral and jazz music, his shift from playing bass guitar to double bass, and his passion for composing.

Alessandro also touches upon his involvement in Rotterdam's North Sea Round Town festival, where he curates and performs multiple projects. Additionally, he offers insights into his creative processes, practice routines, and the challenges and rewards of borrowing instruments while traveling. The conversation also delves into Alessandro's hobbies, such as analog photography, and the importance of taking breaks for mental refreshment.

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Connect with us:

• all things double bass
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• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah’s website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

We’re excited to introduce our podcast guest for today, Ben Ticknor! A versatile artist, Ben is the bassist for the band Never Come Down who recently released their new album. He's not just an accomplished musician but also an educator, having studied bass under Jeff Johnson at Portland State University. Currently, he's the Principal Bass of the Oregon East Symphony. And guess what? When he's not creating music, he's a professional Ski Patroller and Avalanche professional on Mt Hood. Stay tuned for a fascinating chat with Ben!

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah’s website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

In this episode, we're excited to bring you a conversation with Dr. Renata Soares Cáceres. Originally from Brazil, Renata began her journey in music as an electric bassist at age 11. She has since studied and performed in the US, obtaining a Master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, an Artist Diploma Certificate from Texas Christian University, and a DMA degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With a passion for teaching, Renata currently teaches at Illinois Wesleyan University and has extensive experience teaching double bass in the American school system and is certified in Paul Rolland’s String Pedagogy.

We discuss Renata's unique project, "Bass Bites - Bite-sized Double Bass Instruction", which was born out of a PechaKucha-style session at the Illinois Music Educators Conference and ASTA National Conference in 2021. The aim of Bass Bites is to create two-minute videos on double bass pedagogy for string teachers, providing them with enough information to understand the basic concepts of double bass playing without taking too much of their time.

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah’s website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

On this episode, we welcome accomplished bassist and Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Peter Dominguez. Peter started his career in Milwaukee and has also taught at Michigan State University, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and performed with various artists globally.

Peter's contributions include adjudicating international competitions, directing the Richard Davis Foundation conference, and the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass. His discography includes "How About This", "Groove Dreams", and a solo recording "Bass Salute".

We discuss the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass, a summer program for teenage bass players, which Peter directs. Hosted by NJPAC and Montclair State University in July 2024, the program offers classes, performances, ensemble work, studio sessions, and more. Visit njpac.org/hinton for more information.

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsor!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Our guest, Mike Gaisbacher, is a Nashville-based bow maker who specializes in bass bows. He started his journey in bow making in 2022 after graduating from Berklee in 2015 and learning how to rehair from Sue Lipkins. Mike has since dedicated himself to perfecting the craft, studying with experts like Sue Lipkins, Matt Wheling, and attending Rodney Mohr's workshops.

His work includes a remarkable project: a bow for Paul Kowert of the Punch Brothers, which is a copy of Edgar Meyer's bow. Mike's bows have also been played by Ethan Jodziewicz, Mark Schatz, and are featured in the Minneapolis orchestra. Learn more about Mike's work on his website or Instagram.

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsor!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Sam Suggs is the first solo bassist in 36 years to join the Concert Artists Guild roster, and was recently recognized with an award for Extraordinary Creativity at the 2017 Bradetich Foundation International Double Bass Competition.

We dig into his unique path from a strong piano background in Buffalo, through Northwestern University, where he studied both performance and theory, to his time at Yale focusing on contemporary music. We also explore Sam's philosophy on concert programming and the importance of engaging the audience.

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsor!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Stephanie Patterson specializes in teaching adult learners and has been playing in community orchestras for decades.  We talk about the joys and community benefits of participating in community orchestras, Stephanie's role in the Abington Festival Strings, and highlight various community orchestra activities and events, including rehearsals, concerts, and the engagement of various age groups.

Enjoy, and check out Stephanie’s past podcast appearances here.

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsor!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Robin Kesselman is the author of Bow Speed Geography, which elegantly explores concepts of bow speed geography  in string playing, focusing on the importance of evenness in bow speed, control, and the application of bow speed.

We dig into life for Robin in the eight years since our past interview, the inspiration behind the book, and all kinds of topics surrounding bow speed, technique, and expressivity.  Enjoy, and you can pick up a copy of this great new resource at the ISB Store and Robertson and Sons.

Photo courtesy of the Houston Symphony

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsor!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Paul Thompson is a bassist and educator in the Pittsburgh metro area.  He also runs a successful YouTube Channel under the name pdbass.

This interview discusses content creation challenges, audience management, social media usage, balancing creative goals with audience expectations, and YouTube's influence on careers. It emphasizes music passion, content segmentation, understanding platform success/failure, and navigating YouTube analytics. It also covers the emotional impact of views/comments, feedback from renowned musicians, live streaming plans, and exploring creative content ideas.

Check out the video version of this conversation on YouTube, and check out Paul’s past appearances on the podcast and YouTube Channel to learn more about this cool artist!

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

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Thank you to our sponsor!

Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it's the best bass rosin available. It's appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg