Contrabass Conversations

It is such a pleasure to bring you this conversation with Caitlyn Kamminga! Caitlyn has had a fascinating journey through the music world, and we dig deep into her journey across the globe from New Orleans, Hong Kong, and London to her current home of Trinidad and Tobago.

Caitlyn Kamminga graduated cum laude, with both a BM and MM from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she studied with premiere double bass pedagogue, Paul Ellison. She accepted her first job in 1992 in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, where she held the position of Principal Double Bass until 1995. Subsequent positions include Associate Principal of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO), Adjunct Professor of Double Bass at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts and founding member of the Hong Kong Chamber Players. In 2001 she left Hong Kong to accept the position of Assistant Principal Double Bass in the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. After six years in the BBC NOW, Kamminga moved to London, where she was largely employed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia and the London Mozart Players.

Kamminga currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Double Bass at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, the Academy for the Performing Arts. Recent creative projects include the 2014 world premiere of Jab Molassie, a Trinidadian adaptation of L'Histoire du Soldat, authored by Kamminga; and River of Freedom, an inter-disciplinary work about the African American slaves who fought with the British in exchange for freedom and land in Trinidad, which premiered in May 2015 with narration by Kamminga. This work was underwritten by matching grants from the United States Embassy to Trinidad and Tobago and the Vincent Wilkinson Foundation.

Kamminga has been published in several musical journals, including the International Society of Double Bassists magazine, Bass World. She is a regular contributor to ALT/space, a project of the Teaching Artist Journal, a peer reviewed print and online quarterly that serves as a voice, forum and resource for all those teaching their art.

• Caitlyn's website
• University of Trinidad and Tobago
  • Academy for the Performing Arts
  • faculty Campus Concert Series with the UTT Ibis Ensemble
• Recent Projects:
  • River of Freedom
  • Rainforest: A Musical Postcard from Trinidad

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This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

The Upton Bass String Instrument Company. Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Check out this video of David Murray "auditioning" his Upton Bass!

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

In this special episode, we chat with Kurt Morrow about the time he spent with Milt Hinton. Milt's wife Mona asked Kurt if he would live in faculty housing with Milt. Kurt shares some of these life-changing experiences with us today.

Milt "The Judge" Hinton was regarded as the Dean of jazz bass players. He was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1910, and at the age of eleven moved to Chicago with his family. He began his musical education by taking private violin lessons, but while attending Chicago's Wendell Phillips High School and playing in a band sponsored by the Chicago Defender newspaper, he learned to play bass horn, tuba, cello, and eventually the bass violin. Like many aspiring Southside musicians of his generation, he was influenced by the legendary educator, Major N. Clark Smith. During the late 1920s and early 30s, Milt worked as a freelance musician in Chicago and performed with legendary jazz artists including Freddie Keppard, Zutty Singleton, Jabbo Smith, Erskine Tate, and Art Tatum. His first steady job was with a band led by Tiny Parham, followed by a stint with violinist Eddie South's Orchestra. Milt's earliest recording come from this era.

In l936, Milt joined Cab Calloway and for fifteen years performed with Calloway and renowned sidemen such as Danny Barker, Chu Berry, Doc Cheatham, Cozy Cole, Dizzy Gillespie, Quentin Jackson, Illinois Jacquet, Jonah Jones, Ike Quebec, and Ben Webster. During this period he was also featured on numerous recordings accompanying Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters, and Teddy Wilson - to name just a few. Most of these sessions have become jazz classics.

After leaving Calloway in the early 50s, Milt began working as a studio freelancer in New York City. For two decades he played on thousands of jazz and popular records. He also played on hundreds of jingles and film soundtracks and numerous radio and television programs. In addition, he made concert and festival appearances around the world and toured extensively with Louis Armstrong, Pearl Bailey, and Bing Crosby.

Milt has played with virtually every jazz and popular artist from Ellington, Coltrane and the Marsalis Brothers to Streisand, Midler and McCartney. In the late 80s Chiaroscuro Records released Old Man Time , a double cd featuring Milt along with many life-long friends from the music world. Laughin' at Life, was released by Columbia Records in 1995 and Chiaroscuro recently released The Judge at His Best, a selection of his recordings on that label over three decades, and the Bassment Tapes, which features Milt performing with groups he assembled.

Milt received honorary doctorates from William Paterson College, Skidmore College, Hamilton College, DePaul University, Trinity College, the Berklee College of Music, Fairfield University, and Baruch College of the City University of New York. He won the Eubie Award from the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Living Treasure Award from the Smithsonian Institution, and he was the first recipient of the Three Keys Award in Bern, Switzerland. In 1993, Milt was awarded the highly prestigious American Jazz Master Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, in 1996 he received a New York State Governor's Arts Award, in March 1998 he was awarded the Artist Achievement Award by the Governor of Mississippi, and in 2000 his name was installed on ASCAP's Wall of Fame.

Milt began taking photographs of his friends in the l930s, and he has continued ever since. Over the years his collection has grown to more than 60,000 images. The work depicts an extensive range of jazz artists and popular performers in varied settings - on the road, in recording studios, at parties, and at home - over a period of six decades. In June 1981, he had his first one-person photographic exhibition in Philadelphia and since then he has had exhibits across the country and in Europe. In addition to being published in major periodicals, Milt's photographs have appeared in documentary films including The Long Night of Lady Day (Billie Holiday), The Brute and the Beautiful (Ben Webster), and Listen Up (Quincy Jones). A Great Day in Harlem

a 1994 documentary about Esquire's photographic shoot of jazz legends in 1958, features numerous photographs by Milt as well as a home movie shot by his wife, Mona Hinton.

In 1988, Bass Line: The Stories and Photographs of Milt Hinton, by Milt Hinton and David G. Berger was published by Temple University Press. It was selected Book of the Year by JazzTimes. In 1991, OverTime: The Jazz Photographs of Milt Hinton, was published by Pomegranate ArtBooks.

In 1990, Milt's 80th year, WRTI-FM in Philadelphia produced a series of twenty eight short programs in which Milt chronicled his life. These were aired nationwide by more than one hundred fifty public radio stations and received a Gabriel Award as Best National Short Feature in 1990.

In June 2000, a concert was held to pay tribute to Milt on the occasion of his 90th Birthday. Milt passed away six months later.

In late 2002, Keeping Time: The Life, Music & Photographs of Milt Hinton, a one hour documentary film was completed. It was produced and directed by David G. Berger and Holly Maxson. It debuted at the London Film Festival, won the Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2003, and has been shown at film festival both here and abroad.

Milt and Mona Hinton were married for fifty-seven years and have a daughter Charlotte and granddaughter Inez who live in Atlanta. The Hintons' life-long involvement in their Queens, New York community, their strong commitment to family, and their ongoing contribution to music and photography made them both role models and an inspiration to younger generations.

The Upton Bass String Instrument Company. Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Check out this video of David Murray "auditioning" his Upton Bass!

A440 Violin Shop - An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

I had a wonderful time chatting with Patricia Weitzel for the podcast! Patricia is a dynamic and engaging performer and teacher, and we had a great conversation covering:

• competitions
• how a missed opportunity can lead to a better one
• Patricia's journey from Brazil to the United States
• being direct with students

...and much more!

Patricia Weitzel holds a bachelor degree from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, where she studied with Dr. Fausto Borem, a Master of Music Performance Degree from The University of Southern Mississippi, where her primary teacher was Dr. Marcos Machado, and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from The University of Iowa, where she studied with Professor Volkan Orhon. As a member of the Sphinx Virtuosi, YOA Orchestra of the Americas, Aldeburgh World Orchestra and Aldeburgh Strings, Dr. Weitzel has played in several venues including the Carnegie Hall, the Royal Concertgebouw and the Royal Albert Hall. Dr. Weitzel has received many awards throughout her career such as the first place in the Paulo Bosisio Strings Competition, Furnas Geracao Musical, William T. Gower Competition (first bassist to ever win this competition). She was also a semifinalist in the X Sphinx Competition. She has appeared as a soloist with the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, the Universidade de Brasilia, the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Iowa orchestras as well as the Bahia Symphony. A dedicated pedagogue committed to building classical music audience, Patricia Weitzel was responsible for the University of Southern Mississippi orchestra's outreach program introducing classical music to schools, nursing homes and similar facilities while working on her degree in that institution. She was also a cello and double bass instructor at the Hattiesburg Public Schools. Dr. Weitzel is currently on faculty at Augustana College and St. Ambrose University. She frequently performs as lecturer and recitalist in the USA and Brazil besides being a member of the Des Moines and the Quad City Symphonies. She also teaches K-12 students through the Quad City Symphony Private Lesson Program and in her private studio.

Weitzel performs on a 2015 Nick Lloyd double bass generously supported in part by the Sphinx Mpower Artist grant.

• Patricia's website
• Patricia's YouTube Channel

This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

The Chromatic Endpin.

A straight endpin only lets you balance the bass one way.

The Chromatic Endpin opens up many possibilities.You can feel more of the bass's weight, make it feel light as a feather, or anywhere in between.

When the bass is balanced, you stand comfortably on two feet with a neutral spine.

The instrument feels lighter, is easier to hold, and you're more comfortable.

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

I've been captivated by the massive and multifaceted YouTube videos that jazz bassist and educator Chris Fitzgerald has been putting out these past few years. Today we dig into the hows and whys of Chris' considerable undertaking.

Chris Fitzgerald has been a member of the Louisville jazz community as both a teacher and a performer since 1985. During that time, he has performed or toured with Jamey Aebersold, Lynne Arriale, Darius Brubeck, Sonny Fortune, Antonio Hart, Ari Hoenig, Java Men, Norah Jones, Lee Konitz, Dave Liebman, Ben Monder, Harry Pickens, Jean-Michel Pilc, and many others. Chris earned a Master of Music degree in Theory and Composition from the University of Louisville in 1992. Since then, he has become dedicated to jazz education, teaching at various universities in the area and serving as a faculty member at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops since 1996. He is currently a music professor at the University of Louisville, where his teaching duties include jazz theory, traditional theory, improvisation, jazz bass, jazz piano, and jazz ensembles. He currently devotes much of his creative energy to performing in a number of local performing and recording groups, and to his role as bassist in the original music ensemble Liberation Prophecy.

• Chris's website
• Chris's album The Sparrow and The Bear
• Chris' YouTube Channel
  • Right Hand Pizzicato Technique Perspectives
  • Double Bass Posture Variations

This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

The Upton Bass String Instrument Company. Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Check out this video of David Murray "auditioning" his Upton Bass!

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

We're featuring thoughts and playing from the four 2017 Bradetich Competition finalists on today's episode:

• Szymon Marciniak
• Dominik Wagner
• Marek Romanowski
• Mikyung Soung

Check out all four of these players in their semi-final and final rounds on YouTube.

The Bassinova Quartet is a revolutionary new force in the double bass world. They have turned heads worldwide with their stunning performances of traditional string quartet literature, and they are commissioning new works and breaking new ground.

Jason sits down with quartet members Daniel Nix, Aaron Olguin, Lauren Pierce, and Harry Dearman for a spirited conversation on the origins of the group and where it's going.

• Bassinova Quartet Website
• Requirements from their past audition
• Bassinova on Facebook
• Bassinova on Twitter
• Bassinova on Instagram
• Bassinova on YouTube

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

I had a great time talking with Kate Jones for the podcast! Kate is a Suzuki bass specialist working in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She is doing remarkable things for young bass students!

• Kate's website
• Jason attempting to play a 1/32 size bass

Double bassist Kate Jones studied with Jeff Bradetich at the University of North Texas, where she completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts in the summer of 2014. Before moving to Texas, Kate received her Master of Music degree at Cleveland Institute of Music under the direction of Max Dimoff and Jeff Bradetich. In Cleveland she was actively involved in several area orchestras, including the CIM Orchestra, Cleveland Opera Circle, Firelands Symphony and the Cleveland Womens' Orchestra. Kate received her Bachelor of Music at Illinois Wesleyan University in 2008. Here she was active in the IWU Civic Orchestra as well as Wind Ensemble, in addition to local orchestras such as the Muscatine Symphony and the Champaign-Urbana Symphony. Kate currently holds regular positions in Texas and has subbed for such orchestras as Fort Worth Symphony. In the fall of 2014 she joined the faculty of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD as their bass specialist.

Kate began playing chamber music at an early age with her family--first reading the Trout Quintet in High School. Her fascination with this genre continued to grow and blossomed during a summer abroad in 2007. It was then that she first played the Dvořák string Quintet as well as the Prokofiev Op. 39 Quintet. These performances prepared her for work in contemporary chamber ensembles such as the CIM Bass Quartet and the Cleveland contemporary ensemble Secundum Silentium.

Kate has had the pleasure of participating in workshops and masterclasses with such artists as Edgar Meyer, Jeff Turner, and Michael Tilson Thomas. She attended Chautauqua Music Festival during the summers of 2011 and 2012.

A440 Violin Shop - An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

Spending time with Jack Unzicker was a major highlight of my trip to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Jack is an assistant professor at The University of Texas at Arlington and is one of the most professionally active bassists in the region.

• what Jack's professional life looks like
• where the bass is headed
• what possibilities look like for music students
• private teaching
• modalities of practice

• Jack's Website
• Jack's UT-Arlington Faculty Page
• Jack and Jason chatting for Viva el Bajo Live in 2017 (YouTube)

Jack Unzicker is the Assistant Professor of Double Bass at the University of Texas at Arlington and is a sought-after performer and educator. He has extensive and varied experience in all performance areas, from early music to contemporary, solo, chamber, and orchestral, as well as jazz and electric bass. He maintains an active performing schedule, over 300 performances since his appointment at UT Arlington in 2012.

Raised in Juneau, Alaska, he began his musical studies with piano, guitar, and percussion and began performing as a professional bassist and teaching private lessons at the age of fourteen. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of North Texas, where he studied solo and orchestral performance, orchestral conducting, jazz studies, and early music with Jeff Bradetich, Paul Sharpe, Bill Clay, Anshel Brusilow, Lynn Seaton, and Lenora McCroskey. Dr. Unzicker earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Western Washington University where he studied jazz studies, performance, and contemporary music with Chuck Israels, Anna Doak, and Roger Briggs. Dr. Unzicker continued his studies at the Henry Mancini Institute, working with Bertram Turetzky, Christian McBride, and John Clayton, the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, and the Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program.

In 2016, Dr. Unzicker was a featured soloist with the Dallas Chamber Symphony, performing Hindemith's Trauermusik. Upcoming projects include a recording for commercial release in 2017, of an ongoing duo project. This duo project is in collaboration with Dr. Martha Walvoord, UT Arlington violin professor, and contemporary composers to commission, perform, and record new works for violin and double bass. Composers include six-time Grammy-award winner Michael Daugherty, Roger Briggs, Andrea Clearfield, Tom Knific, George Chave, and Daniel M. Cavanagh. The duo will perform a recital at the International Society of Bassists 2017 Convention in Ithaca, NY on June 10, 2017.

Dr. Unzicker's recent chamber music performances include the Adams Chamber Symphony, Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, 2, 3, & 6, Beethoven Septet, Bruch Octet, Ginastera Variaciones Concertantes, Prokofiev Quintet, Stravinsky L'Histoire du soldat, and Brahms Sextet in B-flat Major, Svendsen Octet, and Schubert Octet with members of the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, and professors from Rice University and the University of North Texas. Dr. Unzicker is also principal double bass of the Dallas Chamber Symphony and Santa Fe Pro Musica.

As an orchestral musician, Dr. Unzicker has performed with the Artosphere Festival Orchestra, Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Opera, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Holland Symphony, Waco Symphony, and as principal of the AIMS Festival Orchestra (Austria), Dallas Chamber Orchestra, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Divertimento (Costa Rica), and Plano Symphony Orchestra. He has worked extensively with conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, as well as Jaap Van Zweden, Otto Werner-Mueller, Larry Rachleff, Rossen Milanov, James Conlon, Anshel Brusilow, and Gunther Schuller.

As a pedagogue, Dr. Unzicker serves on the board of the Bradetich Foundation, a double bass performance and education organization, and is the Bass Forum Editor for the journal American String Teacher. He has been featured in articles on playing and teaching the double bass in The Strad, Bass World, American String Teacher, and Strings Magazine and frequently performs, adjudicates, and presents at the International Society of Bassists, American String Teachers Association, and Texas Music Educators Association Conventions. In the summers, he performs and teaches as Artist Faculty and as the Assistant Director of the Annual Bradetich Double Bass Master Classes.

Current and former students of Dr. Unzicker have been accepted to undergraduate, graduate, and summer programs at the Colburn School, Juilliard School, University of Southern California, Boston University, Indiana University, University of North Texas, Florida State University, University of Texas, North Carolina School of the Arts, New World Symphony, Curtis Institute of Music Summerfest, Aspen Music Festival and School, National Orchestral Institute, National Repertory Orchestra, Interlochen Arts Camp, Round Top Music Festival, Texas Chamber Music Institute, and the WaBass Institute. The double bass studio at the University of Texas at Arlington has proudly hosted many guest artists recently, including Artist-In-Residence Eddie Gomez, Ira Gold, Milton Masciadri, Jeff Bradetich, Brian Perry, Aaro Heinonen, and the Bassinova Quartet.

Dr. Unzicker performs primarily on instruments by Daniel Hachez and Albert Jakstadt, and a bow by Reid Hudson.

The Upton Bass String Instrument Company. Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Check out this video of David Murray "auditioning" his Upton Bass!

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

I had a great time chatting with Dallas Symphony bassist and Southern Methodist University faculty member Brian Perry! Brian is also on the Board of Directors for the Bradetich Foundation and the International Society of Bassists, and he is the editor for the Bass World column "In The Zone."

• Part 1 - the difference one teacher can make
• Part 2 - auditioning
• Part 3 - staying motivated

Brian Perry is the newest member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra double bass section. Prior to his appointment in 2013, he was a member of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra for nine seasons. He has appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra, and often performs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. An active collaborator, Perry is a frequent guest artist with pianist Buddy Bray for the Cliburn Foundation's Musical Awakenings educational concert series and has performed locally on the Spectrum Chamber Music, Fine Arts Chamber Players and Cliburn at the Modern series. Additionally, he has appeared as guest artist with the Vermeer String Quartet and pianist Natalie Zhu on the Bay Chamber Concerts series in Rockport, Maine. In recent seasons, he has served as the bassist in Miguel Harth-Bedoya's Caminos del Inka ensemble and as a member of the Funkytown All-Stars, an all double-bass quartet based in Fort Worth. Always keeping his eyes open for new repertoire for the double bass, Perry performed his transcription of William Bolcom's Graceful Ghost Rag for the composer himself in an all-Bolcom program at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth in 2010.

Perry earned his music degrees from Boston University and the University of North Texas. His principal teachers include Larry Moore, Jeff Bradetich and Edwin Barker. Perry is currently adjunct lecturer of double bass at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He also serves as a board member for the International Society of Bassists (I.S.B.) and the Bradetich Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting the double bass as a solo instrument. Committed to educating and mentoring young bassists, he has adjudicated and presented master classes for both the 2015 I.S.B. convention and the TCU Bass Fest and, since 2010, has been the double bass instructor at the highly acclaimed Boston University Tanglewood Institute in Lenox, Mass., one of the nation's premier summer orchestral training programs for high school students.

• • Brian's SMU page
  • SMU in the Double Bassists Guide to Colleges

The Chromatic Endpin.

A straight endpin only lets you balance the bass one way.

The Chromatic Endpin opens up many possibilities.You can feel more of the bass's weight, make it feel light as a feather, or anywhere in between.

When the bass is balanced, you stand comfortably on two feet with a neutral spine.

The instrument feels lighter, is easier to hold, and you're more comfortable.

The Upton Bass String Instrument Company. Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long "Karr neck" has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

Check out this video of David Murray "auditioning" his Upton Bass!

The Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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

Former podcast guest Donovan Stokes recommended that I contact Zach Rowden and dig into what his musical journey looks like.

I did just that, and the result was a fascinating conversation about careers, traditional music school mindsets, and how wide the possibilities really when you decide to do your own thing.

Zach is a former student of both Donovan Stokes and Robert Black, and we discuss the impact that both these teachers had on the Zach's musical evolution.

• Zach on Bandcamp
• Zach on Facebook
• Zach Rowden Uses His Double Bass As An Acoustic Playground (from the Hartford Courant)

Bass Violin Shop - Offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!

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