Contrabass Conversations

Jason Heath

Contrabass Conversations features interviews and performances from top leaders in the world of the double bass. Podcast host Jason Heath dives deep into what makes these world-class artists tick. With 2 million downloads and counting, Contrabass Conversations is the most popular podcast for double bassists. Join the community and experience life on the low end of the spectrum!

  1. 7H AGO

    Chris Jennings on Traveling the World with a Double Bass

    Chris Jennings is a Canadian left-handed double bassist who's been based in Paris since 2002, traveling extensively across jazz and world music projects to all corners of the globe. A D'Addario Orchestral Artist, Chris has carved out a unique niche playing in ensembles where there's often no bass part written, working with artists like Nguyên Lê, Dhafer Youssef, and exploring the rhythmic complexities of Gnawa music. In this episode, Chris shares the story of his game-changing Petite Double Bass made by Polish luthier Piotr Poludniak — a hand-carved, neck-off instrument that weighs just 12kg in its carbon fiber case and sounds remarkably like a full-size acoustic bass. We also dive into his bow technique journey with Tom Martin and Edgar Meyer, his philosophy of being "in service to the music," his travel productivity hacks, the polyrhythmic world of Gnawa music, and much more. Enjoy, and connect with Chris on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Connect with DBHQ Join Our Newsletter Double Bass Resources Double Bass Sheet Music Double Bass Merch Gear used to record this podcast Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder Rode Podmic Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens   When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.   Theme music by Eric Hochberg

    55 min
  2. JAN 22

    Rohan Dasika - Exploring Heritage Through Classical Indian Music

    Rohan Dasika has been a double bassist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra since 2022. From a musical Melbourne family, Rohan started on piano, then played trombone and tuba before finding double bass in high school. He studied with Duncan Allen (Melbourne Opera, jazz), Sylvia Hoskin (MSO), Max McBride (Australian National University, Canberra), Damien Eckersley (Australian National Academy of Music), Hal Robinson (Philadelphia, 2015), Tim Dunin (Vienna Philharmonic), and completed a two-and-a-half-year orchestra academy in Frankfurt. We dig into what it's like playing in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the musical scene of this very cool town, diverse musical interests in the bass section (colleague Ben Lin's jazz career), Melbourne's arts scene and jazz festival, international training across Australia, the US, and Europe, exploring classical Indian music and family heritage, Pacific Music Festival (PMF) with Hal Robinson, and first teachers' influence on musical identity. Enjoy, and be sure to connect with Rohan on his website and Instagram! Connect with DBHQ Join Our Newsletter Double Bass Resources Double Bass Sheet Music Double Bass Merch Gear used to record this podcast Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder Rode Podmic Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens   When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

    44 min
  3. JAN 8

    Stephen Tramontozzi on Basso Antico

    In this episode, San Francisco Symphony Assistant Principal Bassist Stephen Tramontozzi joins Jason to talk about his new solo album Basso Antico. Alongside his orchestral work, Steve has built a wide‑ranging career as a soloist and educator. He has released a series of solo recordings, including Walkabout, Home Bass, Urban Bass, and Basso Novo. In this conversation, Steve shares the musical and historical ideas behind Basso Antico, which traces the evolution of the cello and bass voice from 17th‑century Italy through the world of J. S. Bach. He discusses approaching ricercari, early sonatas, and Bach's Suite No. 4 on the modern double bass, and how elements such as improvisation, counterpoint, and dance inform his interpretation. Download Steve's sheet music edition of Gabrielli: 7 Ricercari for solo double bass. Enjoy, and check out Basso Antico on Spotify or wherever you listen to music! Connect with DBHQ Join Our Newsletter Double Bass Resources Double Bass Sheet Music Double Bass Merch Gear used to record this podcast Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder Rode Podmic Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens   When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ. Thank you to our sponsors! Upton Bass - From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like Max Zeugner of the New York Philharmonic, each Upton Bass is crafted with precision in Connecticut, USA, and built to last for generations.  Discover your perfect bass with Upton Bass today! theme music by Eric Hochberg

    19 min
4.9
out of 5
109 Ratings

About

Contrabass Conversations features interviews and performances from top leaders in the world of the double bass. Podcast host Jason Heath dives deep into what makes these world-class artists tick. With 2 million downloads and counting, Contrabass Conversations is the most popular podcast for double bassists. Join the community and experience life on the low end of the spectrum!

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