We’re featuring some brief interviews I did with people on the floor of the 2009 International Society of Bassists Convention at Penn State in June. Feel free to check out my ISB 2009 Retrospective blog post for even more information on what was happening at this year’s convention, and stay tuned for an avalanche of content from this event over the next couple of months!

During this episode, I chat with Bill Wasson, Ian Saunders, Robert Meyer, and several University of Michigan students, as well as featuring some listener feedback and news.

This video content is Copyright © 2008/ 2009 the Chicago Early music Consort and appears here on the GambaCast by permission. Acclaimed for its “imaginative” programming and “delicate, flawlessly-performed music”, the Chicago Early Music Consort recreates the rich and diverse sounds of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and early Baroque chamber repertoire in an historically-informed manner. Founded by its Artistic Director, Gary Berkenstock, the ensemble consists of Stephanie Sheffield, soprano; Gary Berkenstock, recorder and other early wind instruments; Joel Spears, lute, theorbo and harp; and Phillip W. Serna, viola da gamba and vielle. The Consort appears throughout the Midwest and has performed live on Chicago’s premiere fine arts station, 98.7WFMT. Programs are built around interesting historical and social themes to which modern audiences can easily relate. For more information, visit www.ChicagoEarlyMusicConsort.org. ‘Viols in Our Schools’ and the GambaCast is Copyright © 2008/ 2009 Dr. Phillip W. Serna. For more information, visit http://www.thegambacast.org/ & http://www.violsinourschools.org/.

Check out the full article here (warning–I use a little “rough” language talking about the music business in the interview, so it’s not 100% work safe).

About the bass, Jeff says:

“The Rumano Solano copy of my 1767 Italian double bass is remarkable in many ways. The sound quality has innate characteristics very similar to my bass with a full, deep, rich and clear sound. It also has a projection and clarity of sound that is stunning. It fills a 1,000 seat auditorium as well as any instrument I have ever heard or played. The instrument also has an ease of playing that makes even the most difficult passages accessible.”

~ Jeff Bradetich

[From YouTube - Jeff Bradetich plays Solano Bass, part 3]

Our interview with jazz bass legend Rufus Reid, conducted by Win Hinkle, has proven to be one of our most popular episodes of Contrabass Conversations (along with our Steve Rodby interview, which was guest hosted by Kells Nollenberger–the popularity of these interviews shows that maybe I should stay off the mic!).

Interview Link (redirects to CBC site)

About Rufus Reid:

Born on February 10, 1944 in Atlanta, GA., Rufus Reid was raised in Sacramento, California where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation from Sacramento High School, he entered the United States Air Force as a trumpet player. During that period he began to be seriously interested in the bass. After fulfilling his duties in the military, Rufus had decided he wanted to pursue a career as a professional bassist. He moved to Seattle, Washington, where he began serious study with James Harnett of the Seattle Symphony. He continued his education at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied with Warren Benfield and principal bassist, Joseph Guastefeste, both of the Chicago Symphony. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music Degree as a Performance Major on the Double Bass.

The MidAtlantic Arts Foundation awarded Rufus The 2005 Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award for his dedication to America’s National Cultural Treasure: Jazz, for his personal and professional commitment to Jazz Education in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The International Society of Bassists presented Rufus with their highest honor, The Distinguished Achievement Award, in 2001. The New Jersey Chapter of the IAJE named him OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR of 1999. The International Association of Jazz Educators awarded Rufus the Humanitarian Award in 1997 BASS PLAYER magazine, awarded Rufus the 1998 Jazz Educator Achievement Award.

I know a lot of bassists with Solano basses. They are reasonably priced and many of them play very well. Rumano works off of a lot of different templates for his basses, so his basses can be extremely large, quite small, or anything in between.

Also check out Jeff playing on a Solano copy of his own 1767 Italian bass.

[From YouTube - Solano Bass]

Bass blog contributor Benjy emailed me recently with a link to this short article from jazz bass giant Charles Mingus on how to toilet train (not litter box train–toilet train!) your cat.  This is a must-read even if you don’t have a cat. I love how the Mingus personality comes through even in this short how-to!

The purpose of the Virtual Master Class is to get feedback from other musicians on our playing, so please leave a comment for this bassist after listening to the track above. The idea, however, if to leave constructive or helpful feedback, so anyone leaving a comment like “OUT OF TUNE!!!!” or the like won’t get their comment approved.