Glasgow-based bassist David Bowden [https://www.davidbowdenmusic.com/] joins the show on release day for Unsung Songs [https://davidbowden1.bandcamp.com/album/unsung-songs-for-solo-bass], a solo double bass record shaped by years of gigging and arranging. David talks about coming up in London before moving to Glasgow for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, finding a creative home in Scotland's close-knit jazz scene, and how folk music and "sounding like yourself" became central to the way he thinks about writing and playing.

We also talk solo bass, favorite recordings, right-hand technique, gear, touring, teaching, and new-parent life. Enjoy, and be sure to follow David on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dbowdenmusic/] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEIRJ-XfSiLb86DJbk58zQ]!

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
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 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]

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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1147: Unsung Songs - David Bowden Goes Solo

Rosie Moon [https://rosiemoon.com/] joins us today to share the story behind *Twelve Bees In A Jar [https://rosiemoon.com/twelve-bees-in-a-jar-cd], her* multi-year Dragonetti project exploring his music on gut strings, a three-string bass, and a convex "Dragonetti" bow. Rosie talks about how a chance encounter with a bow at a UK bass shop kicked off a deep dive into historical equipment, technique, and the surprisingly big that happens when you take a string off the instrument.

Enjoy, and be sure to follow Rosie on her website [https://rosiemoon.com/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rosiemoonbass/], and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/rosiemoonbass/]!

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]



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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1146: Twelve Bees in a Jar - Rosie Moon's Dragonetti Waltzes on Three Strings

Bowen Ha [https://www.sfsymphony.org/Data/Event-Data/Artists/H/Bowen-Ha] joined the San Francisco Symphony at the start of the 2024–25 season after training at Juilliard with Timothy Cobb and Harold Robinson, and appearing as a substitute with major orchestras.

Born in Shanghai, Bowen's path ran from piano to cello and finally to bass, through Interlochen, the Shanghai Conservatory's affiliated program, and Juilliard.

We dig into the nuts-and-bolts of what changed between Bowen's early pro auditions and his San Francisco win: obsessing over details and doing daily metronome work.

Enjoy, and connect with Bowen on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bowenh_prac/] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bowenha4301]!

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]

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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1145: Bowen Ha on his audition process

John Goldsby [https://john.goldsby.de/] returns to the podcast to celebrate Big Band Bass [https://orcd.co/kqr3ykk], a project that spotlights the double bass at the front of the band alongside the legendary WDR Big Band [https://www.youtube.com/c/wdrbigband] and arranger/conductor Bob Mintzer [https://bobmintzermusic.com/]. We talk about what it felt like to close a 30-year run in one of the world's rare full-time jazz ensemble jobs, and how stepping away has opened up space for hand-picked gigs, home projects, and new recordings.

We dig into the album's origin story—why Vince Mendoza's "Sonatinita" is the lone non-Goldsby composition, how Bob Mintzer turned John's "little ditties" into full-blown big band architecture, and what it's like hearing your writing amplified by master arrangers. We also get nerdy (in the best way) about gear and sound: Spirocore light gauge vs. Gerald Genssler's silk-core strings, recording with a Schoeps MK 41, using a Fishman Full Circle onstage, and the realities of earplugs and in-ears in a loud big band environment. Connect with John at john.goldsby.de [http://john.goldsby.de/] and explore his work with Discover Double Bass [https://discoverdoublebass.com/john-goldsby].

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]



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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1144: John Goldsby on Big Band Bass

Valentina Ciardelli [https://www.valentinaciardelli.com/] , double bass professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance [https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/study/teaching-staff/valentina-ciardelli/] and an active performer/educator, returns to the podcast to talk about a project that goes way beyond the practice room: fixing the chaos of traveling with large instruments. Check out Valentina's work and latest updates on her website [https://www.valentinaciardelli.com/] .

We dig into Valentina's advocacy work to create clearer, non-discretionary standards for transporting professional musical instruments, sparked by real-world experiences (including those "crying in the airport" moments many traveling musicians know all too well).

Jason shares a few horror stories from the bass-travel trenches, and Valentina describes the progress being made through dialogue with airlines, airports, and policymakers, including her recent speech in Brussels and why signatures matter even outside the EU.

You can sign the petition here [https://www.change.org/p/rules-for-the-transport-of-musical-instruments?recruiter=916315042&recruited_by_id=7a495b20-eded-11e8-8b31-3bb6ca23a93d&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=petition_dashboard_share_modal&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490594101_it-IT%3A1&share_id=fQXPhgdMvw] , follow Valentina on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/valentinascheldhofenciardelli/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Valentina.Scheldhofen.Ciardelli/] , and visit her YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/user/zappawoman] !



Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]



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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1143: Professional Instruments Aren't Luggage with Valentina Ciardelli

Stephan Crump [https://www.stephancrump.com/] is a Brooklyn-based bassist, composer, and educator whose work moves fluidly between groove, spacious sound-worlds, and collective improvisation. We dig into the making of Slow Water [https://www.stephancrump.com/slow-water-1], the magnetism of deep feel, and how growing up in Memphis—and spending a lot of life near the Mississippi—shaped the way Stephan hears music as ecology, storytelling, and energy in motion.

We talk about inspired listening walks, the ideas behind Erica Gies' book Water Always Wins [https://www.stephancrump.com/slow-water-1] (and what it means to let water—and music—meander), and Stephan's approach to leading ensembles. We also get into bass-life details, his time in Amherst and Paris, and much more.

Check out Stephan on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crumbletones], his website [https://www.stephancrump.com/], and Bandcamp [https://stephancrump.bandcamp.com/]!

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]

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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1142: Slow Water, Deep Grooves with Stephan Crump

Michał Bylina [https://michalbylina.musicaneo.com/] is a Polish bassist and composer whose work bridges early music performance and new music for the instrument. In this conversation, Michał shares how a love of the past pulled them toward gut strings, Baroque style, and the Vienna bass tradition, plus the path from studying in Kraków to a year studying in Brussels with Korneel Le Compte.

We dig into Michał's composing process, from writing cadenzas to building a huge library of bass sheet music and learning by analysis, along with current projects like a concerto inspired by the surviving bars of Dittersdorf's concerto for violone and an aria for countertenor and obbligato bass.

Michał also talks about balancing music with life as a parent and work as a software developer, and what might come next. Connect with Michał on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bylinabass/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/michal.bylina/], and explore his catalog on his website [https://michalbylina.musicaneo.com/] and in our DBHQ Store [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/search?q=michal+bylina&_pos=3&_psq=michal&_ss=e&_v=1.0]!

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]

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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1141: Gut Strings and Time Travel - Michał Bylina on Early Music

Isaac Trapkus [https://www.nyphil.org/about-us/artists/isaac-trapkus/] is a bassist with the New York Philharmonic, rosin maker [https://bassmentrosin.com/], and developer of Monkey Wrench DB [https://monkeywrenchdb.org/]—a tool that syncs sheet music PDFs with YouTube performances. He's also the creator of a free urtext-style edition of the Koussevitzky Double Bass Concerto, based on a previously unknown personal score copy he discovered at the Library of Congress.

We cover a wide range of topics: Isaac's years-long journey developing his handcrafted rosin (Winter) [https://bassmentrosin.com/], the unique acoustic challenges of the double bass that make rosin so stubbornly hard to get right, and his Library of Congress discovery of Koussevitzky's clean personal score—complete with hidden measures taped over by the composer himself.

We also dig into AI's expanding role in Isaac's tech projects, the ethics of open-source music tools, and the tension between building things because you can versus building things that actually matter. Find Isaac's Koussevitzky edition on IMSLP [https://imslp.org/wiki/Double_Bass_Concerto,_Op.3_(Koussevitzky,_Serge)#IMSLP935401], explore Monkey Wrench DB at monkeywrenchdb.org [http://monkeywrenchdb.org/], and check out his past podcast appearance here [https://contrabassconversations.com/2021/05/20/isaac-trapkus/].



Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]



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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1140: Isaac Trapkus on Rosin, Hidden Manuscripts, and Open-Source Music Tools

Bassist and arts administrator Thomas Zera [https://utahsymphony.org/bio/thomas-zera/] joins us today to share what changed between our first chat years ago and now, including life in the Utah Symphony and the path that led to building his new project, The Sub Pool [https://thesubpool.com/].

We dig into what The Sub Pool [https://thesubpool.com/] is, why orchestra sub lists so often "run dry," and how a centralized, musician-friendly platform can help personnel managers find the right players, including for rarer instruments and big-repertoire needs. Tom also explains how the service is designed to be low-friction for musicians, what feedback has shaped the early feature set (including faster notifications), and what they're building toward next. Learn more at The Sub Pool [https://thesubpool.com/], reach Tom at tom@thesubpool.com, and check out his past podcast appearance here [https://contrabassconversations.com/2018/06/04/thomas-zera/].

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]



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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1139: Building The Sub Pool with Thomas Zera

Casey Lipka [https://caseylipka.com/] is a Los Angeles–based singer, songwriter, bassist, and collaborator with a gift for building community around music. In this episode, Casey shares the winding path that brought her into jazz voice, bass, and a creative life that blends composing, performing, and heartfelt projects. Along the way, Casey talks about how coaching shaped her work supporting other artists, and why creating space for connection has become such a central part of what she does.

Jason and Casey dig into what it looks like to move through "seasons" of creativity, from album release mode to collaboration mode, and how routines like strength training and time in nature can support the physical and mental demands of making music. They also talk about the joy of live performance, the inspiration of Nina DeCesare's [https://www.ninadecesare.com/] recent Bach marathon, and Casey's new Women in Music series [https://caseylipka.com/collaboration/] featuring performance-plus-conversation collaborations.

Enjoy, and follow along with Casey and her great work on her website [http://caseylipka.com/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx9DpfVt0uDX6YRBlILdrlQ], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caseylipka/?hl=en], and listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TMqjvgE0OFknA1SHKxYMH] or Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/casey-lipka/1619584103].

Connect with DBHQ

 * Join Our Newsletter [https://jason-heath-llc.ck.page/double-bass-news]
 * Double Bass Resources [https://doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Sheet Music [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/]
 * Double Bass Merch [https://shop.doublebasshq.com/collections/merch]

Gear used to record this podcast

 * Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder [https://lasso.to/b8bu7ynr3i/]
 * Rode Podmic [https://amzn.to/493TfqW]
 * Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera [https://lasso.to/0SGRnsIu0V/]
 * Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/icUCNhfCjA/]
 * Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens [https://lasso.to/3TqQW2qIiW/]

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 [https://erichochberg.com]

1138: Seasons of Creativity with Casey Lipka

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!

Jason Heath

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