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Contrabass Conversations features interviews and performances from top leaders in the world of the bass. Podcast host Jason Heath dives deep into what makes these world-class artists tick. With over 2 million downloads, 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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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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970: Four winter bass events you should know about
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Winter can be a slow time of year, with treacherous weather making double bass travel tough. Fortunately, there are several vibrant double bass events that make this season a time of learning and community. Here are four upcoming events that are great for students, professionals, amateurs, and anyone interested in the bass. You can check out even m…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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969: Chuck Israels on his new bass and upcoming projects
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Chuck Israels recently picked up a new Jonathan Li bass from Eastman Strings, the company for whom I work. I got together with Chuck in Portland over the holidays to talk to him about what he likes about it and to do some play tests. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Connect with us: all things …
Today’s episode digs into a new version of the Simandl Method by Cole Davis that is re-fingered with the jazz bassist in mind. Enjoy! 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app …
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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967: Thoughts on Simandl vs Rabbath as foundational double bass methods
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Today’s episode is a musing on the value and/or frustration posed by the Simandl Method. Find Cole Davis's adaptation, The New Simandl. Enjoy! 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our …
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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966: My current favorite solo double bass pieces
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Today’s episode digs into some of my current double bass repertoire and was inspired by this recent blog post. Enjoy, and you can find the individual pieces I talked about in this episode below: Chorale by Nicholas Walker Charles at His Leisure by Michael Kurth Californian Duett by Simon Garcia Ensorceler by Donovan Stokes and Decade’s End by Craig…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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965: Hagai Bilitzky on New Sound of the Middle East
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Hagai Bilitzky recently released a new album titled New Sound of the Middle East. Hagai specializes in the Middle Eastern double bass and is an active performer and teacher based in Jerusalem. We spoke live for the podcast at the 2018 European Bass Congress in Lucca. Today, we talk about the story behind this new album, what Hagai has been up to th…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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964: 10 most ANNOYING stand partner traits for double bassists
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This episode covers the 10 most annoying stand partner habits. Enjoy, and you can check out the video version of this 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, A…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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963: Nina Bernat on chamber music and career possibilities
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Nina Bernat is the first prize winner at the 2019 International Society of Bassists Solo Competition and first and grand prize winner of the 2022 Minnesota Orchestra Young Artist Competition. At the age of 19, she performed as guest principal of the Israel Philharmonic under Adrás Schiff and Osmo Vänskä and the New York Philharmonic under Gustavo D…
In this episode, Jason shares plans for 2023 and more. Enjoy! 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass cou…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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961: Nick Scholefield on winning a position in the Atlanta Symphony
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Nick Scholefield joined the double bass section of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2022. Prior to joining the ASO, Scholefield was a member of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra since 2019. He studied with Jeffrey Turner and Bruce Bransby and is a Georgia native. We talk about Nick’s audition process, lessons learned along the way, his preparation pr…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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960: Transcribing pieces for the double bass - pros and cons
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This episode covers the benefits and challenges of transcribing music for the double bass. Enjoy! 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check …
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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959: Lynn Hannings on bow making and sustainability
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Lynn Hannings founded her bowmaking studio in 1970 and is regarded as one of the world’s finest double bass bow makers. In addition to her bowmaking, she is an advocate for the conservation of tropical hardwoods used in musical instruments. Lynn recently retired from the Portland (ME) Symphony Orchestra after 50 years as a bassist in this ensemble.…
This episode digs into the ever-complex topic of choosing bass strings. Enjoy, and you can check out videos on bass strings 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for …
It was such a pleasure to sit down with Rufus Reid and catch up on his recent activities! Rufus was in San Francisco doing a residency at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and we got a chance to carve out some time to talk shop. We dig into the origins of his revolutionary book The Evolving Bassist, his time at Northwestern, lessons learned …
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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956: 15 practicing mistakes and how to fix them
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This episode elaborates on a blog post devoted to common practicing mistakes and their solutions. Enjoy, and you can check out the video version on the topic 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 Listen to Contrabass Co…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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955: Christian Hales on auditioning and his path so far
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Christian Hales joined the Charleston Symphony in 2022 as Principal Bass. I met him in person here in the San Francisco Bay Area before he departed for this exciting new chapter in his life. We talk about how he got into music, his initial career goals and how they shifted toward orchestral performance, his audition process and lessons learned alon…
We’d love to have you contribute to our new website Double Bass HQ! This podcast outlines some ideas for how you can get involved. 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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953: Gloria Jones Allgood on her Atlanta Symphony Orchestra journey
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Gloria Jones Allgood joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at age 20 in 1984, just before completing her Bachelor's Degree in Double Bass Performance at The University of Michigan. Born into a musical family in Greenville, SC, she studied violin and piano until age 12 when she started studying the bass. She was a member of the Greenville Symphony O…
Jason Heath, Trevor Jones, and Merrill Richmond chat about the idea for Double Bass HQ, working with our developer Wonderly, and the journey from idea to launch. 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 Listen to Contrabass Conv…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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951: Richard Andersson on his jazz bass journey
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Richard Andersson is a Danish/Faroese/Icelandic bass player and composer based in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has gained great recognition for his work as a composer and bass player in the modern jazz field and has released several albums as a bandleader with Danish and international musicians. We talk about his musical background, studies in New York …
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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950: Choosing double bass rosin - what’s best for your needs?
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This solo show digs into various brands of rosin and the pros and cons of each. Enjoy, and check out video reviews of several brands of rosin 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 Listen to Contrabass Conversations with…
Sienna George is a bassist and wood carver currently living in New York City. She is also the founder of Sienna Geo Woodwork, which specializes in handcrafted wooden double bass mutes and other musical accessories. We chat about her musical upbringing, discovering the double bass, her studies at the Manhattan School of Music with Orin O’Brien, and …
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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948: How to pizzicato faster on double bass!
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This episode covers techniques for developing faster pizzicato on the double bass. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check out my …
The Ultimate Music Business Summit’s mission is simple—to help you take control of your music business and get a variety of valuable strategies for increasing your income and growing your impact. Today, we chat with event coordinators Dr. Garrett Hope and Arthur Breur about the story behind the summit and what to expect in 2023. The event is taking…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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946: How DO you find good fingerings for double bass parts?
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This episode covers the “rules” of good bass fingering and how and when to apply or break them. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. …
Valentina Ciardelli has just released Ruutsu , the first CD ever recorded for contemporary double bass and harp chamber duo ensemble in the EU. Ruutsu (which means roots in Japanese), is an album dedicated to the deep connection and mutual influence between Japanese and Western Europe music culture. Anna and Valentina present a cultural contributio…
This episode covers why we use tenor and treble clef on the double bass and tips for learning them. It’s a companion piece to this week’s YouTube video. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass Conve…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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943: Mark Roman on his album, Seasonal Allergies
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Mark Roman is a recording artist, songwriter and bassist originally from Woodstock, New York. A second-generation American, he came up with a wide range of musical influences, including classical training at Juilliard pre-college. Mark has recently released ‘Seasonal Allegories,’ his first release as a string bassist & songwriter. We talk about thi…
obituary courtesy of the International Society of Bassists: The ISB is sad to learn of the passing yesterday of bassist, composer, educator and recording artist Kelly Sill. He was 70 years old. Kelly was a beloved mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene for more than 35 years. Born in Fargo, North Dakota, he grew up in the Chicago area. After receiving …
University of Texas at Austin double bass professor Joel Braun just released a solo album. Titled Unaccompanied, it contains his own transcription of the Bach Flute Partita, premiere recordings of works by Lera Auerbach, Caleb Burhans and Olga Magidenko, and his own composition "Awake,” which received an honorable mention from the ISB David Walter …
This episode covers various techniques to develop more expressive phrasing on the bass and is a companion piece to next week's YouTube video. Enjoy and don't forget to download the Phrasing Workbook I put together for you. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 10…
Mark Gollihur is the owner of Gollihur Music, which has been serving the double bass community online since 1997. We chat with Mark about his father Bob’s passing, how Bob built the company, the satisfactions and challenges of the business, and much more. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check …
obituary courtesy of the International Society of Bassists: Wolfgang Güttler, whose decades-long career as a performer, recording artist and educator garnered numerous awards, including the Concours de Genève, died on September 18, 2022. He was 77 years old. Born in Brasov, Romania, he was solo bassist with the SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden an…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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933: Don Prell - Double Bass Legend - Part 1
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Today’s episode is the first in a series of chats with double bass legend Don Prell. Born in 1929, Don went on the road with the Frank Ortega Band, played with people like Buddy Rich and Chet Baker, and was in the original Bud Shank Quartet. He played for the San Francisco Symphony for 30 years and, after retirement, formed his own group called the…
This episode covers “accelerating scales” and why they are a core comment of my daily double bass practice. Enjoy, and check out the accompanying YouTube video here. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass…
Debbie Lyle is the Executive Director of The Foundation for the Advancement of String Education (FASE), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes the philosophy and pedagogy of Dr. George Bornoff by providing financial support for the development of string education and teacher training. We talk about the recent National Bornoff Summer Work…
This episode digs into how harmonics work on the double bass and was inspired by Chris West's book A Guide to Double Bass Harmonics. Enjoy, and check out my accompanying YouTube video here. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassis…
Ethan Philion is an award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader based in Chicago. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and DePaul University, he has performed with Rufus Reid, Greg Ward, Dana Hall, and many other artists. Ethan also won the International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition in 2019 and was selected to Chicago's Luminarts Jazz Fel…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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928: What I practice when my time is limited
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This episode digs into ways of organizing practice sessions when time is limited. It was inspired by this week’s YouTube video, and you can download the 20, 45, and 90 minute routines here. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassis…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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927: Holly Reinhardt on being a UK bass student
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Holly Reinhardt is a student of David Heyes at Wells Cathedral School and the creator of BassNotes, a site featuring interviews with prominent people in the double bass community. We talk about Holly’s inspiration for the site, what it’s like going to school and studying bass in the UK, her plans and hopes for the future, and much more. Enjoy! Subs…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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926: What part of the thumb do I use for thumb position?
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This solo episode covers what part of the thumb to use while in thumb position and is inspired by this week’s YouTube video. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS,…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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925: Jon Liebman on For Bass Players Only
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Jon Liebman is a world-renowned bassist, composer, arranger, author, and educator and the founder and “1st Bassman” for the wonderful site For Bass Players Only. He has been on the podcast a couple of times in the past, and it’s always a pleasure to catch up with Jon and learn about his current and upcoming projects. We dig into all kinds of topics…
Past podcast guest Cole Davis teamed up with Jason for a collaboration about his approach to practicing scales on the double bass. Enjoy, and you can pick up a copy of his book in our sheet music store. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 300+ wide-ranging titl…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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923: Cole Davis on scales for jazz bassists
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Past podcast guest Cole Davis teamed up with Jason for a collaboration about his approach to practicing scales on the double bass. Enjoy, and you can pick up a copy of his book in our sheet music store. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 300+ wide-ranging titl…
This episode features audio from a Bass Works live stream featuring Cleveland Orchestra bassist Derek Zadinsky. This is a companion to a YouTube video that Jason did reacting to this super-cool recital of the top 10 most requested double bass excerpts. You can also pick up a PDF copy of these excerpts here. Subscribe to the podcast to get these int…
This episode features conversations with four young bassists during Bass Camp NRW in Germany in 2022. Enjoy, and learn more about this cool camp in my conversation with camp director Uli Schneider. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles fo…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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920: My recital from the Rabbath Institute Los Angeles (2022)
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This episode features a recital that I recorded at the 2022 Rabbath Institute Los Angeles. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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919: Jon Button on The Who, Roger Daltrey, and Shakira (with guest host Katie Thiroux!)
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This episode, recorded live at the Golden Gate Bass Camp, features Katie Thiroux and me interviewing Jon Button, who is the current bassist for The Who. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Jon on his website, Instagram, and Facebook! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store …
We dig into all the parts of the double bass in today’s solo show—enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically! Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 300+ wide-ranging titles for bassists. Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check out my Beginner's Classi…
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Contrabass Conversations double bass life
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917: Dave Anderson’s bass music back in print!
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We’re thrilled to announce that the music of bassist and composer David Anderson is now available through our sheet music store! To celebrate, we’re chatting with Dave and his longtime friend and collaborator Sidney King, who was the inspiration for many of Dave’s early works. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Dave’s music in our catalog! Subscribe t…
