Dust-to-Digital has published a 3-CD-Box with early american recordings of the double bass. This box comes with a 96 page booklet, and covers music „from tuxedoed symphony ensembles to tipsy calypso bands to honkytonkers in oil-field dives, from elegantly gelled tango orchestras to jazz combos in unspeakable speak-easys to methed-out rockabilly trios“ …
(Thanks, Edward, for this link submisson)
All over New York it has been noticed that, with most of the prominent bands, the string bass, alias ‘bull fiddle,’ alias ‘dog house,’ is replacing the tuba. Leaders agree that the string bass has a far greater carrying power than the tuba, and that it blends much more effectively. Practically all of the exponents of the tuba double in string bass, so the only inconvenience resulting from the switch will be the difference in sizes of the instrument cases, which, take our word for it, is plenty.
Billboard, April 10, 1926
Double Bass luthier Martyn J. Bailey has recently relaunched his website. His new website features a couple of picture galleries, showing interesting examples of his restauration work.
On Wednesday, the Frankfurt Musikmesse will open the doors. I’ll be there, too: hall 1.2, booth B40. I’m looking forward to meet you there!
Stradivarius – Myth and Music is the name of an exhibition that will be shown at the Wallraf Richartz Museum at Cologne (Germany) in spring next year. From 5 March 2010, the celebrated picture gallery will be host to over 50 stringed instruments from the hand of the legendary Antonio Stradivarius (1648-1733).
The exhibits are largely from private collectors and only rarely put on public view. Additional loans will be made by international museums, high-ranking foundations and celebrated musicians. This, the largest selection of Stradivariuses ever assembled in the world, will be shown exclusively at the Wallraf for just 17 days – from 5 to 21 March 2010. Parallel to this, a concert series is planned in which renowned soloists will appear at the museum and play their very own Stradivariuses.
Jazz critic Dan Ouelette has published a biography on Jazz bassist Ron Carter: “Finding the right notes”. The book is exclusively available at the Artist Share website, which also features journals and blogs, photo galleries, and streaming audio and video that provide a behind-the-scenes look at Ron’s life.
Leonard Gaskin died Saturday morning, January 24, 2009. According to workers at Ozanam Hall, the nursing home in Bayside, Queens where Mr. Gaskin had been living for the last several years, he did not experience any prolonged illness, but died of natural causes.
Gaskin has worked with Dizzy Gillespie and other beboppers in the mid-1940ies. In the 1950ies, he became one of the favourite bassplayers of the neo-traditional-movement around Eddie Condon, Bud Freeman and Ruby Braff. In the 1960ies, he worked with Lightnin’ Hopkins, Sonny Stitt and Brother Jack McDuff.
In the catalogue of a tool supplier, I just found this great invention: an adjustable double bass soundpost. This soundpost offers exact adjustment of the soundpost length, even from the outside of the bass. No need for using two soundposts for summer and winter seasons anymore. And it’s easy to use for both players and luthiers.
Update: Somebody just clarified that this tool is rather a guitar repair tool than an adjustable double bass soundpost. Sorry for the above incorrect information. My fault 😉