Eddie Gomez at the Roccella Ionica Jazz Festival

Click here to hear Eddie Gomez's recent appearance on NPR's radio program Piano Jazz. Eddie performed at the 
Italy Roccella Ionica Jazz Festival on August 17th in a tribute to Scott LaFaro.

You can add one more accomplishment to Ron Carter's extensive resume - he's a character, along with Roy Haynes, in the new mystery novel Shades of Blue by Bill Moody. His latest CD is Ron Carter's Great Big Band.
 

The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China held its 5th National Double Bass Competition, August 31st to September 3rd. 46 participants competed in two groups, ages 19 to 30 and age 18 and younger. Entrants played concerto and sonata repertoire by Bottesini, Dittersdorf, Koussevitzky, Vanhal and Misek. The jury included Zheng Deren (chair, Shanghai), Wei Baozheng (Beijing), Yuan Bo (Switzerland), Huang Guangqiang (Macao) and Silvio Dalla Torre (Germany). The director of the double bass teaching and research group at the Central Conservatory, Professor Chen Ziping, was director of the competition. Winners of the junior group were: 1st prize, Liu Zhixiongi; 2nd prize, Li Gengpei; and 3rd prize, Guo Jingwan. The winners of the senior group were: 1st prize, Zhang Tianshu; 2nd prize, Cao Bowen; and 3rd prize, Zhao Haiqi. Professor Yuan Bo opened the competition with a recital. During the event, there were two more concerts performed by the teachers and students of the Central Conservatory. Professor Yuan Bo and Silvio Dalla Torre held masterclasses after the competition. More information on: http://www.basschina.com.  

Esperanza Spalding was featured in a recent New York Times magazine profile.  
  

Hal Robinson, principal bass with the Philadelphia Orchestra, premiered a new Ellen Zwillich piano quintet with his sister's trio at the La Jolla (California) Summerfest in August.  

ISB member Han-Jui Chen recently joined the faculty of Ball State University as a double bass instructor.

On October 16th, Cool Jazz Set, hosted by Paul Pearce, will honor legendary jazz bassist Ray Brown on what would have been his 85th birthday. The two-hour radio presentation will cover his recording career from the 1950s into the 21st century. The show will air live at www.wdce.org, or can be heard the following Monday, at www.cooljazzset.com. ('Radio Shows") 

The Chicago Bass Ensemble appears on the music series of the

First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, IL, January 15th at 4 PM.

FEBRUARY

The Chicago Bass Ensemble performs at the third Chicago Bass Festival on February 5th in Highland Park, IL.

The Concert Artist Series of Kean University performs Beethoven's Septet on February 26th with Anthony Scelba, double bass. 

MARCH

The Concert Artist Series of Kean University performs music by Goldmark on March 8th, including the String Quintet in A minor, op. 9 with Anthony Scelba, double bass.