Double Bass Great Female Double Bassists

[MacMcBass]

FEMALE DOUBLE BASSIST.
Who would be on your top ten list?

 

[snyderz]

Dorian McLean. Used to play for the Sacramento, Reno, Phoenix symphonies.
Doc

 

[Don Higdon]

There's a bunch in NYC. Orin O'Brien, NY Philharmonic, has to be up there.

 

[olivier]

Ever heard (of) Joëlle Léandre ?

Male, female, or even outerspace bassists would have difficulties matching her credentials...

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=SEARCH&sql=B7tbsa93gb23k

 

[Phil Smith]

Alejandra Santa Cruz, Double Bass instructor at the University of Chile.

 

[Christopher]

How about Linda McKnight? She might be better known as a teacher than a performer though.

 

[Don Higdon]

Originally posted by Christopher
How about Linda McKnight? She might be better known as a teacher than a performer though.

Linda was a protege of Fred Zimmerman. Her students include John Feeney, who, in his teens, tied Edgar Meyer in an ISB competition, and David Grossman, 20-something, the newest bassist with the NY Philharmonic.
Linda does not play with any big name orchestras. She does travel the US and Europe as a teacher and consultant. She's my arco teacher and near-neighbor.

 

[DalmerM]

I just heard the jazz/bluegrass fusion style of Missy Raines last night on TV from PBS doing a live (taped) performance somewhere in KY. She knocked my socks off!

 

[bassdivo]

Just checked her out on the jazz corner web site and she is cold. Amazing sound and awesome compositions.

 

[LilliCat]

That is a really hard question to answer. WHile I am young, and haven't seen/met any female bassists other than my partner at school, not even in the orchestras. I guess I should be more awake and do some research because sounds like tere are many out there.

 

[Dondi]

I've heard and recorded Mary Anne. She is a tastefull and swinging player. She has just been featured in Bass Player Magazine. She also has no ego problems. Just a real person, happy to play. She deserves to be recognized more widely.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I really like Paula Gardiner's playing and compositions and have a CD where she leads her own band and writes all the tunes as well as playing Double Bass.

http://www.paulagardiner.i12.com/

 

[Steve Killingsworth]

Another vote for Missy Raines.

 

[nicklloyd]

I know I justed posted a new thread 'bout her, but cast in my vote for Thelma Terry.

 

[MattyN]

lets give Meshell Ndegeocello a little love here...

 

[Marcus Johnson]

She plays DB?

 

[Rich AB]

Originally posted by olivier
Ever heard (of) Joëlle Léandre ?

Male, female, or even outerspace bassists would have difficulties matching her credentials...

I couldn't agree more. Leandre is an incredible bassist who just knocks me flat; her arco playing is out of this world.

For those not familiar with her, I highly recommend any of the following recordings:

Live @ Banlieues Bleues
Joelle Leandre Project
No Comment (solo)
Passaggio (by Sylvie Courvoisier)

 

[kurt muroki]

Rachel Calin is one of the best bassists I have ever heard! She teaches with Itzahk Perlman at his summer program and has an amazing huge sound

 

[Phil Smith]

Nicki Parrot, the afternoon that I saw her at the Brooklyn museum she delivered some pretty kill'n solos and playing.

 

[Richard Groff]

There's a bunch in NYC. Orin O'Brien, NY Philharmonic, has to be up there.

Orin O'Brian is a MONSTER bass player and if I am correct, she is the first woman hired to a major orchestra in the United States. Bernstein went to war to get her. Apparently, the story goes that the directors wanted to refuse her hiring and he threw the score across the room and said that no one else who auditioned was half as good. That was told to me personally by Gomberg's 2nd oboist and I had the great opportunity to tell Orin the story myself in the mid 90s. She never knew HOW she got in, just that she was hired. She's a serious star for sure.