James Oesi is truly blazing new trails for double bassists worldwide.  Originally from South Africa, James spent several years studying in Russia before moving to the Netherlands.  Over the past decade, James has established a vibrant career for himself as a solo double bassist.  He also founded and hosted the Dutch Double Bass Festival in 2017. We dig into many meaty topics, like: How can you make a career as a double bass soloist? What are the roadblocks and pitfalls? How James’ career has unfolded, and the surprises he has encountered along the way. Advice James would give his 19-year-old self. What James learned from Gary Karr. …and much more!  Be sure to follow along with James on his website and Facebook.  He’s doing great things for the double bass world and is a magnificent and fascinating soloist! Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle! Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: D'Addario Strings This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Helicore strings, which are are designed, engineered, and crafted at the D’Addario string factory in New York and come in orchestral, hybrid, pizzicato, and solo string sets.   Upton Bass String Instrument Company Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players. A440 Violin Shop An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools. Contrabass Conversations production team: Jason Heath, host Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing Mitch Moehring, audio engineer Trevor Jones, publication and promotion Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!