"In this episode Reuben mentions three names and has Bob respond on the spot with his thoughts. You'll have to listen to find out who gets mentioned...and to hear what Bob has to say about them!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at upright...
Jul 01, 2025•16 min•Ep. 117
"The connection between the bass and the drums is a deep one! In this episode we shine light on two of our favorite teams: Peter Washington/Kenny Washington and Robert Hurst/Jeff Tain Watts. Let's listen together and dig into what makes these teams so great..." Peter Washington/Kenny Washington: 1) Bill Charlap Trio "While We're Young" (Live at the Village Vanguard) 2) Grant Stewart "Koko" (Downton Sounds) Robert Hurst/Jeff 'Tain' Watts : 1) Wynton Marsalis "Cherokee" (Standard Time Vol. 1) 2) B...
Jun 03, 2025•38 min•Ep. 116
"This is a fun one! Bob says three names, and Reuben shares his immediate thoughts on those folks. There's a theme here, but you have to listen to find out!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com ★ Support th...
May 06, 2025•16 min•Ep. 115
"Finding the right bow is a very personal journey and can be daunting. Join the Citizens as they discuss Reuben's recent search for a bow while on tour..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com ★ Support this...
Apr 01, 2025•18 min•Ep. 114
" Music 'theory'....Is it helpful? Is it a crutch? Can it make you a better player? Can it stifle your creativity? Come join the Upright Citizens as we kind of say 'yes' to all of these questions! " If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at upri...
Mar 04, 2025•12 min•Ep. 113
The Upright Citizens are back! This time with some inspired ideas on creating new habits in your musical life that will set you up for success. We tend to focus so much on goals, but in this episode Bob and Reuben take time to talk about the journey. If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and mor...
Feb 04, 2025•18 min•Ep. 112
"We're taking a look back at some of our favorite Upright Citizens moments of 2024!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com ★ Support this podcast ★...
Dec 24, 2024•31 min•Ep. 111
"It's not always easy to hear, but receiving criticism is a gift! This episode deals with ideas on how to be open to criticism, what to do with it, and perhaps how to give it to yourself..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitiz...
Dec 10, 2024•20 min•Ep. 110
"We all end up so busy and it's easy to get burned out these days....so what can we do to get and stay inspired as musicians? Join the Citizens this time as they share their ideas about keeping it fresh!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime a...
Nov 26, 2024•24 min•Ep. 109
" This time the Citizens celebrate one of the greatest, and perhaps underrated, bassists of all time - Percy Heath. He played and recorded with everyone from Bird to Dizzy and was a crucial component to the Modern Jazz Quartet. Join us as we listen and learn more about the great Percy Heath! " UC - Percy Heath Playlist If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassist...
Nov 12, 2024•26 min•Ep. 108
Many upright bassists start on the electric first - we both did! They are very different instruments that often function in similar ways, but there is a lot of technical considerations that must be addressed. In this episode we share our thoughts and suggestions for electric bassists looking to make 'The Switch!' If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like...
Oct 29, 2024•19 min•Ep. 107
As musicians, our ears are one of the most important tools we use! They are instruments unto themselves and we have to practice listening to grow in our musicianship. In this episode we delve into our thoughts on how to get "Better Ears"... If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach o...
Oct 15, 2024•21 min•Ep. 106
We're back with another 'Guess THAT Bassist' episode! This time Reuben will say a few bits of trivia about some well-known jazz bassists, and let's see how quickly Bob can figure it out. Can you guess before he does? If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citize...
Oct 01, 2024•13 min•Ep. 105
"We love the electric bass here at Upright Citizens, and most especially the great Marcus Miller! A true pioneer of music, Marcus is just as well-known for his writing, producing, arranging, and is a leader in so many facets in the music biz. In this episode, Bob and Reuben share some of their favorite Marcus tracks, as well as their thoughts and stories all about this legendary musician..." UPRIGHT CITIZENS MARCUS MILLER PLAYLIST If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more ...
Sep 17, 2024•42 min•Ep. 104
Let's play a nerdy bass game. Bob will say a few bits of trivia about some well-known jazz bassists, and let's see how quickly Reuben can figure it out. Sounds like fun! If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com ...
Sep 03, 2024•14 min•Ep. 103
"The Citizens are back for part 2 of the Bass Blindfold Test! This time Reuben is in the hot seat trying to guess who's playing. See if you can name the bassists that Bob is choosing before Reuben does!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at...
Aug 20, 2024•16 min•Ep. 102
"We all know the classic 'blindfold test' - well, here's the Upright Citizens "bass-centric" version with Bob in the hot seat first! Reuben has picked a few bassists and will play a snippet of a recording and then we're off to guess who is playing and talk about what we hear..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christi...
Aug 06, 2024•20 min•Ep. 101
" The Upright Citizens are celebrating the release of their 100th episode in style with very special guest and bass legend, John Patitucci. The conversation goes from 'doubling' to football, and Instagram to Larry Graham...listen to the end to find out what John thinks would surprise his fans to know about him! " If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like...
Jul 23, 2024•39 min•Ep. 100
"We all know the phrase 'One man's trash is another man's treasure' and the Citizens are here this time to talk about letting go of the things we don't really need. Not just for ourselves, but for others." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime ...
Jul 09, 2024•14 min•Ep. 99
"We open up with a great T.K. Coleman quote about what success is and understanding what that means for ourselves. Give yourself some grace and start working towards who you are for yourself..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightc...
Jun 25, 2024•11 min•Ep. 98
" Can you practice away from the bass ? Of course you can ! In this episode the Upright Citizens answer ' why ' you might want to practice without your instrument, and then offer some great advice on ' how ' to creatively do just that!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out t...
Jun 11, 2024•14 min•Ep. 97
"In a rut? Feeling uninspired when you play? Try out these 5 'on the gig' challenges that just might open up some new pathways for your musicianship today!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com ★ Support thi...
May 28, 2024•12 min•Ep. 96
"We have often heard that we should transcribe and study the Masters - we're talking about Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, and many more - but the deeper question was brought up by our recent special guest Linda Oh: "WHY should we transcribe the Masters?" Well, that's what we're here to talk about...the WHY!" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists li...
May 14, 2024•10 min•Ep. 95
"We heard from so many of you after our last release that you dug the ' Sax Trio Brilliance ' episode - so we are back with more of Bob and Reuben's favorite Sax Trios! As a bassist, the freedom and transparency that happens in a chord-less saxophone trio can lead to inspiring new territory. We'll dig in this time to cuts that feature some of our favorite bassists - Milt Hinton , Gary Peacock , Charlie Haden , Ron Carter , Reggie Workman , and Christian McBride" If you like Bass - you're in the ...
Apr 30, 2024•28 min•Ep. 94
"Sax Trios have long been an engaging and explorative vehicle for bassists. Think the freedom of Wilbur Ware on " A Night at the Village Vanguard ", Oscar Pettiford on " Freedom Suite ", or Ray Brown on " Way Out West "...yeah, we love Sonny Rollins! In this episode Bob and Reuben share and rap about some of their favorite Sax Trios 'situations'. Larry Grenadier , Henry Grimes , Pablo Menares , Dave Holland , and Kiyoshi Kitagawa are featured in this 1st of a 2-part series." Here's a bonus Spoti...
Apr 16, 2024•26 min•Ep. 93
"Versatility. That word gets used a lot when talking about being 'marketable' as a musician. While it is a positive attribute when balanced being too versatile can potentially hinder us as well. Bob and Reuben discuss their thoughts on finding that balance in this episode..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian ...
Apr 02, 2024•18 min•Ep. 92
"Linda May Han Oh is one of the premier bassists and composers in the world. In this episode the Upright Citizens discuss everything from advice for students, hearing and singing what you play, emotional aspects of her compositions, and so much more..." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and ...
Mar 19, 2024•47 min•Ep. 91
"Why is the 'Trial & Error' process so important for creative musicians? We need to be fearless and embrace our mistakes to grow, so that's where we'll start in this episode of Upright Citizens." If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at upr...
Mar 05, 2024•18 min•Ep. 89
"Bassist Scott Colley has been in high demand for decades, and for good reason! Come hang with the Upright Citizens as we listen to and discuss his bass brilliance..." Upright Citizens 'Scott Colley' Playlis t If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anyt...
Feb 20, 2024•31 min•Ep. 90
"2024 is here and the Upright Citizens are putting their energies towards growth! What is on your list of ways to grow this year?" If you like Bass - you're in the right place! Interested in more music and practice advice? Check out Open Studio ...where you'll find courses and much more by world-class bassists like Reuben Rogers, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Bob DeBoo and more. Reach out to the Upright Citizens anytime at uprightcitizenspodcast@gmail.com ★ Support this podcast ★...
Feb 06, 2024•25 min•Ep. 88
