07/18/2025
So sad to hear the news of Gary Karr walking on. For bassists all over the world, but especially for American bassists, Gary was our north star, with total command of the instrument & bow, he raised our performance practice and musicality to a new standard. For me, his appearance in the “Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra” series with Lenard Bernstein and the NY Philharmonic was the moment I knew then I would always be a fan of this incredible virtuoso bassist. I soon purchased his “white album” and began emulating & imitating the clarity and singing of Gary’s playing. In the late 1980s, I hosted both Gary and Harmon for a residency at Michigan State University. Needless to say, our three hour lesson on the Koussevitsky concerto was transformational. He was a gracious human being and shared many insightful observations with me and my students. Gary thanked me for inviting him to MSU and shared with me his frustrations that other teachers and institutions didn’t reach out to him. I recall him saying, “I think they are afraid of my influence and how that would change their students’ playing”. I’m not sure of my response, it took me a moment to process, but I told him he represented the new standard of playing the double bass. My association with Gary continued for many years, mostly during ISB conferences. I was honored he attended my recital in 2007 at Eastman School of Music. We had some deep conversations about his time with Richard Davis, Bill Lee, and the NYBass Choir. Our last meeting was two years ago at the ISB conference at U of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In so many ways, he was the “Lenny Bernstein” of the Double Bass! - a beautiful human being, and a virtuoso musician that lived an artful life. Gary cared about inclusivity and his legacy lives on..
- tribute from Peter J Dominguez,
Professor of Double Bass and Jazz University of Wisconsin- Madison
Artistic Director of the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists Inc.
Director of the Milt Hinton Institute at NJPAC
Professor Emeritus Oberlin Conservatory of Music
