Nice photo!
Here is the biographical information provided in his SUPERB book, "The Art of Double Bass Playing," published in 1973, by Summy-Birchard Company, Evanston, Illinois, 60204.
ISBN 0-87487-081-X
The bio paragraph says:
"Warren A. Benfield
Professor of Music, Northwestern University and De Paul University, and member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Formerly with the Minneapolis Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Philadelphia Orchestra."
It is one of my favorite bass books. I keep it where I can look at it every day.
Do a Google search for "Warren Benfield, The Art of Double Bass Playing" to find the book.
It is a remarkably musical, wide-ranging discussion of all aspects of playing our instrument. For example, there are great sections on taking auditions, some examples of modern notations, etc.
Great B & W photos throughout. He talks about all kinds of extended or alternate fingerings, varying with the situation at hand, the contribution of jazz players to the bass pizzicato technique, the realities of being an orchestral bassist and/or teacher, and much more. A timeless resource.
Contributors (in discussions, at least) include David Walter, Bertram Turetsky, Henry Portnoi, Roger Scott, and Joseph Guastafeste.
Its a slim book that covers more than most of my other "bass books", combined.
Do a search on "Warren Benfield" to learn more about the bassist/teacher. Apparently studied at Curtis with Anton Torelli, for starters. Here are some sample pages:
http://www.billbentgen.com/bass/players/benfield.htm http://members.aol.com/scrtchbox/Basstree.html
(read the text at the bottom of this one)
