June Rotenberg: Rediscovering a Bass Trailblazer Who Broke Barriers in Jazz and Classical Music

Every so often in this series, a story circles back with new light. When I first profiled bassist June Rotenberg, I found only fragments of her life: press mentions, a sparse online discography, and a few rare photos. It felt unfinished… birthdates were inconsistent, and a death date couldn’t be found. Not long after publishing my feature on June, I received a message from Eric Charnofsky, who introduced himself as June’s great-nephew. That connection helped fill in some of the blanks in her remarkable story.

In this interview, Eric shares the family history behind one of the earliest professional female double bassists in both jazz and classical music. We trace June’s journey from her hidden teenage bass lessons in 1930s Philadelphia to her groundbreaking work with Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, and, later, as part of the St. Louis Symphony, Broadway pit orchestras, and the Pablo Casals Festival in France.

June’s story is one of persistence and quiet rebellion; writing to the Metropolitan Opera to successfully challenge their refusal to audition women, holding her ground during the McCarthy era, and navigating a career in spaces that rarely welcomed her. Offstage, she was witty, magnetic, and larger than life: a woman who was elegant, loved a good laugh, and played late-night card games.

Through Eric’s memories and the documents he preserved, we’re able to see a fuller picture of a trailblazer who should not be forgotten…a woman who carved her own path on the double bass and left the door open for those who came after her.

Watch the full interview below to hear Eric share rare family stories, new details from June’s archives, and insights that help restore her place in bass history.