Heavy Hitting Double Bass Players
Upright bass players are some of the hardest workers in the jazz business. Usually holding down multiple gigs with different bands from one night to the next, you will find the best bassists with a packed itinerary and an even longer resume and recording history. Very rarely will you see them playing with just one artist or group; hardly ever confined to one genre or sect of the jazz world, bass players are the secret weapon or “X-factor” (just like every other member of the band, and don’t you forget it). Jazz is a stew and bass players are the finely cooked and marinated beef that brings the meal together to give it some serious depth.
Below is a list of some the most renowned and oft called upon heavy hitters in the bass world. Just typing one these names into an Internet search engine will open the door to a vast amount of brilliant playing, bass and the great bands alike. Take a pen or highlighter and start listening. Select a few players, start transcribing, and start making your own lists for bass players in other genres.
1. Ray Brown
2. Jimmy Blanton
3. Pops Foster
4. Percy Heath
5. Henry Grimes
6. Reggie Workman
7. Slam Stewart
8. Sam Jones
9. Oscar Pettiford
10. Rufus Reid
11. Ron Carter
12. Paul Chambers
13. Buster Williams
14. Charles Mingus
15. Chuck Israels
16. Scott Lafaro
17. Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen
18. George Mraz
19. Miroslav Vitous
20. Steve Swallow
21. Eddie Gomez
22. Palle Danielson
23. Charlie Haden
24. Dave Holland
25. Stanley Clarke
26. Christian Mcbride
27. John Patitucci
28. Larry Grenadier
29. Scott Colley
30. Charnett Moffet
31. Steve Rodby
32. Drew Gress
33. James Genus
34. Avishai Cohen
35. Eric Revis
36. Ben Street
37. Chris Wood
38. Matt Penman
39. Esperanza Spalding
40. Ben Williams
Best Jazz Starter Kit
I decided to assemble a top five Classic Jazz Albums list. It’s the sort of list I would give to anyone who wanted to be introduced, slowly, to what I would classify as “classic jazz.” Why is this important? Simply put: many, if not most, people unknowingly approach jazz from the wrong direction, which can turn off prospective listeners. So, I’ve deemed the following five albums as the way to start.
Please be advised that this list should be a step-by-step process to slowly open the ears to the sound of jazz. Don’t agree with one of these albums or the placement? Think the list is missing something? Comment and let me know! Let’s have a jazz history showdown.
- Kind of Blue - Miles Davis, 1961
This album is subtle and perfect. It has such a balanced duality: you can actively listen to it to or use it as amazing background dinner music. Every player on this record is the best of their time and plays with honesty. Enjoy this album all the time, anytime. - Time Out - Dave Brubeck, 1959
This album contains concepts that will broaden the ears’ palette without making exhausting the brain. By the way, “Take Five” is the best selling jazz single of any era and is, surprisingly, in the time signature of 5/4. Do your ears feel smarter yet? 
Portrait in Jazz - Bills Evans, 1961
Bills Evans is quite possibly the greatest jazz piano player that ever lived and yet this album takes well-known standards and makes them interesting and easy to listen to. He will introduce your ears to thoughtful harmonies and you’ll enjoy every second of the ride.
The Blues and the Abstract Truth - Oliver Nelson, 1961
The list of players on this album is a who’s-who of the jazz world then and now. The track “ Stolen Moments” is another huge selling hit, but the feel of this album just might take you out of your comfort zone and push the limits.
Blue Train - John Coltrane, 1957
Last, but definitely not least, John Coltrane. Now I was tempted to put A Love Supreme here instead of Blue Train, but that is a serious step outside of our comfort zone at this point, so I went with this album instead. Each track has a timeless melody partnered with solos that have set the gold standards for jazz improvisation. Coltrane is the Picasso of classic jazz: easy to listen to but hard to understand. This album is a great first look into his genius and if you are feeling adventurous after all this, checkout A Love Supreme, but be prepared for serious ear opening.
In Memoriam: Frank Foster
In Memoriam: Frank Foster
September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011
Frank Foster was a saxophonist, flautist, arranger and composer who frequently worked with the Count Basie Orchestra as well as leading a prolific solo and sideman career in his own right. His best known contribution to the jazz repertoire was the fantastic standard “Shiny Stockings.”
Foster was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on September of 1928, and by 1949 found himself in Detroit, Michigan where he joined the local jazz scene with musicians such as Wardell Gray. In 1951, Foster was drafted into the Army and served in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division. Upon finishing his military service in 1953, he joined Count Basie’s big band and went on to contribute both arrangements and original compositions to Count Basie’s band, including the standard, “Shiny Stockings,” and other popular songs such as “Down for the Count,” “Blues Backstage,” “Back to the Apple,” “Discommotion,” and “Blues in Hoss Flat” as well as arrangements for the entire Easin’ It album.
Frank Foster died on July 26, 2011 at age 82.
From 1970 to 1972 (and occasionally on later dates), Frank played with Elvin Jones with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis big band in 1972 and 1975. Between the two, Foster was an Artist-in-Residence at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1971. That same year, he also started teaching for the New York City Public School System in District 5, Harlem, as part of a team of six professional musicians assigned to the Federal Government’s Title I Program: Cultural Enrichment Through Music, Dance, and Song. Between all of that, Foster managed to squeeze in enough time to function as full-time Assistant Professor in the Black Studies Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY) from 1972 to 1976.
Foster also formed and lead several groups, most notably Living Color and The Loud Minority. He co-led a quintet with Frank Wess in 1983, and toured Europe as a member of Jimmy Smith’s quintet in 1985.
In June 1986, Foster succeeded Thad Jones as leader of the Count Basie Orchestra. While leading the Basie Orchestra, Dr. Foster received two Grammy Awards: first for his big band arrangement of the Diane Schuur composition “Deedles’ Blues” (Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, Jazz category, 1987), and second for his arrangement of the renowned guitarist/vocalist George Benson’s composition “Basie’s Bag” (Best Big Band Instrumental, Jazz category, 1988).
Foster departed from the band in 1995, after which he resumed his leadership of three musical groups: The Non-Electric Company (a jazz quartet or quintet), Swing Plus (a 12-piece band), and The Loud Minority Big Band (an 18-piece concert jazz orchestra), each of which he had organized years prior to assuming leadership of the Basie unit in 1986.
Frank Foster suffered a stroke in 2001 that impaired his left side to the extent that he could no longer play the saxophone. After continuing to lead The Loud Minority on limited engagements for much of the 2000s, he turned his leadership responsibilities for the band over to Cecil Bridgewater. Until his death, Foster continued composing and arranging at his home in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he resided with his wife and personal manager of nearly 45 years, Cecilia Foster.
The Jazz World has suffered a serious loss with the death of Frank Foster. He will be missed.
65 Swing Tunes You Should Know
Before you go and sit in at a jam session, you better know some tunes. Standard repertoire is a staple of the jazz scene and the more tunes you learn, the easier the next one is to pick up. There are hundreds of tunes of varying styles that make up the repertoire, but this list will get you started with medium to up-tempo swing tunes.
2. “Solar”
3. “Dear Old Stockholm”
4. “Bye Bye Blackbird”
5. “Airegin”
6. “Pent-Up House”
7. “Old Devil Moon”
8. “Four”
9. “Oleo”
10. “Well You Needn’t”
11. “Half Nelson”
12. “There Is No Greater Love”
13. “Stablemates”
14. “I Could Write A Book”
15. “It Could Happen To You”
16. “Seven Steps To Heaven”
17. “So What”
18. “Inner Urge”
19. “Moanin’”
20. “Along Came Betty”
21. “Stella by Starlight”
22. “All of You”
23. “All of Me”
24. “My Foolish Heart”
25. “My Romance”
26. “Israel”
27. “Falling Grace”
28. “Doxy”
29. “Honey Suckle Rose”
30. “Milestones”
31. “Yardbird Suite”
32. “Work Song”
33. “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
35. “If I Were A Bell”
36. “In Walked Bud”
37. “Just Friends”
38. “Autumn Leaves”
39. “Afternoon in Paris”
40. “Alone Together”
41. “It Might As Well Be Spring”
42. “Giant Steps”
43. “Countdown”
44. “Young at Heart”
45. “Cherokee”
46. “Joy Spring”
47. “Take the A Train”
48. “There Will Never Be Another You”
49. “Rhythm A Ning”
50. “Beautiful Love”
51. “Broadway”
52. “Confirmation”
53. “Donna Lee”
54. “Epistrophy”
55. “E.S.P.”
56. “Four on Six”
57. “Have You Met Miss Jones”
58. “How High The Moon”
59. “Impressions”
60. “Lady Bird”
61. “Lazy Bird”
62. “Lullaby of Birdland”
63. “Moments Notice”
64. “Ornithology”
65. “Yes and No”
Meet The Writers
About The Author
HSJF Admin
Subscribe to the HSJF Channel
