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
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