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100 Greatest Jazz Bassists

Criteria: These jazz bass musicians were chosen for their impact & influence within the genre, versatility and the innovative & technical qualities of their playing of the instrument. Because of the expanding "gray area" between jazz & rock, some musicians may be on both lists.

Jazz has had the broadest perspective of all genre's in music since it's first note to the present day. It is for that reason that this list is presented in the same manner, with respect to all the myriad forms & interpretations of Jazz that exist today.


Last Updated: 2013-03-22
Greatest Jazz Bassists
  1. Charles Mingus
  2. Stanley Clarke
  3. Paul Chambers
  4. Jaco Pastorius
  5. Ron Carter
  6. Dave Holland
  7. Ray Brown
  8. Charlie Haden
  9. Neils-Henning Orsted Pedersen
10. Scott LaFaro
11. Milt "The Judge" Hinton
12. Paul Jackson
13. Eddie Gomez
14. John Patitucci
15. Steve Swallow
16. Tony Levin
17. Gary Willis
18. Victor Wooten
19. Brian Bromberg
20. Miroslav Vitous
21. "Slam" Stewart
22. Jeff Berlin
23. Cecil McBee
24. Steve Rodby
25. Joseph Patrick Moore
26. Don Thompson
27. Marcus Miller
28. Gary Peacock
29. Nathan East
30. Jimmy Garrison
31. Anthony Cox
32. Gary Grainger
33. Alain Caron
34. Jimmy Blanton
35. Frank Felix
36. James Genus
37. Eberhard Weber
38. Glen Moore
39. Abraham Laboriel
40. Jimmy Johnson
41. Steve Bailey
42. Jimmy Haslip
43. Christian McBride
44. Chris Wood
45. Melvin Davis
46. Lincoln Goines
47. Dave Carpenter
48. Michael Manring
49. Ben Allison
50. Richard Bona
51. Richard Davis
52. David Dyson
53. Larry Grenadier
54. Doug Watkins
55. Reggie Workman
56. David Friesen
57. Monk Montgomery
58. Verdine White
59. Scott Ambush
60. Charnett Moffett
61. George "Pops" Foster
62. Alphonso Johnson
63. Mark Egan
64. Dennis Irwin
65. Oscar Pettiford
66. Percy Heath
67. Bob Cranshaw
68. Red Callender
69. Adam Nitti
70. Anthony Jackson
71. Marc Johnson
72. Mark King
73. Dominic Richards
74. Tom Kennedy
75. George Mraz
76. Jeff Andrews
77. Sam Jones
78. Louis Johnson
79. Will Lee
80. Ben Street
81. Steve Hunter
82. Palle Danielsson
83. Curtis Counce
84. Charlie Biddle
85. Bill Dickens
86. William Parker
87. Kermit Driscoll
88. T.M. Stevens
89. Walter Booker
90. Red Mitchell
91. John Kirby
92. Anders Jormin
93. Henry Grimes
94. David Piltch
95. Rufus Reid
96. John Clayton
97. Edgar Meyer
98. Francisco Centino
99. Walter Page
100. Pekka Pohjola

jazz bassist Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus

jazz bassist Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke

jazz bassist Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers

jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius
Some listening recommendations:
"Stardust" - Ron Carter
"Whims of Chambers" - Paul Chambers
"School Days" - Stanley Clarke
"Conference of The Birds" - Dave Holland
"Universal Syncopations" - Miroslav Vitous
"Mingus Ah Um" - Charles Mingus
"Vital Tech Tones" - Victor Wooten
"Nocturne" - Charlie Haden
"Jaco Pastorius" - Jaco Pastorius
"Sketchbook" - John Patitucci

Ron Carter Stardust album



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