Top 10 JAZZ Bass Players

[@hakeemahmadjamal7403]

Paul Chambers played on the most important albums in Jazz, crazy to leave him out

[@Oscaraha]

Word, this video should be taken down.

[@BattManion1979]

@@Oscaraha They put in guys like Wooten who are like circus acts

[@s0y_aaa]

@@Oscaraha ehm, the video said at the start that its just his opinions, so.. fuck off ok?

[@frogsdogs]

I agree that Paul Chambers is a very important bass player, but this is just someone’s opinion. It’s great that you commented to raise awareness, but why be critical or nasty. Just share your different opinion! I might argue that Christian McBride is the best living bass player,but wouldn’t criticize anyone for disagreeing.

[@rxw5520]

@@frogsdogs he just said it was crazy to leave him out…. What universe are you from that this is nasty?

[@martian-sunset]

Really should be "Acoustic Bass Players" and "Electric Bass Players" so this list should include Eddie Gomez, Gary Peacock, NHOP, George Mraz and Ray Brown.

[@Musicfiend4ever]

Absolutely!

[@sergioflores5565]

+1 for all of these

[@emanuelerosasbmx4311]

Also paul chambers

[@WilliamAYoung-dr1qf]

Hard to argue with such an accomplished collection of bass players. But I would add the great Ray Brown to that list. He was one of the most respected and sought after bass players of his era. Thanks for sharing

[@vinnyd5471]

Strange to mix upright and electric bass in the same selection... NHOP and Scott LaFaro are definitely missing for me...

[@acephali6533]

you missed a very important name in there: Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen.....

[@sinjin88]

Thank you, if NHOP isn't one of them then this video is void.

[@radekpolak4548]

yes yes yes

[@mortenstaffeldt5541]

Agree this is missing the master.

[@madspetersen1708]

NHØP was the best

[@bekagigauri1799]

And Scott La Faro and Tom Kennedy????....

[@Tomatohater64]

My only addition would be my favorite bassist: Mr. Paul Chambers.

[@jodi183]

Funny to have a picture of Charlie Haden but no mention, or did I miss it? What about Paul Chambers? He's probably one of the most influential. And yes, someone mentioned NHOP. What about Scott LaFaro? Ray Brown? Eddie Gomez? Those guys are way more influential than Whooten, Miller and Bona (yes, those guys are great).

[@Musicfiend4ever]

Yep!

[@Plotani]

Scott LaFaro was from another planet

[@embodiedconducting]

I think you need do separate lists for double bass and electric bass because you left off too many double bass players that deserve to be on the list... Ray Brown, Percy Heath, Sam Jones, Jimmy Blanton, Miroslav Vitous, Richard Davis, Eddie Gomez and NHOP come to mind for starters. Stanley Clarke and John Patitucci could be on both lists.

[@jonathanedwards8696]

Where would you put Eberhard Weber?

[@embodiedconducting]

@@jonathanedwards8696 Frimly in the top 20 jazz bassists.

[@normanndaba8823]

@embodied conducting …I made my comment before seeing yours. Exactly.

[@Michelcontrabaixo]

on "acoustic Bass Blayers" should include Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen too

[@soltbitch]

Love that 'Jaco Pastorius 1951~'

[@lamaquinadehacerboludeces5620]

Ajajj xD

[@mladenpalenkas7750]

Pastorious No 1 👍

[@anthonydonofrio3266]

Paul chambers, Gary Willis, Charlie Haden, Hadrian feraud, Anthony Jackson, Ray Brown, Christian McBride... the list can go on and on.. definitely a good start.

[@okolekahuna3862]

Definite names I would've mentioned as well...

[@lmp9726]

Saw Hadrian Feraud last week, with OzNoy and Dave Weckl.

[@1yamawai1]

LOL after reading some of the comments it's obvious we need a top 500 list. bring a snickers, we gon be here a while

[@paoloalcantara2465]

This is his list. Of course if we made ours, it would be so different.

[@Pietro_0397]

Where is Ray Brown???!!!

[@gmo22]

I totally respect your list. However. I would have like to have seen the likes of Ray Brown, Scot LaFaro and or Eddie Gomez as well

[@slickrockcreek1]

Yes there are always names people can debate on any of these "top ten" lists but, all apologies, Ray Brown is not debatable. He should be on this list. Period. Let's put it this way: the best concert introduction I've ever seen was some years ago at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle: "And now for the four most commonly heard words heard on any jazz radio station: Ray Brown on bass!"

[@everythinghamsterz487]

Yeah!!!

[@gabepenn7386]

no kidding!

[@davidsanme1715]

I think Ray Brown is the best, and C. Mingus

[@CalebOrvik]

Jimmy blanton, Paul chambers, niels Pederson to name a few

[@drummondrick7]

Definitely Ray Brown! And yes, I agree, NHOP definetly worthy of mention, also Jimmy Blanton..he started the modern sound in jazz on bass... no Christian Mcbride??!! Younger than the others mentioned but has the body of work, he's been in collaboration with the greatest musicians of all time for a reason, definitely in top 10.. where's Paul Chambers?? Influenced generations of bassists... Sam Jones, Buster Williams, Rufus Reid... just my opinion 🎶

[@user-pz1yz6td6f]

Scott LaFaro?

[@drummondrick7]

@@user-pz1yz6td6f Was incredibly gifted, with a very unique sound that set him apart, tragic he passed away so young, I think he deserves mention in the great bassists conversation!

[@Acrimusic]

Well the list is only so big so it can only contain a limited number of people

[@nancyeckroad-haney7309]

​@@user-pz1yz6td6fwaiting to see If anyone mentioned Scotty... unforgettable.

[@jazzenthusiast4353]

Charlie Haden, Steve Swallow, Charnett Moffett and Avishai Cohen are among the 10 best.

[@JaySeitzPhD]

Eddie Gomez

[@drummondrick7]

And yes, Percy Heath! One of the most recorded bassists in jazz history !

[@gengafan]

I can't believe that Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (NHOP) is not on your list. Never heard of him?

[@Dtruthseek]

the Great Dane with the Never-Ending Name - and any list without Ray Brown I can't really take seriously. How about Kristin Korb, Katie Thiroux, women who play standup great and sing awesome too.

[@Tomatohater64]

I heard NHOP play with Joe Pass in the 70s; now I know what Heaven sounds like. (Ok, gimme some slack here.)

[@Dtruthseek]

@@Tomatohater64 You got the grace. I'm convinced that heaven is better than we can imagine. But in this life one of my chief joys is hearing a well played bass, whether for secular or Jesus music.

[@txa1265]

I love NHOP as well! It is so hard to build one of these lists - because what about Eberhard Weber? Ray Brown? (Scott LaFaro as mentioned above), Steve Swallow, and on and on ...

[@HCBMD]

I know it is always arbitrIair but NHOP was the best

[@euanwalker4436]

Portrait of Tracy by Jaco Pastorius, what a beautiful song.

[@DarkeningSkies1]

Holland is also formidable on cello, and plays guitar and piano as well. It is his composer's ear that would place him in my top five.

[@michaelmorran754]

Great list but surely Ray Brown and Percy Heath belong here too.

[@mac2phin]

Where's Paul Chambers? Charlie Haden?

[@likemostthings]

Milt Hinton?

[@Loppy8]

Double Bass (Contrabass) players and electric bass guitar players should be separated. They are two different instruments.

[@paulhaynes561]

Loppy8 I got no problem with electric bass players being included - as long as they stick to 4 strings. Plus, nowadays, most all upright players have to also know how to play electric if you want a gig.

[@user-pb8qn6zr5n]

Exactly! I support you! I love Marcas, Victor, but they are not Jazz.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

Juan Esteban Perez Perdomo Double basses are from the viol family. Bass guitars are from the guitar family. Do you want to include the pedals on a Hammond as well? Or the ukulele, which is also tuned in fourths?

[@gustamyo]

Bass guitar and Upright bass isn't from same family Juan.

[@newclarence]

@@EJP286CRSKW Ha, ha. perfect

[@tuomas3964]

The incredible world of bass

[@Nikosi9]

Great list...

[@user-pz1yz6td6f]

Scott LaFaro?

[@dansaghin1]

good pick, you should do a list with top underrated 10 jazz bass players... I`m sure some great names will appear there and will help young bass players expand their knowledge about the instrument and music...

[@mrvantagepro]

Two choices of mine for underrated are Steve Swallow and Mark Egan.

[@noelhunt4732]

No-one seems to have mentioned Sam Jones; NHOP and Sam Jones 'Double Bass', 1976

[@JonB44DD]

I almost lost it when I didn't see my homie from Philly Stanley Clarke. And since they added Jaco Pastorius, they might as well have added Alphonso Johnson, another home town talented bassist. But Stanley played both the electric and double bass as well.

[@RobCayzer]

Hes #2 on the list

[@JonB44DD]

@@RobCayzer alrighty then😊

[@johnbarnett6924]

Dedicated to my Childhood friend, William Yancy Dobie. Semper fi

[@davifiks421]

Marcus is my favorite, see him with the metropole orkest, is just fantastic

[@shaney4149]

These are all such talented people but Jaco is where the word unique truly has meaning.

[@utility43210]

I guess some might consider it gluttony to have all 3 of Pat Metheny's bass bass players(Pastorius Rodby and Bona), listed. But out of those 3, Rodby was by far the most instrumental(no pun intended), in helping Metheny/Mays make their most trademark and influential music. Rodby may not be as flashy as Jaco and Bona. But he sure as hell can hold a solid modal groove and keep the song in motion, better than any other bass player not just in jazz, but perhaps all of popular music. Criminal omission.

[@doddsalfa]

Charlie Haden was his number one bass player 😊

[@mrtools2]

Others have questioned your inclusions. I simply thank you for this wonderful compilation.

[@garrybrown7372]

Most influential to me is; Jaco! He also played upright double bass. Until it blew up. Not mentioned on double bass at all, is:- ? Today’s best young contemporary bassists in my opinion are:- Mohiney Dey, Federico Malaman, Davadid, H. Feroud and G.Severn. To name just a few.

[@joenoah9906]

Christian McBride...for sure

[@Tomatohater64]

McBride can play an awesome fretless as well.

[@raktimparashar]

Malachi Favors ,Eddie Gomez, Ray Brown,

[@newclarence]

Yeah, sweet Malachi. Under rated, under exposed and much missed.

[@saeclarkson]

In Canada we have some guys that are absolutely world class...Neil Swainson, Don Thompson, Dave Young and Steve Wallace to name a few.

[@leonardpater]

Jimmy Garrison (jazz) Eddie Gomez (jazz) Dough Wimbish (Rock) among the others

[@johnfairweather9188]

I would add Ray Brown. Very tasteful player.

[@rscottpartridge2781]

i appreciate your list, but Pettiford should've been closer to the top; the clips from Clarke and Pastorious weren't really showing off their best. All in all though its a worthy list: well done.

[@beto91959]

I love John Clayton too. Good list.

[@nemo227]

Some people think lists have some sort of "importance" but, really, do we listen to musicians because they're on someone's list or because we enjoy the music? It's not a contest. The important "list" may be the booking agent's call list.

[@karayuschij]

Some important missing (NHOP is one, Eberhard Weber is another), but I mostly agree.

[@gringochucha]

Nice list. The only guy I've never been able to get is Marcus Miller. I know he's technically a good player, but his music just doesn't reach me. I would add a lesser-known name to the list, and that's Guy Nsangué, who played with Jean Luc Ponty for many years. The guy was/is an incredibly gifted bass player.

[@GeoCoppens]

Marcus Miller is a poor one!

[@williamhinton2148]

You hit it right on the head I wouldn't change a thing .thanks Jaco was the best of them all and Ron Carter my favorite up right player. All of the heavy hitters. Marcus . John pat.Mingus. the men of bass.

[@LRS905]

Charlie Haden and Scott LaFaro, anyone?

[@txa1265]

Especially since Haden is the background picture as the video starts? haha - so many great bassists!

[@slickrockcreek1]

They would be on MY list! LaFaro maybe is not as well-known as he would have been if he had lived longer, but for any true Bill Evans fan he was not just a great bass player but also a true innovator on thre instrument. "Jade Visions" is one of my all-time favorite songs.

[@txa1265]

slickrockcreek1 I feel like I always learn something new listening to LaFaro on those Bill Evans recordings, even after many years and many listens. Such a tragic loss :(

[@GeoCoppens]

@@txa1265 Haden started his own cliches later! Not great!

[@Nikosi9]

@@GeoCoppens If you've listened to Haden live, you would hear one of the biggest sounds on bass. He was all about the timbre of the instrument. not so much the twiddly fingers...

[@ur_sph]

Great rank, Jaco no doubt n.1 not only for technic but for his visionary way of bass concept...

[@hummingbear88]

I see that all your clips are of solos. So are you judging bassists solely on their solo chops, rather than how they work with an ensemble? Because that’s the most important part of the job for a jazz bassist. That’s why Paul Chambers and Ray Brown have to be on the list, in preference to some of those electric hot shots. And there’s really no excuse at all for forgetting NHOP.

[@doodlesasap7894]

I like Ray brown a lot more than Marcus Miller. I’m not a fan of slap

[@blakeanncook7375]

Great list! One suggestion: Scott LaFaro.

[@stevenwolf8434]

Yes one of the best ever

[@j.p.fitting9226]

I was really digging it until the electric bass guitars came in haha Jaco yes ,monster! changed the bass, recognizable sound instantly ,Marcus Miller, a MoFo saw him w/Miles 2x's, I saw V. Wooten when he had just moved to Nashville,playing w/singer songwriter at the Bluebird Cafe, but dude! where's Ray Brown ,Paul Chambers,Wibur Ware? Guys with that real,deep,like what an upright sounds like tone? Not that 'Butter Bass' low action,slinky sounding electrified sound..I'll listen to more fusion or modern jazz ,check your recommendations out, cheers! JP

[@alexskrauth]

I think everyone could say ten more and then it turns out they are all great bass players.

[@Logan-Wolverine]

Jimmy Garrison,Paul Chambers,Ray Brown,Barre Phillips,Gary Willis,Jeff Berlin,Marc Johnson,Marcus Miller

[@Tomatohater64]

Jimmy Garrison - absolutely!

[@jazzman99000]

Top bass player is one that can keep the band centered I the pocket with good tone and groove and refrain from solos that exceed four bars.

[@mrvantagepro]

Spot on. Agree completely. 👍

[@tiagoaraujo3016]

Scott Ambush, Paul Jackson, Glecio Nascimento.

[@sport2481]

Great picks. Love me some Brian Bromberg...

[@herculesmwp7983]

Some of these guys are jazz bass players, definitely would’ve added ray brown in there somewhere in exchange

[@OMurchadha]

Great players. For me though, Niels Pedersen is a must must listen. Check him out if you haven't. Legend.

[@_Everyone__]

NHOP?

[@hmm4214]

Jimmy Garrison is a beast soloist...

[@Tomatohater64]

Oh hell ya!

[@kickinkanga7026]

Great list. All the names are there that I would of thought of.

[@donovanmarks2699]

Top ten is really hard, but this list is excellent!!

[@paulleighton4639]

add to that ray brown,scott lafaro,chuck israels,eddie gomez all legends

[@djeric1000]

Paul Chambers , Ray Brown , Dario Deidda , Christian Mc Bride , Federico Pecoraro

[@martinmetetiero8334]

También hay que destacar de Ron Carter el hecho de seguir tocando con la misma calidad a sus más de 80 años

[@jlvjazz]

JAZZ bass player list??? With Bona but not Paul Chambers??? No no no. All these guys are great, but a JAZZ list without PC & Ray Brown just is not acceptable. Also, Jimmy Blanton was the godfather of it all. If this is an overall bass player list, then this is a GREAT list.....love all of these guys.

[@bassmickeyd]

Nice, I've been playing upright 30-years and it's a lot more working than these players let on while they're playing. ... You could do a top 10 for jazz upright, jazz electric and jazz el who play upright, players. ...

[@jackburton6998]

Good list. And Marcus Miller plays great strait ahead jazz. He truly is a student of the language of jazz. Jeff Berlin (who I believe should be on the list) can't even stump Marcus with his "music tells on you" tests. Thumbs way up on this video! Any idea what Richard Bona was using on this performance? Some type of Pbass? Man he's such a pure player.

[@pacman1789]

It still seems to be some sort of Jazz Bass.

[@elducko1951]

Great stuff! I do agree that you overlooked Ray Brown and Milt Hinton but I'm willing to bet it wasn't intentional

[@jamorains]

Who have you all seen live??? I'll go: Ray Brown, Christian McBride, John Patitucci, Dave Holland, Eric Revis, Ruben Rogers.

[@clicks59]

How did Marcus Miller make the cut? Where's Steve Rodby? He's one of the most solid, in the pocket bass players out there.

[@bustabass9025]

Jymie Merritt's work with the Jazz Messengers is legendary. As is his decades long contribution to the New York jazz session sets and recordings in general, and Blue Note records in particular. The problem I have with these kind of posts, is that the poster hardly ever does any research nor has anything more than a cursory knowledge of the subject matter they so eagerly want to share with others. In which case you would not have omitted recognizing and ranking the huge contributions, and bodies of work of so many other great jazz bassist also quite conspicuously missing from, your "list."😕

[@thebnote1]

The esoteric nature of jazz makes for interesting reading, mostly in comments. Then seamlessly moves into "My dog's bigger than your dog." And then sadly leads into "Your stupid." There is a fabulous list of names below. I rather doubt one will find a universal list! So I'll just say there are many players that would be on my list. The 2 that would automatically be there are Christian McBride and Paul Chambers. Adding electric will, quite naturally lead to phenomenally talented rock bass players as well as jazz.That would include John Entwhistle and Jack Bruce on my list. The dichotomy in my book is most exceptionally talented rock bassist were influenced by jazz. One question: What planet is Jaco from?

[@bjoe74fm]

with phrases that make sense, john patitucci has a pulse

[@cirenosnor5768]

Seems separate acoustic and electric lists would’ve been best…then put Stanley on both lists 😁

[@grokeffer6226]

Eddie Gomez ??

[@butchjackson4428]

I feel sad that this video was started with an image of Charlie Haden, & yet somehow, Scott LaFaro is actually forgotten. Not a single mention of him. They were room mates in the late 50s when they were working on Ornette Coleman's "Free Jazz". Players like Bona or Pastorius would not exist w/o LaFaro. The 1st time I heard Jaco, I knew he'd listened to LaFaro. If you play two-finger style with your right hand, you owe that to LaFaro. Before LaFaro, almost everyone just played "the hook". His work w/ pianist Bill Evans, (fresh from Miles Davis' Quintet) - is groundbreaking. He died in a car crash July 4th weekend, 1961 - & seems to be forgotten now. Shame~

[@monmonky]

for me, if you talking about jazz bassist i think you can not forget lease these guy on following 1. Ray Brown 2. Scott Lafaro 3. Paul Chamber 4. NHOP 5. Chalie Harden 6. Oscar Pettiford 7. Ron Carter 8. Chales Mingus Cuz all of them are made jazz music to be jazz music on these day

[@Buddy_Banquet_Off]

What about Jaco or Brian Bromberg? #9 & #10...)))

[@monmonky]

@@Buddy_Banquet_Off Dave holland as​ well

[@sergiogomez5753]

And Charlie Haden, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Scott Lafaro, Christian McBride, Miroslav Vitous, P. Danielssen, Avishai Kohen......

[@ibassnote]

Fun to hear all the different sounds and concepts side by side. Pettiford has the most mellow sound in this vid...

[@mauriciokrebs2913]

This is why jazz is in the place it is right now. A fan dares to show and celebrate some of his favourite musicians = a shower of complaning and whinning on the comments.

[@augustuswhite5211]

No Bass players compilation can be complete without Anthony Johnson and James Jamerson. I agree we should separate Acoustic and Electric Bass playing.

[@fredfungalspore]

Can A bass player please tell what you call the style that Richard Bonar Re Pat metheny bass player is playing I love that long delayed twang but I don't know what it's called any one ???plz

You might want to add Willie Dixon, and any upright bass player that was in Duke Ellington's or Count Basie's bands. You did say Jazz, right?

[@thevan3293]

Marcus Miller that's all I needed to hear , proper good is that!

[@Pap94]

Eddie Gomez should be on any top ten list of jazz bass players.

[@odysseuslaertiades1528]

What about Slam Stewart and other bass players from the early periods of Jazz?

[@rhmayer1]

Great list. I would've included Gary Peacock. And NHOP.

[@bongosock]

Definitely needed some NHOP

[@mgjb747200]

Here's one more......Brian Bromberg (Wood albums)

[@robertonavarro9301]

Cecil mc bee. Good list

[@bsharporbflat8378]

This is a personal top 10..can't argue with this.

[@JonB44DD]

It is a personal top ten, that was posted on a public web site. Which allows it to be critqued by the public. You need a better response than that....

[@dibber43]

I can disagree!!! No Brian Bromberg, so...I DEFINITELY disagree with this list!!!

[@putzgadol]

My best friend for25 years was the principal bassist of a top orchestra. He was a good jazz player, also. Although he was a friend of Day Brown, he said the best jazz bassist, by far, is Victor Wooten.

[@danieledorazio1825]

Where is NHOP????

[@MrJazzman1350]

yeah really

[@retro4454]

Richard Bona is ridiculously amazing

[@emanuelerosasbmx4311]

What about Niels henning pedersen, Ray brown, Paul chambers?

[@mananaadamia1657]

I love Charlie Mingus

[@jackeaffe]

Leider ist Jaco auch schon lange tod. Schöne Zusammenstellung, leider zu kurz, ich vermisse Jeff Berlin....und noch vielleicht 10 andere Bassisten, aber egal....Großen Dank an dich und deine Zusammenstellung!

[@GeoCoppens]

Jaco was a bass GUITARIST!

[@robertcollins7196]

Obviously, everybody's going to have their opinion of who they prefer in a "Top 10" list. These guys are all great, even if I would prefer some others over a few you chose. If you had retitled it "10 Great Jazz Bass Players", I don't think anyone would argue!

[@terryharcrow7593]

What about Terry harcrow? Lol that's me 50yrs bass! These guys blow me away!

[@AllenPMinton]

I also like NHOP, Rufus Reid, Brian Bromberg, and Harvie Swartz.

[@josephvassale3524]

Where is Christian McBride or Rufus or Doug Watkins or Reed orPaul Chambers orScott Lafaro or Eddie Gomez or Marc Johnson Or Red Mitchell or Monty Budwig . Wow leaving Ray Brown off was bad enough but Jimmy Blanton who opened up the modern style.

[@josephvassale3524]

And reading these comments l miss NHOP and Jimmy Garrison and so many other great Bass Players.