After a short stint on trombone, Alphonso Johnson took up the electric bass in 1968. His early gigs included time with Horace Silver, Woody Herman (1972), Chuck Mangione (1973), and Chet Baker. Johnson rose to fame while touring and recording three albums with Weather Report (1974-1976). This was followed by stints with Billy Cobham (1976-1977),... [+] Read More

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One of jazz's most valuable sidemen, Buster Williams has been able to flourish through many periods of changing fashions in jazz. Best known since the 1980s for his solid, dark tone and highly refined technique on the acoustic bass, the jazz-rock generation knew him as the mobile anchor of Herbie Hancock's exploratory "Mwandishi" Sextet from... [+] Read More

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Dave Holland is of a generation of bassists who, in the '60s and '70s, built upon the innovations of slightly older players like Scott LaFaro, Gary Peacock, and Barre Phillips, carrying the instrument to yet another new level of creativity. Along with contemporaries like Eddie Gómez, Miroslav Vitous, and Barry Guy, Holland helped refine and... [+] Read More

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Jaco Pastorius was a meteor who blazed on to the scene in the 1970s, only to flame out tragically in the 1980s. With a brilliantly fleet technique and fertile melodic imagination, Pastorius made his fretless electric bass leap out from the depths of the rhythm section into the front line with fluid machine-gun-like passages that demanded... [+] Read More

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Luke Vajsar was born in Prague, Czech Republic on May 17, 1979. In 1989 he immigrated to Hamilton, Canada with his brother and parents. When he was given the opportunity to play music at the age of 10 in elementary school, he immediately became very interested. Even though he selected bass as his instrument he was given the trombone by his... [+] Read More

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The epitome of class and elegance, though not stuffy, Ron Carter has been a world class bassist and cellist since the '60s. He's among the greatest accompanists of all time, but has also done many albums exhibiting his prodigious technique. He's a brilliant rhythmic and melodic player, who uses everything in the bass and cello arsenal; walking... [+] Read More

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A brilliant player on both acoustic and electric basses, Stanley Clarke has spent much of his career outside of jazz, although he has the ability to play jazz with the very best. He played accordion as a youth, switching to violin and cello before settling on bass. He worked with R&B and rock bands in high school, but after moving to New York,... [+] Read More

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