Solo bass records

[Pim]

As I was listening to the Sankt Gerold Tapes by Evan Parker, Barre Philips and Paul Bley I really enjoyed the parts where Phillps was soloing. Well I enjoyed every single part of the album but it made me realize i havent got a solo bass record. So my question: what are your favorite bass solo albums? Thy may only name five 

 

 

[jlhoots]

Reginald Workman: The Works Of Workman

[B. Clugston]

Barre Philips has recorded many excellent solo albums. Call Me When You Get There is probably the best but the relatively recent End to End is a good one, too.

John Lindberg’s Comin’ and Goin’ is excellent. 

[Guy Berger]

1 hour ago, Pim said:

As I was listening to the Sankt Gerold Tapes by Evan Parker, Barre Philips and Paul Bley I really enjoyed the parts where Phillps was soloing. Well I enjoyed every single part of the album but it made me realize i havent got a solo bass record. So my question: what are your favorite bass solo albums? Thy may only name five 

 

 

Side note, this is a great album, as is the same trio’s Time Will Tell.

[optatio]

I only have this CD:

There are surprisingly many solo bass records: https://doublebasshq.com/a-chronological-listing-of-unaccompanied-double-bass-albums/ 

[Rabshakeh]

Some favourites:

Maarten van Regteren Altena - Handicaps

Mark Dresser - Unveil

Peter Kowald - Was Da Ist

Barry Guy - Irvin's Comet

Domenico Sciajno - Broken Bridge

Joelle Leandre - Contrebassiste (Taxi)

Hard to pull off a solo bass record in my view. I have listened to many. Lots are excellent but few are really top tier. Given how important the *sound* of the instrument is, a lot comes down to sound quality in my opinion. 

If you're willing to broaden to cello:

Abdul Wadud - By Myself

Erik Friedlander - Volac: The Book of Angels Volume 8

[T.D.]

In the cello category, Dave Holland's Life Cycles is pretty good.

I don't think I own any full solo bass albums. In the modern/avant sector, a lot of solo bass entails heavy use of extended techniques, which IMO comes off a lot better live.

[JSngry]

One cut:

 

One album:

 

[Rabshakeh]

4 minutes ago, JSngry said:

One album:

 

Is this the one with that weird Women's Song?

[JSngry]

Yes, but weird? A song about genocide!

[mikeweil]

On 6/7/2025 at 5:11 PM, jlhoots said:

Reginald Workman: The Works Of Workman

That's a really wonderful album!

[Teasing the Korean]

If it meets your criteria, I recommend Gunther Schuller's Quartet for Double Basses.  I have it on a Turnabout LP (TV-S 34412), where it comprises Side 2.

[mikeweil]

17 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

If it meets your criteria, I recommend Gunther Schuller's Quartet for Double Basses.  I have it on a Turnabout LP (TV-S 34412), where it comprises Side 2.

Now that makes me curious.

[mjazzg]

Pim, these two substacks might be of interest. One about Phillips, the other about Francois Rabbath and his solo bass playing

https://open.substack.com/pub/sunra/p/francois-rabbath?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1tklsf

https://open.substack.com/pub/sunra/p/barre-phillips?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1tklsf

 

 

[Rabshakeh]

21 hours ago, JSngry said:

Yes, but weird? A song about genocide!

Maybe I'm misremembering. I recall it being how feminism is taking over the world or something, and being really quite misogynistic. Perhaps I am getting confused.

[JSngry]

It starts out sounding like that that, but it ends up about the Black man is being wiped out altogether 

And he specifically uses the word genocide.

[Pim]

On 6/8/2025 at 2:47 PM, Rabshakeh said:

Some favourites:

Maarten van Regteren Altena - Handicaps

Mark Dresser - Unveil

Peter Kowald - Was Da Ist

Barry Guy - Irvin's Comet

Domenico Sciajno - Broken Bridge

Joelle Leandre - Contrebassiste (Taxi)

Hard to pull off a solo bass record in my view. I have listened to many. Lots are excellent but few are really top tier. Given how important the *sound* of the instrument is, a lot comes down to sound quality in my opinion. 

If you're willing to broaden to cello:

Abdul Wadud - By Myself

Erik Friedlander - Volac: The Book of Angels Volume 8

Thanks ! Been awhile since I’ve listened to the Kowald. I do know both the Wadud and Friedlander and like them a lot. Thanks for the tips

3 hours ago, mjazzg said:

Pim, these two substacks might be of interest. One about Phillips, the other about Francois Rabbath and his solo bass playing

https://open.substack.com/pub/sunra/p/francois-rabbath?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1tklsf

https://open.substack.com/pub/sunra/p/barre-phillips?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1tklsf

 

 

Thanks Mark. I’m not familiar with him (yet)

[Д.Д.]

I love solo bass records, and there is a lot of good stuff out there. My favorite one is Camouflage by Barre Phillips. Here are a few other I like: https://www.discogs.com/lists/Solo-double-bass-albums/1408762 .