Marc Johnson

The Profile

American jazz double bassist and bandleader known for his tenure with Bill Evans’s final trio and for leading Bass Desires with Bill Frisell and John Scofield. He has recorded widely for ECM and Verve, collaborating with artists including Pat Metheny, Joey Baron, Peter Erskine, and Eliane Elias.

Played in Bill Evans’s last trio; led Bass Desires (with Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Peter Erskine); notable albums on ECM and Verve; frequent collaborations with Pat Metheny, Joey Baron, Peter Erskine, and Eliane Elias.

Two warmly positive DeBaser reviews spotlight Marc Johnson’s elegance and leadership as a jazz double bassist. The pieces praise his work with Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Joey Baron, and Peter Erskine. Bass Desires (1986) is hailed as an intelligent, stylistically fluid debut, while The Sound of Summer Running (1998) is celebrated for refined, integrated ensemble playing. His roots with Bill Evans are noted and respected throughout.