TALE TELLER CLUB ARTS HUB: Holding the Low End: Renowned Female Double Bass Players Who Changed the Game #doublebass

🎻 Holding the Low End: Renowned Female Double Bass Players Who Changed the Game

The double bass, with its deep tones and commanding presence, has long been a staple in various music genres. While traditionally male-dominated, many women have risen to prominence, showcasing exceptional talent and reshaping perceptions. Let's celebrate some of these trailblazing female double bassists.

🎼 1. Esperanza Spalding
A prodigious talent, Esperanza Spalding seamlessly blends jazz, fusion, classical, and soul. Her Grammy win for Best New Artist in 2011 marked a significant moment for jazz musicians. Beyond performance, she's a Harvard professor, emphasizing innovation in music.

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🎼 2. Chi-chi Nwanoku
Founder of the Chineke! Orchestra, Chi-chi Nwanoku champions diversity in classical music. With over three decades as principal bassist with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, her influence extends both on and off the stage.

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🎼 3. Linda May Han Oh
Australian-born and New York-based, Linda May Han Oh is a sought-after jazz bassist. Collaborating with legends like Pat Metheny, her performances are marked by deep musicality and improvisational prowess.

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🎼 4. Kristin Korb
Kristin Korb uniquely combines bass playing with vocals, delivering bebop agility with a smooth voice. Her interpretations of jazz standards are both inventive and timeless.

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🎼 5. Caroline Emery
A respected educator, Caroline Emery has mentored numerous bassists now in top orchestras worldwide. Her emphasis on posture and physical awareness has transformed double bass pedagogy.

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🎼 6. Jennifer Leitham
Jennifer Leitham, known as "The Left-Handed Virtuoso," has played with Mel Tormé and Doc Severinsen. As a transgender woman, she advocates for visibility and authenticity in the music world.YouTube

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🎼 7. Amy Domingues
Classically trained yet artistically adventurous, Amy Domingues explores genres from Baroque to experimental sound art. Her work highlights the double bass's capacity for subtlety and depth.

🎥 Performance Video:
YouTube

🌟 Emerging Female Bassists to Watch

Valerie Schatz
In 2021, Austrian double bassist Valerie Schatz made history by joining the Vienna Philharmonic, breaking longstanding gender barriers. World's Leading Classical Music Platform+1AP News+1

Yolanda Charles
A versatile bassist, Yolanda has collaborated with artists like Paul Weller and Hans Zimmer, showcasing her adaptability across genres. Medium

Eva Gardner
Known for her work with Cher and Gwen Stefani, Eva brings rock sensibility to the double bass, inspiring a new generation. Medium
🎬 Explore More

For a deeper dive into their performances:

Esperanza Spalding: YouTube

Chi-chi Nwanoku: YouTube

Linda May Han Oh: YouTube

Kristin Korb: YouTube

Caroline Emery: YouTube

Jennifer Leitham: YouTube

Amy Domingues: YouTube

These remarkable women have not only mastered the double bass but have also paved the way for future generations. Their stories and performances continue to inspire and redefine the boundaries of music.When we think of double bass players, it's easy to conjure images of towering instruments, smoky jazz clubs, and the deep rumble of classical orchestras. But while the double bass has long been considered a male-dominated instrument—perhaps due to its sheer size and physicality—women have not only held their own but reshaped the narrative in profound and inspiring ways.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most renowned female double bass players, spanning genres from classical to jazz, who continue to break boundaries and make their mark.

1. Esperanza Spalding

If there’s a modern icon of bass brilliance, it's Esperanza Spalding. A musical prodigy, Spalding plays both double bass and electric bass with virtuosic ease, weaving jazz, fusion, classical, and soul into a genre-defying tapestry. She made headlines in 2011 by winning the Grammy for Best New Artist—an award rarely given to jazz musicians. With a string of critically acclaimed albums and boundary-pushing live performances, Spalding’s influence reaches far beyond the bass community. She’s also a professor at Harvard, emphasizing innovation in music and performance.

2. Chi-chi Nwanoku

British-born Chi-chi Nwanoku is a trailblazer in the classical music world. As the founder of the Chineke! Orchestra—the first professional orchestra in Europe made up of majority Black and ethnically diverse musicians—she has made it her mission to open doors in a traditionally exclusionary space. A formidable double bassist in her own right, Chi-chi was a principal bassist with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment for over 30 years. Her career blends musical excellence with social justice, making her a vital voice in contemporary classical music.

3. Linda May Han Oh

Hailing from Australia and now based in New York, Linda May Han Oh has become one of the most in-demand jazz bassists of her generation. Whether leading her own projects or playing with legends like Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, or Vijay Iyer, Oh brings a deep musicality and sharp improvisational mind to every performance. Her tone is warm, articulate, and commanding, with an emotional range that speaks volumes. She also teaches at the Berklee College of Music and the New School, nurturing the next wave of bass talent.

4. Kristin Korb

A rare mix of bassist and vocalist, Kristin Korb blends bebop agility with a velvet voice. Originally from the U.S. and now based in Denmark, Korb carries forward the tradition of singing bassists (think Ray Brown or Slam Stewart) but with a distinctively elegant and lyrical touch. Her interpretations of jazz standards are joyful, inventive, and rhythmically tight, making her performances feel both timeless and fresh.

5. Caroline Emery

For lovers of classical double bass pedagogy, Caroline Emery is a key figure. A professor at the Royal College of Music in London, Emery has trained a generation of outstanding bassists, many of whom now play in top orchestras worldwide. She’s known for her work with young musicians and her emphasis on posture, breath, and physical awareness—an essential contribution to transforming how double bass is taught and performed.

6. Jennifer Leitham

Jennifer Leitham, a veteran of the jazz scene and an accomplished composer, performer, and educator, is best known for her work with the likes of Mel Tormé and Doc Severinsen. Her playing is powerful and deeply rooted in jazz tradition, but she’s also known for pushing the envelope both musically and personally. As a transgender woman in jazz, Leitham has been an advocate for visibility and acceptance in the music world, proving that artistry and authenticity go hand in hand.

7. Amy Domingues

Classically trained yet artistically adventurous, Amy Domingues has explored everything from Baroque continuo playing to post-rock collaborations and experimental sound art. Based in Washington, D.C., she’s a cellist and double bassist with a unique voice. Her work highlights the double bass’s capacity for subtlety, beauty, and textural depth across genres.
Why Representation Matters

The double bass may be one of the largest and most physically imposing instruments in the orchestra or on the bandstand, but these women show that passion, skill, and vision aren’t confined by size or stereotype. They’ve not only expanded what’s possible on the instrument—they’ve redefined who gets to play it.

Whether you're a student, a listener, or a player yourself, exploring the work of these bassists is a powerful reminder of music’s capacity to evolve—and to include.

Want to dive deeper?
Check out performances by these players on YouTube, explore their discographies on streaming platforms, and follow their latest work on social media. And if you’re learning bass yourself—take heart: these legends prove that the possibilities are endless.