ENDEIT
Steve Swallow
Photo: Natalia Dobryszycka Wrocław, Poland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Guitarists · b. 1940

Steve Swallow

American jazz bassist and composer

Born
4 October 1940
Fair Lawn
Country
United States
Active
1960–
Record labels
ECM Records, Palmetto Records
Discography
17 albums

Biography

Steve Swallow is a jazz musician who plays guitar and bass instrument. Steve Swallow was born on 4 October 1940 in Fair Lawn. The music is usually filed under jazz and jazz fusion. Record labels: ECM Records and Palmetto Records. The discography here lists 17 albums, from “Home” (1980) to “Winter Songs” (2026).

Steve Swallow (born October 4, 1940) is an American jazz bassist and composer, known for his collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton, and Carla Bley. He was one of the first jazz double bassists to switch entirely to electric bass guitar.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Home 1980 · ECM Records Swallow 1992 · WATT Works Real Book 1994 · ECM Records Carla 1997 · WATT Works Deconstructed 1997 · XtraWATT Always Pack Up Your Uniform On Top 2000 · WATT Works
Damaged in Transit 2003 · Live
So There 2006
Swallow Songs 2008 · Bohuslän Big Band Playing in Traffic 2009 · Auand
Agnostic Chant Book 2012
Right Together 2013
Simple Songs 2014
Singular Curves 2014 · Auand
Willow: A Jazz Suite 2014
Over the Rainbow 2021
Winter Songs 2026 · ECM Records

Also plays on

Albums where Steve Swallow is credited as a sideman

1963 Free Fall — Jimmy Giuffre double bass
1964 Footloose! — Paul Bley bass
1964 Point of Departure — Gary McFarland bass
1965 Basra — Pete La Roca bass
1967 In Paris Live — Stan Getz bass
1968 Tones for Joan's Bones — Chick Corea double bass
1969 Throb — Gary Burton bass
1971 Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett — Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett double bass, bass
1971 Good Vibes — Gary Burton bass
1971 Childhood Is Forever — Steve Kuhn bass
1972 Paris Encounter — Gary Burton & Stéphane Grappelli electric bass guitar
1974 Seven Songs for Quartet and Chamber Orchestra — Gary Burton / Michael Gibbs bass
1974 We Could Be Flying — Karin Krog, Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow, Jon Christensen electric bass guitar
1974 In the Public Interest — Michael Gibbs & Gary Burton bass
1974 Ring — Gary Burton Quintet & Eberhard Weber electric bass guitar
1975 Work of Art — Art Farmer bass
1975 Hotel Hello — Gary Burton / Steve Swallow performer, bass, strings
1975 Trance — Steve Kuhn electric bass guitar
1976 The Best of Two Worlds — Stan Getz feat. João Gilberto bass
1977 Sheila — Sheila Jordan and The Johnny Knapp Trio bass
1977 Passengers — The Gary Burton Quartet with Eberhard Weber bass guitar
1978 Times Square — Gary Burton bass guitar
1980 Bar Talk — John Scofield electric bass guitar
1981 Social Studies — Carla Bley bass
1982 Shinola — John Scofield electric bass guitar
1982 Live! — Carla Bley bass guitar, bass
1983 Mortelle randonnée — Carla Bley bass, synthesizer
1983 Something There — Michael Mantler bass
1983 When Elephants Dream of Music — Bob Moses bass
1984 Heavy Heart — Carla Bley bass

Standards written by Steve Swallow

TitleKeyFormGroove
Falling Grace A♭ major AB · 24 Even eighths
Eiderdown G minor AABCA · 40 Medium swing
Radio F major AB · 31 Medium-up swing
Ladies In Mercedes G major ABCD · 32 Bossa nova
Sweeping Up G major A · 7 Ballad

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Steve Swallow play?

Steve Swallow is known for playing guitar and bass instrument.

When and where was Steve Swallow born?

Steve Swallow was born 4 October 1940 in Fair Lawn.

What are Steve Swallow's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Home (1980), Swallow (1992), Real Book (1994), Carla (1997) and Deconstructed (1997).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.