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Barre Phillips was born October 27, 1934, in San Francisco, California. He studied briefly in 1959 with S. Charles Siani, Assistant Principal Bassist with the San Francisco Symphony. In 1962 he moved to New York City in 1962 and during the Sixties he recorded with, among others, Eric Dolphy, Jimmy Giuffre, Archie Shepp, Peter Nero, Attila Zoller, Lee Konitz and Marion Brown.

Moving to Europe in 1967, Phillips’ 1968 recording of solo bass improvisations was issued under three different titles as Journal Violone in the US, Unaccompanied Barre in England, and Basse Barre in France on Futura Records, is generally credited as the first solo bass record.

A 1971 record with Dave Holland, Music from Two Basses, was probably the first record of improvised double bass duets. Since 1972 he has been based in southern France and in the 1970s, he was a member of the well-regarded and influential group The Trio, with saxophonist John Surman and drummer Stu Martin.

The 1980s and 1990s saw Barre playing regularly with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, led by fellow bassist Barry Guy. He worked on soundtracks of the motion pictures Merry-Go-Round, Naked Lunch together with Ornette Coleman, and Alles was baumelt, bringt Glück!. He has also worked with numerous bassists, guitarists, clarinetists, saxophonists, and pianists.

At 87, double bassist Barre Phillips continues to be active on the jazz scene.

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