Phil Donkin touches bass with the Loft, Cologne

Asked what he thinks of bassist Phil Donkin, the jazz drummer Jochen Rückert takes a deep and trembling drag on his cigarette. ‘Phil? Phil is young. Really young He’s got all the fundamentals nailed down: he’s a proper, versatile bass player in the traditional sense. And then he has this whole experimental and progressive side to him that maybe you didn’t suspect at first. That’s about it. He’s new. We’re still finding out who he is.’

Phil Donkin was born in Sunderland in 1980. He took up the electric bass at 12, playing in rock bands until he developed an interest in jazz and moved to London in 1998.

He studied at the Guildhall School, and took up the double bass, studying under the LSO principal Colin Paris. At the same time, he was playing a lot of jazz and developed an interest in Charles Mingus, Dave Holland and Larry Gales, and in rhythmic concepts introduced by the Miles Davis Quintet. He also acknowledges the influence of Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor.

Since 2002, Phil has been busy on the London and UK scene, and has also worked with internationally known artists such as Mike Gibbs, Kirk Lightsey, and Jeff Williams. He is a member of Gwilym Simcock’s various bands and is working on a new project with Gerard Presencer.