Doug Weiss is an accomplished bassist and composer renowned for his deep connection to improvisation within and around songs. Over the course of his career, he has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians, lending his artistry to both recording and live performance. His extensive credits include work with the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, the Birdland Big Band, Adam Birnbaum, Marc Copland, Kevin Hays, Eddie Henderson, Clifford Jordan, Judy Niemack, Chris Potter, Dominik Raab, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jorge Rossy, Pete Seeger, Bill Stewart, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Lizz Wright.
From 1996 to 2019, Weiss was bassist and musical director of The Al Foster Quartet. Currently, he performs with Brian Blade’s “Lifecycles” band, the Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio, Caipi, the Peter Bernstein Quartet, and the Seamus Blake Group.
Weiss has also explored interdisciplinary collaborations, most notably with choreographer Meg Stuart. Their evening-length piece, All the Way Around, features his compositions for double bass and dance, highlighting his versatility as a musician.
Weiss leads The Berlin Quartet, alongside Belá Meinberg, Jordan Dinsdale, and Ori Jacobson, as well as the Interstellar Trio, featuring Melissa Aldana and Colin Stranahan. In these bands, Weiss is the composer, arranger, and bandleader.
In addition to his performance career, Weiss has made significant contributions to jazz education. He taught at The New School University and SUNY Purchase College for over 20 years and served as guest professor at the Jazz Institute Berlin in 2019. Since 2024 Douglas Weiss teaches Double Bass at Conservatorium Maastricht.
