“‘Fresh and vibrant... a gifted young bassist’”
David Bowden is a bassist and composer based in Glasgow, working across jazz, folk and contemporary music on both double and electric bass. He performs in a range of settings, from small ensembles to larger orchestral projects, and has worked extensively in the UK and internationally.
In 2026, he releases his debut solo album Unsung Songs, a collection of original compositions and arrangements for solo double bass. The music draws on influences from jazz, folk and contemporary songwriting, with a focus on exploring melodic, harmonic and rhythmic possibilities on the instrument in a solo context. The album has been described as “absorbing explorations in solo double bass playing” (The Scotsman).
He is a founding member of the Mercury Prize-nominated Fergus McCreadie Trio, whose album Forest Floor won the 2022 Scottish Album of the Year Award. The trio has toured widely across the UK and Europe, with further performances in the US and Japan, including appearances at SXSW, the London Jazz Festival and Love Supreme Festival.
Bowden also led the jazz-fusion ensemble Mezcla, blending modern jazz with influences from funk, rock and global folk traditions. The group’s debut album Shoot the Moon received critical acclaim and a Scottish Album of the Year nomination.
Alongside this, he is active as a sideman and session musician across a variety of contexts. His orchestral and crossover work includes performances with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Festival Orchestra and Manchester Collective, as well as contributions to the film score for Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, recorded in New York. His singer-songwriter and folk collaborations include work with Beth Malcolm, Finn Anderson, Robin Adams, Flew The Arrow, Dosca, and others.
Earlier in his career, he won the BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year and co-led the jazz quartet Square One, winners of the Peter Whittingham Award.