With his debut album Consider It!, Cole Davis—one of the most versatile upright bassists of his generation—showcases the instrument as a collaborative voice—or, as Davis describes, “this is the most mainstream upright bass album ever.”  Produced by Ryan Olson of Poliça, Consider It! (September 26) is a mix of instrumentals and co-writes with vocalists, including Bon Iver (you can hear Davis’ bass on “Everything Is Peaceful Love”), Channy Leaneagh of Poliça and Papa Mbye.

Listen to the first two songs: “Broke the Handle Off,” inspired by 90s hip-hop and R&B, featuring Aaron Rice on vocals. “Beach Legs” is a nod to Herbie Flowers’s bass line on Lou Reed’s “Walk on The Wild Side,” “one of the most relevant upright bass lines,” says Davis.” Pre-order / pre-save Consider It! on the label Totally Gross National Product. 

Together, Davis and Olson use processed and acoustic sounds to let the bass become the storyteller. Cole leads an innovative group of improvisors, and his composed pieces are performed by violinist Tim Fain (“Cultivating New Frontiers in Carpentry”) and trumpeter CJ Camerieri of yMusic (“Gulls”). The moody struggle of “I Want You Gone” has layers of vocals by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver over Davis’s upright bass, Bryan Nichol’s piano and Julian Lage’s guitar. The album closes with the song “Miracle” featuring Poliça’s Channy Leaneagh’s hauntingly honest voice over upright bass chords and French horn harmonies.

The upright bassist for Lambchop and Swamp Dogg, Cole holds two degrees from Julliard and has been part of the New York City jazz circuit for many years. He’s a prolific educator with several books to his name, most notably The New Simandi—Cole’s take on the foundational method that became the best-selling upright bass instructional book of all time. 

He inherited a solid work ethic from his father, trombonist Michael Davis, who toured with the Rolling Stones and recorded extensively with Frank Sinatra. “Since I was old enough to remember, my dad made records, and spent a year or two on each project,” says Davis. “His dedication to making music was instilled in me from a young age, and you can definitely hear it on this album.” 

Consider It! Track listing 

Broke the Handle Off (featuring Aaron Rice)

Beach Legs 

I Want You Gone (featuring Bon Iver) 

Cultivating New Frontiers in Carpentry 

Featuring Cole Davis 

Lonesome Position Indeed 

Tooth and Nail (featuring Kinfu) 

Backseat Driver (featuring Papa Mbye) 

Gulls (featuring CARM) 

All Family Matters 

Miracle (featuring Channy Leaneagh) 

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