Joe Fonda (born December 16, 1954) is an American jazz bassist.

Career

Fonda was born in Amsterdam, New York to parents who both played jazz. He played guitar as a youth but switched to bass guitar later. He studied bass at Berklee College of Music, where he also began playing upright bass. He played in the New Haven, Connecticut area in the early 1980s, and recorded with Wadada Leo Smith. In 1994 he began playing with Anthony Braxton, collaborating with him extensively for the next five years. He and Michael Jefry Stevens led the Fonda-Stevens band that began in 1991. Since the late 1990s Fonda has recorded often as a bandleader. Fonda has also explored dance in relation to jazz. He played bass with a dance company in the 1980s and incorporated a tap dancer into his ensemble for the albums From the Source and The Healing.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

With Michael Jefry Stevens With the Nu Band With Conference Call With the FAB Trio With the OGJB Quartet (Oliver Lake, Graham Haynes, Fonda, Barry Altschul)

As sideman

With Barry Altschul With Anthony Braxton With Satoko Fujii With others