Chris Minh Doky

Born into a musically accomplished household, jazz bassist Chris Minh Doky initially aspired to a medical career. His Danish mother had previously worked as a pop singer, while his Vietnamese father combined classical guitar with the practice of medicine. Boredom prompted him to begin classical piano lessons at age six, and within a few years he earned three awards from the Royal Danish Conservatory for Classical Music. At fifteen he happened upon the electric bass; two years later, after encountering Miles Davis’s album My Funny Valentine, he took up the upright bass. The following year the Royal Danish Conservatory for Contemporary Music recognized his progress on that instrument with another award.

In 1989 Doky relocated to New York City to advance his professional prospects. There he performed alongside emerging players such as Joey Calderazzo, Curtis Stigers, and Larry Goldings. At twenty-one he joined Mike Stern’s band as bassist and also worked with David Sanborn, Bill Evans, and Kirk Whalum. That same year Storyville Records offered him his first recording contract, which yielded three years of releases. He moved to Blue Note in 1995, where further sessions featured Al Jarreau and Dianne Reeves. Subsequent projects over the next several years involved additional American musicians and three albums on which he served as composer, bandleader, and producer; among the guests were Randy Brecker, saxophonist Bill Evans, and his brother, pianist Niels. One of the honors he received during the 1990s was an invitation to perform at the White House during Bill Clinton’s presidency.