Curtis Counce (January 23, 1926 – July 31, 1963)[1] was an American hard bop and West Coast jazz double bassist.

He began recording in 1946 with Lester Young, and in the 1950s in Los Angeles with musicians such as Shorty Rogers, Stan Kenton,[2] Shelly Manne, Lyle Murphy, Teddy Charles, and Clifford Brown.

[3] Counce formed his quintet in 1956 featuring tenor saxophonist Harold Land, trumpeter Jack Sheldon, pianist Carl Perkins and drummer Frank Butler.

[4] The four albums originally released on Contemporary Records were reissued in 2006 on a double CD by Gambit Spain.

Counce's son[citation needed], born April 10, 1961, was placed for adoption by his biological mother.