Philip "Phil" Francis Bates (born 19 June 1931) is an English jazz double bassist.
Bates was born in Brixton, London.
After playing regular gigs at London’s 51 Club with Harry Klein and Vic Ash throughout 1956, he joined The Jazz Couriers with Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott.
After the Couriers disbanded, Bates toured with Sarah Vaughan and played with the Lennie Metcalfe Band on the Cunard liner the RMS Mauretania.
In the early 1960s he worked with Johnny Dankworth and Ronnie Ross, among others, before joining Dick Morrissey's Quartet from October 1962 until 1968.
During that period he also played with the Harry South Big Band, as did the other members of the quartet, and with the Tony Kinsey Quintet.