Wolfgang J. Fernow (born 1952) is a German double bassist and composer who works across genres.
Fernow studied with Wolfgang Stert at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and with Fernando Grillo at the Academia di Musica in Perugia.
Between 1969 and 1989 he was the director of the Motettenchor Lörrach. He created the music for the films Die lange Hoffnung, Lothar Quinte and for the Polish theatre group Teatr Ósmego Dnia. He plays in classical orchestras. He also accompanied Klaus Bruder in the Trio Avodah and has been in several jazz and ethnic formations, including with Whisper Hot, Two Duos and Uhuru's Afro Music and as a guest with the Yehudi Menuhin Trio. He is attracted by the tension between composition and improvisation ("instant composing"). He currently improvises together with Mike Schweizer and Mathias Stich on silent films, dance and literary projects.