Malachi Favors (August 22, 1927 – January 30, 2004) was an American jazz bassist who played with the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

“Favors’s tendency to dissemble about his age was a well-known source of mirth to fellow musicians of his generation”. Most reference works give his year of birth of 1937, but, following his death, his daughter stated that it was 1927.

Favors primarily played the double bass, but also played the electric bass guitar, banjo, zither, gong, and other instruments. He began playing double bass at the age of 15 and began performing professionally upon graduating from high school. Early performances included work with Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard. By 1965, he was a founder of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and a member of Muhal Richard Abrams‘ Experimental Band.