Thanks!!!
If there’s an explicitly written bass line and you’re comfortable with performing from figured bass, then sure, use it. The overwhelming majority of the time when chord symbols are used in jazz there isn’t a written bass line and the bass player is improvising from the chord symbols just as everyone else is. I don’t really know how to incorporate figured bass into that as it’s not based on counterpoint or continuo, and with modern chord/scale theory no one is thinking that way while improvising either. There’s less freedom with this in pop music of course, but a bass player still will typically vary from anything written as they feel the groove needs it.
I often use a language analogy with improvisation. The chord symbols of the tune decide the topic of conversation, but they don’t dictate the conversation, which can have all the unique twists and turns a verbal conversation can have. In the image below the topic of musical conversation is F7sus, but look at all the harmonic and melodic twists and turns McCoy Tyner adds to it.
Of course, his conversation partners of Ron Carter and Elvin Jones are also very knowledgeable in this subject and willing to follow him wherever the conversation goes, LOL!
Got it! Just out of curiosity, what are the other possibilities it comes up with in your example? Similar to the list I quickly posted above? (and dang, just realized I had a typo and left out the m in Dm11/A) Other options as well?