Jazz Artists, their contributions to jazz, and style of playing

MU 221

Jelly Roll Morton

-piano / new orleans style
-first major jazz composer that combined composition and improvisation in an exciting and balanced way while maintaining the spirit of collective improvisation
-solos are characterized by his horn-like melodic lines
-helped bridge gap between ragtime and jazz piano
-claimed to be the inventor of jazz

Louis Armstrong

-trumpet / Chicago style / "father of jazz"
-favored the upper and lower register of the trumpet and played with a "brassiness"
-one of the first jazz musicians to refine a rhythmic conception that moved away from the stiffness of ragtime
-clearly defined rhythmic elements of jazz
-popularized and extended the musical vocabulary of the new orleans trumpet style

bix beiderbecke

-trumpet / chicago style
-had a softer, lighter, less brassy tone compared to armstrong
-offered young musicians an alternative to the model established by armstrong
-played close attention to connecting unusual note choices and acknowledging every passing chord in a progression

fletcher henderson

-piano / big band leader
-formed one of the first big bands that influenced the swing era and helped transition jazz from Dixieland to swing
-known for contrasting saxophones against the brasses
-perfected the block voicing technique

benny goodman

-clarinet / big band leader
-led a band that had a power, hard-driving sound that showcased his swinging, technically impressive clarinet playing
-known as the "king of swing"
-shaped jazz by providing exposure for many outstanding improvisors

duke ellington

-piano / big band leader
-developed the most unique style for jazz ensembles (jungle style)
-had an ability to capitalize on the unique personal sounds of individual players
-combined instruments from different sections to create a blended, colorful piece

bubber miley

-trumpet / played in Duke Ellington's big band
-pioneered the growling trumpet sound that became a hallmark of Ellington's jungle style

count basie

• piano / big band leader / kansas city style
  -led one of the most swinging big bands in jazz history
  -had a light, more precise touch and chose notes that were nearly perfect
  -used riffs

Charlie parker

-alto sax / bebop
-wrote a large number of pieces that helped define the sound and character of bebop
-introduced new ways of selecting notes compatible with comping chords, new ways of accenting notes to create highly syncopated phrases, and techniques for adding/implying additional chords through improvisation

thelonious monk

-piano / bebop
-created unorthodox melodies and challenging chord progressions that pushed improvisors to new levels of creativity
-played with a bold, percussive touch and favored the lower register

dizzy gillespie

-trumpet / bebop

• set a new standard of trumpet mastery with unmatched technical skill and creativity
  -composed an extensive body of original works that shaped the bebop repertoire
  -pioneered the integration of Afro-Cuban rhythms and music into jazz
  -developed a new improvisation vocabulary and innovative methods for connecting solo lines to chord progressions

ella fitzgerald

-scat vocalist / bebop
-popularized scat singing
-sang with a flawless technique, grace and effortless swing
-maintained a flawless pitch with agility and refined articulation while singing in a 3.5 octave range

lennie tristano

-piano / cool jazz
-created music that was marked by clarity, precision, and continuous tension, rather than the looseness of bop
-practiced collective improvisation that wasn't as overpowering as previous collective improv groups (ODJB)
-favored long, smooth, logical lines

lee konitz

-alto sax / cool jazz
-developed a technical speed and mastery of a different type of sound in jazz
-slowed the tempo and diversified his phrasing to introduce more space and silence into his lines
-played with a dry, airy tone and favored the upper register
-practiced lyrical restraint and flowing phrasing

miles davis

-trumpet / cool jazz, hard bop, west coast jazz, modal jazz
-influenced and popularized several major jazz styles over 5 decades
-pioneered modal jazz with his album, Kind of Blue (1959)
-played melodies with a freshness every time
-favored simplicity over virtuosity and was concerned with sound texture

horace silver

-piano / hard bop
-a leading figure in hard bop
-replaced bop's long, intricate lines with short, catchy phrases that emphasized clarity, logic, and rhythmic precision
-used silence strategically and played with a forceful, percussive touch

art blakey

-drums / hard bop
-freed drummers from the time-keeping role
-played with a looseness, loud, assertive, directive rhythm
-heavy swing

john coltrane

-tenor sax / modal jazz
-one of the most transformative figures in modern jazz
-known for his remarkable speed and technical mastery of the sax
-played with a distinctive cry, roughness, and dark tone
-"sheets of sound"

bill evans

-piano / jazz fusion
-integrated classical techniques and jazz improvisation in a more seamless fashion than any pianist before him
-known for floating pulse and phrasing across the bar line that moved away from the continuous 8th notes in bop
-introduced lyrical, introspective aesthetics

herbie hancock

-piano / jazz fusion
-freed pianists from the traditional hard bop comping patterns
-created the illusion of harmonic movement even when chords remained static
-pioneered jazz funk, electronic textures, and synthesizer-based ensembles
-played with a light, airy touch and was known for swinging, polished, and thoughtfully structured solos

creed taylor

-record label producer / smooth jazz
-helped to popularize smooth jazz with the CTI album

najee

-sax / smooth jazz
-Earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Album for his album, Najee's Theme, in 1986
-known for his contributions to smooth jaz and R&B

Kenny G

-sax / smooth jazz
-played a role in popularizing smooth jazz
-his 1986 album, Duotones, sold over 75 million records worldwide

roy hargrove

-trumpet / neo-soul jazz (?)
-known for his work in hard bop and genre-crossing collaborations
-won 2 grammys, one in 1998 for Latin Jazz, and one in 2002 for his work with R&B collective, RH Factor
-"music transcends genre"

robert glasper

-piano / neo-soul jazz
-5 time grammy winning artist known for blending jazz with R&B, hip hop, and soul
-produced a jazz album that won him a grammy in 2012 for Best R&B album

esperanza spalding

-bassist, vocalist / 21st century jazz
-first jazz artist to win a grammy for Best New Artist (2011)
-known for redefining the boundaries of jazz thorugh her blend of classical, Latin jazz, soul, and experimental performance