He eventually outgrew the trumpeter’s band and began forging a storied solo career that was distinguished by such classic and stylistically contrasting albums as Blue Train (1958), Giant Steps (1960) and My Favorite Things (1961). In between he explored a variety of styles everything from cool jazz and hard bop to modal jazz – which produced his iconic LP Kind Of Blue – free bop and electric jazz rock the latter was epitomized by his influential 1970 album Bitches Brew, which ignited the fusion movement that dominated jazz in the early 70s.Įssential Album: Kind Of Blue (1959) John Coltrane (1926-1967)īorn in North Carolina and raised in Philadelphia, John Coltrane was an influential and technically accomplished saxophonist that played the tenor and soprano varieties of the instrument and initially rose to fame in the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid-to-late 1950s. He began his career in the mid-1940s playing bebop alongside Charlie Parker but ended it venturing into hip-hop with the album, Doo-Bop. Renowned for his ability to play ballads with a haunting, bittersweet lyricism, Miles’ career was characterized by a restless quest for innovation and musical change. Louis, Illinois, Miles Davis is arguably the most influential jazz musician of all time. ![]() In 1968, in the twilight of his career, he scored a huge international pop hit with “What A Wonderful World.”Įssential Album: Porgy & Bess (with Ella Fitzgerald) (1959)Ĭlick to load video Miles Davis (1926-1991)Ī trumpeter and bandleader from East St. He helped to popularize jazz in the 1920s and enjoyed a long and fruitful career that saw notable collaborations with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson and Bing Crosby. He was not only a brilliant trumpeter who could dazzle with his hard-swinging molten improvisations but also an expressive jazz singer who possessed a unique, gravel-textured voice. Nicknamed “Satchmo” or “Pops,” New Orleans-born Louis Armstrong was one of jazz’s most significant founding fathers and played a profoundly influential role in exporting the music to other parts of the world. He also stayed abreast of new trends, famously recording an album with rising saxophonist John Coltrane (1962’s Duke Ellington & John Coltrane) as well as collaborating with bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Max Roach the same year on the LP Money Jungle.Įssential Album: Ellington At Newport (1956) Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) The most prolific jazz composer of all time, whose repertoire extended to symphonic and sacred pieces, Ellington brought respectability to jazz. A pianist by trade – he played in a unique staccato style – Ellington made his name performing at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club in the late 20s where his orchestra helped to usher in the big band swing movement. At Granz’s Verve label – a company specifically set up to showcase the singer’s talents – Fitzgerald established herself as the premier jazz singer of her generation, and remains among the greatest jazz musicians ever.Įssential Album: Sings The Cole Porter Songbook (1956) Duke Ellington (1899-1974)īetween 19, Washington DC-born Duke Ellington commanded one of the finest ensembles in jazz. ![]() Though she rose to prominence in the big band swing era, debuting with the Chick Webb Orchestra in 1939, it was her themed songbook albums during the mid-to-late 1950s under the aegis of jazz impresario and producer Norman Granz that sealed her solo fame. Combining a soft, caressing tone with clear diction and a deep emotional sensitivity, she was also a pioneer of scatting, a vocal technique defined by wordless, horn-like improvisation. Born in Newport News, Virginia, Ella Fitzgerald earned the title “The First Lady Of Song” due to her peerless vocal abilities.
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