jazz musicians. The Greatest Jazz Artists: Rating, Achievements and Interesting Facts

Jazz artists have invented a special musical language, which was built on improvisation, complex rhythmic figures (swing) and unique harmonic patterns.

Jazz arose in the late XIX - early XX in the United States of America and was a unique social phenomenon, namely, the confluence of the African and American cultures. Further development and stratification of jazz into various styles and sub-styles due to the fact that jazz performers and composers continuously continued to complicate their music, seek new sounds and master new harmonies and rhythms.

Thus, a huge jazz heritage has accumulated, in which the following main schools and styles can be distinguished: New Orleans (traditional) jazz, bebop, hard bop, swing, cool jazz, progressive jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, fusion, etc. e. This article contains ten outstanding jazz performers, having read them, you will get the most complete picture of the era. free people and energetic music.

Miles Davis (Miles Davis)

Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton (USA). Known as an iconic American trumpeter whose music had a huge impact on the jazz and music scene of the 20th century as a whole. He experimented a lot and boldly with styles, and perhaps that is why the figure of Davis stands at the origins of such styles as cool jazz, fusion and modal jazz. Miles started his musical career as a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet, but later managed to find and develop his own musical sound. Miles Davis' most important and seminal albums are Birth of the Cool (1949), Kind of Blue (1959), Bitches Brew (1969) and In a Silent Way (1969). Main Feature Miles Davis was constantly on the creative quest and showing the world new ideas, which is why the history of modern jazz music owes so much to his exceptional talent.

Louis Armstrong (Louis Armstrong)

Louis Armstrong, the man whose name comes to most people's minds when they hear the word "jazz", was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans (USA). Armstrong had a dazzling talent for playing the trumpet and did much to develop and popularize jazz music throughout the world. In addition, he also captivated the audience with his husky bass vocals. The path that Armstrong had to go from tramp to the title of King of Jazz was thorny. And it began in a colony for black teenagers, where Louis ended up for an innocent prank - shooting a pistol on New Year's Eve. By the way, he stole a gun from a policeman, a client of his mother, who was a representative ancient profession in the world. Thanks to this not too favorable set of circumstances, Louis Armstrong got his first musical experience in the camp brass band. There he mastered the cornet, tambourine and alto horn. In a word, Armstrong went from marches in the colony and then episodic performances in clubs to a world-class musician, whose talent and contribution to the jazz treasury can hardly be overestimated. The influence of his landmark albums Ella and Louis (1956), Porgy and Bess (1957), and American Freedom (1961) can still be heard in the game. contemporary performers various styles.

Duke Ellington (Duke Ellington)

Duke Ellinton was born April 29, 1899 in Washington DC. Pianist, orchestra leader, arranger and composer whose music has become a real innovation in the world of jazz. His works were played on all radio stations, and his recordings are rightfully included in the “gold fund of jazz”. Ellinton has been recognized all over the world, received many awards, wrote a huge number of brilliant works, which include the standard "Caravan", which bypassed the entire Earth. His most notable releases include Ellington At Newport (1956), Ellington Uptown (1953), Far East Suite (1967) and Masterpieces By Ellington (1951).

Herbie Hancock (Herbie Hancock)

Herbie Hancock was born on April 12, 1940, in Chicago (USA). Hancock is known as a pianist and composer, as well as the owner of 14 grammy awards, which he received for his work in the jazz field. His music is interesting because it combines elements of rock, funk and soul, along with free jazz. Also in his compositions you can find elements of modern classical music and blues motifs. In general, almost every sophisticated listener will be able to find something for themselves in Hancock's music. If we talk about innovative creative solutions, then Herbie Hancock is considered one of the first jazz performers who combined the synthesizer and funk in the same way, the musician is at the forefront of the newest jazz style - post-bop. Despite the specificity of the music of some stages of Herbie's work, most of his songs are melodic compositions that have fallen in love with the general public.

Among his albums, the following can be distinguished: "Head Hunters" (1971), "Future Shock" (1983), "Maiden Voyage" (1966) and "Takin' Off" (1962).

John Coltrane (John Coltrane)

John Coltrane, an outstanding jazz innovator and virtuoso, was born on September 23, 1926. Coltrane was a talented saxophonist and composer, bandleader and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Coltrane is rightfully considered a significant figure in the history of the development of jazz, who inspired and influenced modern performers, as well as the school of improvisation in general. Until 1955, John Coltrane remained relatively unknown until he joined the Miles Davis band. A few years later, Coltrane leaves the quintet and begins to closely engage in his own work. During these years, he recorded albums that made up the most important part of the jazz heritage.

These are "Giant Steps" (1959), "Coltrane Jazz" (1960) and "A Love Supreme" (1965), which became icons of jazz improvisation.

Charlie Parker (Charlie Parker)

Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920 in Kansas City (USA). Love for music woke up in him quite early: he began to master the saxophone at the age of 11. In the 30s, Parker began to master the principles of improvisation and developed in his technique some of the techniques that preceded bebop. Later he became one of the founders of this style (along with Dizzy Gillespie) and, in general, had a very strong influence on jazz music. However, as a teenager, the musician became addicted to morphine, and in the future, the problem of heroin addiction arose between Parker and music. Unfortunately, even after treatment in the clinic and recovery, Charlie Parker could not work as actively and write new music. Ultimately, heroin derailed his life and career and caused his death.

Charlie Parker's most significant jazz albums are Bird and Diz (1952), Birth of the Bebop: Bird on Tenor (1943), and Charlie Parker with strings (1950).

Thelonious Monk Quartet (Thelonious Monk)

Thelonious Monk was born October 10, 1917, in Rocky Mount (USA). He is best known as a jazz composer and pianist, as well as one of the founders of bebop. His original "torn" style of playing absorbed various styles - from avant-garde to primitivism. Such experiments made the sound of his music not quite characteristic of jazz, which, however, did not prevent many of his works from becoming classics of this style of music. Being very an unusual person, who from childhood did everything possible just not to be "normal" and like everyone else, Monk became famous not only for his musical solutions, but also to its rare complex nature. Many anecdotal stories are associated with his name about how he was late for his own concerts, and once refused to play in a Detroit club at all, because his wife did not show up for a performance. And so Monk sat in a chair, hands folded, until his wife was finally brought into the hall - in slippers and a dressing gown. Before the eyes of her husband, the poor woman was urgently delivered by plane, if only the concert would take place.

Monk's most notable albums include Monk's Dream (1963), Monk (1954), Straight No Chaser (1967), and Misterioso (1959).

Billie Holiday (Billy Holiday)

Billie Holiday, famous American jazz vocalist, was born on April 7, 1917 in Philadelphia. Like many jazz musicians, Holiday began her musical career in nightclubs. Over time, she was lucky enough to meet producer Benny Goodman, who organized her first recordings in the studio. Fame came to the singer after participating in the big bands of such jazz masters as Count Basie and Artie Shaw (1937-1938). Lady Day (as her fans called her) had a unique style of performance, thanks to which she seemed to reinvent a fresh and unique sound for the most simple compositions. She was especially good at romantic, slow songs (such as "Don't Explain" and "Lover Man"). Billie Holiday's career was bright and brilliant, but not long, because after thirty years she became addicted to drinking and drugs, which negatively affected her health. The angelic voice lost its former strength and flexibility, and Holiday was rapidly losing the favor of the public.

Billie Holiday enriched jazz art with such outstanding albums as "Lady Sings the Blues" (1956), "Body and soul" (1957), and "Lady in Satin" (1958).

Bill Evans (Bill Evans)

Bill Evans, the legendary American jazz pianist and composer, was born on August 16, 1929 in New Jersey, USA. Evans is one of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century. His musical works so sophisticated and unusual that few pianists are able to inherit and borrow his ideas. He could masterfully swing and improvise like no other, at the same time, melody and simplicity were far from alien to him - his interpretations of famous ballads gained popularity even among non-jazz audiences. Evans was trained as an academic pianist, and after serving in the army began to appear in public with various obscure musicians as a jazz performer. Success came to him in 1958 when Evans joined the Miles Davis sextet, along with Cannonball Oderley and John Coltrane. Evans is considered the creator chamber genre jazz trio, which is characterized by a leading improvising piano, as well as solo drums and double bass along with it. His musical style brought a variety of colors to jazz music - from inventive graceful improvisations to lyrically-colored tones.

To nai best albums Evans can be attributed to his solo recording of "Alone" (1968), made in man-orchestra mode, "Waltz for Debby" (1961), "New Jazz Conceptions" (1956) and "Explorations" (1961).

Dizzy Gillespie (Dizzy Gillespie)

Dizzy Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917 in Chirow, USA. Dizzy has a lot of merit in the history of the development of jazz music: he is known as a trumpeter, vocalist, arranger, composer and leader of orchestras. Gillespie also co-founded improvisational jazz with Charlie Parker. Like many jazzmen, Gillespie started out playing in clubs. Then he moved to live in New York and successfully entered the local orchestra. He was known for his original, if not to say buffoonish, behavior, which successfully turned the people who worked with him against him. From the first orchestra, in which a very talented, but peculiar trumpeter Dizz went on tour in England and France, he was almost kicked out. The musicians of his second orchestra also did not react quite cordially to Gillespie's mockery of their playing. In addition, few people understood his musical experiments- some called his music "Chinese". Collaboration with the second orchestra ended in a fight between Cab Calloway (his leader) and Dizzy during one of the concerts, after which Gillespie was expelled from the band with a bang. After Gillespie creates his own group, in which he and other musicians work to diversify the traditional jazz language. Thus, the style known as bebop was born, on the style of which Dizzy actively worked.

The best albums of the brilliant trumpeter include "Sonny Side Up" (1957), "Afro" (1954), "Birk's Works" (1957), "World Statesman" (1956) and "Dizzy and Strings" (1954).

For decades, freedom music performed by dizzying jazz virtuosos has been a huge part of the music scene and just human life. The names of the musicians that you can see above are immortalized in the memory of many generations and, most likely, the same number of generations will inspire and amaze with their skill. Perhaps the secret is that the inventors of trumpets, saxophones, double basses, pianos, and drums knew that some things could not be done on these instruments, but forgot to tell jazz musicians about it.

_________________________________

Jazz vocals are traditionally associated with female performance. Known jazz singers, using only their voice, are able to create an aura of mystery or an atmosphere of playfulness on stage.

famous jazz singers

Ella Fitzgerald

Having won the love of the public and the respect of colleagues, the first lady of jazz forever remained very modest and shy. In 1942, she became the first woman to lead a large musical group - the Chick Webb Orchestra, which performed for soldiers during the war.

Ella Fitzgerald

Especially for Ella, it was founded by producer Norman Grantz, on which albums were recorded with the participation of Ellington and Berdin, Rogers and Hart.

Once, having forgotten the words of the song, Fitzgerald came up with her own combination, which, according to her, copied the sound of the saxophone. Subsequently, this technique became the hallmark of the singer.

Find out what challenges women face in music and if there are

Billie Holiday

(Eleanor Fagen) got her jazz nickname "Lady Day" from a saxophonist. With Yang, she was associated with a short-term romance and a very successful collaboration. Together they recorded 49 songs that had a literally hypnotic effect on the audience.

Billie Holiday

The peak of Holiday's fame came in the 1940s, when she began performing in jazz clubs for a mixed - white and color - audience. Once, in order not to anger the organizers, the performer, who was too pale for a black woman, had to darken her skin with a special make-up.

Etta James

(Jamisette Hawkins) has diligently maintained her "bad girl" image throughout her career. At the same time, her album Tell Mama, released back in 1967, is still considered the best soul collection of all time.

Etta James

The singer graced the opening with her performance Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984.

Nina Simon

Gifted and torn apart by internal demons, all her life she fought for her rights to perform works of interest to her. The singer has always been more concerned about social topics than the rules of show business and mercantile goals.

Nina Simon

The touching lyrics and one of the most feminine works of our time, the song I put a spell on you, brought her worldwide fame.

Sarah Vaughan

Without difficulty it was possible to masterfully slide between three octaves. She received particular pleasure from the subtle interpretation of songs and the meaning put into their words.

Sarah Vaughan

Vaughan took part in the most diverse projects: she performed compositions and worked in the orchestras of John Kirby and Teddy Wilson.

Dina Washington

While still a schoolgirl, Dinah Washington (Ruth Lee Jones) conducted the church's gospel choir. Her talent did not tolerate restrictions, he needed to constantly overcome new horizons.

Dina Washington

Possessing crystal clear articulation, Dina masterfully reproduced any music - from jazz standards to pop hits. Critics characterized her repertoire as subtle and thoughtful.

Astrud Gilberto

Astrud Gilberto's first solo record became an instant best-seller thanks to his charming and original technique. The singer acted in films, hosted her own TV show and was even the voice of one airline.

Astrud Gilberto

IN Lately Astrud prefers to express himself not in solo performances on stage, but in drawing and writing new compositions.

Natalie Cole

It was the famous father who noticed talent in his daughter and brought her to the stage when she was only 6 years old. Songs, colored with shades of gospel and rhythm and blues, have repeatedly been awarded the most prestigious music awards.

The audience still with tears in their eyes remembers the Grammy ceremony, when Natalie sang a piercing duet with her father - a recording of his performance was broadcast on the big screen.

Diana Krall

Born in 1964 in a Canadian province in a family of musicians, she fell ill with jazz from early childhood. Now her repertoire consists of soulful melancholic ballads, distinguished by a slightly nostalgic charm.

Starting as small bands playing a mixture of European music and African rhythms in New Orleans entertainment venues, jazz has grown to become one of the most interesting genres in music. A complex rhythm and an abundance of improvisations make it difficult, but extremely exciting music.

But in order to talk about the greatest jazz performers, it would be necessary to talk about jazz itself. And how to talk about it? Well, from the start.

Story

From the very beginning, there were blacks brought as slaves to the New World (we are mainly talking about the territory of the States now). They had a unique African musical culture. First of all, there was a very, very big emphasis on rhythms - they were varied, non-linear and very complex. Secondly, music in Africa is inextricably linked with everyday life: it is an obligatory accompaniment to various everyday moments, holidays, and often a way of communication. So it was music that became one of the unifying factors for many black slaves.

Jazz was formed from several relatively parallel developing genres of African American music. The most important, of course, is ragtime - dance, syncopated (strong beat is shifted), with a free melody. Then more blues - with a classic 12-bar blues square and ample opportunities for improvisation. Jazz, which took shape already at the beginning of the 20th century, reflected the features of both, and of many other musical genres.

New Orleans Jazz, Chicago Jazz, Dixieland

The earliest, New Orleans jazz is the ensembles that inherited the traditions of marching brass bands, consisting of an impressive rhythm section (2-3 drummers, percussion, double bass), a variety of wind instruments (trombone, trumpet, clarinet, cornet), well, and guitar-violin-banjo , if we get lucky. Later, almost all famous jazz performers left for Chicago, where, having honed their skills, they became the founders of Chicago jazz - the earliest jazz. Dixieland is an imitation of white bands of their black comrades - the founders of the genre. Speaking about the outstanding jazz performers of that time, one cannot but mention entire jazz orchestras.

Charles "Buddy" Bolden and his Ragtime Band. They are considered almost the first jazz orchestra of the New Orleans style. Records with their game have not been preserved, however, experts are sure that the repertoire consisted of various classical compositions of ragtime, blues, as well as many marches, waltzes and pieces with a jazz character of performance.

Freddie Keppard is on the list of the most influential jazz musicians of the time after Buddy Bolden. He played in the Olympia Band, in Los Angeles he created the Original Creole Orchestra, in Chicago (at the decline of Dixieland's popularity) he also did not get bored and performed with the most famous musicians of his time.

Joseph "King" Oliver is also a cornetist and a great fellow. In New Orleans, he managed to play with five orchestras, and then, after the United States entered the First World War in 1917 and all the entertainment establishments in New Orleans were closed, he, along with many other musicians, went north to Chicago.

Sydney Bechet is a clarinetist and saxophonist. He started playing in ensembles very early and even managed to get into Ragtime with Buddy Bolden. He was noted both in Chicago jazz orchestras and in later swing orchestras, and even rode around Europe a lot, performing in the USSR as well (1926).

Original Dixieland Jass Band - and this is already Dixieland, these are already white guys following in the footsteps of black Orleans bands. Known for having released the world's first gramophone record with a recording of a jazz composition. In general, they did a lot to popularize the genre. They say that it was with these guys that the very “Jazz Age” began. Many of their things in the future became famous

Stride

Stride originated in New York City, in the Manhattan boroughs during World War I, completely separate from New Orleans Jazz. This is a piano style that developed from ragtime by complicating the rhythm, as well as increasing the virtuosity of the performers.

James Johnson is the "father of the stride". He is considered an important figure in the transition from ragtime to jazz stride. He learned to play the piano mostly by himself, worked in various New York clubs. He himself composed a bunch of popular melodies in the 20s.

Fats Waller is another stride pianist who has become more famous as a composer than as a performer. Many of his compositions were then reworked and performed by other famous musicians. By the way, he also played the organ.

Art Tatum is one of the most famous figures in the stride. A wonderful virtuoso, who was distinguished by an unusual playing technique for the genre (he loved scales and arpeggios, he was one of the first to start flirting with musical harmonies and keys). Even in the days of swing and big bands, he turned on himself ( solo artist) attention. He influenced many other jazz musicians, who often noted his extraordinary skill.

Swing

The most extensive and fertile area when it comes to the great jazz performers of the 20th century. Swing appeared in the 1920s and remained extremely popular right up to the Second World War. It was played mainly by swing bands - hefty orchestras of ten or more people.

Benny Goodman - without exaggeration, the king of swing and the founder of one of the most famous big bands, which had a resounding success not only in America but also abroad. The concert of his orchestra on August 21, 1935 in Los Angeles, which brought him stardom, is considered the beginning of the swing era.

Duke Ellington - also the leader of his own big band, as well as famous composer, the creator of numerous hits and jazz standards, including the composition Caravan, familiar to almost everyone. Collaborated with many of the best jazz performers of that time, allowing everyone to bring their own unique style to the sound of the orchestra, which created an interesting and unusual "sound".

Chick Webb. It was in his orchestra that one of the most famous jazz singers, Ella Fitzgerald, began her career. Webb himself was a drummer, and his playing style influenced many other jazz percussion legends (such as Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson). He died of tuberculosis in 1939, before he was forty years old.

Glenn Miller is the creator of the big band of the same name, which in the period 1939-1943 was practically unparalleled in popularity. Before that, Miller played, recorded with other orchestras, and also composed music with other great jazz artists of his time - Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Gene Krupa and others.

It so happened that the interests of this greatest jazz performer turned out to be so diverse, and the “experience” is so great that it is not possible to attribute it unambiguously to any style. During his career, Armstrong played in the famous orchestras, and solo, and as the leader of his own jazz band. His style of playing has always been distinguished by a bright personality and unconventional, original improvisations.

Jazz singers and singers

separate chapter these guys deserve it, maybe they did not write jazz standards with their own hands, but they did a lot for the development of this direction of music. The unique timbres, the sensuality of the voice, the emotionality of the performance - much of this came from African-American "folk" spirituals and gospels.

Ella Fitzgerald is the "First Lady of Jazz", one of the greatest jazz performers of the entire era of this music. The owner of a unique soft and "light" mezzo-soprano timbre, she could take three octaves without visible effort. Apart from perfect feeling rhythm and intonation, owned such a "trick" as scat - imitation of the voice of the musical instruments of a jazz band.

Billie Holiday - had an unusual hoarse voice, giving a special sensuality to the manner of performance. The so-called instrumental timbre of her voice and the ability for rhythmic interpretation were successfully combined on stage with the sound of a jazz band.

Bop

By the forties, the danceable and slightly frivolous swing began to become obsolete, and young guys, eager for experiments, began to develop a playing style later called be-bop. It is distinguished by higher demands on the skill of musicians, a fast pace of play, complex improvisations and, in general, an “intellectual” style compared to swing.

Dizzy Gillespie is one of the founders of be-bop. At first he played trumpet in many popular swing bands, but then he budded, formed his own combo - a small ensemble - and began to promote be-bop, which he did just fine, thanks in part to his eccentric demeanor. Masterfully played classical jazz themes with extraordinary virtuosity.

Charlie Parker is also the founder of be-bop. As part of the young supporters of this direction, he literally turned all traditional jazz upside down. B-boopers laid the foundation for modern jazz. Parker also played a large role in the development of Afro-Cuban jazz. Despite all the successes, the musician suffered from a severe heroin addiction, from which he later died at the age of 35.

Fusion

Appeared in the sixties and really is a fusion (translation of fusion from English) of a wide variety of musical genres: rock, pop, soul and funk. Compared to other styles of jazz, it may seem rather "crazy" - fusion has lost its characteristic swing beat, but has retained improvisation and an emphasis on beating a certain melody (standard).

The Tony Williams Lifetime is a group that released in 1969 an album that is now considered a fusion classic. In the wake of the popularity of rock music in their recordings, they used electric guitar, bass guitar ( classical instruments specifically rock bands), as well as an electric piano, creating a characteristic heavy sound combined with a typical jazz character.

Miles Davis is a versatile musician, deservedly one of the greatest jazz performers. In addition to jazz-rock, he was fond of a bunch of styles, but even here he managed to create many classical compositions that determined his sound for several years.

Neoswing

This is an attempt to revive the good old swing bands of the early XX century. Keeping the general mood and character of the performance of classical jazz, neoswing bands moved away from improvisation. They are not shy about modern set musical instruments and in terms of structure, their compositions are much more reminiscent of contemporary music. In the bottom line, we have the original stylization of the old, much more accessible to the ears of a listener unfamiliar with jazz.

More among interesting performers you can name Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue (sounds in the movie "The Mask"), Squirrel Nut Zippers and Diablo Swing Orchestra, who mixed swing with metal in an original way.

bossa nova

An unusual mixture of jazz and Latin American samba rhythms. It originated, obviously, in Brazil and gained great popularity all over the world. Juan and Astrud Gilberto, António Carlos Jobim, and saxophonist Stan Getz are considered to be the founders of the style.

Lists of the best

The article talked about the iconic musicians who played a significant role in the development of jazz. However, there are incomparably more famous jazzmen, and it is not possible to tell about all of them at once. Nevertheless, the list of the best jazz performers must include:

Charles Mingus;
John Coltrane;
Mary Lou Williams;
Herbie Hancock;
Nat King Cole;
Miles Davis;
Keith Jarrett;
Kurt Elling;
Thelonious Monk;
Wynton Marsalis.

Moreover, these are musicians, and singers, and even those who are better known as a composer. Each of them has a bright personality and a long creative career. Although, as you can see, mainly people of the "sixties" were chosen, who spoke for a significant part of the entire 20th century, and some of them even the 21st.

Jazz artists invented a distinctive musical language based on improvisation, complex rhythmic patterns (swing) and unique harmonic patterns.

Jazz arose in the late XIX - early XX in the United States of America and was a unique social phenomenon, namely, the fusion of African and American cultures. The further development and stratification of jazz into various styles and sub-styles is due to the fact that jazz performers and composers continuously continued to complicate their music, look for new sounds and master new harmonies and rhythms.

Thus, a huge jazz heritage has accumulated, in which the following main schools and styles can be distinguished: New Orleans (traditional) jazz, bebop, hard bop, swing, cool jazz, progressive jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, fusion, etc. e. In this article, ten outstanding jazz performers are collected, having read them, you will get the most complete picture of the era of free people and energetic music.

Miles Davis (Miles Davis)

Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton (USA). Known as an iconic American trumpeter whose music had a huge impact on the jazz and music scene of the 20th century as a whole. He experimented a lot and boldly with styles, and perhaps that is why the figure of Davis stands at the origins of such styles as cool jazz, fusion and modal jazz. Miles began his musical career as a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet, but later managed to find and develop his own musical sound. Miles Davis' most important and seminal albums are Birth of the Cool (1949), Kind of Blue (1959), Bitches Brew (1969) and In a Silent Way (1969). The main feature of Miles Davis was that he was constantly in a creative search and showed the world new ideas, and that is why the history of modern jazz music owes so much to his exceptional talent.

Louis Armstrong (Louis Armstrong)

Louis Armstrong, the man whose name comes to most people's minds when they hear the word "jazz", was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans (USA). Armstrong had a dazzling talent for playing the trumpet and did much to develop and popularize jazz music throughout the world. In addition, he also captivated the audience with his husky bass vocals. The path that Armstrong had to go from tramp to the title of King of Jazz was thorny. And it began in a colony for black teenagers, where Louis ended up for an innocent prank - shooting a pistol on New Year's Eve. By the way, he stole a gun from a policeman, a client of his mother, who was a representative of the oldest profession in the world. Thanks to this not too favorable set of circumstances, Louis Armstrong got his first musical experience in the camp brass band. There he mastered the cornet, tambourine and alto horn. In a word, Armstrong went from marches in the colony and then episodic performances in clubs to a world-class musician, whose talent and contribution to the jazz treasury can hardly be overestimated. The influence of his landmark albums Ella and Louis (1956), Porgy and Bess (1957), and American Freedom (1961) can still be heard in the playing of contemporary artists of various styles.

Duke Ellington (Duke Ellington)

Duke Ellinton was born April 29, 1899 in Washington DC. Pianist, orchestra leader, arranger and composer whose music has become a real innovation in the world of jazz. His works were played on all radio stations, and his recordings are rightfully included in the “gold fund of jazz”. Ellinton has been recognized throughout the world, has received many awards, has written a huge number of brilliant works, which include the standard "Caravan", which went around the globe. His most notable releases include Ellington At Newport (1956), Ellington Uptown (1953), Far East Suite (1967) and Masterpieces By Ellington (1951).

Herbie Hancock (Herbie Hancock)

Herbie Hancock was born on April 12, 1940, in Chicago (USA). Hancock is known as a pianist and composer, as well as the owner of 14 Grammy awards, which he received for his work in the field of jazz. His music is interesting because it combines elements of rock, funk and soul, along with free jazz. Also in his compositions you can find elements of modern classical music and blues motifs. In general, almost every sophisticated listener will be able to find something for themselves in Hancock's music. If we talk about innovative creative solutions, then Herbie Hancock is considered one of the first jazz performers who combined the synthesizer and funk in the same way, the musician is at the forefront of the newest jazz style - post-bop. Despite the specificity of the music of some stages of Herbie's work, most of his songs are melodic compositions that have fallen in love with the general public.

Among his albums, the following can be distinguished: "Head Hunters" (1971), "Future Shock" (1983), "Maiden Voyage" (1966) and "Takin' Off" (1962).

John Coltrane (John Coltrane)

These are "Giant Steps" (1959), "Coltrane Jazz" (1960) and "A Love Supreme" (1965), which became icons of jazz improvisation.

Charlie Parker (Charlie Parker)

Charlie Parker's most significant jazz albums are Bird and Diz (1952), Birth of the Bebop: Bird on Tenor (1943), and Charlie Parker with strings (1950).

Thelonious Monk Quartet (Thelonious Monk)

Thelonious Monk was born October 10, 1917, in Rocky Mount (USA). He is best known as a jazz composer and pianist, as well as one of the founders of bebop. His original "torn" style of playing absorbed various styles - from avant-garde to primitivism. Such experiments made the sound of his music not quite characteristic of jazz, which, however, did not prevent many of his works from becoming classics of this style of music. Being a very unusual person who from childhood did everything possible not to be “normal” and like everyone else, Monk became known not only for his musical decisions, but also for his unusually complex character. Many anecdotal stories are associated with his name about how he was late for his own concerts, and once refused to play in a Detroit club at all, because his wife did not show up for a performance. And so Monk sat in a chair, arms folded, until his wife was finally brought into the hall - in slippers and a dressing gown. Before the eyes of her husband, the poor woman was urgently delivered by plane, if only the concert would take place.

Monk's most notable albums include Monk's Dream (1963), Monk (1954), Straight No Chaser (1967), and Misterioso (1959).

Billie Holiday (Billy Holiday)

Billie Holiday enriched the jazz art with such outstanding albums as "Lady Sings the Blues" (1956), "Body and Soul" (1957), and "Lady in Satin" (1958).

Bill Evans (Bill Evans)

Bill Evans, the legendary American jazz pianist and composer, was born on August 16, 1929 in New Jersey, USA. Evans is one of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century. His musical works are so sophisticated and unusual that few pianists are able to inherit and borrow his ideas. He could masterfully swing and improvise like no other, at the same time, melody and simplicity were far from alien to him - his interpretations of famous ballads gained popularity even among non-jazz audiences. Evans was trained as an academic pianist, and after serving in the army began to appear in public with various obscure musicians as a jazz performer. Success came to him in 1958 when Evans joined the Miles Davis sextet, along with Cannonball Oderley and John Coltrane. Evans is considered the creator of the chamber jazz trio genre, which is characterized by a lead improvising piano, as well as solo drums and double bass along with it. His musical style brought a variety of colors to jazz music - from inventive graceful improvisations to lyrically-colored tones.

Evans' best albums include his solo recording of "Alone" (1968), made in man-orchestra mode, "Waltz for Debby" (1961), "New Jazz Conceptions" (1956) and "Explorations" (1961).

Dizzy Gillespie (Dizzy Gillespie)

Dizzy Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917 in Chirow, USA. Dizzy has a lot of merit in the history of the development of jazz music: he is known as a trumpeter, vocalist, arranger, composer and leader of orchestras. Gillespie also co-founded improvisational jazz with Charlie Parker. Like many jazzmen, Gillespie started out playing in clubs. Then he moved to live in New York and successfully entered the local orchestra. He was known for his original, if not to say buffoonish, behavior, which successfully turned the people who worked with him against him. From the first orchestra, in which a very talented, but peculiar trumpeter Dizz went on tour in England and France, he was almost kicked out. The musicians of his second orchestra also did not react quite cordially to Gillespie's mockery of their playing. In addition, few people understood his musical experiments - some called his music "Chinese". Collaboration with the second orchestra ended in a fight between Cab Calloway (his leader) and Dizzy during one of the concerts, after which Gillespie was expelled from the band with a bang. After Gillespie creates his own group, in which he and other musicians work to diversify the traditional jazz language. Thus, the style known as bebop was born, on the style of which Dizzy actively worked.

The best albums of the brilliant trumpeter include "Sonny Side Up" (1957), "Afro" (1954), "Birk's Works" (1957), "World Statesman" (1956) and "Dizzy and Strings" (1954).

For decades, the music of freedom, performed by dizzying jazz virtuosos, has been a huge part of the music scene and just human life. The names of the musicians that you can see above are immortalized in the memory of many generations and, most likely, the same number of generations will inspire and amaze with their skill. Perhaps the secret is that the inventors of trumpets, saxophones, double basses, pianos, and drums knew that some things could not be done on these instruments, but forgot to tell jazz musicians about it.

Jazz is music filled with passion and ingenuity, music that knows no boundaries and limits. Compiling such a list is incredibly difficult. This list was written, rewritten, and then rewritten again. Ten is too restrictive a number for such musical direction like jazz. However, regardless of the amount, this music is able to breathe life and energy, awaken from hibernation. What could be better than bold, tireless, warming jazz!

1. Louis Armstrong

1901 - 1971

Trumpeter Louis Armstrong is revered for his lively style, ingenuity, virtuosity, musical expression and dynamic spectacle. Known for his raspy voice and a career spanning over five decades. Armstrong's influence on music is invaluable. Generally, Louis Armstrong is considered the greatest jazz musician of all time.

Louis Armstrong with Velma Middleton & His All Stars - Saint Louis Blues

2. Duke Ellington

1899 - 1974

Duke Ellington is a pianist and composer who has been a jazz bandleader for almost 50 years. Ellington used his team as music laboratory for his experiments, in which he demonstrated the talents of the team members, many of whom remained with him for a long time. Ellington is an incredibly gifted and prolific musician. During his fifty-year career, he has written thousands of compositions, including film and musical scores, as well as many well-known standards such as "Cotton Tail" and "It Don't Mean a Thing".

Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

3. Miles Davis

1926 - 1991

Miles Davis is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Together with their musical groups, Davis has been a central figure in jazz music since the mid-40s, including be-bop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, and jazz fusion. Davis has relentlessly pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, which is why he is often identified as one of the most innovative and respected performers in the history of music.

Miles Davis Quintet

4. Charlie Parker

1920 - 1955

Saxophonist virtuoso Charlie Parker was an influential jazz soloist and a leading figure in the development of be-bop, a form of jazz characterized by rapidly, virtuoso technique and improvisations. In his complex melodic lines, Parker combines jazz with other musical genres, including blues, latin and classical music. Parker was an iconic figure in the beat subculture, but he transcended his generation to become the epitome of an uncompromising, intellectual musician.

Charlie Parker

5. Nat King Cole

1919 - 1965

Known for his silky baritone voice, Nat King Cole brought the emotionality of jazz to popular American music. Cole was one of the first African Americans to host a television program that was attended by jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha Kitt. A phenomenal pianist and prominent improviser, Cole was one of the first jazz artists to become a pop icon.

Nat King Cole

6. John Coltrane

1926 - 1967

Despite a relatively short career (accompanied for the first time at the age of 29 in 1955, officially began solo career at 33 in 1960, and died at age 40 in 1967), saxophonist John Coltrane is the most important and controversial figure in jazz. Despite his short career, thanks to his fame, Coltrane had the opportunity to record in abundance and many of his recordings were published posthumously. Coltrane has radically changed his style over the course of his career, yet he retains a cult following of both his early, traditional sound and his more experimental sound. And no one, almost with a religious commitment, doubts his significance in the history of music.

John Coltrane

7 Thelonious Monk

1917 - 1982

Thelonious Monk is a musician with a unique improvisational style, the second most recognizable jazz performer after Duke Ellington. His style was characterized by energetic, percussive lines interspersed with harsh, dramatic silences. During his performances, while the rest of the musicians played, Thelonious got up from the keyboard and danced for several minutes. After creating the classic jazz compositions "Round Midnight", "Straight, No Chaser," Monk ended his days in relative obscurity, but his influence on modern jazz is noticeable to this day.

Thelonious Monk - Round Midnight

8. Oscar Peterson

1925 - 2007

Oscar Peterson is an innovative musician who has performed everything from Bach's classical ode to one of the first jazz ballets. Peterson opened one of the first jazz schools in Canada. His "Hymn to Freedom" became the anthem of the movement for civil rights. Oscar Peterson was one of the most talented and important jazz pianists of his generation.

Oscar Peterson - C Jam Blues

9. Billie Holiday

1915 - 1959

Billie Holiday is one of the most important figures in jazz, although she never wrote her own. own music. Holiday turned "Embraceable You", "I'll Be Seeing You" and "I Cover the Waterfront" into famous jazz standards, and her performance of "Strange Fruit" is considered one of the best in American music history. Although her life was full of tragedy, Holiday's improvisational genius, combined with her fragile, somewhat raspy voice, demonstrated an unprecedented depth of emotion unparalleled by other jazz singers.

Billie Holiday

10. Dizzy Gillespie

1917 - 1993

Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is a bebop innovator and master of improvisation, as well as a pioneer of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz. Gillespie has collaborated with various musicians from South America and from the Caribbean. He had a deep passion for traditional music African countries. All this allowed him to bring unprecedented innovations to modern jazz interpretations. Throughout his long career, Gillespie toured relentlessly and captivated audiences with his beret, horn-rimmed glasses, puffy cheeks, lightheartedness and his incredible music.

Dizzy Gillespie feat. Charlie Parker

11. Dave Brubeck

1920 – 2012

Dave Brubeck is a composer and pianist, jazz promoter, civil rights activist, and music researcher. An iconoclastic performer recognizable from a single chord, a restless composer who pushes the boundaries of the genre and builds a bridge between the past and the future of music. Brubeck collaborated with Louis Armstrong and many other famous jazz musicians, and also influenced avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor and saxophonist Anthony Braxton.

Dave Brubeck

12. Benny Goodman

1909 – 1986

Benny Goodman is a jazz musician better known as the "King of Swing". He became a popularizer of jazz among white youth. His appearance marked the beginning of an era. Goodman was a controversial personality. He relentlessly strived for perfection and this was reflected in his approach to music. Goodman was not just a virtuoso player - he was a creative clarinetist and innovator of the pre-bebop jazz era.

Benny Goodman

13. Charles Mingus

1922 – 1979

Charles Mingus is an influential jazz double bassist, composer and jazz bandleader. Mingus' music is a mixture of hot and soulful hard bop, gospel, classical music and free jazz. His ambitious music and formidable temperament earned Mingus the nickname "angry man of jazz". If he were just a string player, few people would know his name today. He was most likely the greatest double bass player ever, one who always kept his fingers on the pulse of jazz's ferocious expressive power.

Charles Mingus

14. Herbie Hancock

1940 –

Herbie Hancock will always be one of the most revered and controversial musicians in jazz - as will his employer/mentor Miles Davis. Unlike Davis, who steadily moved forward and never looked back, Hancock zigzags between almost electronic and acoustic jazz and even r "n" b. Despite his electronic experimentation, Hancock's love of the piano has not waned, and his piano style continues to evolve into ever more rigorous and complex forms.

Herbie Hancock

15. Wynton Marsalis

1961 –

The most famous jazz musician since 1980. In the early 80s, Wynton Marsalis became a revelation as a young and very talented musician decided to make a living playing acoustic jazz rather than funk or R"n"B. Since the 70s, there has been a huge shortage of new trumpeters in jazz, but Marsalis' unexpected fame inspired new interest to jazz music.

Wynton Marsalis - Rustiques (E. Bozza)