| Name | Occupation | Birth | Death | Known for |
|---|
| Cannonball Adderley |
Jazz Musician |
15-Sep-1928 |
8-Aug-1975 |
Alto sax blower |
| Red Allen |
Jazz Musician |
7-Jan-1908 |
17-Apr-1967 |
Jazz trumpeter |
| Louis Armstrong |
Jazz Musician |
4-Aug-1901 |
6-Jul-1971 |
Jazz trumpeter |
| Albert Ayler |
Jazz Musician |
13-Jul-1936 |
5-Nov-1970 |
Far-out sax blower |
| Chet Baker |
Jazz Musician |
23-Dec-1929 |
13-May-1988 |
Jazz trumpeter, The Chet Baker Quartet |
| Count Basie |
Pianist |
21-Aug-1904 |
26-Apr-1984 |
Big band pianist |
| Sidney Bechet |
Jazz Musician |
14-May-1897 |
14-May-1959 |
Jazz saxophonist |
| Bix Beiderbecke |
Jazz Musician |
10-Mar-1903 |
6-Aug-1931 |
Celebrated jazz cornetist |
| George Benson |
Jazz Musician |
22-Mar-1943 |
|
Prominent jazz guitarist and vocalist |
| Bunny Berigan |
Jazz Musician |
2-Nov-1908 |
2-Jun-1942 |
Jazz trumpeter great |
| Eubie Blake |
Jazz Musician |
7-Feb-1883 |
12-Feb-1983 |
Ragtime jazz pianist |
| Jimmy Blanton |
Jazz Musician |
5-Oct-1918 |
30-Jul-1942 |
Bassist, The Duke Ellington Orchestra |
| Buddy Bolden |
Jazz Musician |
6-Sep-1877 |
4-Nov-1931 |
Ragtime, pre-Jazz cornetist |
| Chris Botti |
Jazz Musician |
12-Oct-1962 |
|
Night Sessions |
| Lester Bowie |
Jazz Musician |
11-Oct-1941 |
9-Nov-1999 |
Influential jazz trumpeter |
| Anthony Braxton |
Jazz Musician |
4-Jun-1945 |
|
Inventive jazz multi-instrumentalist |
| Peter Brötzmann |
Jazz Musician |
6-Mar-1941 |
|
Free jazz saxophonist, Machine Gun |
| Dave Brubeck |
Jazz Musician |
6-Dec-1920 |
|
Take Five |
| Gary Burton |
Jazz Musician |
23-Jan-1943 |
|
Jazz vibraphonist |
| Charlie Byrd |
Jazz Musician |
16-Sep-1925 |
30-Nov-1999 |
Brought the Bossa Nova to America |
| Donald Byrd |
Jazz Musician |
9-Dec-1932 |
|
Hard bop trumpeter |
| Cab Calloway |
Jazz Musician |
25-Dec-1907 |
18-Nov-1994 |
King of Hi-De-Ho |
| Benny Carter |
Jazz Musician |
8-Aug-1907 |
12-Jul-2003 |
Jazz and big bandleader |
| Big Sid Catlett |
Jazz Musician |
10-Jan-1910 |
25-Mar-1951 |
Jazz/swing drummer |
| Don Cherry |
Jazz Musician |
18-Nov-1936 |
19-Oct-1995 |
A founder of free-jazz, pocket trumpeter |
| Stanley Clarke |
Jazz Musician |
30-Jun-1951 |
|
Jazz fusion bassist |
| Cozy Cole |
Jazz Musician |
17-Oct-1909 |
29-Jan-1981 |
Topsy Part 2 |
| Denardo Coleman |
Jazz Musician |
1956 |
|
Avant-jazz drummer |
| Ornette Coleman |
Jazz Musician |
19-Mar-1930 |
|
Free Jazz innovator |
| Alice Coltrane |
Jazz Musician |
27-Aug-1937 |
12-Jan-2007 |
Musician and widow of John Coltrane |
| John Coltrane |
Jazz Musician |
23-Sep-1926 |
17-Jul-1967 |
Jazz tenor saxophonist |
| Chick Corea |
Jazz Musician |
12-Jun-1941 |
|
Jazz keyboardist |
| Scatman Crothers |
Jazz Musician |
23-May-1910 |
22-Nov-1986 |
Jazz musician and actor |
| Wolfgang Dauner |
Jazz Musician |
30-Dec-1935 |
|
Innovative jazz bandleader and pianist |
| Miles Davis |
Jazz Musician |
26-May-1926 |
28-Sep-1991 |
Jazz trumpeter, Kind of Blue |
| Buddy DeFranco |
Jazz Musician |
17-Feb-1923 |
|
Jazz clarinetist, led The Glenn Miller Orchestra |
| Paul Desmond |
Jazz Musician |
25-Nov-1924 |
30-May-1977 |
Jazz alto saxophonist, Dave Brubeck Quartet |
| Eric Dolphy |
Jazz Musician |
20-Jun-1928 |
29-Jun-1964 |
Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist |
| George Duke |
Jazz Musician |
12-Jan-1946 |
|
Jazz/Funk keyboardist |
| Roy Eldridge |
Jazz Musician |
30-Jan-1911 |
26-Feb-1989 |
Swing-era jazz trumpeter |
| Duke Ellington |
Jazz Musician |
29-Apr-1899 |
24-May-1974 |
It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing |
| Pee Wee Erwin |
Jazz Musician |
30-May-1913 |
20-Jun-1981 |
Jazz trumpeter |
| Kevin Eubanks |
Jazz Musician |
15-Nov-1957 |
|
Bandleader on The Tonight Show |
| Bill Evans |
Jazz Musician |
16-Aug-1929 |
15-Sep-1980 |
Jazz pianist |
| Gil Evans |
Jazz Musician |
13-May-1912 |
20-Mar-1988 |
Jazz pianist and arranger |
| Maynard Ferguson |
Jazz Musician |
4-May-1928 |
23-Aug-2006 |
Jazz bandleader and trumpeter |
| Bill Frisell |
Jazz Musician |
18-Mar-1951 |
|
Jazz guitarist |
| Kenny G |
Jazz Musician |
5-Jun-1956 |
|
Easy-Listening Saxophonist |
| Slim Gaillard |
Jazz Musician |
4-Jan-1916 |
26-Feb-1991 |
Cee-ment mixer, put-ti put-ti |
| Erroll Garner |
Jazz Musician |
15-Jun-1921 |
2-Jan-1977 |
Misty |
| Max Geldray |
Jazz Musician |
12-Feb-1916 |
2-Oct-2004 |
Conks of The Goon Show |
| Stan Getz |
Jazz Musician |
2-Feb-1927 |
6-Jun-1991 |
Jazz tenor saxophonist |
| Dizzy Gillespie |
Jazz Musician |
21-Oct-1917 |
7-Jan-1993 |
Be-bop jazz trumpeter |
| Benny Goodman |
Jazz Musician |
30-May-1909 |
13-Jun-1986 |
Bespectacled jazz clarinetist |
| Dexter Gordon |
Jazz Musician |
27-Feb-1923 |
25-Apr-1990 |
Influential bop saxophonist |
| Alan Gowen |
Jazz Musician |
19-Aug-1947 |
17-May-1981 |
Jazz-rock keyboardist |
| Wardell Gray |
Jazz Musician |
13-Feb-1921 |
25-May-1955 |
Tenor sax bop-jazzman |
| Bobby Hackett |
Jazz Musician |
31-Jan-1915 |
7-Jun-1976 |
Played with Glenn Miller, Jackie Gleason |
| Charlie Haden |
Jazz Musician |
6-Aug-1937 |
|
Jazz bassist |
| Lionel Hampton |
Jazz Musician |
20-Apr-1908 |
31-Aug-2002 |
Jazz vibrophonist and bandleader |
| Herbie Hancock |
Jazz Musician |
12-Apr-1940 |
|
Innovative jazz/fusion composer and pianist |
| Coleman Hawkins |
Jazz Musician |
21-Nov-1904 |
19-May-1969 |
Jazz tenor saxophonist |
| Fletcher Henderson |
Jazz Musician |
18-Dec-1897 |
29-Dec-1952 |
Pioneering swing and jazz bandleader |
| Woody Herman |
Jazz Musician |
16-May-1913 |
29-Oct-1987 |
1940s Big Band leader, jazz clarinetist |
| J. C. Higginbotham |
Jazz Musician |
11-May-1906 |
26-May-1973 |
Jazz trombonist |
| Billy Higgins |
Jazz Musician |
11-Oct-1936 |
3-May-2001 |
Leading free-jazz and bop drummer |
| Earl Hines |
Jazz Musician |
28-Dec-1903 |
22-Apr-1983 |
Everything Depends on You |
| Al Hirt |
Jazz Musician |
7-Nov-1922 |
27-Apr-1999 |
Dixieland trumpet player |
| Johnny Hodges |
Jazz Musician |
25-Jul-1907 |
11-May-1970 |
Jazz alto saxophonist |
| Freddie Hubbard |
Jazz Musician |
7-Apr-1938 |
29-Dec-2008 |
Hard-bop jazz trumpet soloist |
| Charlie Hunter |
Jazz Musician |
23-May-1967 |
|
8-string jazz guitar virtuoso |
| Milt Jackson |
Jazz Musician |
1-Jan-1923 |
9-Oct-1999 |
Vibrophonist, The Modern Jazz Quartet |
| Conrad Janis |
Actor |
11-Feb-1928 |
|
Fredzo on Mork & Mindy |
| Keith Jarrett |
Jazz Musician |
8-May-1945 |
|
Jazz pianist and composer |
| Bunk Johnson |
Jazz Musician |
27-Dec-1889 |
7-Jul-1949 |
New Orleans jazz trumpeter |
| J. J. Johnson |
Jazz Musician |
22-Jan-1924 |
4-Feb-2001 |
Jazz trombonist |
| James P. Johnson |
Jazz Musician |
01-Feb-1894 |
17-Nov-1955 |
The father of stride piano |
| Hank Jones |
Jazz Musician |
31-Jul-1918 |
16-May-2010 |
Jazz Piano Luminary |
| Oliver Jones |
Jazz Musician |
11-Sep-1934 |
|
Lights of Burgundy |
| Quincy Jones |
Music Producer |
14-Mar-1933 |
|
Musician, Composer, Producer |
| Thad Jones |
Jazz Musician |
28-Mar-1923 |
20-Aug-1986 |
Jazz cornet/fluglehorn/trumpeter and bandleader |
| Stan Kenton |
Jazz Musician |
15-Dec-1911 |
25-Aug-1979 |
Jazz bandleader |
| Diana Krall |
Jazz Musician |
16-Nov-1964 |
|
Sultry jazz sensation |
| Volker Kriegel |
Jazz Musician |
24-Dec-1943 |
15-Jun-2003 |
"Father of jazz-rock" |
| Tommy Ladnier |
Jazz Musician |
28-May-1900 |
4-Jun-1939 |
Jazz trumpeter |
| Ramsey Lewis |
Jazz Musician |
27-May-1935 |
|
Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| Ted Lewis |
Jazz Musician |
6-Jun-1892 |
25-Aug-1971 |
Is Everybody Happy? |
| Jimmie Lunceford |
Jazz Musician |
6-Jun-1902 |
13-Jul-1947 |
Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra |
| Herbie Mann |
Jazz Musician |
16-Apr-1930 |
1-Jul-2003 |
Jazz flautist |
| Branford Marsalis |
Jazz Musician |
26-Aug-1960 |
|
Saxophonist |
| Wynton Marsalis |
Jazz Musician |
18-Oct-1961 |
|
Trumpeter |
| John McLaughlin |
Jazz Musician |
4-Jan-1942 |
|
Influential jazz/fusion guitarist |
| Jimmy McPartland |
Jazz Musician |
15-May-1907 |
13-Mar-1991 |
Chicago jazz cornetist |
| Marian McPartland |
Jazz Musician |
20-Mar-1918 |
|
Piano Jazz |
| Al Di Meola |
Jazz Musician |
22-Jul-1954 |
|
Jazz fusion guitarist |
| Pat Metheny |
Jazz Musician |
12-Aug-1954 |
|
Jazz musician |
| Charles Mingus |
Jazz Musician |
22-Apr-1922 |
5-Jan-1979 |
Jazz bassist and legendary composer |
| Thelonious Monk |
Jazz Musician |
10-Oct-1917 |
17-Feb-1982 |
Influential jazz pianist and composer |
| Wes Montgomery |
Jazz Musician |
6-Mar-1925 |
15-Jun-1968 |
Superb jazz guitarist |
| Lee Morgan |
Jazz Musician |
10-Jul-1938 |
19-Feb-1972 |
The Sidewinder |
| Jelly Roll Morton |
Jazz Musician |
20-Oct-1890 |
10-Jul-1941 |
Jazz composer, pianist |
| Gerry Mulligan |
Jazz Musician |
6-Apr-1927 |
20-Jan-1996 |
Greatest jazz baritonist of all time |
| Sunny Murray |
Jazz Musician |
21-Sep-1936 |
|
Jazz free style drummer |
| Fats Navarro |
Jazz Musician |
24-Sep-1923 |
7-Jul-1950 |
Be-bop jazz trumpeter |
| Red Nichols |
Jazz Musician |
8-May-1905 |
28-Jun-1965 |
Red Nichols and His Five Pennies |
| Jimmie Noone |
Jazz Musician |
23-Apr-1895 |
19-Apr-1944 |
New Orleans jazz clarinetist |
| Red Norvo |
Jazz Musician |
31-Mar-1908 |
6-Apr-1999 |
Jazz xylophonist |
| King Oliver |
Jazz Musician |
11-May-1885 |
10-Apr-1938 |
King Oliver Creole Jazz Band |
| Kid Ory |
Jazz Musician |
25-Dec-1886 |
23-Jan-1973 |
Trombonist, Ory's Creole Jazz Band |
| Charlie Parker |
Jazz Musician |
29-Aug-1920 |
12-Mar-1955 |
Be-bop jazz musician |
| Evan Parker |
Jazz Musician |
5-Apr-1944 |
|
Free improv saxophonist |
| Jaco Pastorius |
Jazz Musician |
1-Dec-1951 |
21-Sep-1987 |
Bassist for Weather Report |
| Art Pepper |
Jazz Musician |
1-Sep-1925 |
15-Jun-1982 |
Alto saxophonist |
| Carl Perkins |
Jazz Musician |
9-Apr-1932 |
19-Jan-1998 |
Blue Suede Shoes |
| Oscar Peterson |
Jazz Musician |
15-Aug-1925 |
24-Dec-2007 |
Maharajah of the keyboard |
| Oscar Pettiford |
Jazz Musician |
30-Sep-1922 |
8-Sep-1960 |
Jazz double bassist |
| Jean-Luc Ponty |
Jazz Musician |
29-Sep-1942 |
|
Electric jazz violinist |
| Louis Prima |
Singer |
7-Dec-1910 |
24-Aug-1978 |
King of the Swingers |
| Sun Ra |
Jazz Musician |
22-May-1914 |
30-May-1993 |
Jazz musician from Saturn |
| Django Reinhardt |
Jazz Musician |
23-Jan-1910 |
16-May-1953 |
Gypsy jazz guitarist |
| Lee Ritenour |
Jazz Musician |
1-Nov-1952 |
|
Jazz-fusion guitarist |
| Malachi Ritscher |
Jazz Musician |
13-Jan-1954 |
3-Nov-2006 |
Musician who self immolated for peace |
| Max Roach |
Jazz Musician |
10-Jan-1924 |
16-Aug-2007 |
Enduring jazz drummer |
| Shorty Rogers |
Jazz Musician |
14-Apr-1924 |
7-Nov-1994 |
Shorty Rogers and His Giants |
| Sonny Rollins |
Jazz Musician |
7-Sep-1930 |
|
Tenor sax master |
| Frank Rosolino |
Jazz Musician |
20-Aug-1926 |
26-Nov-1978 |
Jazz trombonist, Turn Me Loose! |
| Pee Wee Russell |
Jazz Musician |
27-Mar-1906 |
15-Feb-1969 |
Jazz clarinet virtuoso |
| Pharoah Sanders |
Jazz Musician |
13-Oct-1940 |
|
The Creator Has A Master Plan |
| Sonny Sharrock |
Guitarist |
27-Aug-1940 |
26-May-1994 |
Free jazz guitarist |
| George Shearing |
Jazz Musician |
13-Aug-1919 |
14-Feb-2011 |
George Shearing Quintet |
| Archie Shepp |
Jazz Musician |
24-May-1937 |
|
Jazz tenor saxophonist |
| Matthew Shipp |
Jazz Musician |
7-Dec-1960 |
|
Free jazz pianist |
| Wayne Shorter |
Jazz Musician |
25-Aug-1933 |
|
Influential sax player and jazz composer |
| Eric Show |
Baseball |
19-May-1956 |
16-Mar-1994 |
MLB pitcher |
| Horace Silver |
Jazz Musician |
2-Sep-1928 |
|
Song For My Father |
| Zoot Sims |
Jazz Musician |
29-Oct-1925 |
23-Mar-1985 |
Tenor and soprano saxophonist |
| Zutty Singleton |
Jazz Musician |
14-May-1898 |
14-Jul-1975 |
New Orleans jazz drummer |
| Noble Sissle |
Composer |
10-Jul-1889 |
17-Dec-1975 |
Shuffle Along |
| Jimmy Smith |
Jazz Musician |
8-Dec-1925 |
8-Feb-2005 |
Master of the Hammond B3 organ |
| Joe Smith |
Jazz Musician |
28-Jun-1902 |
2-Dec-1937 |
Cool jazz trumpeter |
| Willie "The Lion" Smith |
Jazz Musician |
25-Nov-1897 |
18-Apr-1973 |
Stride pianist, Finger Buster |
| Phoebe Snow |
Jazz Musician |
17-Jul-1952 |
26-Apr-2011 |
Jazz vocalist |
| Muggsy Spanier |
Jazz Musician |
9-Nov-1906 |
12-Feb-1967 |
Muggsy Spanier and His Ragtime Band |
| Dave Stewart |
Jazz Musician |
30-Dec-1950 |
|
Jazz/prog keyboardist |
| Sonny Stitt |
Jazz Musician |
2-Feb-1924 |
22-Jul-1982 |
Jazz saxophonist |
| Billy Strayhorn |
Composer |
29-Nov-1915 |
31-May-1967 |
Take the A Train |
| Steve Swallow |
Jazz Musician |
4-Oct-1940 |
|
Prolific jazz bassist |
| Gabor Szabo |
Jazz Musician |
8-Mar-1936 |
26-Feb-1982 |
Innovative jazz guitarist |
| Art Tatum |
Jazz Musician |
13-Oct-1909 |
5-Nov-1956 |
Greatest jazz pianist of all time |
| Billy Taylor |
Jazz Musician |
24-Jul-1921 |
28-Dec-2010 |
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free |
| Cecil Taylor |
Jazz Musician |
15-Mar-1929 |
|
Avant-garde jazz pianist |
| Jack Teagarden |
Jazz Musician |
20-Aug-1905 |
15-Jan-1964 |
Virtuoso trombonist and jazz bandleader |
| Henry Threadgill |
Jazz Musician |
15-Feb-1944 |
|
Jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist |
| Cal Tjader |
Jazz Musician |
16-Jul-1925 |
5-May-1982 |
Latin-jazz bandleader |
| James Blood Ulmer |
Jazz Musician |
2-Feb-1942 |
|
Tales of Captain Black |
| Kazutoki Umezu |
Jazz Musician |
1949 |
|
Japanese jazz and improv reed player |
| Boris Vian |
Novelist |
10-Mar-1920 |
23-Jun-1959 |
L'Écume des jours |
| Collin Walcott |
Jazz Musician |
24-Feb-1945 |
8-Nov-1984 |
Jazz sitar player |
| Fats Waller |
Jazz Musician |
21-May-1904 |
15-Dec-1943 |
Influential jazz pianist |
| Weasel Walter |
Composer |
1972 |
|
The Flying Luttenbachers |
| Teddy Weatherford |
Jazz Musician |
11-Oct-1903 |
25-Apr-1945 |
Jazz ambassador to the Far East |
| Chick Webb |
Jazz Musician |
10-Feb-1905 |
16-Jun-1939 |
The Chick Webb Orchestra |
| Cootie Williams |
Jazz Musician |
10-Jul-1910 |
15-Sep-1985 |
Cootie Williams and His Orchestra |
| Lester Young |
Jazz Musician |
27-Aug-1909 |
15-Mar-1959 |
Jazz tenor saxophoneist |
