JH WEEKLIES ISSUE #172015-2016Jazz Greats

Jazz is often called the uniquely American art form. It originated in New Orleans in the early part of the 20th century where African-American musicians combined elements of ragtime, folk, European, and African music into an original sound. It quickly spread to other African-American communities in Kansas City, Chicago,

and New York and was the dominant form of popular music until the birth of Rock and Roll in the 1950s. Its emphasis on improvisation and a general disdain for

conformity still influences today’s musicians. Here are brief biographies of some legendary jazz musicians.

Jelly Roll MortonLouis ArmstrongElla FitzgeraldDuke EllingtonBillie HollidayCount Bassie

Benny GoodmanJohn Coltrane

Miles DavisCharlie ParkerDizzy Gillespie

Thelonious MonkDave Brubeck

Jelly Roll MortonBorn: October 20, 1890 Died: July 10, 1941Instrument: pianoNickname: Jelly Roll

Ferdinand LaMothe, better known by his professional name Jelly Roll Morton, often claimed that he invented jazz, although it is impossible to attribute the art form to a single person. He was born in New Orleans and at a young age began playing the piano in bars and brothels. He started touring with vaudeville and minstrel acts and began to fuse Spanish, Caribbean, blues, and ragtime music into a distinct sound. Travelling through major American cities like Los Angeles and Chicago this “hot jazz” proved popular with listeners and was imitated by many musicians. Classic Jelly Roll Morton songs include “King Porter Stomp,” “Billy Goat Stomp,” and “Original Jelly Roll Blues.”

Louis ArmstrongBorn: August 4, 1901Died: July 6, 1971Instrument: trumpet, cornetNicknames: Satchmo, Pops, Ambassador Satch

Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans and grew up in the rough Storyville section of the city. He began working at a very young age and his travels through the city exposed Armstrong to a variety of musical styles. Playing in pick-up bands and at small clubs, he drew the attention of trumpet player Joe “King” Oliver who became a mentor to Armstrong. He reached his artistic peak in the 1920s when he recorded with groups known as Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five and Louis Armstrong and the Hot Seven. These recordings highlighted Armstrong’s skill as a trumpeter and helped him develop a national following. In addition to playing the trumpet, Armstrong was also an accomplished vocalist; his distinctive, gravelly voice made singles such as “Hello Dolly!” and “What a Wonderful World” enduring classics. Louis Armstrong remains one of the most influential musicians in jazz history. His improvisational skills inspired not only jazz performers, but also rock and pop musicians as well. His popularity among people of all backgrounds helped break racial barriers in the 20th century.

Ella FitzgeraldBorn: April 25, 1917Died: June 15, 1996Instrument: voiceNicknames: First Lady of Song, Lady Ella, Queen of Jazz

Ella Fitzgerald endured a troubled childhood which included the death of her mother and periods of homelessness. Her break came in 1934 at New York’s famous Apollo Theater in the Harlem neighborhood. Fitzgerald entered an amateur singing contest at the Apollo and won, taking home a $25 prize. Her career took off from there and she became one of the country’s most popular singers in the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. She was known for her scat singing–a form of vocal improvisation in which a singer uses her voice to mimic a musical instrument. Well known songs by Ella Fitzgerald include “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Her influence can be seen today as many hip-hop and rap artists incorporate scat singing techniques into their performances.

Duke EllingtonBorn: April 29, 1899Died: May 24, 1974Instrument: pianoNickname: Duke

Edward Ellington was born in Washington D.C. to parents who were both amateur musicians. He acquired the nickname “Duke” as a young boy because his polite manners and neat appearance reminded his friends of royalty. Ellington took elements of ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, blues, and minstrel music and combined it into a unique big band style he called “American Music.” He led his orchestra for over 50 years. He was part of the cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. Notable songs he recorded include “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” “Satin Doll,” and “Take the ‘A’ Train.”

Billie HollidayBorn: April 7, 1915Died: July 17, 1959Instrument: voiceNickname: Lady Day

Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and lived a troubled childhood marked by neglect and abuse. Although she battled drug and alcohol problems throughout her short life, she persevered to create some memorable and enduring music. Her song “Strange Fruit” remains a powerful commentary on race relations in the South. Other classic Holliday songs include “(In My) Solitude” and “Lady Sings the Blues.” Holliday wrote an autobiography title Lady Sings the Blues, and it was made into a movie of the same name in 1972, starring Diana Ross.

Count BassieBorn: August 21, 1904Died: April 26, 1984Instrument: piano, organNickname: Count

William “Count” Bassie began his career playing piano in vaudeville shows. After his performance group disbanded in Kansas City he caught on with a group called Walter Page’s Blue Devils which introduced him to the big band sound. He eventually formed his own band, Count Basie and His Barons of Rhythm, and moved to Chicago. Later he moved his band to New York City where they developed a reputation for a fluid, effortless style of jazz. Basie was a notable bandleader during the swing era with memorable songs such as “Jumpin’ at the Woodside,” “April in Paris,” and “One O’Clock Jump.”

Benny GoodmanBorn: May 30, 1909Died: June 13, 1986Instrument: clarinetNickname: King of Swing

Benny Goodman was born in Chicago and at an early age developed a reputation as a skilled clarinetist. His break came in 1934 when he auditioned for NBC’s Let’s Dance radio program. The program aired late in the New York area so Goodman did not develop a large following there, but audiences on the West Coast heard the show earlier in the evening and packed his shows at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles in 1935. Leading one of the few integrated bands of his time, Goodman played a hot version of swing that defined popular music in the 1930s and early 1940s. Some classic numbers include “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “Sing, Sing, Sing,” and “Let’s Dance.”

John ColtraneBorn: September 23, 1926Died: July 17, 1967Instrument: saxophoneNickname: Trane

John Coltrane is remembered as a musician who took jazz out of the swing and bebop era into a more free form, experimental age. He played in groups that included such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk, but he was also dismissed from many of these bands because of his addiction to heroin. He found personal as well as professional redemption in the 1950s when he began to play with the Miles Davis Quintet. Working with Davis, Coltrane helped record the legendary albums Round About Midnight and Kind of Blue. Ultimately, Coltrane was unsuccessful in kicking his drug addiction and left the band to pursue a solo career. His groundbreaking, genre-defying playing style produced such beloved albums as Impressions and My Favorite Things. His classic 1965 album A Love Supreme has been cited as an influence by such rock musicians as Carlos Santana and Bono. Coltrane died at age 40 due to liver cancer, possibly caused by his drug use. After his death he was declared a saint by the African Orthodox Church.

Miles DavisBorn: May 26, 1926Died: September 28, 1991Instrument: trumpet, pianoNickname: The Prince of Darkness

Miles Davis grew up in a middle-class family in East St. Louis, Illinois. After high school he moved to New York and studied briefly at the Julliard School of Music. He developed a sparse, clear style playing with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane. His 1957 album, The Birth of Cool, set the standard for the relaxed, lighter style of music known as cool jazz. He was a pioneer of many genres of jazz music, including bebop, hard bop, and jazz fusion. Other influential albums released by Davis include Kind of Blue and Bitches Brew.

Charlie ParkerBorn: August 29, 1920Died: March 12, 1955Instrument: SaxophoneNickname: Yardbird, Bird

Charlie Parker was instrumental in the development of bebop, a faster paced, improvisational style of jazz. He grew up near Kansas City, but moved to New York in 1939 to develop and hone his talent. Parker was known for his solos and often collaborated with such artists as Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie. He was greatly respected by other jazz musicians but never attained the popularity of some of his contemporaries. Notable compositions of Parker’s include “Yardbird Suite,” “Ornithology,” and “Bird of Paradise.” Charlie Parker died at 34 after struggling with drug addiction.

Dizzy GillespieBorn: October 21, 1917Died: January 6, 1993Instrument: trumpet, piano

John “Dizzy” Gillespie was another important artist the formation of bebop. Largely self-taught, he was known for his audacious solos and impish sense of humor. His nickname Dizzy arose because of his kooky on-stage antics. He played a distinctive trumpet with the horn angled upward, and his cheeks puffed comically when he played. Notable songs by Gillespie include “A Night in Tunisia,” “I’m Be Boppin’ Too,” and “Salt Peanuts.”

Thelonious MonkBorn: October 10, 1917Died: February 17, 1982Instrument: pianoNickname: Melodious, The Mad Monk, The High Priest of Bebop

Thelonious Monk was born in North Carolina but grew up in New York City. He learned to play the piano at a young age, and by the time he was thirteen he had won the Apollo Theater’s amateur competition so many times that management banned him from the contest. In 1941 he joined the house band at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem. It was there, playing with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, that Monk began to develop the improvised, fast-paced style of bebop. Classic albums by Monk include Brillant Corners and Straight, No Chaser.

Dave BrubeckBorn: December 6, 1920Died: December 5, 2012Instrument: pianoNickname: none

Dave Brubeck was born in Stockton, California and learned to play piano from his mother. In 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he formed a racially integrated band called The Wolfpack. He formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and began to develop a unique sound that did not rely on the 4/4 meter typical of most jazz compositions. Familiar songs by Dave Brubeck include “Blue Rondo a la Turk,” “Unsquare Dance,” and “Take Five.”