The best jazz artists to make your day. The greatest jazz performers: rating, achievements and interesting facts

A few days ago, my friends and I tried to remember as many people as possible who, in our opinion, changed the course of history. Well, if we expand this topic, we can identify 10 key aspects in different areas of human activity that have influenced the life, worldview, or simply the taste of all humanity. Today I would like to highlight10 jazz standards, which, in my opinion, are the basispopular jazz music . Jazz standards- These are jazz melodies or themes that were once written by someone and are so memorable that all jazz musicians and almost all people know them. Quite good musicians, as Wikipedia writes, for example, knows a couple of hundred of them, which, by the way, I very much doubt.

Most likely, many people know the collections I have collected. jazz compositions, but each standard has its own history, which not everyone knows.

So number one:

1. Autumnleaves

Originally, in 1945, it was a French song" Les Feuilles mortes" (literally "Dead Leaves") with music Joseph Kosma and the poet's poems Jacques Prevert). Yves Montand (with Irene Joachim) introduced "Les Feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes-de-la-Nuit. In 1947 American composer Johnny Mercer wrote the English lyrics of this song, and Joe Stafford was one of the first to perform new version compositions. Autumn Leaves has become a jazz and pop standard in both languages, as well as in an instrumental version.

The video below features an improvisational version of this theme by one of the best jazz improvisers and composers (and one of my favorites) of our time Keith Jarrett. Notice how he funny howls and dances during his solo. His playing has a special charm and is immediately distinguishable and identifiable by ear thanks to the microphone support of his peculiar “moo”.

2. Let it snow!Let it snow!Let it snow!

The song is also known as "Let It Snow". Authorship belongs to the lyricist Sammy Cahn and the composer Julie Styne in 1945. Interestingly, it was written in July 1945 in Hollywood during one of the hottest days of the summer.

What’s even more interesting is that, I think, almost everyone on our blue ball plowing the Universe knows it, even those who have lived in the desert all their lives. Personally, I always sing this song when snowing or rain ( Let it rain! You can still Let it fog!)

3. I've got you under my skin

Not everyone knows this composition, which has been covered by all jazz vocalists, if not on stage, then certainly in the shower. Copyright belongs to Cole Porter and it was written in 1936. In the presented video (as well as in the previous one) it is performed by my favorite musician Jamie CullamCulllum). After this song there will be a small bonus - another song performed by Jamie - High and Dry (Radiohead). This is one of my favorite songs.

4. Fly me to the moon

And this theme is one of those to which it is most convenient to swing, even for me, a person far from swinging. Wrote a masterpiece Bart Howard in 1954.

5. Take five

If a musician wants to test his musical flair on a non-standard rhythm, Takefive - this is the best jazz composition to experiment with. The 5-quarter time signature clearly shows that the song deserves attention. By the way, there are a lot of songs that begin as a famous standard, but I came up with it “the first time” Paul Desmond, and was first presented by the quartet of the great Dave Brubeck Quartet in album "Time Out" in 1959

6. The entertainer

Well, everyone knows that. The composition was written by the founder of the ragtime style. Scott Joplin more than 110 years ago (in 1902). Is a ragtime classic. This jazz composition regained its international fame during « Ragtime Revival" in the 1970s, when it was used as theme song for the movie" "The Sting", which won an Oscar.

7. Singingintherain

"Singing in the Rain" - song with verses Arthur Freed and music Nacio Herb Brown, written in 1929, gained fame after the film of the same name. After watching the video I always start to rejoice!

8. Summertime

When people talk about jazz, then they often mean exactly “ Summertime" Work written George Gershwin in 1935 for the opera "Porgy and Bess". Authors of the text: DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin(brother of George). Saying what is the basis for writing an aria Gershwin took a Ukrainian lullaby "Oh go sleep around the corner", which he heard in New York performed by the Ukrainian National Choir under the direction of Alexandra Koshitsa. We're bringing the heat there too!

9. Feelinggood

"Feeling Good" (also known as " Feelin' Good") is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley And Leslie Bricusse in 1965. Since then, the composition has been recorded by many artists, including the outstanding Nina Simone.

10. HelloDolly

Well, where would we be without Armstrong! But what’s interesting is the author of the music and lyrics famous song, Not Armstrong- the man who set foot on Mars first, - and Jerry Herman (Jerry Herman). The song was very popular in 1964, when it was played on the radio as often as it is played today Lady Gaga. But it is our beloved one Louis Armstrong made it what we know it today.

Soon I will prepare 25 of the best jazz compositions, including jazz standards in the original and their modern adaptations.

A new musical direction, called jazz, arose at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of the fusion of European musical culture with African one. He is characterized by improvisation, expressiveness and a special type of rhythm.

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, new musical ensembles, called . They included wind instruments (trumpet, trombone clarinet), double bass, piano and percussion instruments.

Famous jazz players, thanks to their talent for improvisation and ability to subtly feel music, gave impetus to the formation of many musical directions. Jazz has become the primary source of many modern genres.

So, whose performance of jazz compositions made the listener's heart skip a beat in ecstasy?

Louis Armstrong

For many music connoisseurs, his name is associated with jazz. The musician's dazzling talent captivated him from the first minutes of his performance. Merging together with a musical instrument - a trumpet - he plunged his listeners into euphoria. Louis Armstrong went through a difficult journey from a nimble boy from a poor family to the famous King of Jazz.

Duke Ellington

Unstoppable creative person. A composer whose music played with the modulations of many styles and experiments. The talented pianist, arranger, composer, and orchestra leader never tired of surprising with his innovation and originality.

His unique works with great enthusiasm were tested by the most famous orchestras that time. It was Duke who came up with the idea of ​​using the human voice as an instrument. More than a thousand of his works, called by connoisseurs the “golden fund of jazz,” were recorded on 620 discs!

Ella Fitzgerald

The “First Lady of Jazz” had a unique voice with a wide range of three octaves. Honorary awards It's hard to count talented American women. Ella's 90 albums were distributed around the world in incredible numbers. It is hard to imagine! Over 50 years of creativity, about 40 million albums performed by her have been sold. Masterfully mastering the talent of improvisation, she easily worked in duets with other famous jazz performers.

Ray Charles

One of the most famous musicians, called "a true jazz genius." 70 music albums sold around the world in numerous editions. He has 13 Grammy awards to his name. His compositions have been recorded by the Library of Congress. The popular magazine Rolling Stone ranked Ray Charles number 10 on its “Immortal List” of 100 great artists of all time.

Miles Davis

American trumpeter who has been compared to the artist Picasso. His music was highly influential in shaping the music of the 20th century. Davis represents the versatility of styles in jazz, the breadth of interests and accessibility for audiences of all ages.

Frank Sinatra

The famous jazz player came from a poor family, was short in stature and did not differ in any way in appearance. But he captivated the audience with his velvety baritone. The talented vocalist starred in musicals and dramatic films. Recipient of many awards and special awards. Won an Oscar for The House I Live In

Billie Holiday

A whole era in the development of jazz. The songs performed by the American singer acquired individuality and radiance, playing with tints of freshness and novelty. The life and work of “Lady Day” was short, but bright and unique.

Famous jazz musicians have enriched the art of music with sensual and soulful rhythms, expressiveness and freedom of improvisation.

Today is a special day for those whose playlists always include songs by Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald or John Coltrane. Every year on April 30 the world celebrates International Jazz Day. On this occasion, we decided to remind you of the people (and even introduce some of them) who are today on the list of modern jazz stars.

George Benson

The smiling master of voice and guitar George Benson, whose work harmoniously merges R"n"B, soft rock and jazz, began his career in jazz as a 21-year-old youth. Today he is already 70 years old, and he still performs! At one time, Benson blew up the music charts, he was compared to Stevie Wonder, and was awarded a Grammy several times.

In the near future it can be heard in France (Paris) - July 3, Germany (Munich) - July 15 or Italy (Rome) - July 22.

Bob James

Pianist Bob James is a famous representative and one of the founders of such a musical direction as smooth-jazz (translated into Russian as “soft jazz”). What this man plays is extremely professional, melodic and harmonious. It’s not just Bob James himself who makes his music - the master is helped by his band called the Bob James Trio, consisting of Billy Kilson (drums), David McMurray (saxophone) and Samuel Burgess (bass).

To listen to Bob James live, you will have to strain a little more than in the case of George Benson - the former will travel exclusively around the USA until the end of the year and will briefly visit Canada.

Chick Corea

Piano genius Chica Corea(Chick Corea) is known even to those who are not jazz fans. American by birth and Italian by origin, this musician has many Grammy awards and a huge number of world-famous compositions. And, despite the fact that Chick Corea is already 71 years old, he still continues to perform in different countries with concerts.

Until June of this year, the composer will delight Americans with his music, and then he will go to Japan, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. Chick will perform in Holland on July 13, in Germany the next day, on July 18 and 19 he will perform in France, on July 20 he plays in Spain, and then heads to the States.

Norah Jones

The list of modern jazz stars is not full of men alone - there are also representatives of the fair sex who have perfectly realized themselves in this musical direction. For example, 34-year-old jazz pianist and singer Norah Jones, who performs her own songs. Her star lit up in 2002 with the album Come Away with Me, which won five Grammys and sold 20 million copies.

The singer is not planning to give concerts in the near future, so we invite you to remember Nora’s favorite compositions by listening to her latest album or watching recordings of her live concerts.

Nino Katamadze

We decided to complete the article with the Georgian jazz singer and composer Nino Katamadze. The owner of a very special voice, she writes surprisingly deep, serious songs that penetrate to the very depths of the soul.

To hear her live, you won’t have to travel far - on May 25 she performs in the capital of Kazakhstan, and on June 15 she sings at the tenth anniversary festival “ Usadba Jazz" in Moscow.

Congratulations to jazz lovers on their “professional holiday.” And for those who are not yet a fan of this musical direction, we advise you to listen to jazz, perhaps it will inspire you to new discoveries.

Jazz is music filled with passion and inventiveness, music that knows no boundaries or limits. Making a list like this is incredibly difficult. This list has been written, rewritten, and then rewritten some more. Ten is too limiting a number for a musical genre like jazz. However, regardless of the quantity, this music can breathe life and energy, awaken you 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, inventiveness, virtuosity, musical expressiveness and a dynamic spectacle. Known for his raspy voice and a career spanning over five decades. Armstrong's influence on music is invaluable. Louis Armstrong is generally 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 led a jazz orchestra for almost 50 years. Ellington used his band as a musical laboratory for his experiments, in which he showcased the talents of the band members, many of whom remained with him for a long time. Ellington is an incredibly gifted and prolific musician. During his five-decade career, he wrote thousands of compositions, including scores for films and musicals, as well as many famous standards such as "Cotton Tail" and "It Don't Mean a Thing."

Duke Ellington and John Coltrane - In a sentimental mood

3. Miles Davis

1926 - 1991

Miles Davis is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Together with your musical groups, Davis was central figure jazz music since the mid-40s, including bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz and jazz fusion. Davis has tirelessly pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, resulting in him often being identified as one of the most innovative and respected artists in music history.

Miles Davis Quintet - It Never Entered My Mind

4. Charlie Parker

1920 - 1955

Virtuoso saxophonist Charlie Parker was an influential jazz soloist and a leading figure in the development of bebop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuosic technique and improvisation. In his complex melodic lines, Parker combines jazz with other musical genres, including blues, Latin and classical music. Parker was an iconic figure for the beatnik subculture, but he transcended his generation and became the epitome of the uncompromising, intelligent musician.

Charlie Parker - Blues for Alice

5. Nat King Cole

1919 - 1965

Known for his silky baritone voice, Nat King Cole brought popular American music the emotionality of jazz. Cole was one of the first African Americans to become a presenter. television program, which was visited by such jazz performers like Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha Kitt. Phenomenal pianist and an accomplished improviser, Cole was one of the first jazz performers to become a pop icon.

Nat King Cole - Autumn Leaves

6. John Coltrane

1926 - 1967

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

John Coltrane - My Favorite Things

7. Thelonious Monk

1917 - 1982

Thelonious Monk is a musician with a unique improvisational style, the second most recognizable jazz artist, after Duke Ellington. His style was characterized by energetic, percussive lines mixed with sharp, dramatic silences. During his performances, while the rest of the musicians were playing, Thelonious would get up from his keyboard and dance for several minutes. Having created jazz classics "Round Midnight" and "Straight, No Chaser," Monk ended his days in relative obscurity, but his influence on modern jazz noticeable to this day.

Thelonious Monk - "round Midnight

8. Oscar Peterson

1925 - 2007

Oscar Peterson is an innovative musician who has performed everything from a classical ode to Bach 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 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 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. musical 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 unmatched by other jazz singers.

Billie Holiday - Strange fruit

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 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 tirelessly and captivated audiences with his beret, horn-rimmed glasses, puffy cheeks, carefree attitude and his incredible music.

Dizzy Gillespie feat. Charlie Parker - A Night In Tunisia

11. Dave Brubeck

1920 – 2012

Dave Brubeck is a composer and pianist, jazz promoter, civil rights activist and music scholar. An iconoclastic performer recognizable from a single chord, a restless composer pushing the boundaries of genre, and building a bridge between the past and 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 - Take Five

12. Benny Goodman

1909 – 1986

Benny Goodman - 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 controversial personality. He relentlessly strived for excellence and this was reflected in his approach to music. Goodman was more than just a virtuoso performer—he was a creative clarinetist and innovator of the jazz era that preceded the bebop era.

Benny Goodman - Sing Sing Sing

13. Charles Mingus

1922 – 1979

Charles Mingus is an influential jazz double bassist, composer, and jazz bandleader. Mingus's music is a mixture of hot and soulful hard bop, gospel, classical music and free jazz. Mingus's ambitious music and menacing temperament earned him the nickname "The 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 bassist ever, one who always had his fingers on the pulse of the ferocious expressive power of jazz.

Charles Mingus - Moanin"

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 experiments, Hancock's love for the piano continues unabated and his piano playing style continues to evolve into ever more challenging and complex forms.

Herbie Hancock - Cantelope Island

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. There had been a huge shortage of new trumpet players in jazz since the 1970s, but Marsalis' unexpected fame inspired new interest in jazz music.

Wynton Marsalis - Rustiques (E. Bozza)

As one of the most revered forms musical art In America, jazz laid the foundation for an entire industry, revealing to the world numerous names of brilliant composers, instrumentalists and vocalists and giving rise to a wide range of genres. 15 of the Most Influential Jazz Musicians Are Responsible for a Global Phenomenon That Happened in... last century in the history of the genre.

Jazz developed in the late years of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th as a movement combining classical European and American sounds with African folk motifs. The songs were performed with a syncopated rhythm, giving impetus to the development and, subsequently, education big orchestras for its execution. Music has made great strides from the days of ragtime to modern jazz.

The influence of West African musical culture is obvious in the kind of music that is written and how it is performed. Polyrhythm, improvisation and syncopation are what characterize jazz. Over the past century, this style has changed under the influence of contemporaries of the genre, who brought their ideas to the essence of improvisation. New directions began to appear - bebop, fusion, Latin American jazz, free jazz, funk, acid jazz, hard bop, smooth jazz, and so on.

15 Art Tatum

Art Tatum was a jazz pianist and virtuoso who was practically blind. He is known as one of the greatest pianists of all time, who changed the role of the piano in the jazz ensemble. Tatum turned to the stride style to create his own unique style of playing, adding swing rhythms and fantastic improvisations. His attitude towards jazz music radically changed the meaning of the piano in jazz as a musical instrument compared to its previous characteristics.

Tatum experimented with the harmonies of the melody, influencing the chord structure and expanding it. All this characterized the bebop style, which, as we know, would become popular ten years later, when the first recordings in this genre appeared. Critics also noted his impeccable playing technique - Art Tatum was able to play the most difficult passages with such ease and speed that it seemed that his fingers barely touched the black and white keys.

14 Thelonious Monk

Some of the most complex and varied sounds can be found in the repertoire of the pianist and composer, one of the most important representatives of the era of the emergence of bebop and its subsequent development. His very personality as an eccentric musician helped popularize jazz. Monk, always dressed in a suit, hat and sunglasses, openly expressed his free-spirited approach to improvised music. He didn't accept strict rules and formed his own approach to writing essays. Some of his most brilliant and famous works were Epistrophy, Blue Monk, Straight, No Chaser, I Mean You and Well, You Needn’t.

Monk's playing style was based on an innovative approach to improvisation. His works are distinguished by shock passages and sharp pauses. Quite often, during his performances, he would jump up from behind the piano and dance while the other band members continued to play the melody. Thelonious Monk remains one of the most influential jazz musicians in the history of the genre.

13 Charles Mingus

The recognized double bass virtuoso, composer and band leader was one of the most extraordinary musicians on the jazz scene. He developed a new musical style, combining gospel, hard bop, free jazz and classical music. Contemporaries called Mingus "the heir to Duke Ellington" for his fantastic ability to write works for small jazz ensembles. His compositions demonstrated the skill of playing by all members of the group, each of whom was also not just talented, but was characterized by a unique playing style.

Mingus carefully selected the musicians who made up his band. The legendary double bassist had a temper, and once even hit trombonist Jimmy Knepper in the face, knocking out his tooth. Mingus suffered from depressive disorder, but was not willing to let it affect him in any way. creative activity. Despite this disability, Charles Mingus is one of the most influential figures in jazz history.

12 Art Blakey

Art Blakey was a famous American drummer and bandleader who made a splash in the style and technique of playing the drum kit. He combined swing, blues, funk and hard bop - a style that is heard today in every modern jazz composition. Along with Max Roach and Kenny Clarke, he invented new way playing bebop on drums. For more than 30 years, his band The Jazz Messengers gave a start to big jazz to many jazz artists: Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Clifford Brown, Curtis Fuller, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, etc.

The “Jazz Ambassadors” not only created phenomenal music - they were a kind of “musical testing ground” for young talented musicians, like the Miles Davis band. Art Blakey's style changed the very sound of jazz, becoming a new musical milestone.

11 Dizzy Gillespie

The jazz trumpeter, singer, composer and bandleader became a prominent figure in the times of bebop and modern jazz. His trumpet playing influenced the styles of Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro. After his time in Cuba, upon his return to the United States, Gillespie was one of those musicians who actively promoted Afro-Cuban jazz. In addition to his inimitable performance on the characteristically curved trumpet, Gillespie could be identified by his horn-rimmed glasses and incredibly large cheeks while playing.

The great jazz improviser Dizzy Gillespie, as well as Art Tatum, innovated harmonies. The compositions Salt Peanuts and Goovin' High were rhythmically completely different from previous works. Remaining faithful to bebop throughout his career, Gillespie is remembered as one of jazz's most influential trumpeters.

10 Max Roach

The top ten of the 15 most influential jazz musicians in the history of the genre includes Max Roach, a drummer known as one of the pioneers of bebop. He, like few others, influenced modern drumming. Roach was a civil rights activist and even recorded the album We Insist! with Oscar Brown Jr. and Coleman Hawkins. – Freedom Now (“We insist! – Freedom now”), dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Max Roach has an impeccable playing style, capable of performing extended solos throughout the entire concert. Absolutely any audience was delighted with his unsurpassed skill.

9 Billie Holiday

Lady Day is the favorite of millions. Billie Holiday wrote only a few songs, but when she sang, she captivated her voice from the first notes. Her performance is deep, personal and even intimate. Her style and intonation are inspired by the sound musical instruments that she had heard. Like almost all the musicians described above, she became the creator of a new, but already vocal style, based on long musical phrases and the tempo of their singing.

The famous Strange Fruit is the best not only in Billie Holiday’s career, but in the entire history of jazz due to the singer’s soulful performance. She was posthumously awarded prestigious awards and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

8 John Coltrane

The name of John Coltrane is associated with virtuoso playing technique, excellent talent for composing music and a passion for exploring new facets of the genre. On the threshold of the origins of hard bop, the saxophonist achieved enormous success and became one of the most influential musicians in the history of the genre. Coltrane's music had an edgy sound, and he played with great intensity and dedication. He was capable of both playing alone and improvising in an ensemble, creating solo parts of incredible length. Playing tenor and soprano saxophone, Coltrane was also able to create melodic compositions in the smooth jazz style.

John Coltrane is credited with rebooting bebop by incorporating modal harmonies. While remaining a major figure in the avant-garde, he was a very prolific composer and continued to release discs, recording about 50 albums as a band leader throughout his career.

7 Count Basie

A revolutionary pianist, organist, composer and bandleader, Count Basie led one of the most successful groups in jazz history. For 50 years, Count Basie Orchestra, including incredibly popular musicians such as Sweets Edison, Buck Clayton and Joe Williams, has earned a reputation as one of America's most sought-after big bands. Winner of nine Grammy awards, Count Basie instilled a love of orchestral sound in more than one generation of listeners.

Basie wrote many compositions that became jazz standards, such as April in Paris and One O'Clock Jump. Colleagues described him as tactful, modest and full of enthusiasm. Without Count Basie's orchestra in the history of jazz, the big band era would have sounded different and probably would not have been as influential as it became with this outstanding band leader.

6 Coleman Hawkins

The tenor saxophone is a symbol of bebop and all jazz music in general. And for that we can thank Coleman Hawkins. The innovations that Hawkins brought were vital to the development of bebop in the mid-forties. His contribution to the development of the popularity of this instrument may have determined future career John Coltrane, and Dexter Gordon.

The composition Body and Soul (1939) became the standard for tenor saxophone playing for many saxophonists. Other instrumentalists were also influenced by Hawkins: pianist Thelonious Monk, trumpeter Miles Davis, drummer Max Roach. His ability for extraordinary improvisations led to the discovery of new jazz sides of the genre that were not touched upon by his contemporaries. This partly explains why the tenor saxophone has become an integral part of modern jazz ensemble.

5 Benny Goodman

The top five 15 most influential jazz musicians in the history of the genre opens. The famous King of Swing led almost the most popular orchestra of the early 20th century. His 1938 Carnegie Hall concert is recognized as one of the most important live concerts in the history of American music. This show demonstrates the advent of the jazz era, the recognition of this genre as an independent art form.

Despite the fact that Benny Goodman was the lead singer of a large swing orchestra, he also participated in the development of bebop. His orchestra was one of the first to combine musicians of different races. Goodman was an outspoken opponent of the Jim Crow Law. He even canceled a tour of the Southern states in support of racial equality. Benny Goodman was an active figure and reformer not only in jazz, but also in popular music.

4 Miles Davis

One of the central jazz figures of the 20th century, Miles Davis, was at the origins of many music events and watched their development. He is credited with innovating the genres of bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, fusion, funk and techno music. Constantly searching for a new musical style, he always achieved success and was surrounded by brilliant musicians, including John Coltrane, Cannoball Adderley, Keith Jarrett, JJ Johnson, Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea. During his lifetime, Davis was awarded 8 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Miles Davis was one of the most active and influential jazz musicians of the last century.

3 Charlie Parker

When you think about jazz, you remember the name. Also known as Bird Parker, he was a pioneer of jazz alto saxophone, bebop musician and composer. His fast playing, clear sound and talent as an improviser had a significant influence on the musicians of that time and our contemporaries. As a composer, he changed the standards of jazz music writing. Charlie Parker became the musician who cultivated the idea that jazzmen were artists and intellectuals, and not just showmen. Many artists tried to copy Parker's style. His famous playing techniques can also be traced in the manner of many current beginning musicians, who take as a basis the composition Bird, which is consonant with the nickname of the alt-saccosophist.

2 Duke Ellington

He was a great pianist, composer and one of the most outstanding orchestra leaders. Although he is known as a pioneer of jazz, he excelled in other genres including gospel, blues, classical and popular music. Ellington is credited with bringing jazz to the forefront. separate species art. With countless awards and honors to his name, the first great composer of jazz never stopped improving. He was an inspiration to subsequent generations of musicians, including Sonny Stitt, Oscar Peterson, Earl Hines, and Joe Pass. Duke Ellington remains a recognized genius of the jazz piano - instrumentalist and composer.

1 Louis Armstrong

Unarguably the most influential jazz musician in the history of the genre, Satchmo is a trumpeter and singer from New Orleans. He is known as the creator of jazz, who played a key role in its development. The amazing abilities of this performer made it possible to elevate the trumpet into a solo jazz instrument. He is the first musician to sing in the scat style and popularize it. It was impossible not to recognize his low, “thundering” voice.

Armstrong's commitment to his own ideals influenced the work of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. Louis Armstrong influenced not only jazz, but also the entire musical culture, giving the world a new genre, a unique style of singing and style of playing the trumpet.