Avant Garde
ahead of your peers
Free Jazz
subset of Avant Garde, involved collective improvisation
sonic textures
mix instruments together
Ornette Coleman
Avant Garde alto sax, composer, bandleader, one of the most influential Avant Garde musicians, "Lonely Woman
Don Cherry
Avant Garde trumpet (pocket), sideman with Ornette Coleman
Cecil Taylor
Avant Garde pianist, composer, band leader, created a major alternative to mainstream jazz piano, no traditional jazz swing feel
Albert Ayler
Avant Garde tenor sax, composer, vocalist, one of the most unusual improvisers, used entire range and played altissimo
Charles Mingus
Avant Garde bassist, composer, band leader, active in Civil Rights Movement, brought improvisation into the arrangement with different backgrounds
Eric Dolphy
Avant Garde alto sax, flute, bass clarinet, composer, known for creating jarring and unpredictable improvisations
Rahsaan" Rowland Kirk
Avant Garde tenor sax, clarinet, flute, other reed instruments, used circular breathing
Sun Ra
Avant Garde electric keyboardist, led a big band, incorporated African instruments
AACM
Association for the Advancement of Creative Instruments, based in Chicago and allowed avant garde musicians to support each other, founded by Muhal Richard Abrams
Art Ensemble of Chicago
under AACM, one of the most popular avant garde bands, co-led by Lester Bowie (trumpet)
World Saxophone Quartet
based out of NY, utilized free improvisation, 2 alto saxes, 1 tenor, 1 baritone, "Metamorphosis
Bill Evans
Post-Bop pianist, composer, band leader, part of Miles Davis' Classic Quintet, played chord voicings based on 4ths
Bill Evans Trio
pianist Bill Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro, drummer Paul Motian, frequently passed solo and accompaniment back and forth, played in 3/4 time
McCoy Tyner
Post-Bop pianist, composer, band leader, in John Coltrane's Quartet, in Jazztet (Benny Golson, Art Farmer), "Passion Dance
Ahmad Jamal
Post-Bop pianist, composer, band leader, used vamps, influential in use of space, "Poinciana
Cedar Walton
Post-Bop pianist, composer, band leader, started career with Jazz Messengers, also played with Jazztet, side man with great musicians
Modern Jazz
anything that's covered in this class, from bebop onward because of change of shift and approach to improvisation that happened with bebop
Herbie Hancock
Post-Bop pianist, keyboardist,composer, band leader, helped push synths and keyboards into popularity with jazz, pianist in Miles Davis' 2nd Great Quintet, let group Head Hunters, "Chameleon", "Maiden Voyage
Chick Corea
Post-Bop pianist, keyboardist, composer, band leader, helped push synths and keyboards into popularity, heavily influenced by Bill Evans, played with Miles during Electric Miles, has an acoustic band and an electric band
Keith Jarrett
Post-Bop pianist, composer, band leader, played briefly with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, one of the most successful solo concert pianists in jazz history
Fusion
jazz and rock most common fusion, also funk, became the popular style of jazz and set the base for 80's and 90's, jazz had longer phrase lengths and faster harmonic progression, than rock or funk, improvisation is main focus in jazz, John Coltrane is root
John McLaughlin
Fusion guitarist, led the Mahavishnu Orchestra, known for playing long solo lines, outstanding proficiency and virtuosity
Larry Coryell
Fusion guitarist, from Texas, first to blend jazz with rock, blues, and country
Pat Metheny
Fusion guitarist, first to incorporate electronic effects into signature sound, constantly used chorus effect
Hiram Bullock
Fusion guitarist, originally saxophonist, member of the Dave Letterman Band
John Scofield
Fusion guitarist, in high demand as studio musician, had a lot of musical depth
Mike Stern
Fusion guitarist
Weather Report
Fusion band, co-led by keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, feature Jaco Pastorius as electric bass player, never had a guitarist, "Birdland
New Age Music
creation of the 80's, a hybrid of jazz and classical with some pop and rock, mostly background "elevator music", piano dominated
Smooth Jazz
1980's to today, background music, successful in radio among adults
George Benson
Smooth Jazz guitarist, started in Hard Bop, sang for most of his career
Soul Jazz
development of jazz with strong blues, soul, and gospel influences
Grover Washington, Jr.
Soul saxophone, didn't become famous until 5th album, "Mister Magic
David Sanborn
Soul saxophone, had a very hard-edge, powerful sound on sax, likened to a sonic laser beam that cut through texture of the music, highly sought out recording player
Michael Brecker
Soul/Neoclassical tenor sax, composer, experimented with EWI, regarded as most influential tenor sax since Coltrane, co-led Brecker Brothers band with brother (David Sanborn), founder and co-leader of Steps Ahead (all star group of NY recording session pl
Latin Jazz
combination of bebop-influenced improvisation with Carribean or S. American music, often expanded percussion
Dizzy Gillespie
Bebop trumpet, first to combine jazz improvisation with Latin rhythms
Bebo Valdes
Latin Jazz Cuban pianist, son and grandson also jazz pianists
clave pattern
at the rhythmic core of almost all Latin music, 2-bar pattern that repeats, 3/2 or 2/3
Mario Bauza
Latin Jazz clarinet and saxophone, switched to trumpet
Tito Puente
Latin Jazz percussionist, played timbales
Valdes Family
Latin Jazz pianists Bebo, Chucho, Chuchito
Paquito D'Rivera
Latin Jazz clarinet and saxophone
Arturo Sandoval
Latin Jazz trumpet
Eddie Palmieri
Latin Jazz pianist
Hubcap
Latin Jazz composition by Dr. Bobby Rodriguez, homage to Freddie Hubbard
Neoclassical Jazz
return to classical jazz, same general sound as hard bop but also advancing forward, more acoustic instruments but with amplified guitar and sometimes electric bass
Ellis Marsalis
Neoclassical pianist, composer, band leader, educator, father of Marsalis family, did not teach out of book but through listening
Branford Marsalis
Neoclassical saxophone, composer, band leader, achieved notoriety as tenor sax in Wynton Marsalis' Quintet, band leader of Tonight Show (Jay Leno), played a lot of notes and had a sheet of sound like Coltrane
Wynton Marsalis
Neoclassical trumpet, composer, band leader, educator, attended Julliard and classical trumpet, artistic director of jazz at Lincoln Center, conductor, leader, and primary composer for Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Delfeayo Marsalis
Neoclassical trombone, producer, best known as jazz recording producer, changed from a rock and roll recording to a more acoustic sound, recorded with microphones
bass direct
directly recording the bass to avoid outside sound
Jason Marsalis
Neoclassical drummer, mallet percussion, prodigy, known for developed distinctive polyrhythmic drumming styles
Diana Krall
Neoclassical vocalist, pianist, band leader, attended Berklee College of Music (nation's jazz conservatory), attracted attention of Ray Brown while in Canada
Vocalese
style of jazz singing where the lyrics are written for melodies that were originally written for instrumental composition
Clarence Beaks "King Pleasure
Vocalese master
Eddie Jefferson
Vocalese master, high charismatic, wrote lyrics for Moody's Mood for Love
Karrin Allyson
Vocalese master, present-day, jazz vocalist and vocalese lyricist
Kurt Elling
Vocalese master, vocalist, lyricist, exudes a lot of power when singing
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross
Vocal group, started trend of group vocalese, Dave Lambert (one of the originators of vocalese group singing), John Hendricks (accomplished scat singer, Annie Ross (originally British singer and actress)
Singers Unlimited
Vocal group, widely successful 4-part jazz vocal group, all commercial recording session singers, vocal jazz group was creative outlet
Manhattan Transfer
Vocal group, first internationally successful jazz vocal group, sang acapella
New York Voices
Vocal group, considered top of the heap of current 4-part vocal ensembles, often incorporated large instrumentation
Take 6
Vocal group, underground for a while on an independent label, 6-part all male group, highly gospel-influenced, received numerous Grammy nominations
The Real Group
Vocal group, from Sweden, still underground, never toured North America, 5-part, most performances acapella
Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
repertory jazz orchestra, led by John Clayton (bass player, conductor), Jeff Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton
John Clayton
Modern jazz composer, arranger, bass player in Diana Krall's quartet
Bob Mintzer
Modern jazz composer, arranger, led Bob Mintzer's big band
Maria Schneider
Modern jazz composer, arranger, vocalist, not a neoclassical composer but assimilated elements of neoclassic jazz, influenced by Gil Evans, Pat Metheny, studied with Bob Brookmeyer, "Hang Gliding
Joe Lovano
Modern jazz/Neoclassical tenor saxophone
Eric Alexander
Modern jazz/Neoclassical tenor saxophone
Joshua Redman
Modern jazz/Neoclassical tenor saxophone, son of Dewey Redman, influenced by John Coltrane and Gene Ammonds
Terrance Blanchard
Modern jazz/Neoclassical trumpet, composer, band leader, bad timing in his career, came into scene a year after Wynton Marsalis and stuck in his spotlight
Roy Hargrove
Modern jazz/Neoclassical trumpet, excellent technique, likened to Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, based in Dallas, Texas
Russel Malone
Modern jazz/Neoclassical guitarist, ability to play chord melodies, used to be guitarist in Diana Krall's quartet
Anthony Wilson
Modern jazz/Neoclassical guitarist, son of Jared Wilson, jazz guitar professor at UCLA, now guitarist in Diana Krall's quartet
Bobby Broom
Modern jazz/Neoclassical guitarist, unique, influenced by George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, taped pop tunes of the 60's and 70's and played them with a jazz trio
Christian McBride
Modern jazz/Neoclassical acoustic and electric bass, along with Russel Malone were part of Diana Krall's quartet
Tamir Hendelman
Modern jazz/Neoclassical pianist, jazz piano professor at UCLA, huge ears (able to listen to recordings and assimilate it into what he's playing)
Josh Nelson
Modern jazz/Neoclassical pianist, LA based, pianist and composer for vocalist Sara Gazarick