Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Henry Threadgill
Summarizes the life and career of Henry Threadgill, an African American improviser, composer, and bandleader, an important figure in free jazz in the late 20th century.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Mary Lou Williams
Biographical sketch of jazz pianist, Mary Lou Williams, who performed with and composed for many of the great jazz artists of the 1940s and '50s.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Sun Ra
This entry features Sun Ra, a black American jazz composer and keyboard player who led a free jazz big band known for its innovative instrumentation and the theatricality of its performances.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Baby Dodds
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Baby Dodds, an African-American musican, a leading early jazz percussionist and one of the first major jazz drummers on record.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Carmen Mc Rae
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Carmen McRae, an American jazz vocalist and pianist who from an early emulation of vocalist Billie Holiday grew to become a distinctive stylist, known for her smoky voice and her melodic...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Herbie Hancock
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Herbie Hancock, an American keyboard player, songwriter, and bandleader, a prolific recording artist who achieved success as an incisive, harmonically provocative jazz pianist and then...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Herbie Nichols
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Herbie Nichols, an African-American jazz pianist and composer whose advanced bop-era concepts of rhythm, harmony, and form predicted aspects of free jazz.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Sarah Vaughan
Summarizes the life and career of Sarah Vaughan, an American jazz vocalist and pianist known for her rich voice.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Lester Young
Biographical details on Lester Young, American tenor saxophonist popular in the mid-1930s jazz world who played with the Count Basie band.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Dicky Wells
Biographical sketch of Dicky Wells, leading black American jazz trombonist noted, especially in the big band era, for his melodic creativity and expressive techniques.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: Art of the Stamp: Nat "King" Cole
View the artwork for a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1994 to commemorate acclaimed jazz pianist Nat King Cole. With a short biographical passage.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Art Tatum
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Art Tatum, a blind, self-taught American pianist, considered one of the greatest technical virtuosos in jazz.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Bennie Moten
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bennie Moten, a U.S. pianist, one of the earliest known organizers of bands in the Midwest in the emergent years of jazz.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Bud Powell
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bud Powell, an American jazz pianist who emerged in the mid-1940s as one of the first pianists to play lines originally conceived by bebop horn players.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Horace Silver
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Horace Silver, an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, exemplary performer of what came to be called the hard bop style of the 1950s and '60s. The style was an extension of...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: T Bone Walker
Provides very brief biographical details on influential musician T-Bone Walker, a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Rutgers University
One More Once: A Celebration of the Life of Count Basie
Here is a truly wonderful site devoted to the life and music of Count Basie. A musicography tracks his creations through the decades of his life, and there are also photo essays to add celebrity interest to this excellent site.
American Academy of Achievement
Academy of Achievement: Johnny Mathis
A biography of singer Johnny Mathis, an inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Includes a profile, videos, and a photo gallery.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Alabama Department of Archives & History
Separate Halls of Fame as established by the Alabama Legislature. Includes: business; international motorsports, military, press association, Alabama sports, women, teachers, music and much more.
National Women’s History Museum
National Women's History Museum: Gertrude "Ma" Rainey
Often called the "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey was known for her deep-throated voice and mesmerizing stage presence that drew packed audiences and sold hit records in the early twentieth century.
Other
All About Jazz: Fletcher Henderson
A biography of Fletcher Henderson, including suggested listening and suggested reading materials.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Archie Shepp
Learn about the life of Archie Shepp, African American tenor saxophonist, composer, dramatist, teacher, and pioneer of the free jazz movement.
Curated OER
The Red Hot Jazz Archives
"The music called Jazz was born sometime around 1895 in New Orleans." Lots of information on jazz bands and musicians at this RedHotJazz.com site.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy
A brief biography of the life and musical career of Louis Armstrong from the National Portrait Gallery.
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