Bessie Smith
Jazz and blues vocalist Bessie Smith's powerful, soulful voice won her countless fans and earned her the title "Empress of the Blues."
Famous Jazz Musicians
With its roots in the blues, jazz has been referred to as America's classical music, yet has also become a major global phenomenon, branching off into a variety of forms. Earlier pioneers like Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton paved the way for the swinging big-band sounds of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. In contrast, contemporaries Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk developed bebop, with its speedy, dissonant harmonies and improvisations. And Miles Davis heralded the birth of cool jazz, modal jazz and fusion at different points in his career. Famous jazz instrumentalists have tended to be male, yet women have been at the forefront of the genre when it comes to vocalization, from the brassy blues of Bessie Smith to the haunting eclecticism of Nina Simone.
People In This Group
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. She had a thriving career for many years before she lost her battle with addiction.
Duke Ellington
An originator of big-band jazz, Duke Ellington was an American composer, pianist and bandleader who composed thousands of scores over his 50-year career.
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald, known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist who interpreted much of the Great American Songbook.
Nina Simone
The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Nina Simone’s childhood home a national treasure; it was saved from demolition in 2016. The singer and Civil Rights activist experienced major mental health & financial issues before dying in France in 2003.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles was a pioneer of soul music, integrating R&B, gospel, pop and country to create hits like "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind." A blind genius, he is considered one of the greatest artists of all time.
Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was a dancer and singer who became wildly popular in France during the 1920s. She also devoted much of her life to fighting racism.
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong was a trumpeter, bandleader, singer, soloist, film star and comedian. Considered one of the most influential artists in jazz history, he is known for songs like "Star Dust," "La Via En Rose" and "What a Wonderful World."
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and one of first creators of modern jazz.
Miles Davis
Grammy Award winner Miles Davis was a major force in the jazz world, as both a trumpet player and a bandleader.
Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker was a legendary Grammy Award–winning jazz saxophonist who, with Dizzy Gillespie, invented the musical style called bop or bebop.
Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton was an American pianist and songwriter best known for influencing the formation of modern day jazz during the 1920s.
Scott Joplin
Viewed as the "King of Ragtime," Scott Joplin was the foremost composer of the genre in the early 20th century, known for works like "The Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer."
Dizzy Gillespie
A jazz trumpeter and composer, Dizzy Gillespie played with Charlie Parker and developed the music known as "bebop." His best-known compositions include "Oop Bob Sh' Bam," "Groovin' High," "Salt Peanuts" and "A Night in Tunisia."
John Coltrane
A lost John Coltrane recording from 1963 has just been released. ‘Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album’ was a recorded in one set over one day by the saxophonist and his quartet, then stashed away; Coltrane’s personal copy was recently discovered by the family of his first wife.
Count Basie
One of jazz music's all-time greats, bandleader/pianist Count Basie was a primary shaper of the big-band sound that characterized mid-20th century popular music.