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Top 10 Influential Jazz Musicians


Jazze the original art form of the

Jazze the original art form of the American cell welcome to watchmojo.com

American cell welcome to watchmojo.com

American cell welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks

and today we’re counting down our picks

and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 most influential jazz

for the top 10 most influential jazz

for the top 10 most influential jazz musicians for this list we’ve considered

musicians for this list we’ve considered

musicians for this list we’ve considered musicians who made significant

musicians who made significant

musicians who made significant contributions to jazz as a genre and

contributions to jazz as a genre and

contributions to jazz as a genre and whose work had an historical impact on

whose work had an historical impact on

whose work had an historical impact on contemporary music as a whole

number 10 dizzy gillespie with trademark

number 10 dizzy gillespie with trademark swollen cheeks trumpet player dizzy

swollen cheeks trumpet player dizzy

swollen cheeks trumpet player dizzy gillespie was a groundbreaking bebop

gillespie was a groundbreaking bebop

gillespie was a groundbreaking bebop performer and master improviser as well

performer and master improviser as well

performer and master improviser as well as a pioneer of afro cuban and latin

as a pioneer of afro cuban and latin

as a pioneer of afro cuban and latin Jack’s with a deep passion for music

Jack’s with a deep passion for music

Jack’s with a deep passion for music rooted in African traditions Gillespie

rooted in African traditions Gillespie

rooted in African traditions Gillespie collaborated with a variety of Caribbean

collaborated with a variety of Caribbean

collaborated with a variety of Caribbean and South American performers fusing new

and South American performers fusing new

and South American performers fusing new styles into his modern jazz

styles into his modern jazz

styles into his modern jazz interpretations

Gillespie’s long career saw him

Gillespie’s long career saw him tirelessly touring captivating audiences

tirelessly touring captivating audiences

tirelessly touring captivating audiences with horn-rimmed virtuoso spectacles and

with horn-rimmed virtuoso spectacles and

with horn-rimmed virtuoso spectacles and becoming Jazz’s unofficial ambassador to

becoming Jazz’s unofficial ambassador to

becoming Jazz’s unofficial ambassador to the world in the process

number nine Billy Holladay embrace me my

number nine Billy Holladay embrace me my sweet embrace though she never composed

sweet embrace though she never composed

sweet embrace though she never composed her own music Billie Holiday is

her own music Billie Holiday is

her own music Billie Holiday is considered to be one of jazz’s greatest

considered to be one of jazz’s greatest

considered to be one of jazz’s greatest performers holiday turned embraceable

performers holiday turned embraceable

performers holiday turned embraceable you I’ll be seeing you and I cover the

you I’ll be seeing you and I cover the

you I’ll be seeing you and I cover the waterfront in two famous jazz standards

waterfront in two famous jazz standards

waterfront in two famous jazz standards while her rendition of strange fruit is

while her rendition of strange fruit is

while her rendition of strange fruit is considered to be one of the most

considered to be one of the most

considered to be one of the most important songs in American history he

important songs in American history he

important songs in American history he is a fruit father calls to pip though

is a fruit father calls to pip though

is a fruit father calls to pip though her life was fraught with tragedy

her life was fraught with tragedy

her life was fraught with tragedy holidays improvisational genius combined

holidays improvisational genius combined

holidays improvisational genius combined with a raspy somewhat fragile voice

with a raspy somewhat fragile voice

with a raspy somewhat fragile voice showcased a depth of emotion

showcased a depth of emotion

showcased a depth of emotion unparalleled by other jazz singers I’ve

unparalleled by other jazz singers I’ve

unparalleled by other jazz singers I’ve been looking but I’ll be seeing you

with an expensive career that saw him

with an expensive career that saw him compose everything from a classical ode

compose everything from a classical ode

compose everything from a classical ode to Bach and one of the first jazz

to Bach and one of the first jazz

to Bach and one of the first jazz ballets Oscar Peterson’s work was as

ballets Oscar Peterson’s work was as

ballets Oscar Peterson’s work was as socially significant as it was musically

socially significant as it was musically

socially significant as it was musically innovative

Peterson opened one of the first jazz

Peterson opened one of the first jazz schools in Canada and his hymn to

schools in Canada and his hymn to

schools in Canada and his hymn to freedom was a major anthem of the civil

freedom was a major anthem of the civil

freedom was a major anthem of the civil rights movement

deemed the maharajah of the keyboard by

deemed the maharajah of the keyboard by Duke Ellington Oscar Peterson was one of

Duke Ellington Oscar Peterson was one of

Duke Ellington Oscar Peterson was one of the most talented and important jazz

the most talented and important jazz

the most talented and important jazz pianists of his generation

a piano player and electrifying

a piano player and electrifying performer Thelonious monk’s jarring and

performer Thelonious monk’s jarring and

performer Thelonious monk’s jarring and dissonant compositions featured the

dissonant compositions featured the

dissonant compositions featured the melodic twists synonymous with

melodic twists synonymous with

melodic twists synonymous with contemporary jazz

monks style played with sound and the

monks style played with sound and the lack thereof

featuring energetic percussive attacks

featuring energetic percussive attacks on the keys juxtaposed with periods of

on the keys juxtaposed with periods of

on the keys juxtaposed with periods of drawn-out silence composing classics

drawn-out silence composing classics

drawn-out silence composing classics like round midnight and Straight No

like round midnight and Straight No

like round midnight and Straight No Chaser monk ended his days in relative

Chaser monk ended his days in relative

Chaser monk ended his days in relative obscurity yet his influence on modern

obscurity yet his influence on modern

obscurity yet his influence on modern jazz remains to this day

heralding free jazz John Coltrane was

heralding free jazz John Coltrane was constantly experimenting with new

constantly experimenting with new

constantly experimenting with new instrumentation composition and style

Oh

creating sheets of sound with his alto

creating sheets of sound with his alto sax Coltrane played multiple chords at

sax Coltrane played multiple chords at

sax Coltrane played multiple chords at once manipulating traditional harmonic

once manipulating traditional harmonic

once manipulating traditional harmonic progressions

his contribution to Miles Davis’s kind

his contribution to Miles Davis’s kind of blue captures Coltrane’s originality

of blue captures Coltrane’s originality

of blue captures Coltrane’s originality when it comes to phrasing and rhythm

though his life was cut short due to

though his life was cut short due to illness Coltrane is considered one of

illness Coltrane is considered one of

illness Coltrane is considered one of jazz’s most important musical innovators

check that number five Nat King Cole

check that number five Nat King Cole when a an ark appears I’m sure that

when a an ark appears I’m sure that

when a an ark appears I’m sure that you’ve got to known for his silky vocals

you’ve got to known for his silky vocals

you’ve got to known for his silky vocals Nat King Cole infused popular American

Nat King Cole infused popular American

Nat King Cole infused popular American music with jazz sensibilities it’s a

music with jazz sensibilities it’s a

music with jazz sensibilities it’s a hearty Cole smash hit straighten up and

hearty Cole smash hit straighten up and

hearty Cole smash hit straighten up and fly right was based on an

fly right was based on an

fly right was based on an african-american folk story

african-american folk story

african-american folk story proving that traditional material could

proving that traditional material could

proving that traditional material could have wide appeal Cole was also one of

have wide appeal Cole was also one of

have wide appeal Cole was also one of the first African Americans to host a

the first African Americans to host a

the first African Americans to host a variety TV program which featured jazz

variety TV program which featured jazz

variety TV program which featured jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha

greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha

greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha Kitt a phenomenal pianist and standout

Kitt a phenomenal pianist and standout

Kitt a phenomenal pianist and standout improviser Cole was one of the first

improviser Cole was one of the first

improviser Cole was one of the first jazz greats to become a true pop icon

a virtuoso saxophonist Charlie Parker is

a virtuoso saxophonist Charlie Parker is known for his rapid paced core

known for his rapid paced core

known for his rapid paced core progressions and the interpolation of

progressions and the interpolation of

progressions and the interpolation of his own melodies over traditional jazz

his own melodies over traditional jazz

his own melodies over traditional jazz standards his use of classical Latin and

standards his use of classical Latin and

standards his use of classical Latin and blue styles helped lead to the

blue styles helped lead to the

blue styles helped lead to the development of Biba having a personal

development of Biba having a personal

development of Biba having a personal style and expression that epitomized the

style and expression that epitomized the

style and expression that epitomized the iconoclast sensibility of The Beat

iconoclast sensibility of The Beat

iconoclast sensibility of The Beat Generation Charlie Parker was a true

Generation Charlie Parker was a true

Generation Charlie Parker was a true artistic intellectual whose

artistic intellectual whose

artistic intellectual whose contributions to jazz music are as

contributions to jazz music are as

contributions to jazz music are as important as his cultivation of jazz

important as his cultivation of jazz

important as his cultivation of jazz culture

at the helm of almost every major jazz

at the helm of almost every major jazz innovation in the late 20th century

innovation in the late 20th century

innovation in the late 20th century Miles Davis’s seminal 1959 recording

Miles Davis’s seminal 1959 recording

Miles Davis’s seminal 1959 recording kind of blue assured in the era of cool

kind of blue assured in the era of cool

kind of blue assured in the era of cool jazz playing alongside many jazz greats

jazz playing alongside many jazz greats

jazz playing alongside many jazz greats throughout his career Davis also

throughout his career Davis also

throughout his career Davis also collaborated with artists outside the

collaborated with artists outside the

collaborated with artists outside the genre cultivating what is now called

genre cultivating what is now called

genre cultivating what is now called jazz fusion tirelessly pushing the

jazz fusion tirelessly pushing the

jazz fusion tirelessly pushing the boundaries of artistic expression

boundaries of artistic expression

boundaries of artistic expression Davis is often characterized as one of

Davis is often characterized as one of

Davis is often characterized as one of the coolest men to have ever lived and a

the coolest men to have ever lived and a

the coolest men to have ever lived and a true musical genius

mmm

mmm pianist bandleader

pianist bandleader

pianist bandleader and composer Duke Ellington was as

and composer Duke Ellington was as

and composer Duke Ellington was as gifted as he was prolific composing

gifted as he was prolific composing

gifted as he was prolific composing thousands of songs over his 50-year

thousands of songs over his 50-year

thousands of songs over his 50-year career Ellington penned many famous

career Ellington penned many famous

career Ellington penned many famous standards like Cottontail and it don’t

standards like Cottontail and it don’t

standards like Cottontail and it don’t mean a thing don’t mean a thing with you

mean a thing don’t mean a thing with you

mean a thing don’t mean a thing with you ain’t got that swing classically-trained

ain’t got that swing classically-trained

ain’t got that swing classically-trained Ellington and his brilliant musicianship

Ellington and his brilliant musicianship

Ellington and his brilliant musicianship always considered the skill and style of

always considered the skill and style of

always considered the skill and style of his fellow performers with arrangements

his fellow performers with arrangements

his fellow performers with arrangements that were more formal and sophisticated

that were more formal and sophisticated

that were more formal and sophisticated in structure than other jazz

in structure than other jazz

in structure than other jazz compositions Duke Ellington elevated

compositions Duke Ellington elevated

compositions Duke Ellington elevated jazz to a bonafide

jazz to a bonafide

jazz to a bonafide art form

before we unveil our pick for number one

before we unveil our pick for number one here are a few honorable mentions number

here are a few honorable mentions number

here are a few honorable mentions number one Louie Armstrong trumpet player Louis

one Louie Armstrong trumpet player Louis

one Louie Armstrong trumpet player Louis Armstrong is celebrated for his lively

Armstrong is celebrated for his lively

Armstrong is celebrated for his lively virtuoso style inventive musical

virtuoso style inventive musical

virtuoso style inventive musical expression and dynamic showmanship

expression and dynamic showmanship

expression and dynamic showmanship everybody now wins the state go my

everybody now wins the state go my

everybody now wins the state go my Chinon

Chinon

Chinon known for his signature raspy voice

known for his signature raspy voice

known for his signature raspy voice Armstrong also helped to give scat a

Armstrong also helped to give scat a

Armstrong also helped to give scat a wider audience with his recordings

forgive my old favourite chills when

forgive my old favourite chills when painting

painting

painting the American musicians hot 5 & hot 7

the American musicians hot 5 & hot 7

the American musicians hot 5 & hot 7 groups produced multiple true jazz

groups produced multiple true jazz

groups produced multiple true jazz classics with a career spanning over 5

classics with a career spanning over 5

classics with a career spanning over 5 decades

decades

decades Armstrong’s impact on popular music is

Armstrong’s impact on popular music is

Armstrong’s impact on popular music is immeasurable

for this reason Louis Armstrong is

for this reason Louis Armstrong is usually considered the greatest jazz

usually considered the greatest jazz

usually considered the greatest jazz musician of all time

do you agree with our list who’s your

do you agree with our list who’s your favorite jazz musician for more

favorite jazz musician for more

favorite jazz musician for more entertaining top 10s published every day

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