I have been deeply fortunate to see most (although not all) of the artists I will be listing in concert and many of them I had the incredible privilege to work with. You may not agree with my list and indeed you may feel I have omitted some - which may well be the case - but all of these I feature have given me the greatest pleasure. Its all there to be discovered with a wealth of material that is available to be seen on YouTube or DVD's and of course, to be found on CD and Vinyl.
Let me begin with MILES DAVIS - I just loved his earlier recordings "The Birth of the Cool", "Kind of Blue", "Four and More", "Relaxin'", "Workin'", "Sketches of Spain", "Porgy & Bess", "Milestones", "Ascenseur pour l'Echafaud", "Someday my Prince will come" and many more - I personally didn't like so much the fusion/funk period, but his playing was always superb and innovative. If you only buy one Miles Davis album I suppose I would recommend "Kind of Blue". I was deeply privileged to present Miles Davis in concert in 1981 in London at the Hammersmith Odeon - fantastic concerts
Miles and Juliet Greco
Miles and Cecily Tyson
Miles at the Gil Evans Recording Sessions
Billie with the great tenor man PREZ (LESTER YOUNG)
Billie with ELLA FITZGERALD
Billie with Gerry Mulligan, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young
Count Basie Billie Holiday and Billy Eckstine
Billie with Coleman Hawkins
Billie and Jimmy McPartland fooling around
In my personal opinion Billie's greatest recording - a must for any record collection
Lady Day
Who comes third? Well the lines begin to blur now for me because there are so many great jazz artists that have given me such joy over the years - so I think we will stop listing them in any order - here goes and enjoy - in no particular order:
BILL EVANS - one of the greatest jazz piano players of all time - his Village Vanguard Sessions are truly wonderful and a must for all jazz lovers
Bill Evans with Miles Davis and Paul Chambers
The classic pic of Bill at the piano
Bill Evans and Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall
CHET BAKER - what a stunningly good looking guy, with film star looks and an incredible talent to play and sing - producing some wonderful albums starting with The Chet Baker/Gerry Mulligan Quartet's - to lose it all to drug addiction. Fortunately Chet left a legacy of marvellous recordings
The Gerry Mulligan Chet Baker Quartet
CHARLIE PARKER - it would impossible for any collection of Jazz greats not to include Charlie Parker - I will confess it took me awhile to appreciate Parker but once you delve into the music you quickly realise the genius of this man:
ART PEPPER is probably my all time favourite alto sax player - the playing is magnificent and you must hear his LP Winter Moon and real classic for me. There were many great albums recorded Art Pepper and the Rhythm Section, Art Pepper at the Village Vanguard, Art Pepper + Eleven, Intensity, Art Pepper Getting Together and many more - one of the all time greats
Charlie playing at the Royal Roost Club in New York
Charlie Parker and Miles Davis
One of his classic recordings
Looking happy!
Art playing at Donte's Club in LA
Art taking some fresh air
Classic Portrait
Art and Laurie Pepper
Such a great album
The book of Art's life - extraordinary read
Winter Moon a sublime album
Thelonius Monk and Howard McGhee at Minton's Playhouse 1947
Monk and Dizzy
THELONIUS MONK was the complete original - the moment he starts playing you know its Thelonius - not always easy to listen to but some of his work is sublime - I love the solo albums
CHARLES MINGUS was not only a magnificent hard driving and highly original bass player he was a wonderful composer - He was considered by many people to be the heir to the composition crown held by Duke Ellington. His refusal to compromise his music gained him the nickname of the "Angry Man of Jazz" but his music was breathtaking - influences of soul, black gospel, hard bop, free jazz and classical music all found their way into his compositions
Charles Mingus and Woody Herman
Love his piano playing - a great album
Mingus Ah-Hum one of the great jazz classic albums
Superb playing - listen to the bass on Money Jungle!
EDWARD KENNEDY "DUKE" ELLINGTON - must be considered not only Jazz Royalty but one of the greatest composers of all time - his compositions are legendary - Satin Doll, Take the 'A' Train, Mood Indigo, Caravan, In a Sentimental Mood, Perdido, Solitude, It don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing), In a Mellow tone and a host of others. His orchestra was his instrument and he used the great soloists that worked with him all his life to wonderful effect - Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Sonny Greer, Louie Bellson, Rex Stewart, Ben Webster, Bubber Miley and so many others. His association with arranger and composter Billy Strayhorn created so many of the great classics we enjoy today
With his wonderful orchestra
WILLIAM JAMES "COUNT" BASIE we've featured the DUKE now here comes the COUNT - Count Basie was very different to Duke Ellington but they were both wonderful pianists - and they led what I consider to be the two greatest big bands in American Jazz History - Basie had a sound of his own that was instantly recognisable - wonderful swinging band that featured some of jazz's greatest soloists including: Lester Young, ben Webster, Chu Berry, Buck Clayton, Buddy Tate, Walter Page, Jo Jones, Sonny Payne, Dickie Wells, Joe Newman, Herschel Evans, Earl Warren, Ernie Wilkins, Al Grey, Freddie Green, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Jimmy Rushing, Joe Williams etc
The Basie Band with Ethel Waters
I did say this list of artists "was in no particular order" - who can ever forget the genius and wonder of LOUIS ARMSTRONG? Mr Jazz himself who probably did more to put jazz on the map globally than anyone else. A life time of giving joy and great music - a superb ambassador and a truly great artist.
Louis and Ella Fitzgerald
Louis and Grace Kelly
Louis's promo photo from his agent ABC
Louis and the Duke
Louis in New Orleans
Where it all began at the Waif's Home in New Orleans
Louis and Billie Holiday
From one legend to the next - another major original player who pushed the boundaries of Jazz music
A Love Supreme was his mantra and the album was magnificent JOHN COLTRANE
McCoy Tyner Archie Sheppp John Coltrane and Bob Theile
Blue Trane
The great quartet
With Elvin Jones
John Coltrane and Elvin Jones
DIZZY GILLESPIE - One of the most important trumpet players of all time - Louis Armstrong - Roy Eldridge and then came Dizzy. The Crown (often the Clown) Prince of Bop - a consummate performer who brought fun and laughter to the stage as well as stunning brilliance. His work with Charlie 'Bird' Parker in the early days of Be-Bop paved the way for a whole new direction in jazz - Dizzy was often the acceptable face (with his huge puffed up cheeks when he blew his horn) of Be-Bop to a public that had been dancing the 30's and early 40's to the great Swing bands of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Charlie Barnet, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey as well as the great Black American bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Chick Webb and many others.
Ella and Dizzy
Charlie Parker & Dizzy
Dizzy - Sonny Rollins - Ben Webster - Gerry Mulligan
Young Dizzy
Dizzy - John Lewis on piano - Ray Brown on bass
I met BENNY GOODMAN - not the easiest person I have ever met but certainly one of the most talented. Benny Goodman was one of my first heroes because when I heard 'Sing, Sing, Sing' the Goodman Band's flag waver from the famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert - with Gene Krupa's thundering tom toms it thrilled me then and still thrills me today. That performance changed my life and I became a professional drummer because of it. Benny Goodman was the consummate professional - a magnificent clarinet player who had learned his trade in Chicago listening to Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, Joe King Oliver, Louis Armstrong and all those great players who could be heard night after night in Chicago's south side. Benny became the King of Swing in 1935 after a hard tour around the USA ending up at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, when he hit the big time - the Radio shows "Let's Dance" and others were beamed out of New York and hither West Coast late evening - the kids love it and the Swing Era was born. Benny, Gene Krupa, Harry James, Lionel Hampton and others became big stars in their own right - they were the Beatles of their day and the world loved them
The famous Benny Goodman Trio - Gene Krupa - Teddy Wilson - Benny Goodman
One of the most famous concerts of all time
Benny and Duke Ellington
The Benny Goodman Quartet - amazing musically and broke the colour bar in America at that time
Benny and Count Basie
Benny Goodman in Moscow
Benny with Teddy Wilson and Mel Tormé on drums
Benny in lights at New York's Paramount Theatre
Benny and Stan Getz
That great late 1930's Benny Goodman band with Gene Krupa on drums high above the band
Benny and Gene Krupa playing with the King of Thailand
Benny and his band in 1986
The great Benny Goodman Quartet
The Carnegie Hall Reunion Party
Benny, Gene Lionel, Hymie having fun at the party
A young Benny Goodman with Jack Teagarden
From the film - The Benny Goodman Story
Benny and Gene backstage
Benny on drums whilst Gene Krupa looks to the sky for help!
Benny and Charlie Christian
Benny and Leonard Bernstein
Benny and Peggy Lee
SONNY ROLLINS is undoubtedly one of the most influential tenor saxophonists - his playing is supreme and his compositions like St Thomas, Oleo, Doxy and others have become jazz standards. The album Saxophone Colossus is still today one of the great jazz albums of all time. Interestingly, I read that Sonny Rollins took up the saxophone (initially the alto) after seeing a concert by Frank Sinatra and a call for racial harmony and change. Sonny took a number of sabbaticals - the most famous was when he woodshedded on Williamsburg Bridge in New York so as not to disturb the neighbours.
Sonny with Dizzy, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Carter
COLEMAN HAWKINS (also known as BEAN) was probably the most influential tenor man ever. His recording of 'Body and Soul' remains a great classic. Coleman Hawkins probably influenced more sax players especially in the 1930's and 40's than anyone else.
Coleman with Ben Webster another great tenor man
Bean and the Duke
Another pic of Bille Holiday and Coleman in the Studio
With Kenny Drew in 1970
LESTER YOUNG (PREZ) probably my favourite tenor saxophone player of all time - I just loved his playing. His work with Billie Holiday was breaking and his tone exquisite. Played with Count Basie - had a long association with Teddy Wilson and of course Billie Holiday - Instantly recognisable with his pork pie hat
The famous Port Pie Hat
Billie Holiday and Prez
Practicing in the hotel room
ROY 'LITTLE JAZZ' ELDRIDGE he may not have been tall, but he was a giant of jazz. Roy was the successor to Louis Armstrong's Trumpet Crown - a fiery combative player who loved to jam and blow everyone off the stand - He was such a great player and when Norman Granz toured Roy with Dizzy Gillespie as part of Jazz at the Philharmonic the sparks would fly. Dizzy of course was the next successor after Roy for the Trumpet crown but Roy was instantly recognisable with his great tone. I first discovered Roy Eldridge on recordings with the Gene Krupa Orchestra - big hits like "Let me off Uptown: - Blow Roy Blow - sang Anita O'Day and Roy would sail off into the stratosphere with the band cheering. What a star
Roy and Lester Young rolling around
Roy Eldridge playing with the Gene Krupa Band
Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey and Roy Eldridge
Flip Phillips and Roy going for it at Jazz at the Philharmonic
Gene and Roy in action
Ella and Roy fooling around
Thelonius Monk - Howard McGhee - Roy Eldridge - Teddy Hill
BUD POWELL
FATS WALLER
Fats Waller and Lena Horne
ERROLL GARNER
AL COHN AND ZOOT SIMS
ANITA O'DAY
I will come back to Anita O'Day when I post Part 2 of the great Jazz Artists - After Billie Holiday, Anita is my favourite jazz singer
Gene and the band including vocalist Anita O'Day
ELLA FITZGERALD
As with Anita we will come back to gibe Ella her due prominence as part of this collection of great Jazz Artists but we are running out of space
Ella and Marilyn Monroe in Los Angeles
Louis Armstrong and Ella
Ella with the Chick Webb band at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem
More of Ella with the Chick Webb band at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem
Ella at the Downbeat Cafe in New York in 1949
WE'VE RUN OUT OF SPACE
Last but by no means least DAVE BRUBECK AND HIS GREAT QUARTET - PAUL DESMOND (ALTO SAX) - EUGENE WRIGHT (DOUNLE BASS) AND JOE MORELLO (ON DRUMS)
An earlier photo with Joe Dodge on drums
THAT'S IT FOLKS - RUN OUT OF SPACE - PART 2 TO FOLLOW - THANKS FOR READING - HOPE YOU ENJOY THE PHOTOS - MUCH MORE TO COME
CHEERS PETER
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