Thelonious Monk
Monk remains one of the central pillars of the modern jazz era, a man who actually created a unique, idiosyncratic language that often stood apart from any particular genre
Artists
Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker's incredible improvising genius changed jazz completely, and his influence can readily be seen in the jazz played today, decades after his death
Miles Davis
When he appeared at the 1955 Newport Jazz Festival some people thought he'd died: that day proved the rebirth of his career. In the space of four short years Davis changed the face of jazz
Count Basie
Along with Duke Ellington’s, Basie's band became one of the most popular of the swing era, delighting audiences with a joyous, rousing groove
Kamasi Washington
A strong dynamic soloist who is adept at both changes and changes-free material Kamasi Washington has emerged as something of a spearhead for American, and more specifically West coast jazz, in the past few years
Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock continues to bust every genre which comes along and always gives intriguing pointers to the future of the music, acoustic or electric
Billie Holiday
A tragic childhood, a troubled personal life, addiction problems – but Billie Holiday rose above it all to become one of the greatest singers of the 20th century
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson has taken the art of jazz vocal into new areas by way of a daring and imaginative conversation with its rudiments
Gregory Porter
Appearances on British prime time television music and chat shows such as Later With Jools Holland and Graham Norton have given the kind of exposure to mass audiences that the bulk of Gregory Porter's peers can only dream of
Pat Metheny
In all, Pat Metheny has won 20 Grammy awards in 12 different categories and since the age of 18 has continued to be active as a music educator