
Louis Armstrong
Credit: http://www.thefamouspeople.com/
There is much to admire. As a classical musician I envy their ability to improvise spontaneously, unfettered, inspired by the ethos of the moment. Jazz artists are not afraid to experiment, which has resulted in exceptionally individual and identifiable styles, even new genres, on a variety of instruments—trumpet, piano, saxophone, clarinet, vibraphone, trombone, singing and entire bands. These artists are distinctive and beyond categorizing!
Although several jazz musicians are identified with distinct songs, which they made famous, others are instantly recognized by their inimitable style. If you’re like me, you are drawn to certain type of music without necessarily recognizing the particular form of the music. You’ll be surprised perhaps to learn how many jazz styles there are.
Jazz became a musical art form around the beginning of the 20th century— a blend of African and European musical traditions, but it incorporated singular rhythmic styles including syncopation, and polyrhythms.
Trumpeter, bandleader and singer Louis Armstrong, ‘Sachmo’, the “Ambassador of Jazz,” became the first internationally known pioneer. Born in New Orleans, in 1901, he rose to prominence in the 1920s. He was a proponent of Dixieland jazz style music or “Hot Jazz,” a blend of blues, ragtime and fiery improvisation. Although Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and Hot Seven bands never performed live, they made several recordings, which are considered classics. The hot sound was based around improvised melodies, which through wild crescendos in the rhythm section—drums, bass, banjo or guitar—culminated in blistering climaxes. It was musically virtuosic with audacious rhythms, swinging phrasing and astonishing high notes. These recordings, popularized wordless or nonsense syllables of “scat singing.” Armstrong was the first African American to be featured on national radio, in 1937, and he appeared in 35 films. His hit tunes Porgy and Bess, What a Wonderful World, and Hello Dolly are classics.
Louis Armstrong: Hot Seven 1927

Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald: Gershwin: oh Kay!: Someone to Watch Over Me
In the 1930s Big Bands turned up the heat and became immensely popular dance music. ‘Swing’ was infectious, propulsive, and unpredictable, characterized by powerful rhythm sections, and syncopated brass and woodwind instrumental playing. Swing dancing, the jitterbug and the foxtrot became the rage.

Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman: Sing, Sing, Sing

Duke Ellington
On the piano, Oscar Peterson was recognized as a whiz who could swing at breakneck
tempos with impressive nimbleness and dexterity.
Duke Ellington: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing)

Dave Brubeck
Brubeck had a strong social conscience and when his quartet broke up in 1967, he began composing classical music— “Elementals” a concerto grosso, an oratorio, four cantatas, a mass, and two ballets. His later works for jazz combo with orchestra focused on societal issues both political and religious. His cantata entitled “The Gates of Justice,” based on the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Old Testament, was premiered by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Symphony, and his 1972 cantata “Truth Is Fallen” scored for orchestra, guitars and police sirens, addressed the tragic shooting that occurred at Kent State University in 1970. A truly remarkable and versatile artist, his music intertwined jazz and classical traditions.
Dave Brubeck: Take Five

Dizzie Gillespie
Gillespie and Parker “Be-Bop”
Gillespie was also one of the first to infuse the styles of other cultures namely Afro-Cuban and Afro-Latin music into his jazz. Influenced by Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians such as Xavier Cugat, Tito Puente, and Arturo Sandoval he started Afro-Cuban bands. In the 1960s Bossa Nova or Brazilian jazz became popular with its seductive samba rhythms, and simple melodies. Saxophonist Stan Getz, best known for his enduring The Girl from Ipanema sung in both Portuguese and English, is still popular with many diverse artists.
“The Girl from Ipanema” Astrud Gilberto vocals, João Gilberto guitar, and Stan Getz tenor Sax

Clark Terry
Credit: Wikipedia
In 1951 Clark was invited to join Duke Ellington’s legendary orchestra. He was the featured soloist with the band for eight years and was one of the few musicians to have worked with the orchestras of both Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Clark became internationally known when in 1960 he became one of the first black musicians to perform as a member of the band featured on the NBC nightly television program the Tonight Show, on staff at the National Broadcasting Company where he performed for twelve years. Clark loved to experiment and when he tried scat singing, which included nonsense sounds and syllables, his fooling around resulted in the smash hit “Mumbles.”
Clark had it all—an inventive, unique style, flawless playing and a jovial, personality. But what set him apart was his dedication to jazz education at the college level. He inspired young players until he passed at age 94.
These artists influenced countless jazz performers who followed in their footsteps, as well as classical composers such as Gershwin, (Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess), Shostakovich, (who wrote two jazz suites), Ravel, Stravinsky, Debussy, Milhaud, Aaron Copland and many others.
Clark Terry, trumpet – Bob Brookmeyer, trombone – Straight No Chaser
It is odd that as great as DUKE ELLINGTON was, he was probably not noted for writing the simplest (melody) song in the history of music:
Yes. Simpler than MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB:
C JAM BLUES.