A new musical direction, called jazz, was born at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of the merging of European musical culture with African. He is characterized by improvisation, expressiveness and a special type of rhythm. At the very beginning of the twentieth century, new musical ensembles called jazz bands began to be created. They included wind instruments (trumpet, clarinet, trombone), double bass, piano and percussion instruments. Famous jazz players, thanks to their talent for improvisation and the ability to feel music subtly, gave impetus to the formation of many musical directions. Jazz has become the origin of many modern genres. So, whose performance of jazz compositions made the listener's heart skip a beat in ecstasy?
Louis Armstrong 1901 – 1971.
For many connoisseurs of music, it is his name that is associated with jazz. The dazzling talent of the musician fascinated from the first minutes of the performance. Merging with a musical instrument - a trumpet - he plunged his listeners into euphoria. Louis Armstrong has come a long way from a nimble little boy from a poor family to the famous King of Jazz.
Duke Ellington 1899 – 1974.
Unstoppable creative personality. A composer whose music played with many styles and experiments. The talented pianist, arranger, composer, orchestra leader never tired of surprising with his innovation and originality. His unique works were tested with great enthusiasm by the most famous orchestras of that time. It was Duke who came up with the idea of using the human voice as an instrument. More than a thousand of his works, called by connoisseurs of the "golden fund of jazz", were recorded on 620 discs.
Ella Fitzgerald 1917-1996.
The "First Lady of Jazz" had a unique voice, the widest range of three octaves. Honorary awards of a talented American are hard to count. Ella's 90 albums have scattered around the world in incredible numbers. It is hard to imagine! For 50 years of creativity, about 40 million albums in her performance have been sold. Masterfully mastering the talent of improvisation, she easily worked together in a duet with other famous jazz performers.
Ray Charles 1930-2004.
One of the most famous musicians, called "a real genius of jazz." 70 music albums have been distributed around the world in numerous editions. He has 13 Grammy awards to his credit. His compositions have been recorded in the US Library of Congress. The popular magazine Rolling Stone ranked Ray Charles number 10 of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time on the "List of Immortals".
Miles Davis 1926 – 1991.
An American trumpeter who has been compared to the painter Picasso. His music had a great influence on shaping the music of the 20th century. Davis is the versatility of styles in jazz, the breadth of interests and accessibility for an audience of different ages.
Frank Sinatra 1915-1998.
The famous jazz player comes from a poor family, short in stature and did not differ in any way. But he captivated the audience with his velvety baritone. The talented vocalist starred in musicals and drama films. Received numerous awards and special awards. Won an Oscar for The House I Live In
Billie Holiday 1915 – 1959.
A whole era in the development of jazz. The songs performed by the American singer acquired individuality and radiance, played with overflows of freshness and novelty. The life and work of "Lady Day" was short, but bright and unique. Famous jazz musicians have enriched the art of music with sensual and soulful rhythms, expressiveness and freedom of improvisation.
… and 11 more, all of which are considered jazz classics.
Charlie Parker1920 - 1955
Saxophonist virtuoso Charlie Parker was an influential jazz soloist and a leading figure in the development of be-bop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuosic technique, and improvisation. In his complex melodic lines, Parker combines jazz with other musical genres, including blues, Latin and classical music. Parker was an iconic figure in the beat subculture, but he transcended his generation to become the epitome of an uncompromising, intellectual musician.
Nat King Cole1919 - 1965
Known for his silky baritone voice, Nat King Cole brought the emotionality of jazz to popular American music. Cole was one of the first African Americans to host a television program that was attended by jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha Kitt. A phenomenal pianist and prominent improviser, Cole was one of the first jazz artists to become a pop icon.
John Coltrane1926 - 1967
Despite a relatively short career (first accompanying at the age of 29 in 1955, officially starting a solo career at 33 in 1960, and dying at the age of 40 in 1967), saxophonist John Coltrane is the most important and controversial figure in jazz. Despite his short career, thanks to his fame, Coltrane had the opportunity to record in abundance and many of his recordings were published posthumously. Coltrane has radically changed his style over the course of his career, yet he retains a cult following of both his early, traditional sound and his more experimental sound. And no one, almost with a religious commitment, doubts his significance in the history of music.
Thelonious Monk1917 - 1982
Thelonious Monk is a musician with a unique improvisational style, the second most recognizable jazz performer after Duke Ellington. His style was characterized by energetic, percussive lines interspersed with harsh, dramatic silences. During his performances, while the rest of the musicians played, Thelonious got up from the keyboard and danced for several minutes. After creating the classic jazz compositions "Round Midnight", "Straight, No Chaser," Monk ended his days in relative obscurity, but his influence on modern jazz is noticeable to this day.
Oscar Peterson1925 - 2007
Oscar Peterson is an innovative musician who has performed everything from Bach's classical ode to one of the first jazz ballets. Peterson opened one of the first jazz schools in Canada. His "Hymn to Freedom" became the anthem of the civil rights movement. Oscar Peterson was one of the most talented and important jazz pianists of his generation.
Dizzy Gillespie1917 - 1993
Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is a bebop innovator and master of improvisation, as well as a pioneer of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz. Gillespie has collaborated with various South American and Caribbean musicians. With a deep passion, he treated the traditional music of African countries. All this allowed him to bring unprecedented innovations to modern jazz interpretations. Throughout his long career, Gillespie toured relentlessly and captivated audiences with his beret, horn-rimmed glasses, puffy cheeks, lightheartedness and his incredible music.
Dave Brubeck1920 – 2012
Dave Brubeck is a composer and pianist, jazz promoter, civil rights activist, and music researcher. An iconoclastic performer recognizable from a single chord, a restless composer who pushes the boundaries of the genre and builds a bridge between the past and the future of music. Brubeck collaborated with Louis Armstrong and many other famous jazz musicians, and also influenced avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor and saxophonist Anthony Braxton.
Benny Goodman 1909 – 1986
Benny Goodman is a jazz musician better known as the "King of Swing". He became a popularizer of jazz among white youth. His appearance marked the beginning of an era. Goodman was a controversial personality. He relentlessly strived for perfection and this was reflected in his approach to music. Goodman was not just a virtuoso player - he was a creative clarinetist and innovator of the pre-bebop jazz era.
Charles Mingus 1922 – 1979
Charles Mingus is an influential jazz double bassist, composer and jazz bandleader. Mingus' music is a mixture of hot and soulful hard bop, gospel, classical music and free jazz. His ambitious music and formidable temperament earned Mingus the nickname "angry man of jazz". If he were just a string player, few people would know his name today. He was most likely the greatest double bass player ever, one who always kept his fingers on the pulse of jazz's ferocious expressive power.
Herbie Hancock 1940 –
Herbie Hancock will always be one of the most revered and controversial musicians in jazz - as will his employer/mentor Miles Davis. Unlike Davis, who steadily moved forward and never looked back, Hancock zigzags between almost electronic and acoustic jazz and even r "n" b. Despite his electronic experimentation, Hancock's love of the piano has not waned, and his piano playing style continues to evolve into ever more rigid and complex forms.
Jazz artists invented a distinctive musical language based on improvisation, complex rhythmic patterns (swing) and unique harmonic patterns.
Jazz arose in the late XIX - early XX in the United States of America and was a unique social phenomenon, namely, the fusion of African and American cultures. The further development and stratification of jazz into various styles and sub-styles is due to the fact that jazz performers and composers continuously continued to complicate their music, look for new sounds and master new harmonies and rhythms.
Thus, a huge jazz heritage has accumulated, in which the following main schools and styles can be distinguished: New Orleans (traditional) jazz, bebop, hard bop, swing, cool jazz, progressive jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, fusion, etc. e. In this article, ten outstanding jazz performers are collected, having read them, you will get the most complete picture of the era of free people and energetic music.
Miles Davis (Miles Davis)
Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton (USA). Known as an iconic American trumpeter whose music had a huge impact on the jazz and music scene of the 20th century as a whole. He experimented a lot and boldly with styles, and perhaps that is why the figure of Davis stands at the origins of such styles as cool jazz, fusion and modal jazz. Miles began his musical career as a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet, but later managed to find and develop his own musical sound. Miles Davis' most important and seminal albums are Birth of the Cool (1949), Kind of Blue (1959), Bitches Brew (1969) and In a Silent Way (1969). The main feature of Miles Davis was that he was constantly in a creative search and showed the world new ideas, and that is why the history of modern jazz music owes so much to his exceptional talent.
Louis Armstrong (Louis Armstrong)
Louis Armstrong, the man whose name comes to most people's minds when they hear the word "jazz", was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans (USA). Armstrong had a dazzling talent for playing the trumpet and did much to develop and popularize jazz music throughout the world. In addition, he also captivated the audience with his husky bass vocals. The path that Armstrong had to go from tramp to the title of King of Jazz was thorny. And it began in a colony for black teenagers, where Louis ended up for an innocent prank - shooting a pistol on New Year's Eve. By the way, he stole a gun from a policeman, a client of his mother, who was a representative of the oldest profession in the world. Thanks to this not too favorable set of circumstances, Louis Armstrong got his first musical experience in the camp brass band. There he mastered the cornet, tambourine and alto horn. In a word, Armstrong went from marches in the colony and then episodic performances in clubs to a world-class musician, whose talent and contribution to the jazz treasury can hardly be overestimated. The influence of his landmark albums Ella and Louis (1956), Porgy and Bess (1957), and American Freedom (1961) can still be heard in the playing of contemporary artists of various styles.
Duke Ellington (Duke Ellington)
Duke Ellinton was born April 29, 1899 in Washington DC. Pianist, orchestra leader, arranger and composer whose music has become a real innovation in the world of jazz. His works were played on all radio stations, and his recordings are rightfully included in the “gold fund of jazz”. Ellinton has been recognized throughout the world, has received many awards, has written a huge number of brilliant works, which include the standard "Caravan", which went around the globe. His most notable releases include Ellington At Newport (1956), Ellington Uptown (1953), Far East Suite (1967) and Masterpieces By Ellington (1951).
Herbie Hancock (Herbie Hancock)
Herbie Hancock was born on April 12, 1940, in Chicago (USA). Hancock is known as a pianist and composer, as well as the owner of 14 Grammy awards, which he received for his work in the field of jazz. His music is interesting because it combines elements of rock, funk and soul, along with free jazz. Also in his compositions you can find elements of modern classical music and blues motifs. In general, almost every sophisticated listener will be able to find something for themselves in Hancock's music. If we talk about innovative creative solutions, then Herbie Hancock is considered one of the first jazz performers who combined the synthesizer and funk in the same way, the musician is at the forefront of the newest jazz style - post-bop. Despite the specificity of the music of some stages of Herbie's work, most of his songs are melodic compositions that have fallen in love with the general public.
Among his albums, the following can be distinguished: "Head Hunters" (1971), "Future Shock" (1983), "Maiden Voyage" (1966) and "Takin' Off" (1962).
John Coltrane (John Coltrane)
John Coltrane, an outstanding jazz innovator and virtuoso, was born on September 23, 1926. Coltrane was a talented saxophonist and composer, bandleader and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Coltrane is rightfully considered a significant figure in the history of the development of jazz, who inspired and influenced modern performers, as well as the school of improvisation in general. Until 1955, John Coltrane remained relatively unknown until he joined the Miles Davis band. A few years later, Coltrane leaves the quintet and begins to closely engage in his own work. During these years, he recorded albums that made up the most important part of the jazz heritage.
These are "Giant Steps" (1959), "Coltrane Jazz" (1960) and "A Love Supreme" (1965), which became icons of jazz improvisation.
Charlie Parker (Charlie Parker)
Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920 in Kansas City (USA). Love for music woke up in him quite early: he began to master the saxophone at the age of 11. In the 30s, Parker began to master the principles of improvisation and developed in his technique some of the techniques that preceded bebop. Later he became one of the founders of this style (along with Dizzy Gillespie) and, in general, had a very strong influence on jazz music. However, as a teenager, the musician became addicted to morphine, and in the future, the problem of heroin addiction arose between Parker and music. Unfortunately, even after treatment in the clinic and recovery, Charlie Parker could not work as actively and write new music. Ultimately, heroin derailed his life and career and caused his death.
Charlie Parker's most significant jazz albums are Bird and Diz (1952), Birth of the Bebop: Bird on Tenor (1943), and Charlie Parker with strings (1950).
Thelonious Monk Quartet (Thelonious Monk)
Thelonious Monk was born October 10, 1917, in Rocky Mount (USA). He is best known as a jazz composer and pianist, as well as one of the founders of bebop. His original "torn" style of playing absorbed various styles - from avant-garde to primitivism. Such experiments made the sound of his music not quite characteristic of jazz, which, however, did not prevent many of his works from becoming classics of this style of music. Being a very unusual person who from childhood did everything possible not to be “normal” and like everyone else, Monk became known not only for his musical decisions, but also for his unusually complex character. Many anecdotal stories are associated with his name about how he was late for his own concerts, and once refused to play at a Detroit club at all, because his wife did not show up for a performance. And so Monk sat in a chair with his hands folded until his wife was finally brought into the hall - in slippers and a dressing gown. Before the eyes of her husband, the poor woman was urgently delivered by plane, if only the concert would take place.
Monk's most notable albums include Monk's Dream (1963), Monk (1954), Straight No Chaser (1967), and Misterioso (1959).
Billie Holiday (Billy Holiday)
Billie Holiday, famous American jazz vocalist, was born on April 7, 1917 in Philadelphia. Like many jazz musicians, Holiday began her musical career in nightclubs. Over time, she was lucky enough to meet producer Benny Goodman, who organized her first recordings in the studio. Fame came to the singer after participating in the big bands of such jazz masters as Count Basie and Artie Shaw (1937-1938). Lady Day (as her fans called her) had a unique style of performance, thanks to which she seemed to reinvent a fresh and unique sound for the most simple compositions. She was especially good at romantic, slow songs (such as "Don't Explain" and "Lover Man"). Billie Holiday's career was bright and brilliant, but not long, because after thirty years she became addicted to drinking and drugs, which negatively affected her health. The angelic voice lost its former strength and flexibility, and Holiday was rapidly losing the favor of the public.
Billie Holiday enriched the jazz art with such outstanding albums as "Lady Sings the Blues" (1956), "Body and Soul" (1957), and "Lady in Satin" (1958).
Bill Evans (Bill Evans)
Bill Evans, the legendary American jazz pianist and composer, was born on August 16, 1929 in New Jersey, USA. Evans is one of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century. His musical works are so sophisticated and unusual that few pianists are able to inherit and borrow his ideas. He could masterfully swing and improvise like no other, at the same time, melody and simplicity were far from alien to him - his interpretations of famous ballads gained popularity even among non-jazz audiences. Evans was trained as an academic pianist, and after serving in the army began to appear in public with various obscure musicians as a jazz performer. Success came to him in 1958 when Evans joined the Miles Davis sextet, along with Cannonball Oderley and John Coltrane. Evans is considered the creator of the chamber jazz trio genre, which is characterized by a lead improvising piano, as well as solo drums and double bass along with it. His musical style brought a variety of colors to jazz music - from inventive graceful improvisations to lyrically-colored tones.
Evans' best albums include his solo recording of "Alone" (1968), made in man-orchestra mode, "Waltz for Debby" (1961), "New Jazz Conceptions" (1956) and "Explorations" (1961).
Dizzy Gillespie (Dizzy Gillespie)
Dizzy Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917 in Chirow, USA. Dizzy has a lot of merit in the history of the development of jazz music: he is known as a trumpeter, vocalist, arranger, composer and leader of orchestras. Gillespie also co-founded improvisational jazz with Charlie Parker. Like many jazzmen, Gillespie started out playing in clubs. Then he moved to live in New York and successfully entered the local orchestra. He was known for his original, if not to say buffoonish, behavior, which successfully turned the people who worked with him against him. From the first orchestra, in which a very talented, but peculiar trumpeter Dizz went on tour in England and France, he was almost kicked out. The musicians of his second orchestra also did not react quite cordially to Gillespie's mockery of their playing. In addition, few people understood his musical experiments - some called his music "Chinese". Collaboration with the second orchestra ended in a fight between Cab Calloway (his leader) and Dizzy during one of the concerts, after which Gillespie was expelled from the band with a bang. After Gillespie creates his own group, in which he and other musicians work to diversify the traditional jazz language. Thus, the style known as bebop was born, on the style of which Dizzy actively worked.
The best albums of the brilliant trumpeter include "Sonny Side Up" (1957), "Afro" (1954), "Birk's Works" (1957), "World Statesman" (1956) and "Dizzy and Strings" (1954).
For decades, the music of freedom, performed by dizzying jazz virtuosos, has been a huge part of the music scene and just human life. The names of the musicians that you can see above are immortalized in the memory of many generations and, most likely, the same number of generations will inspire and amaze with their skill. Perhaps the secret is that the inventors of trumpets, saxophones, double basses, pianos, and drums knew that some things could not be done on these instruments, but forgot to tell jazz musicians about it.
_________________________________
Jazz artists invented a distinctive musical language based on improvisation, complex rhythmic patterns (swing) and unique harmonic patterns.
Jazz arose in the late XIX - early XX in the United States of America and was a unique social phenomenon, namely, the fusion of African and American cultures. The further development and stratification of jazz into various styles and sub-styles is due to the fact that jazz performers and composers continuously continued to complicate their music, look for new sounds and master new harmonies and rhythms.
Thus, a huge jazz heritage has accumulated, in which the following main schools and styles can be distinguished: New Orleans (traditional) jazz, bebop, hard bop, swing, cool jazz, progressive jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, fusion, etc. e. In this article, ten outstanding jazz performers are collected, having read them, you will get the most complete picture of the era of free people and energetic music.
Miles Davis (Miles Davis)
Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton (USA). Known as an iconic American trumpeter whose music had a huge impact on the jazz and music scene of the 20th century as a whole. He experimented a lot and boldly with styles, and perhaps that is why the figure of Davis stands at the origins of such styles as cool jazz, fusion and modal jazz. Miles began his musical career as a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet, but later managed to find and develop his own musical sound. Miles Davis' most important and seminal albums are Birth of the Cool (1949), Kind of Blue (1959), Bitches Brew (1969) and In a Silent Way (1969). The main feature of Miles Davis was that he was constantly in a creative search and showed the world new ideas, and that is why the history of modern jazz music owes so much to his exceptional talent.
Louis Armstrong (Louis Armstrong)
Louis Armstrong, the man whose name comes to most people's minds when they hear the word "jazz", was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans (USA). Armstrong had a dazzling talent for playing the trumpet and did much to develop and popularize jazz music throughout the world. In addition, he also captivated the audience with his husky bass vocals. The path that Armstrong had to go from tramp to the title of King of Jazz was thorny. And it began in a colony for black teenagers, where Louis ended up for an innocent prank - shooting a pistol on New Year's Eve. By the way, he stole a gun from a policeman, a client of his mother, who was a representative of the oldest profession in the world. Thanks to this not too favorable set of circumstances, Louis Armstrong got his first musical experience in the camp brass band. There he mastered the cornet, tambourine and alto horn. In a word, Armstrong went from marches in the colony and then episodic performances in clubs to a world-class musician, whose talent and contribution to the jazz treasury can hardly be overestimated. The influence of his landmark albums Ella and Louis (1956), Porgy and Bess (1957), and American Freedom (1961) can still be heard in the playing of contemporary artists of various styles.
Duke Ellington (Duke Ellington)
Duke Ellinton was born April 29, 1899 in Washington DC. Pianist, orchestra leader, arranger and composer whose music has become a real innovation in the world of jazz. His works were played on all radio stations, and his recordings are rightfully included in the “gold fund of jazz”. Ellinton has been recognized throughout the world, has received many awards, has written a huge number of brilliant works, which include the standard "Caravan", which went around the globe. His most notable releases include Ellington At Newport (1956), Ellington Uptown (1953), Far East Suite (1967) and Masterpieces By Ellington (1951).
Herbie Hancock (Herbie Hancock)
Herbie Hancock was born on April 12, 1940, in Chicago (USA). Hancock is known as a pianist and composer, as well as the owner of 14 Grammy awards, which he received for his work in the field of jazz. His music is interesting because it combines elements of rock, funk and soul, along with free jazz. Also in his compositions you can find elements of modern classical music and blues motifs. In general, almost every sophisticated listener will be able to find something for themselves in Hancock's music. If we talk about innovative creative solutions, then Herbie Hancock is considered one of the first jazz performers who combined the synthesizer and funk in the same way, the musician is at the forefront of the newest jazz style - post-bop. Despite the specificity of the music of some stages of Herbie's work, most of his songs are melodic compositions that have fallen in love with the general public.
Among his albums, the following can be distinguished: "Head Hunters" (1971), "Future Shock" (1983), "Maiden Voyage" (1966) and "Takin' Off" (1962).
John Coltrane (John Coltrane)
John Coltrane, an outstanding jazz innovator and virtuoso, was born on September 23, 1926. Coltrane was a talented saxophonist and composer, bandleader and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Coltrane is rightfully considered a significant figure in the history of the development of jazz, who inspired and influenced modern performers, as well as the school of improvisation in general. Until 1955, John Coltrane remained relatively unknown until he joined the Miles Davis band. A few years later, Coltrane leaves the quintet and begins to closely engage in his own work. During these years, he recorded albums that made up the most important part of the jazz heritage.
These are "Giant Steps" (1959), "Coltrane Jazz" (1960) and "A Love Supreme" (1965), which became icons of jazz improvisation.
Charlie Parker (Charlie Parker)
Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920 in Kansas City (USA). Love for music woke up in him quite early: he began to master the saxophone at the age of 11. In the 30s, Parker began to master the principles of improvisation and developed in his technique some of the techniques that preceded bebop. Later he became one of the founders of this style (along with Dizzy Gillespie) and, in general, had a very strong influence on jazz music. However, as a teenager, the musician became addicted to morphine, and in the future, the problem of heroin addiction arose between Parker and music. Unfortunately, even after treatment in the clinic and recovery, Charlie Parker could not work as actively and write new music. Ultimately, heroin derailed his life and career and caused his death.
Charlie Parker's most significant jazz albums are Bird and Diz (1952), Birth of the Bebop: Bird on Tenor (1943), and Charlie Parker with strings (1950).
Thelonious Monk Quartet (Thelonious Monk)
Thelonious Monk was born October 10, 1917, in Rocky Mount (USA). He is best known as a jazz composer and pianist, as well as one of the founders of bebop. His original "torn" style of playing absorbed various styles - from avant-garde to primitivism. Such experiments made the sound of his music not quite characteristic of jazz, which, however, did not prevent many of his works from becoming classics of this style of music. Being a very unusual person who from childhood did everything possible not to be “normal” and like everyone else, Monk became known not only for his musical decisions, but also for his unusually complex character. Many anecdotal stories are associated with his name about how he was late for his own concerts, and once refused to play at a Detroit club at all, because his wife did not show up for a performance. And so Monk sat in a chair, arms folded, until his wife was finally brought into the hall - in slippers and a dressing gown. Before the eyes of her husband, the poor woman was urgently delivered by plane, if only the concert would take place.
Monk's most notable albums include Monk's Dream (1963), Monk (1954), Straight No Chaser (1967), and Misterioso (1959).
Billie Holiday (Billy Holiday)
Billie Holiday, famous American jazz vocalist, was born on April 7, 1917 in Philadelphia. Like many jazz musicians, Holiday began her musical career in nightclubs. Over time, she was lucky enough to meet producer Benny Goodman, who organized her first recordings in the studio. Fame came to the singer after participating in the big bands of such jazz masters as Count Basie and Artie Shaw (1937-1938). Lady Day (as her fans called her) had a unique style of performance, thanks to which she seemed to reinvent a fresh and unique sound for the most simple compositions. She was especially good at romantic, slow songs (such as "Don't Explain" and "Lover Man"). Billie Holiday's career was bright and brilliant, but not long, because after thirty years she became addicted to drinking and drugs, which negatively affected her health. The angelic voice lost its former strength and flexibility, and Holiday was rapidly losing the favor of the public.
Billie Holiday enriched the jazz art with such outstanding albums as "Lady Sings the Blues" (1956), "Body and Soul" (1957), and "Lady in Satin" (1958).
Bill Evans (Bill Evans)
Bill Evans, the legendary American jazz pianist and composer, was born on August 16, 1929 in New Jersey, USA. Evans is one of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century. His musical works are so sophisticated and unusual that few pianists are able to inherit and borrow his ideas. He could masterfully swing and improvise like no other, at the same time, melody and simplicity were far from alien to him - his interpretations of famous ballads gained popularity even among non-jazz audiences. Evans was trained as an academic pianist, and after serving in the army began to appear in public with various obscure musicians as a jazz performer. Success came to him in 1958 when Evans joined the Miles Davis sextet, along with Cannonball Oderley and John Coltrane. Evans is considered the creator of the chamber jazz trio genre, which is characterized by a lead improvising piano, as well as solo drums and double bass along with it. His musical style brought a variety of colors to jazz music - from inventive graceful improvisations to lyrically-colored tones.
Evans' best albums include his solo recording of "Alone" (1968), made in man-orchestra mode, "Waltz for Debby" (1961), "New Jazz Conceptions" (1956) and "Explorations" (1961).
Dizzy Gillespie (Dizzy Gillespie)
Dizzy Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917 in Chirow, USA. Dizzy has a lot of merit in the history of the development of jazz music: he is known as a trumpeter, vocalist, arranger, composer and leader of orchestras. Gillespie also co-founded improvisational jazz with Charlie Parker. Like many jazzmen, Gillespie started out playing in clubs. Then he moved to live in New York and successfully entered the local orchestra. He was known for his original, if not to say buffoonish, behavior, which successfully turned the people who worked with him against him. From the first orchestra, in which a very talented, but peculiar trumpeter Dizz went on tour in England and France, he was almost kicked out. The musicians of his second orchestra also did not react quite cordially to Gillespie's mockery of their playing. In addition, few people understood his musical experiments - some called his music "Chinese". Collaboration with the second orchestra ended in a fight between Cab Calloway (his leader) and Dizzy during one of the concerts, after which Gillespie was expelled from the band with a bang. After Gillespie creates his own group, in which he and other musicians work to diversify the traditional jazz language. Thus, the style known as bebop was born, on the style of which Dizzy actively worked.
The best albums of the brilliant trumpeter include "Sonny Side Up" (1957), "Afro" (1954), "Birk's Works" (1957), "World Statesman" (1956) and "Dizzy and Strings" (1954).
For decades, the music of freedom, performed by dizzying jazz virtuosos, has been a huge part of the music scene and just human life. The names of the musicians that you can see above are immortalized in the memory of many generations and, most likely, the same number of generations will inspire and amaze with their skill. Perhaps the secret is that the inventors of trumpets, saxophones, double basses, pianos, and drums knew that some things could not be done on these instruments, but forgot to tell jazz musicians about it.
At present, good jazz music has won sincere fans all over the world. For example, the names of artists such as Louis Armstrong or Frank Sinatra are known even to those who are far from this genre. Despite the differences in culture and mentality, age and occupation, people from different countries love to listen to online jazz compositions. Moreover, our compatriots strive to download foreign jazz for free and even learn songs in a foreign language. All this confirms the strength, quality and semantic content of the compositions.
Historical reference
Jazz emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. This is a kind of synthesis, a mixture of African and European cultures. The result was so interesting and unexpected that it quickly began to spread not only in the United States, but also on other continents. At the initial stage, foreign jazz combined a very intricate rhythm, creative improvisation and a certain harmony. Subsequently, the direction developed thanks to the talent of the musicians, their mastery of new techniques, instruments and rhythmic patterns. Today, everyone can download their favorite jazz collection for free, listen to interesting news and discover a lot of new things. On our music portal you will find quality music. For the convenience of searching and saving time for users, it is structured by performers, alphabetically and other criteria, which makes it easier to work with our site. Download only the best, do it easily and completely free of charge! In our large music collection there is foreign jazz for connoisseurs and for beginners who are in search of "their" musical direction!In the modern world, music is a source in which the emotions and feelings of many people are expressed. There are a huge number of directions and each has its own admirers. Jazz music is no exception. Modern jazz performers emphasize the beauty and melodiousness of all its chords with a special sensuality.
Styles of contemporary jazz
There are many forms of modern jazz, they are very popular and have a wide audience of listeners. Jazz-Funk and Contemporary Jazz are very popular among young people, as well as Soul-Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Fusion, Crossover Jazz. All these styles are very diverse and interesting in their own way.
Modern jazz performers take part in various international jazz festivals, conduct tours, arrange joint projects both with their colleagues in the genre and with other styles of music, recording soundtracks for films and clips.
Top 5 Jazz Artists
- Jazz artists of world renown are scattered all over the world, and George Benson is one of them. His work perfectly combines such styles as soft rock, jazz and R'n'B. Benson masterfully owns his voice and guitar, these two components are the key to his success. He started at a very young age with jazz, and now he is already 70 years old, but still gives concerts and loves his audience. For his work, George a couple of times became the owner of the Grammy Award.
- The ancestor and prominent representative of the musical direction of smooth jazz is Bob James. With the help of his piano playing, he melodically and professionally gives life to the new. But James does not create his music alone, he is complemented by drummer Billy Kilson, saxophonist David McMurray and bassist Samuel Burgess. All together they are united by a brand called Bob James Trio.
- Probably everyone has heard the world-famous compositions of the piano genius Chick Corea. For his work, he was repeatedly awarded the Grammy. To date, Coria is already 71 years old, but world tours with his participation are still really possible for everyone to visit.
- Modern jazz performers are not only males. Norah Jones is a jazz singer playing the piano, a beautiful star performing her songs. She rose to prominence with her 2002 album Come Away With Me, which won five Grammys.
- Deep and serious songs performed by Nino Katamadze's special voice touch to the core. Georgian jazz performer and composer gives concerts around the world.
Modern jazz is wonderful music for the soul, and in order to be fully imbued with it, it is worth visiting the concerts of the meters of this direction.
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