Artist Index How to use Artist INDEX

Bill Evans　

With the passage of time, Bill Evans has become an entire school unto himself for pianists and a singular mood unto himself for listeners. There is no more influential jazz-oriented pianist -- o ..more

Bobby Hutcherson　

Easily one of jazz’s greatest vibraphonists, Bobby Hutcherson epitomized his instrument in relation to the era in which he came of age the way Lionel Hampton did with swing or Milt Jacks ..more

Bud Powell　

One of the giants of the jazz piano, Bud Powell changed the way that virtually all post-swing pianists play their instruments. He did away with the left-hand striding that had been conside ..more

Bob James / David Sanborn　

Beegie Adair　

Beegie Adair grew up in Cave City, Kentucky, where she began taking piano lessons at age five. She continued to study piano throughout college, earning a B.S. in Music Education at Western State Un ..more

Brad Mehldau　

During the ’90s and into the 2000s, Brad Mehldau was one among a plethora of young jazz pianists who rose to prominence. He is one of the more absorbing and thoughtful practitioners within that ..more

Bill Evans / Jim Hall　

Bobbi Humphrey　

Bobbi Humphrey is a jazz flautist whose musical tastes lean toward fusion and smooth jazz-pop. From the outset of her career, Humphrey was quite popular, winning a large crossover audie ..more

Billie Holiday　

The first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, Billie Holiday changed the art of American pop vocals forever. More than a half-century ..more

Barney Kessel　

One of the finest guitarists to emerge after the death of Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel was a reliable bop soloist throughout his career. He played with a big band fronted by Chico Ma ..more

Buddy Rich　

When it came to technique, speed, power, and the ability to put together incredible drum solos, Buddy Rich lived up to the billing of the world’s greatest drummer. Although some other drummers we ..more

Benny Goodman　

Benny Goodman was the first celebrated bandleader of the Swing Era, dubbed The King of Swing, his popular emergence marking the beginning of the era. He was an accomplished clarinetist whose dist ..more

Billy Taylor　

Billy Taylor was such an articulate spokesman for jazz, and his profiles on CBS’ Sunday Morning television program (where he was a regular beginning in 1981) were so successful at intr ..more

Billy Cobham　

Generally acclaimed as fusion’s greatest drummer, Billy Cobham’s explosive technique powered some of the genre’s most important early recordings -- including groundbreaking efforts by Miles Da ..more

Bing Crosby　

Bing Crosby was, without doubt, the most popular and influential media star of the first half of the 20th century. The undisputed best-selling artist until well into the rock era (with over half ..more

Benny Golson　

Benny Golson is a talented composer/arranger whose tenor playing has continued to evolve with time. After attending Howard University (1947-1950) he worked in Philadelphia with Bull Moose Jackson ..more

Barbara Carroll　

In the year 2005, Barbara Carroll could boast that she has began playing piano for a grand total of 75 years. Not without a pause to sleep and eat, obviously, but with a determination that might su ..more

Blossom Dearie　

A distinctive, girlish voice, crisp, impeccable delivery, and an irrepressible sense of playful swing made Blossom Dearie one of the most enjoyable singers of the vocal era. Her warmth and sparkle ..more

Bill Frisell　

The defining characteristic of any given jazz musician is frequently his sound. The more control a player has over the nature of that sound, the more likely he is to project a distinctive musical p ..more

Brian Simpson