Eddie Jefferson
Eddie Jefferson was born on August 3, 1918, and died on May 9, 1979. He was an American jazz singer and songwriter. He helped create vocalese, a musical style where lyrics are added to instrumental music or solos.
Frank Wess
Frank Wellington Wess was born on January 4, 1922, and passed away on October 30, 2013. He was an American musician who played the saxophone and flute. He is well-known for his many solo performances, but he is also remembered for playing with Count Basie’s band from the early 1950s until the early 1960s.
Frank Foster
• Frank Foster (jazz musician) (1928–2011), American jazz saxophonist • Frank Foster (country singer) (born 1982), American country singer-songwriter who has been performing since 2011
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American musician who plays the piano, sings, produces music, plays many musical instruments, writes songs, and directs music. At the 25th Annual Grammy Awards, her 1982 song “Forget Me Nots” was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Her instrumental song “Number One” was also nominated for Best R&B Instrumental.
George Duke
George Martin Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He worked with many artists as an arranger, music director, writer, record producer, and professor of music. He first gained recognition for an album called The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with his band, the George Duke Trio.
Dave Grusin
Robert David Grusin (born June 26, 1934) is an American composer, arranger, producer, jazz pianist, and band leader. He has written music for many movies and TV shows and has received many awards for his work, including an Academy Award and 10 Grammy Awards. Grusin worked closely with director Sydney Pollack and created music for several of his films, such as Three Days of the Condor (1975), Absence of Malice (1981), Tootsie (1982), The Firm (1993), and Random Hearts (1999).
Grover Washington Jr.
Grover Washington Jr. (December 12, 1943 – December 17, 1999) was an American musician who played the saxophone in jazz-funk and soul-jazz styles. He won Grammy Awards and is often seen as one of the key people who helped create smooth jazz, along with Wes Montgomery and George Benson.
David Sanborn
David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He played music in many different styles, and his solo recordings often mixed jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He started playing the saxophone at age 11 and released his first solo album, Taking Off, in 1975.
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. During his 40-year career, he recorded many songs in jazz and popular music and was on more than 900 albums as a leader and sideman. He won 15 Grammy Awards from the Recording Academy, was added to the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 2007, and received an honorary doctor of music degree from Berklee College of Music in 2004.
Randy Brecker
Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His ability to perform many different styles of music has made him a well-known studio musician who has recorded with artists in jazz, rock, and R&B.