Duke Jordan
Jordan was born in New York and grew up in Brooklyn, where he attended Boys High School. A creative and talented pianist, Jordan was a frequent member of Charlie Parker’s quintet from 1947 to 1948, which also included Miles Davis. He took part in Parker’s Dial sessions in late 1947, which created songs such as “Dewey Square,” “Bongo Bop,” “Bird of Paradise,” and the ballad “Embraceable You.” These recordings can be found on the album Charlie Parker on Dial.
Barry Harris
Barry Doyle Harris was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. He was born on December 15, 1929, and passed away on December 8, 2021. He was an expert in the bebop style.
Hank Jones
Henry Jones Jr. was born on July 31, 1918, and passed away on May 16, 2010. He was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer.
Wynton Kelly
Wynton Charles Kelly was born on December 2, 1931, and died on April 12, 1971. He was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his energetic, blues-style playing and his skill as a supporting musician in jazz. He started playing professionally at age 12 and was the pianist on a top R&B song at age 16.
Red Garland
William McKinley “Red” Garland Jr. was born on May 13, 1923, and died on April 23, 1984. He was an American jazz musician who played the piano.
Ahmad Jamal
Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones; July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and teacher. For six decades, he was among the most successful leaders of small musical groups in jazz. He was honored as a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master and received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement for his contributions to music history.
Erroll Garner
Erroll Louis Garner was born on June 15, 1921, and died on January 2, 1977. He was an American jazz pianist and composer who played in a style called swing and wrote many ballads. His most famous piece, the instrumental ballad “Misty,” became a jazz standard.
Teddy Wilson
Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. A music critic named Scott Yanow called Wilson “the definitive swing pianist,” meaning he was most well-known for his swing style. Wilson played piano in a gentle, elegant, and skilled way.
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), also called Earl “Fatha” Hines, was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most important people in helping jazz piano develop. One source said, “He is one of a small number of pianists whose playing helped change the history of jazz.” The trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (who was part of Hines’s big band, which also included Charlie Parker) wrote, The pianist Lennie Tristano said, “Earl Hines is the only one of us who can create real jazz music and smooth rhythm when playing alone.” Horace Silver said, “He has a style that is completely different.
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was born on July 8, 1914, and passed away on March 8, 1993. He was an American singer and bandleader during the swing and bebop music periods. He was known for his deep, rich voice, which was often compared to an operatic style.