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This bassist played with (among others) Charlie Parker, Erroll Garner, Nat King Cole and Dexter Gordon, was one of the earliest modern jazz tuba soloists, and was the only player to turn down offers to join both Duke Ellington’s Orchestra and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars. Who is he?
Walter Page
John Kirby
Red Callender
Tommy Potter
Oscar Pettiford
Curly Russell
Leroy Vinnegar
Gene Ramey
Go to the next page for the answer!
...October 27th, 2014
Described by one reviewer as “one of the pioneers of this raucous, rapid-fire, eight-to-the-bar piano style,” this pianist was active in Chicago from 1915 but remained unrecorded until 1939. In addition to his work as a pianist, during World War I he played baseball for the Negro Baseball League’s Chicago All-Americans, and was a groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox throughout his life. Who is he?
Pete Johnson
James P. Johnson
Albert Ammons
Meade Lux Lewis
Luckey Roberts
Cliff Jackson
Jimmy Yancey
Tony Jackson
...October 20th, 2014
Charles Mingus called him “the greatest trumpet player that I’ve heard in this life,” and he became well-known during his nine years playing in Count Basie’s orchestra, taking a “Pop Goes the Weasel” chorus on “April in Paris.” Who is he?
Roy Eldridge
Charlie Shavers
Ray Nance
Cat Anderson
Bill Coleman
Joe Newman
Thad Jones
...October 6th, 2014
This popular music singer once sang backup with her vocal group the Pied Pipers in Tommy Dorsey’s band and occasionally performed under the pseudonym “Darlene Edwards.” By 1955, she had sold more records than any other female artist, and one of her songs was the first record by a woman to reach #1 on the U.K. Singles Chart. Who is she?
Anita O’Day
Jo Stafford
Helen Merrill
Peggy Lee
Chris Connor
Carmen McRae
Lena Horne
Mildred Bailey
...September 29th, 2014
This trumpeter played in the bands of Lionel Hampton and Andy Kirk, and was a prominent figure in the transition from swing to bop, even described as the “missing link” between Roy Eldridge and Fats Navarro. Who is he?
Kenny Dorham
Clark Terry
Bill Coleman
Howard McGhee
Freddie Webster
Jonah Jones
Charlie Shavers
...September 22nd, 2014
This pianist worked with (among others) the bands of Bunny Berigan, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman, and was Bing Crosby’s musical director at the time of Crosby’s death in 1977. Who is he?
...September 15th, 2014
Maurice Ravel acknowledged basing his Boléro on an improvisation of this clarinetist, who was also influential in the careers of Benny Goodman and Nat Cole, who made famous this musician’s theme song, “Sweet Lorraine.” Who is he?
Sidney Bechet
Johnny Doods
Jimmy Noone
Wilbur Sweatman
Frankie Teschemacher
Buster Bailey
Ted Lewis
...August 25th, 2014
This posthumously-awarded Grammy winning musician/composer was the pianist and arranger for the vocal group The Hi-Lo’s in the late 1950’s, and after working with Donald Byrd and Dizzy Gillespie became known for his Latin and bossa nova recordings in the 1960’s. He was also frequently cited by Herbie Hancock as a “major influence.” Who is he?
Buddy Bregman
Lalo Schifrin
Clare Fischer
Tito Puente
George Shearing
George Russell
Cal Tjader
...August 11th, 2014
Known as “Mr. Entertainment,” this clarinetist’s band was second only to Paul Whiteman’s (pictured) in popularity during the 1920s. Who is he?
Fred Waring
Noble Sissle
Rudy Vallee
Ben Pollack
Phil Harris
Ted Lewis
...August 4th, 2014
Playing at Los Angeles’ Cocoanut Grove club, and featuring singers that included Bing Crosby, this bandleader led the top West Coast big band during the 20’s and 30’s. Who was he?
Ben Bernie
Gus Arnheim
Paul Whiteman
Ted Lewis
Jean Goldkette
Ben Pollack
Fred Waring
...July 28th, 2014
Who was known as the “middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone?”
Dony Byas
Gato Barbieri
Chu Berry
Gene Ammons
Sonny Stitt
Stan Getz
Hank Mobley
Chico Freeman
...July 14th, 2014
This tenor saxophonist played with Hoagy Carmichael’s Teenagers, as well as Buddy Rich, Lennie Tristano (pictured), and Lee Konitz. He collapsed and died on stage at Los Angeles’ Donte’s club in 1987 while playing “Out of Nowhere.” Who is he?
John Gilmore
Chico Freeman
Warne Marsh
Ted Brown
Al Cohn
Bob Cooper
Buddy Tate
Buddy Collette
Go to the next page or the answer!
...July 7th, 2014
Virtually all recordings of this influential trumpet player are available, but the only known film footage of him is in a 1955 appearance on the Soupy Sales variety show, which was one year before his death. Who is he?
Booker Little
Clifford Brown
Donald Byrd
Lee Morgan
Freddie Hubbard
Art Farmer
Roy Eldridge
Fats Navarro
...June 30th, 2014
After joining Billy Eckstine’s band in 1944, Eckstine named this new band mate “Jug” when straw hats ordered for the band did not fit. Who is he?
Sonny Stitt
Sonny Clark
Jackie McLean
Gene Ammons
Dexter Gordon
Tadd Dameron
Fats Navarro
...June 23rd, 2014
In the mid-1950’s, after a failed audition for the Benny Goodman band, this drummer found work in New York, toured with Charles Mingus’s band, and performed on J.J. Johnson’s J Is for Jazz. Who is he?
Jimmy Cobb
Joe Morello
Clifford Jarvis
Philly Joe Jones
Jo Jones
Joe Chambers
Jack De Johnette
Elvin Jones
...June 16th, 2014
Before becoming a full time musician, this pianist was a welterweight boxer who once fought “Sugar” Ray Robinson. Who is he?
Red Garland
Mel Powell
John Lewis
Billy Taylor
Elmo Hope
Wynton Kelly
Barry Harris
Hank Jones
...June 9th, 2014
This bassist played with Charlie Barnet (pictured) in 1942, was on the recording session of Coleman Hawkins’ “The Man I Love,” appeared in a mystery movie called The Crimson Canary, “inadvertently” discovered Cannonball Adderley, and is considered the pioneer of the cello as a solo instrument in jazz. Who is he?
Milt Hinton
Jimmy Blanton
Oscar Pettiford
Charles Mingus
Charlie Haden
Red Callendar
Curly Russell
Walter Page
...June 2nd, 2014
Between 1933 – 1938, this legendary arranger led his own band in California that eventually became the backup group for Skinnay Ennis. Who is he?
Sy Oliver
Stan Kenton
George Russell
Quincy Jones
Pete Rugolo
Jimmy Giuffre
Gil Evans
...May 26th, 2014
This trumpeter was the spark plug in Gene Krupa’s band, and was known as “Little Jazz”. Who is he?
Dizzy Gillespie
Roy Eldridge
Fats Navarro
Chet Baker
Shorty Rogers
Conte Condoli
Bunny Berigan
Jonah Jones
...May 12th, 2014
In February, 1928, a large ad in Variety heralded this Chicago-based orchestra’s arrival in New York, referring to it as “THE BIG ORCHESTRA WITH THE LITTLE LEADER.” This orchestra featured some of the biggest future talents in popular music. Who was the orchestra’s leader?
Jean Goldkette
Jimmie Lunceford
Luis Russell
Tommy Dorsey
Ben Pollack
Bob Crosby
Charlie Barnet
Paul Whiteman
...May 5th, 2014
While a member of Lionel Hampton’s band, his “Flying Home” solo was considered to be the first R&B sax solo. Who was he?
Johnny Board
Eddie Chamblee
James Moody
Buddy Tate
Illinois Jacquet
Frank Foster
Willie Smith
Dexter Gordon
...
April 21st, 2014
This artist may be best known as the author of a book whose concept was playing jazz based on scales rather than chord changes — a theory that helped pave the way for the modal revolutions of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Who is he?
Herbie Nichols
Bill Evans
George Russell
Lennie Tristano
Gil Evans
Anthony Braxton
Tadd Dameron
...
April 14th, 2014
In 1938, Charlie Parker stayed in this musician’s New York apartment, despite the wife’s objections. Who is he?
Roy Eldridge
Coleman Hawkins
Billy Eckstine
Art Tatum
Dizzy Gillespie
Lester Young
Kenny Clarke
Buster Smith
...April 7th, 2014
In 1949, this artist coined the phrase “Bop for the People,” which implied a more accessible form of the music. Who is he?
Charlie Ventura
Lionel Hampton
Red Norvo
Gene Krupa
Zoot Sims
Stan Getz
...March 31st, 2014
In 1929, this trumpeter replaced Bubber Miley in Duke Ellington’s band. Who was he?
Red Allen
Rex Stewart
Ziggy Elman
...March 24th, 2014
Known as “Mule,” this bassist was also known for singing along with his bowed solos (much like Slam Stewart). Who was he?
Major Holley
Oscar Pettiford
Curley Russell
Tommy Potter
Gene Ramey
Buster Williams
Red Callender
John Kirby
...March 17th, 2014
Who was known as the “middleweight champion of the tenor?”
John Coltrane
Johnny Griffin
Ike Quebec
Gene Ammons
Hank Mobley
Eddie Lockjaw Davis
Cannonball Adderley
Cleanhead Vinson
...March 10th, 2014
What sax player initially turned from the alto to the tenor sax in a purported effort to escape his image as a follower of Charlie Parker?
_____
Dexter Gordon
Cannonball Adderley
Nat Adderley
Sonny Stitt
Sonny Rollins
Gene Ammons
Roland Kirk
...March 3rd, 2014
In 1959, this bandleader toured Europe with a group originally put together to play for Harold Arlen’s show Free and Easy. Who is he?
Gerry Mulligan
Mayard Ferguson
Gerald Wilson
Don Ellis
Gil Evans
Stan Kenton
Quincy Jones
Sun Ra
...February 17th, 2014
Born Norma Egstrom in 1920, this singer was so scared during her first recording session that her boss, Benny Goodman, was encouraged to fire her. Goodman recognized her talent and kept her. Who is Norma Egstrom?
Anita O day
Billie Holiday
Doris Day
Lena Horne
Peggy Lee
June Christy
Jo Stafford
Mildred Bailey
...January 27th, 2014
![back cover of Diana Krall's album "The Girl in the Other Room" [Verve]](https://i0.wp.com/www.jerryjazzmusician.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/krall240.png?fit=240%2C205&ssl=1 "Short Fiction")
