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BACKBEAT

A term used in jazz and other popular music referring to accenting the second and fourth beat of each bar. Sometimes referred to as the upbeat.

BAILEY, COLIN (1934–)

Growing up in Swindon, England, Bailey taught himself drums until he was able to study formally at the age of seven. Bailey’s professional career took off when he moved to Australia and joined Bryce Rohde’s Australian Jazz Quartet. During a tour of the United States with the Australian Jazz Quartet, Bailey was heard in San Francisco by pianist Vince Guaraldi, who hired him regularly throughout the 1960s. Bailey was on several of Guaraldi’s most popular albums, including Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (1962, Original Jazz Classics) and A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1964, Fantasy). Bailey moved to Los Angeles, although he was still not an official U.S. citizen, and performed with many of the leading Los Angeles musicians in addition to becoming a prominent studio musician. During the period from 1962 to 1970, Bailey performed with Benny Goodman, George Shearing, and Victor Feldman and also substituted for Tony Williams briefly in Miles Davis’s famous late quintet.

Bailey became an American citizen in 1970. He developed a television presence serving as replacement for Ed Shaughnessy on the NBC Tonight Show in addition to playing a crazed drummer on the television show Fernwood 2 Night. In 1979, Bailey moved to Texas and took a teaching position at North Texas State University. He left his faculty position in 1984 and moved back to California, this time to the San Francisco area. Bailey freelanced with artists such as Richie Cole, Joe Pass, Jimmy Rowles, Red Mitchell, and Ron Affif throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He continues to perform and present master classes in the United States, Brazil, and Canada.

BAILEY, VICTOR (1960–2016)

A bassist, Bailey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was raised by a highly musical family. He attended the Berklee College of Music in 1978 after being disqualified from military service due to asthma. Years later, he would return as a faculty member at the college. Bailey was the bassist for the group Weather Report during their final years from 1982 to 1986. He launched a solo career in 1988 and became known, in part, for his ability to sing along with his improvised solos. Illness associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease forced him to retire from playing in 2015.

BAILEY, WILLIAM C. “BUSTER” (1902–1967)

Bailey began his professional career as a clarinetist with W. C. Handy’s orchestra at the age of 15. He moved from Memphis to Chicago in 1919 to pursue opportunities with other prominent jazz leaders like Erskine Tate, Mamie Smith, and King Oliver. Bailey studied with clarinetist Franz Schoepp, who also taught Benny Goodman. At the recommendation of Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson hired Bailey to join his orchestra in New York, and the two would work together throughout the 1920s and for several occasional periods during the 1930s. In 1929, Bailey left Henderson for the first time to pursue touring and recording opportunities with Noble Sissle, Edgar Hayes, and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band.

Bailey joined bassist John Kirby’s sextet, a group that included trumpet player Charlie Shavers. The sextet developed a great reputation, and Bailey’s talents as a clarinetist truly shined. The group stayed together until 1946 and recorded several albums, including Boss of the Bass (1941, Columbia); Biggest Little Band in the Land (1944, Classic Jazz); and John Kirby and His Sextet (1946, Alamac). After the band disbanded in 1946, Bailey played with the traditional jazz–influenced bands of Wilbur De Paris and Henry “Red” Allen, in addition to freelancing with many other artists throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Bailey joined Louis Armstrong’s All Stars in 1965 and remained with that group until his passing in 1967. While Bailey was known mostly as an outstanding sideman, he did record a few albums as a leader, most notably All about Memphis (1958, Felsted). See also DRUM SET.

BAKER, CHESNEY “CHET” (1929–1988)

Baker took up the trumpet while attending Glendale Junior High School in California but did not develop as a performer until he completed two stints with two army bands, the 298th Army band in Berlin, Germany, and the Presidio Army band in San Francisco. Upon being discharged in 1952, Baker was hired by jazz icon Charlie Parker for two brief periods in 1952 and 1953 while also touring and recording with Gerry Mulligan. The collaboration with Gerry Mulligan was considered a jazz milestone and was highly influential in the creation of the West Coast jazz style. Baker’s melodic approach resembled that of Miles Davis, as often Baker played very soft and with a limited range. In 1953, Baker was given DownBeat’s Rising Star Award and topped many critic polls for the next two years. Baker left Mulligan to start a solo career and began touring both the United States and Europe during the late 1950s. He was unable to escape his drug problems and was jailed for a drug-related offense.

Baker moved to Italy after his personal life got seemingly out of hand in the United States. However, Baker was involved with several drug-smuggling schemes in Germany, Italy, England, and France and was forced to return to the United States in 1964. Baker attempted to get his professional career back on track by recording several albums that included saxophonist George Coleman and pianist Kirk Lightsey. These records included Lonely Star (1965, Prestige) and On a Misty Night (1965, Prestige). Neither critics nor fans really embraced these records, and Baker’s life remained in turmoil. In the early 1970s, Baker lost all of his teeth during a bad drug deal, and toward the end of the decade, he moved back to Europe. Baker’s career witnessed a brief resurgence in the 1980s when he recorded with rock artist Elvis Costello and acquired a record deal on SteepleChase. Drugs continued to take their toll on Baker, although it is unclear whether they were involved in his death. See also COOL JAZZ.

BAKER, DAVID (1931–2016)

After completing both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music education, Baker began his professional career as a trombonist, touring with Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, George Russell, and Quincy Jones in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Baker stayed close to his native Indiana home and led his own big bands in Indianapolis. Baker suffered from muscular problems that forced him to stop playing trombone for almost a decade. During this hiatus, he took up playing the cello in addition to beginning a very influential teaching career at Indiana University in 1966. Baker also developed a reputation as a first-class arranger and composer and was a Pulitzer Prize nominee in addition to being nominated for a Grammy during the 1970s.

While serving in his faculty position, Baker quickly became one of jazz’s most famous instructors. Baker is credited with writing 60 books and over 400 articles. In addition to teaching, Baker served on numerous jazz-related committees, including the Jazz Advisory Panel to the Kennedy Center, the Jazz/Folk/Ethnic Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and was named president of the National Jazz Service Organization. From 1991 to 2012, he served as musical and artistic director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He was named a Jazz Master by the NEA in 2000 and a Living Jazz Legend by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2007.

BAKER, HAROLD “SHORTY” (1914–1966)

Baker began his career as a trumpet player while still a teenager in the late 1920s, performing in his brother Winfield’s band. In the 1930s he toured with many bands, including small groups led by Erskine Tate and Eddie Johnson, and big bands led by Don Redman and Teddy Wilson. After an invitation to perform and record with Mary Lou Williams, Baker soon found himself romantically involved with her, and they were married in 1942. Despite a brief interruption due to army service, Baker was hired to take over Arthur Whetsol’s chair in the Duke Ellington Orchestra until 1952. For the remainder of his career, Baker would work on and off with Ellington’s band and would also be featured in other groups led by Johnny Hodges and Teddy Wilson. He made only one recording, Shorty & Doc (1961, Original Jazz Classics), an album he co-led with fellow trumpeter Doc Cheatham.

BAKTON RECORDS

A record label founded in 1966 by Randy Weston. The label only released one album of Weston’s music, which was eventually sold to Atlantic Records.

BALLAD

A term used to describe slower songs in the jazz idiom. The ballad is considered a vital part of the jazz repertoire and is often used as a descriptor for pieces that are slower, softer, or more personal than other pieces.

’BAMA STATE COLLEGIANS

A jazz band formed at Alabama State University in the early 1930s. Led by Erskine Hawkins, who was also a student, the band toured in New York and took the name the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra.

BANDLEADER

A term used to describe the person who leads a band. This person can be an instrumentalist (such as Dizzy Gillespie, who led a big band continually from the 1940s until his death), a vocalist (such as Frank Sinatra), or someone who just conducts the ensemble, like Gerald Wilson. See also BASIE, WILLIAM “COUNT” (1904–1984); ELLINGTON, EDWARD KENNEDY “DUKE” (1899–1974); HENDERSON, FLETCHER HAMILTON, JR. (1897–1952); HERMAN, WOODROW CHARLES “WOODY” (1913–1987); MILLER, (ALTON) GLENN (1904–1944); MINTZER, BOB (1953–).

BANJO

A stringed instrument similar to a guitar that can have from four to six strings and is plucked either by fingers or a pick. The body of a banjo is different from that of a guitar, as it is circular and has a head made of a stretched material the bridge presses upon. The banjo was used frequently in early styles of jazz and was often the only chordal instrument in early traditional and Dixieland jazz bands. See also EARLY JAZZ; SNOWDEN, ELMER (1900–1973).

BARBER, JOHN WILLIAM “BILL” (1920–2007)

Barber fell in love with tuba while in high school and continued to study it while completing undergraduate work at Juilliard and graduate work at the Manhattan School of Music. After moving to Kansas City to play with the Kansas City Philharmonic and serving in the army from 1942 to 1945, Barber moved back to New York and began looking for opportunities to play jazz. Barber was hired by Claude Thornhill in 1947 and was considered to be one of the first and most influential jazz tuba players. Gil Evans and Miles Davis hired Barber to be a part of their highly influential Birth of the Cool (1950, Columbia) recording session and also used him in their other 1950s collaborations. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Barber maintained careers in both jazz and classical music, often playing Broadway shows in between jazz dates. In the 1960s, Barber pursued a teaching career at an elementary school in Long Island. Barber was still considered a first-call session player and was frequently used by Evans and Gerry Mulligan for touring and recording over the next few decades. Barber was recorded on Mulligan’s Re-Birth of the Cool (1992, GRP) after he had retired from teaching. Barber died in 2007 due to heart failure.

BARBER, DAVID MICHAEL (1912–1965)

Barbour, a guitarist and banjo player, was born in Long Island, New York. His earliest work as a performer was playing the banjo in the early 1930s before switching to guitar in 1935. Barbour played with Red Norvo from 1935 to 1936 before going on to work as a studio musician and in groups with Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet, Glenn Miller, and Woody Herman. He also recorded with André Previn in 1945. While a member of Benny Goodman’s Orchestra, Barbour fell in love and married singer Peggy Lee, who was also performing with the band. After 1950, he performed only occasionally. Barbour died of a hemorrhaged ulcer at the age of 53.

BARBIERI, GATO (1934–2012)

Born in Argentina, Barbieri first began as a clarinet player at the age of 12. After moving to Buenos Aires in 1947, he picked up the alto sax and by 1953 gained notice as a member of the Lalo Schifrin orchestra. Later in the 1950s, he switched to tenor saxophone and began leading his own groups. After moving to Rome in 1962, Barbieri began exploring avant-garde music, working with many well-known artists including Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Carla Bley and appearing on the epic Bley recording Escalator Over the Hill (1971, Decca). Barbieri returned to the South American music of his youth during the 1970s, bringing him much acclaim in the jazz world. In 1973, Barbieri won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for his score to the movie Last Tango in Paris, making him an international star. In the late 1970s, he recorded a series of softer pop/jazz albums followed in 1989 by a more intense, rock-influenced, South American–grounded sound with the live recording Gato . . . Para los Amigos. Barbieri frequently toured and recorded during the 1980s and 1990s, in addition to working often in his native Argentina, and he received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

BARI

A commonly used, short term referring to baritone saxophone. See also SAXOPHONE.

BARITONE SAXOPHONE

The lowest-sounding saxophone commonly used in jazz. Like the alto saxophone, the baritone saxophone (or bari sax) is in the key of E. Famous jazz baritone saxophone players include Nick Brignola, Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams, Serge Chaloff, Gary Smulyan, and Joe Temperly. See also CARRUTHERS, EARL “JOCK” (1910–1971); CUBER, RONNIE (1941–); DE VILLERS, MICHEL (1926–1992); FOWLKES, CHARLIE (1916–1980); GOYENS, AL(PHONSE) (1920–); GRAHAM, BILL (1918–); KONOPASEK, JAN (1931–); MAIDEN, WILLIAM “WILLIE” (1928–1976); PARAPHERNALIA; PARKER, LEO (1925–1962); PERKINS, BILL (1924–2003).

BARNET, CHARLIE (1913–1991)

Barnet learned to play several instruments as a youth and was a proficient alto saxophonist. He primarily led bands during the 1930s and developed into one of the decade’s most successful bandleaders. Barnet discontinued leading a band in the 1950s. Barnet’s bands featured many top musicians, including Clark Terry, Charlie Shavers, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bill Holman.

BARNYARD EFFECTS

A musical device used specially by early jazz performers; musicians would imitate animal sounds using their instruments.

BARRELHOUSE

A precursor to the boogie-woogie piano style, the barrelhouse was one of the first blues piano styles. The barrelhouse style received its name from being developed and performed in bars or drinking establishments in which drinks were served straight from the barrel. These establishments were generally considered low class, and often this music was considered to be of the same level. Famous barrelhouse pianists include Will Ezell, Washboard Sam, Joshua Altheimer, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Charlie Spand. See also BARRELHOUSE JAZZ.

BARRELHOUSE JAZZ

Barrelhouse jazz was hybrid of the barrelhouse piano style and the New Orleans early jazz style that had migrated to Chicago in the 1920s. Barrelhouse jazz served as a precursor to the Chicago blues style that was formed in the 1930s, and was characterized by the use of nontraditional jazz instruments like the washboard. Groups that performed in the barrelhouse jazz style were recorded much more frequently than its piano-style counterpart, and in many cases, groups that recorded the style did not perform it in public. This style was also considered to be an important element in the creation of rhythm and blues.

BARRELHOUSE JAZZ BAND

Founded by Horst Dubuque, the Barrelhouse Jazz Band was created in Germany in the mid-1950s as an early jazz– and traditional jazz–influenced group. In addition to utilizing guest artists such as Al Grey, Jimmy McPartland, and Buddy Tate, the Barrelhouse Jazz Band also made use of themed concerts to attract concertgoers. These concerts included performances dedicated to Duke Ellington, King Oliver, and Jelly Roll Morton. The name Barrelhouse Jazz Band has been used by several other groups in Europe as well as in the United States.

BARRETTO, RAY(MOND) (1929–2006)

Barretto, originally from New York, played in informal settings with many jazz musicians during the 1950s. Barretto was primarily a percussionist, and his professional career took off in the late 1950s and 1960s when he performed and recorded with Lou Donaldson, Dizzy Gillespie, Oliver Nelson, and Wes Montgomery. A proponent of Afro-Cuban and Latin American jazz, Barretto became increasingly active as a leader during the 1960s and led groups in the 1970s and 1980s. Barretto’s groups consistently featured top musicians, and in the 1990s he founded his most popular group, the New World Spirit. See also LATIN JAZZ.

BARRON, KENNY (1943–)

Hailing from Philadelphia, pianist Kenny Barron found work in the 1960s after he moved to New York, working with performers including Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, and James Moody. He did not become a leader until the mid-1970s and was an important original member of the group Sphere. In addition to working with Sphere, he freelanced through the 1980s, including time spent working with Chet Baker, David Schnitter, J. J. Johnson, Woody Shaw, and, most significantly, Stan Getz. The pairing of Barron and Getz resulted in some important albums during the mid-1980s that garnered much acclaim for both musicians. He was honored by the NEA as a Jazz Master in 2010 and has received nine Grammy nominations. He is a six-time recipient of Best Pianist by the Jazz Journalists Association. Barron continues to remain active as a performer, in addition to becoming a more active educator.

BASIE, WILLIAM “COUNT” (1904–1984)

Along with Duke Ellington, Basie would prove to be one of the most important bandleaders in jazz. While not a standout pianist, Basie was a performer with roots in the stride piano style, and the bands Basie fronted were frequently considered to be among the finest working. After an incident in which he was stranded in Kansas City, Basie found work in the late 1920s with Walter Page, the bassist who ended up playing a vital role in Basie’s 1930 bands. Basie was hired along with Page to play with Bennie Moten’s group, which Basie was with until the band disbanded in the mid-1930s. From then on, Basie would work primarily as a bandleader of both small and large groups.

Basie’s groups in the 1930s included tenor saxophonist Lester Young and rhythm section mates Walter Page and drummer Jo Jones. The first incarnation of the Basie big band lasted approximately 14 years before Basie had to break up the group in favor of smaller, more financially manageable ensembles. After a two-year hiatus from running a big band, Basie began a new band in 1952, which would develop into one of the top-working units of its time. The Basie bands were regarded as the hardest-swinging ensembles in jazz. Other members of the ensemble included Freddie Green, Thad Jones, Marshall Royal, and Frank Foster. Basie would continue to lead the group despite health issues during the 1970s and 1980s. After Basie’s passing, the band continued to play under Jones’s and eventually Foster’s leadership. See also COUNTSMEN; JONES-SMITH INC; KANSAS CITY SEVEN; KANSAS CITY SIX.

BASIN STREET

Located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Basin Street was one of the main streets within the Storyville red-light district. During its development in the early 1900s, jazz was prominently featured in many venues on Basin Street.

BASS

Also referred to as the double bass, it is the largest and consequently lowest-pitched string instrument. The bass is a fixture in dance bands and jazz groups, where it is normally played pizzicato. Its use in the rhythm section of these groups was established in the late 1920s. From the 1960s onward, it is occasionally replaced in these groups by the electric bass guitar. Notable jazz bassists include Jimmy Blanton, Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Dave Holland, Charles Mingus, and Scott LaFaro. See also GOMEZ, EDDIE (1944–); HINTON, MILTON “MILT” (1910–2000); PASTORIUS, JACO (1951–1987); PEACOCK, GARY (1935–); REID, RUFUS (1944–); RIDLEY, LARRY (1937–); RUSSELL, DILLON “CURLY” (1917–1986); SLAP BASS; STEWART, SLAM (1914–1987); SWALLOW, STEVE (1940–); WALKING BASS.

BASS CLARINET

Uncommon in jazz, the bass clarinet is a lower-sounding member of the clarinet family. It is usually pitched one octave below the more traditional soprano clarinet. Eric Dolphy was one of the first jazz musicians to use the bass clarinet in improvisational settings and recorded a famous solo bass clarinet version of “God Bless the Child” on The Illinois Concert (1963, Blue Note).

BASS CLEF

A clef sign used to write lower-register notes. The bass clef is commonly used for instruments like trombone, baritone, double bass, tuba, and the left hand of the piano. The bass clef is also known as the F clef because it is centrally located on the F line of the staff.

BASS DRUM

A lower-pitched drum that began as a large marching drum but was soon modified to be used in orchestral and concert band works. The bass drum remained an important part of marching band instrumentation and was used in New Orleans brass bands. When early jazz bands began performing in clubs and more stable venues, the bass drum was converted into a more stationary instrument and became a building block for the modern drum set. The bass drum is played by the right foot through the use of a beater that is attached to a foot pedal. The drum was eventually modified so that tom-toms could be mounted on it and it could also be used as part of the drum set.

BASS GUITAR

Another name for the electric bass. It is frequently used in the fusion and jazz-rock styles in addition to other popular music. See also BASS.

BATISTE, ALVIN (1932–2007)

Born in New Orleans, Batiste studied the clarinet as a youth and performed with a young Ornette Coleman. After a brief period of active playing in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Batiste became an educator for almost 20 years, although he considered his academic work to take away from his performing career and elected to retire from education in the 1980s. Batiste worked steadily in the 1990s as both a performer and composer. Batiste played with both Ed Blackwell and the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra in the 1990s.

BATISTE, LIONEL “UNCLE” (1931–2012)

A bass drummer and singer, Batiste was a longtime member of the Treme Brass Band in New Orleans, Louisiana. He appeared in numerous television shows and commercials and in the HBO network series Treme. Batiste was well known as an impeccable dresser, most often wearing shined shoes, necktie, pocket square, and a derby on his head. He was a fixture on the New Orleans scene beginning in the 1940s and continued to play up to the time of his death.

BATTLE OF BANDS

Still done today, though no longer as frequently as in the past, a battle of bands is an event in which several groups compete by attempting to outplay one another for a specific prize. Originating in New Orleans, many touring bands of the 1930s would gather in specific New York ballrooms to compete with one another. See also SAVOY BALLROOM.

BEAT

A musical term used to describe the steady pulse of time. In some popular music, the beat is always emphasized by the bass drum or cymbals and is heard on every beat of a given measure. In classical music and some freer forms of jazz, the beat is internalized or conducted rather than being dictated by specific instruments. A lot of popular music is based on music that has four beats per measure, although it is common to see some dance music that only has three, such as a waltz. See also GROOVE.

BEBOP

A term used to describe a specific style that was developed in the 1940s, it would frequently feature complex melodies based on expanded harmonic structures and technical, fast improvisation. While bebop adhered to harmonic rules and remained tonal despite the frequent use of passing harmonies, much of the music created during the bebop era sounded quite frantic at the time in contrast to the polite nature of the music of the 1930s. Important bebop musicians include Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell. Bebop was a significant shift in jazz improvisation and became the most imitated and copied style of the 1950s. See also CLARKE, KENNY (1914–1985); MINTON’S PLAYHOUSE; MONK, THELONIOUS SPHERE (1917–1982); MONROE’S UPTOWN HOUSE; PETTIFORD, OSCAR (1922–1960); POTTER, CHARLES “TOMMY” (1918–1988).

BECHET, SIDNEY (1897–1959)

Born in New Orleans and first developing his musical skills on clarinet, Bechet was mostly self-taught before he began working in New Orleans bands as a teenager. After Bechet discovered the soprano saxophone while on a trip to Chicago, he decided to permanently switch to the instrument and became one of the first and most influential voices on it. Bechet toured Europe in the 1920s, in addition to working with Duke Ellington and leading his own groups. Considered to be a master improviser, Bechet soon became an icon not only to saxophonists but to all jazz musicians.

Bechet toured frequently with his own groups in the 1930s and after a failed attempt to bring back the New Orleans style that had fallen out of favor for swing and eventually bebop. Bechet’s popularity overseas grew, and he decided to relocate to France in the 1950s. Bechet remained in France for the rest of his career and was considered to be a jazz hero there. Bechet succumbed to cancer in 1959. See also SAXOPHONE.

BECHET LEGACY

Founded by Sidney Bechet protégé Bob Wilber, the Bechet Legacy was a tribute group in the early 1980s. The group did little touring and recording but did reunite several times in the 1990s for various concerts.

BEE HIVE

An important jazz club in Chicago during the 1950s, it featured top touring acts and was featured in a recording of the Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet. The Bee Hive was so popular that it inspired a record label in the 1970s to adopt the same name.

BEHIND THE BEAT

A term used by jazz musicians to describe the phrasing style of purposefully delaying a note as to not sound in time. Musicians often play behind the beat to achieve a sense of rhythmic tension. Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon is one of the most notable musicians to frequently use this technique.

BEHOUNEK, KAMIL (1916–1983)

Behounek was a self-taught accordionist who played both jazz and popular music. He also worked as a band- leader, arranger, and composer. He originally learned to play by imitating recordings and BBC radio broadcasts. In the 1930s, he worked in Prague performing with the Blue Music Orchestra and Karel Vlach, among others. During World War II, he was forced by the Nazi regime to go to Berlin and write arrangements for German bands. After briefly returning to Czechoslovakia in 1945, Behounek once again moved to Germany and continued writing big band arrangements for numerous bandleaders and continued to perform with his own group. These performances included appearances in Bonn and, in 1948, West Germany for U.S. soldiers’ clubs. He recorded several albums during his career, mostly in the folk style. His autobiography, Má láska je jazz (Jazz is my love), was published three years after his death. See also ACCORDION.

BEIDERBECKE, LEON “BIX” (1903–1931)

Born in Davenport, Iowa, the self-taught cornet player Beiderbecke was first exposed to jazz through records and his visits to clubs in Chicago. Beiderbecke’s unfortunately short yet influential career was defined by the groups and musical relationships he forged in the 1920s. The two most notable collaborations Beiderbecke had were those with saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer and with the orchestra of Paul Whiteman as a featured soloist.

Beiderbecke was considered to be a significant figure because of his unique cornet style and ability to solo successfully in a style that differed from that of Louis Armstrong. Beiderbecke played the cornet, which has a warmer, darker tone than the trumpet. Despite suffering from alcoholism, Beiderbecke had a successful run and freelanced with several important artists in the late 1920s and early 1930s, including Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman, before dying at the age of 28. See also WOLVERINES.

BEIRACH, RICHARD (1947–)

Born in Brooklyn, New York, pianist Beirach studied at two of the more prestigious jazz schools, the Berklee College of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, before catching on with several important jazz groups in the 1970s. Beirach spent time with Stan Getz and also established a musical relationship with David Liebman that would span several decades, including work in the Liebman-created group Quest. Beirach continues to work as a sideman and lead his own small groups. Beirach moved to Leipzig in 2000 and holds a professorship of jazz piano at the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy conservatory.

BELGRAVE, MARCUS (1936–2015)

A trumpet player, Belgrave was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1962 he relocated to Detroit, where he established himself as a studio musician for Motown Records. In addition to remaining active in Detroit and on the international jazz scenes, he was a cofounder of Tribe Records. In 1988, he became an original member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at the request of Wynton Marsalis. He served as an instructor or visiting artist at a number of academic institutions, including Stanford University and Michigan State University.

BELLSON, LOUIE (1924–2009)

Bellson’s career began with a series of youth appearances both as a drummer and a tap dancer before being hired at the age of 18 to play drum set with Benny Goodman. Between the years of 1946 and 1967, Bellson spent time with many of the top-working big bands, including tours with Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, and briefly with Count Basie. Bellson began leading his own groups in the late 1960s and became more interested in education throughout the 1970s. Bellson mostly fronted his own ensembles for the remainder of his career, including several big bands, most notably an all-star band that featured many members of the Count Basie bands, including Al Grey and Harry “Sweets” Edison.

BEND

A term that describes when an instrumentalist uses the embouchure to alter a pitch either sharp or flat and then return it to its original pitch.

BENNETT, TONY (1926–)

Bob Hope discovered the showman Joe Bari and suggested he change his name to the more marketable Tony Bennett. Bennett rose to prominence during the 1950s and had several popular records. Popular with jazz musicians, Bennett would perform with several famous bands during the 1960s, including Duke Ellington and Count Basie, and was later featured with the Bill Evans Trio in the 1970s. In the 1980s, Bennett recorded with George Benson, Dexter Gordon, and Dizzy Gillespie, and he would use pianist Bill Charlap in his later groups. He experienced a resurgence in his career during the 2000s and recorded an album, Duets: An American Classic (2006, RPM), which went on to become one of the best-selling albums of the year and of Bennett’s career. Also during 2006, Bennett was named an NEA Jazz Master and won the Billboard Magazine Century Award, the magazine’s highest honor for creative achievement. The recording led to a television special, Tony Bennett: An American Classic, which won seven Emmy Awards in 2007. Since then, he has recorded and performed with Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Michael Bublé, and others. His 2015 release, The Silver Linings: The Songs of Jerome Kern (RPM/Columbia), won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Bennett has received 19 Grammy Awards and a total of 36 nominations and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. In addition to music, Bennett is a dedicated painter and has been commissioned by the United Nations for two paintings, including one in recognition of their 50th anniversary.

BENSON, GEORGE (1943–)

Despite his excellent guitar playing, Benson’s career was always split between singing and playing, beginning at the age of eight. Benson worked with many popular fusion and soul jazz artists of the 1960s, including Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, before branching out in his own career. Benson’s guitar playing was consistently overshadowed by the commercial nature of his work, including pop vocal hits during the 1970s. Benson continued to record popular and contemporary albums in the 1980s and 1990s but never fully returned to playing jazz full time. In 2009, Benson was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master.

BERIMBAU

A Brazilian stringed instrument frequently used in capoeira. It is not common in jazz.

BERKLEE COLLEGE (SCHOOL) OF MUSIC

A college located in Boston, Massachusetts, that has been active in jazz, pop, and rock education since the 1950s. Founded by Lawrence Berk in 1945 as the Schillinger House of Music, the school officially changed its name first in 1954 to the Berklee School of Music, although no degrees were offered until 1962. Berk’s son, Lee, was responsible for oversight of the institution from 1979 to 2004 and changed the name one final time to the Berklee College of Music. The college offers degrees in many areas, including music production, music business, and jazz performance. Throughout the last few decades, Berklee has created numerous educational programs outside of Boston, including a variety of summer camps across the globe. The Berklee College of Music has a long pedigree of alumni including Gary Burton, John Scofield, Branford Marsalis, and Sadao Watanabe and consistently features a faculty of high-caliber teachers and performers. Berklee alumni have garnered more than 200 Grammy Awards.

BERLINER JAZZTAGE

Original name for the Jazzfest Berlin founded in 1964. The Jazzfest was referred to as the Berliner Jazztage until 1982.

BERRY, LEON BROWN “CHU” (1908–1941)

Berry, a tenor saxophonist, became interested in music at an early age, first playing alto saxophone with local bands. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Wheeling, West Virginia, and attended West Virginia State College for three years. He was inspired to take up the tenor sax after hearing Coleman Hawkins on tour. In 1929, he received his first nationally important professional engagement when he joined the Sammy Stewart band in Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois. He relocated to New York City and began playing with the bands of Benny Carter, Teddy Hill, and Fletcher Henderson. He joined Cab Calloway’s band in 1937. Though strongly influenced by Hawkins, Berry soon developed his own style. He excelled at performing fast tempos, was a master of advanced harmonies, and played with a strong tone with heavy drive. He was especially adept at inserting a lot of individuality into a short space. This was a quality that endeared him to big band leaders because so many of the arrangements left time for only shorter-length solos. Throughout his career, he was in demand as a sideman, working with Bessie Smith, Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, and Lionel Hampton, among others. He died at the age of 33 while still a member of Calloway’s band when he was injured as the result of a car accident while a passenger with other band members on the way to Canada for a job.

BETHLEHEM

A record company founded in 1953 that released many significant jazz albums. Bethlehem was a diverse label with offices in Hollywood and New York, catering to many different jazz audiences by distributing albums of artists including Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Zoot Sims, and Herbie Nichols. The discs distributed by Bethlehem remained popular throughout the decades and were often rereleased. See also RECORD LABEL.

BEY, ANDY (1939–)

Bey was born in Newark, New Jersey, and he began his vocal career playing in clubs in his hometown when he was young. In the 1960s, Bey performed with numerous jazz musicians, including Howard McGhee, Max Roach, and Horace Silver, before spending part of the 1970s working with the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra. After his tenure with the Jones-Lewis Orchestra, Bey semiretired from performing to focus instead on teaching. Bey’s performing career began to pick up again at the end of the late 1980s, and he was actively singing again in the 1990s. Bey recorded several times during the 1990s, in addition to frequently being featured in concerts in a variety of contexts. Producer Herb Jordan supported Bey in the resurgence of his recording career, and their 1996 recording, Ballads, Blues & Bey (Evidence), returned Bey to prominence. He was named Jazz Vocalist of the Year in 2003 by the Jazz Journalists Association and in 2005 received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Album for his recording American Song (Savoy).

BIGARD, ALBANY LEON “BARNEY” (1906–1980)

A clarinet player, Bigard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the early 1920s, he moved to Chicago and began playing with King Joe Oliver and others, during which time much of his recording was done playing the saxophone. In 1927, he joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra and became a featured clarinet soloist, while also doing section work on tenor saxophone. Bigard played with Ellington until 1942 and is credited as co-composer of the classic song “Mood Indigo.” Bigard later worked with Louis Armstrong as a member of Armstrong’s touring band, the All Stars. Bigard titled his autobiography With Louis and the Duke.

BIG BAND

A term used to describe a large jazz ensemble, usually between 12 and 18 people. A typical jazz big band is made up of five saxophones (two altos, two tenors, and one baritone), four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass, and drum set. There are many variations of a big band, and frequently a trombone or trumpet can be omitted or a guitarist, percussionist, or vocalist may be added. Instruments used rarely in big bands include the oboe, bassoon, and French horn, although some third stream and modern music contains parts for such instruments. Famous big band leaders include Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, and Benny Goodman. See also CALLOWAY, CABELL “CAB” (1907–1994); DORSEY, TOMMY (1905–1956); GILLESPIE, JOHN “DIZZY” (1917–1993); HENDERSON, FLETCHER HAMILTON, JR. (1897–1952); HERMAN, WOODROW CHARLES “WOODY” (1913–1987); JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA; LUNCEFORD, JAMES MELVIN “JIMMIE” (1902–1947); MILLER, (ALTON) GLENN (1904–1944); MINGUS, CHARLES (1922–1979); MINTZER, BOB (1953–); SCHNEIDER, MARIA (1960–); SHAW, ARTIE (1910–2004); WDR BIG BAND; WEBB, CHICK (1909–1939); WHITEMAN, PAUL (1890–1967).

BIG BANDS INTERNATIONAL

An English organization founded by Roy Belcher in the late 1970s with the intention of providing members the opportunity to discuss various topics regarding rehearsing, performing, and directing big bands.

BIG CHIEF JAZZBAND

A Norwegian-based early jazz septet that remained active for almost 40 years, from 1952 into the 1990s. It frequently recorded and toured.

BIG FOUR

A name frequently used for all-star quartets that recorded. Groups led by Sidney Bechet, Buddy Rich, and Oscar Peterson all recorded under the name Big Four.

BIONDINI, LUCIANO (1971–)

An accordion player, Biondini began classical music studies at the age of 10 in Italy, winning numerous awards for his playing. In 1994, he began performing jazz music and became known particularly for his emotional interpretations. He incorporates elements of his Italian musical influences into his jazz stylings. Most recently, he has been presenting a modernist interpretation of Italian film music as part of a duo, often working with Italian saxophonist Rosario Giuliani.

BIRD

Frequently used nickname for bebop saxophonist Charlie Parker.

BIRDLAND

The name of a very significant nightclub in New York that was opened in 1949. Birdland, along with the Village Vanguard, is considered to be one of the top jazz clubs and frequently features big-name performers. The club’s name is in reference to the nickname of Charlie Parker, “Bird.” Pianist Joe Zawinul dedicated a famous fusion work, “Birdland,” in honor of the club. The club remains active today.

BISTROUILLE AMATEURS DANCE ORCHESTRA

A Belgium-based dance band created in the 1920s that prominently featured many of the country’s finest working musicians.

BJØRKEN, ASMUND (1933–2018)

A Norwegian saxophone and accordion player, Bjørken played in both folk and jazz styles. He performed with the Harry Waagens Orchestra from 1949 to 1953 and went on to form his own jazz bands beginning in 1956. In 1990, he led the Asmund Bjørken Swing Sextet, which recorded one of four albums Bjørken made as a leader. His autobiography was released in 2003.

BLACK AND BLUE

A French record label that primarily distributed and rereleased albums recorded by smaller companies. Significant jazz players to have albums released on Black and Blue include Jay McShann and Jo Jones.

BLACK & WHITE

Only in existence from 1943 to 1949, the Black & White label released many jazz albums by artists including Lil Armstrong and Erroll Garner.

BLACK ARTISTS GROUP (BAG)

An artist collective created by Charles “Bobo” Shaw in 1968 and housed in a performance space in St. Louis, Missouri. The Black Artists Group was created with similar principles as the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in Chicago, focusing on the creation of free and creative music. Concerts presented by the BAG ranged from solo to large group performances. Included in this group of musicians were avant-garde jazz pioneers Oliver Lake, Joseph Bowie, Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, and Marty Ehrlich. The collective only lasted four years and was forced to fold due to a lack of funding and an absence of younger musicians to replace members who had left to pursue individual careers.

BLACK BOTTOM

A style of dance in the 1920s that involved a set number of specific steps and moves. See also BLACK BOTTOM STOMPERS.

BLACK BOTTOM STOMPERS

A group founded in the 1920s to record popular music to which people could perform the black bottom style of dance. The group made several recordings but did not tour or perform in public.

BLACK LION

Founded in London in the late 1960s, Black Lion primarily reissued older American albums in addition to distributing the music of British jazz musicians. Artists to have albums issued or reissued on Black Lion include Paul Gonsalves, Sun Ra, Dexter Gordon, and Chris Barber. Black Lion acquired another significant jazz label, Candid, in the 1980s. See also FREEDOM; RECORD LABEL.

BLACK SAINT

An Italian record label created in the 1970s that specializes in free or avant-garde jazz. Artists to have albums released on Black Saint include David Murray, Steve Lacy, the World Saxophone Quartet, and Anthony Braxton.

BLACKWELL, ED(WARD) JOSEPH (1929–1992)

Born in New Orleans, Blackwell grew up inspired by the variety of rhythms he heard in local bands and among tap dancers. Blackwell’s most famous musical association, playing with Ornette Coleman, began in the late 1940s in Los Angeles. After a short hiatus in the 1950s, Blackwell resumed playing at the end of the decade. Blackwell’s associations with Coleman and Eric Dolphy helped define a new style of playing drum set in free jazz music. Blackwell would be affiliated with many of the top free jazz musicians during the 1960s, including Archie Shepp and Don Cherry.

After suffering some minor health setbacks in the 1970s, Blackwell continued to be a highly regarded sideman for most of the next few years. Blackwell began leading his own groups in the 1980s, although he spent most of the decade working with Cherry on and off again and performing with tenor saxophonist David Murray.

BLAIR, LEE (1903–1966)

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Blair was a self-taught banjo player and guitarist. He was the banjo player for Paul Whiteman, playing with an unusual left-handed approach to the instrument. He recorded with Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers from 1928 to 1930, and he played with Louis Armstrong from 1935 to 1940. He appeared with Wilbur De Paris and at Jimmy Ryan’s Club in New York City, and he participated in a State Department tour to Africa in the summer of 1957. In the 1960s, he played less frequently but appeared at the 1964 World’s Fair in a trio with guitarists Danny Barker and Eddie Gibbs.

BLAKE, EUBIE (1887–1983)

One of the most influential pianists of the early part of the 20th century, Blake, along with James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, played an important role in the development of jazz piano. During the 1920s, Blake performed in a variety of settings, including solo, duo, and with bands fronted by himself. Blake was also a composer of significant substance (including the “Charleston Rag”), while also writing for Broadway shows.

After the 1930s, Blake composed for various shows and acts and was not as prominent a performer as he had been during the previous decades. Blake primarily produced and published music for the remainder of his career, always being held in high regard as a stellar ragtime and stride pianist. A Broadway show written about Blake, titled Eubie, toured for several years in the late 1970s and 1980s.

BLAKEY, ART (1919–1990)

Originally a pianist, Blakey’s career took off after he started playing drum set. Working with several groups in the 1940s, including groups led by Fletcher Henderson and Billy Eckstine, Blakey developed into a popular drummer who would go on to work with Miles Davis and Dexter Gordon. In addition to steadily working as a sideman, Blakey also began leading his own groups toward the end of the decade, including the first incarnation of the famous group the Jazz Messengers.

Throughout the 1950s, Blakey would work predominantly as a leader, oftentimes featuring a band that had many of the top working musicians of the day. Blakey paired with Horace Silver in the first part of the 1950s, and the two made a formidable pairing, putting together several jazz groups that featured musicians including Clifford Brown, Lou Donaldson, Kenny Dorham, and Hank Mobley. Silver and Blakey split due to creative differences, and Blakey kept the working title of Jazz Messengers for the groups he led over the next several decades.

Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Curtis Fuller, and Freddie Hubbard were all members of the Jazz Messengers during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Throughout the next several decades, many other famous musicians joined the Jazz Messengers, including Keith Jarrett, Bobby Watson, Chuck Mangione, Woody Shaw, Wynton Marsalis, and Terence Blanchard. Blakey was considered to be an important figure, giving younger players the opportunity to perform and develop. See also HARD BOP.

BLANCHARD, TERENCE OLIVER (1962–)

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Blanchard began playing piano at the age of five, then took up the trumpet at age eight. He played trumpet with his childhood friend Wynton Marsalis in summer music camps but showed little proficiency on the instrument. In high school, he studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts under the guidance of Ellis Marsalis and attended Rutgers University for two years. In 1982, he was touring with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra when Wynton Marsalis recommended him as his replacement in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. With the band, he played alongside Blakey, saxophonist Donald Harrison, and pianist Mulgrew Miller. He released his first solo album in 1991, leading to a string of acclaimed works and over 40 movie scores, primarily feature films and documentaries for director Spike Lee. In the fall of 2000, Blanchard was named artistic director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and in 2011 he was named artistic director of the Henry Mancini Institute at the University of Miami. Blanchard is a six-time Grammy Award winner and received a total of 14 nominations. An authorized biography of Blanchard was published by Scarecrow Press in 2002 titled Contemporary Cat: Terence Blanchard with Special Guests. He has recorded 22 albums as a leader.

BLANTON, JIMMY (1918–1942)

After working in a variety of show bands and riverboat bands, Blanton’s bass playing was heard by bandleader Duke Ellington in the late 1930s. Immediately Blanton became an important bass player because of his tremendous ability to play walking bass lines. Before his death at the age of 23, Blanton worked with Ellington and pianist Billy Taylor.

BLEY, CARLA (1938–)

As a member of a musical family, Bley began her composing career as a teenager writing for popular jazz leaders in the 1950s, including George Russell and Jimmy Giuffre. Bley played an important role in the development of the Jazz Composers Guild Orchestra and continued to be an active composer, primarily of free jazz, throughout the 1960s. Bley led her own groups throughout the 1970s and 1980s in addition to frequently working with Charlie Haden and Roswell Rudd, while also developing a strong following in Europe. Adept at working in small groups, Bley has performed in groups that included musicians Pharoah Sanders, Billy Drummond, Peter Brötzmann, and Steve Lacy. In 2015, she arranged the music for and performed on Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra tour and recording, Not in Our Name (Verve). She has recorded several duet albums with bassist Steve Swallow. Bley received the NEA Jazz Masters Award in 2015. She continues to record with her big band and a number of smaller ensembles.

BLEY, PAUL (1932–2016)

Bley was born in Canada and began his professional career in Montreal before moving to the United States to study at the Juilliard School in the 1940s. During the 1950s, Bley worked predominantly as a sideman and was featured with groups led by Charles Mingus, Jackie McLean, and Chet Baker. Bley’s career took off in the 1960s when he began to lead his own groups and worked as a sideman with Jimmy Giuffre, Don Ellis, Sonny Rollins, and Steve Swallow.

Actively involved in several genres of jazz, Bley was an adept soloist who could play within straight-ahead, free jazz, third stream, and fusion settings. During the 1970s and 1980s, he worked with a diverse set of musicians that included Gary Peacock, Steve Lacy, Lester Bowie, Dave Holland, and Sam Rivers.

BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS

A New York–based American jazz-rock group formed in 1967. It was known for fusing musical styles including rock, pop, blues, and jazz. The hybrid of these styles came to be known as jazz-rock. They were also known for their horn arrangements, which contained elements from the big band tradition. See also BRECKER, RANDY (1945–); SOLOFF, LEW(IS) MICHAEL (1944–2015); STERN, MIKE (1953–).

BLOOM, JANE IRA (1955–)

Bloom, a pioneer in the use of live electronics and movement in jazz, plays soprano saxophone. She first began playing the saxophone at the age of nine and studied music at Yale University where she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. She is a six-time winner of the Jazz Journalists Award for Soprano Saxophone, the winner of the DownBeat magazine International Critics Poll for soprano sax, and the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2007. She has collaborated with many musicians, including Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Hart, Fred Hersch, Kenny Wheeler, and Charlie Haden. Bloom has recorded 15 albums as a leader and performs regularly with her trio and quartet. In 2017, she won a Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album for her trio album Early Americans (2016, Outline).

BLOW

A term used to describe the act of improvising over a song form.

BLUEBIRD

A record company created in 1932, Bluebird Records was a sublabel of RCA Victor Records. Beginning in the 1930s, Bluebird became a popular label for jazz artists such as Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw, who recorded with Bluebird in 1938. See also RECORD LABEL.

BLUE DEVILS

An important early jazz group that preceded the swing era. Led by Walter Page in the 1920s, the Blue Devils had alumni including Lester Young and Count Basie.

BLUE NOTE

A New York–based jazz record label created by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis in the late 1930s. Blue Note quickly developed a reputation for creating many of jazz’s finest albums. Among the musicians who have recorded under the Blue Note label are John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Clark, and Horace Silver. From 1953 to the late 1960s, sound engineer Rudy Van Gelder recorded most Blue Note releases. His engineering was thought to be as important and monumental as the music being played.

BLUES

A musical form consisting of 12 measures that is based in African American folk music. The blues was developed during the same time period that ragtime and traditional jazz were being formed. Highly significant to the development of jazz, the blues became one of the most common forms used by jazz composers and soloists. Great blues singers included Bessie Smith, Joe Williams, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and countless others. See also ALLEN, HENRY “RED” (1908–1967).

BLUES ALLEY

An important nightclub in the Washington, D.C., area that brings in top jazz musicians. Blues Alley was the home for a live recording of Wynton Marsalis’s quartet in the 1980s.

BLUES PROGRESSION

The harmonic sequence of the blues. Frequently, a blues progression consists of 12 measures, in which the first four bars are in the tonic key, followed by two bars of a dominant chord based off the fourth of the tonic, a return to the tonic for two bars, and a cadence for two bars, arriving on the tonic for the final two bars. Jazz composers and instrumentalists have developed several different sets of alterations that replace the blues progression.

BLYTHE, ARTHUR (1940–2017)

Blythe’s professional alto saxophone career began in his native Los Angeles, where he played with musicians like Horace Tapscott in the 1960s. After moving to New York in the 1970s, Blythe worked with Chico Hamilton, Gil Evans, Julius Hemphill, and Jack DeJohnette and was prominently featured with free jazz groups. During the 1980s, Blythe became a more active leader, forming such groups as the Leaders and various other groups, featuring musicians including Chico Freeman and John Hicks. Blythe was temporarily a member of the World Saxophone Quartet at the end of the 1980s. Blythe would work as both a sideman and leader during the 1990s and 2000s, most notably working with drummer Joey Baron. Blythe died from complications of Parkinson’s disease at the age of 76.

BOLDEN, BUDDY (1877–1931)

Considered one of the first and most significant musicians to play jazz, Bolden’s career began and ended in New Orleans. Extremely popular, Bolden’s career is defined by his ability to transform the military brass band tradition into a new more loosely styled music that became known as the New Orleans brass band style. Unfortunately, Bolden’s career was cut short due to problems with addiction, and no recordings of him were ever made. He is also considered to be the first trumpet “king” in the lineage that includes Joe Oliver, Freddie Keppard, and Louis Armstrong. See also EARLY JAZZ.

BOMB

A drumming technique that involves the drummer playing a single, low-note figure especially loudly while accompanying a soloist or a band. See also DRUM SET.

BONA, RICHARD (1967–)

Born in Minta, Cameroon, into a musical family, Bona started playing guitar at the age of 11 before turning permanently to the bass at 13. Bona emigrated to Germany at the age of 22 to study music, soon relocating to France to further his education. While in France, he played with jazz musicians including Didier Lockwood and Manu Dibango. In 1995, Bona moved to New York City where he played with American artists including Michael Brecker, guitarists Mike Stern and George Benson, Bobby McFerrin, and Joe Zawinul. His first solo album, Scenes from My Life (Columbia), was released in 1999. In 2002, Bona went on a world tour with the Pat Metheny Group, where he also performed as a singer and percussionist. He has appeared on more than 25 recordings. See also ELECTRIC BASS (GUITAR).

BONE

Shorthand term for trombone.

BONFÁ, LUIZ FLORIANO (1922–2001)

Bonfá, a Brazilian guitar player and composer, was born in Rio de Janeiro. He first gained national exposure in Brazil in 1947 when he was featured on the program Rádio Nacional, an important showcase for up-and-coming young talent. He began composing in his twenties, and some of his first compositions were recorded by Brazilian vocalists during the 1950s. Bonfá collaborated with Antônio Carlos Jobim and other prominent Brazilian musicians involved with the bossa nova movement, and he composed music that was eventually included in the Marcel Camus film Black Orpheus. His most famous composition, “Manhã de Carnaval,” came through this project. The song was later given a different set of English lyrics and titled “A Day in the Life of a Fool.” It has become one of the most popular songs played worldwide. Bonfá’s approach as a performer and composer was a fuller, more emotionally charged musical style than the more refined and subdued style that would be played by João Gilberto in future years. Bonfá became a highly visible ambassador of Brazilian music in the United States, along with Gilberto and Jobim, and appeared in a famous bossa nova concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1962. During his career, Bonfá worked with musicians including Stan Getz, George Benson, Quincy Jones, and singer Frank Sinatra.

BONGOS

A hand percussion instrument that has origins in Cuba, consisting of a pair of drums that are two different sizes. They are most often played by hand and produce a high-pitched sound. They are commonly used in Latin jazz by bands such as Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, and Ray Barretto.

BOOGIE-WOOGIE

A style of piano that is highly influenced by the blues. Boogie-woogie became popular in the late 1930s but began to develop in the early 1920s. One of the most prominent boogie-woogie pianists was Albert Ammons, whose recording of “Boogie Woogie Stomp” in 1936 was pivotal not only for boogie-woogie but also for other styles of music such as rock and roll. See also SMITH, PINE TOP (1904–1929).

BOOK

A reference to the collection of music that a jazz ensemble plays.

BOP

See BEBOP.

BOSSA NOVA

A style of Brazilian music that became popular during the 1950s. Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz famously recorded several bossa novas written by Antônio Carlos Jobim, a Brazilian composer credited with spearheading the increased awareness of the Brazilian style. See also CASTRO-NEVES, (CARLOS) OSCAR (DE) (1940–2017); GILBERTO, ASTRUD (1940–); GILBERTO, JOÃO (1931–2019); POWELL, BADEN (1937–2000).

BOSTIC, EARL (1913–1965)

Bostic was considered to be an above-average alto saxophonist and arranger. Bostic spent most of the 1930s touring with various bands, attending college for a brief time (although he did not graduate), and leading bands. In the 1940s, Bostic led bands that featured up-and-coming players including John Coltrane, Blue Mitchell, and Benny Golson. Bostic did not shy away from playing more commercial types of music and made several successful albums during the 1950s before a heart condition led to early retirement and eventually his death in 1965.

BOWIE, LESTER (1941–1999)

A significant avant-garde trumpet player of the 1970s, Bowie first toured with rhythm and blues groups in the 1960s before settling in Chicago. While living there, Bowie was an important part of the creative music scene, frequently recording and playing with members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. After a brief period living abroad, Bowie returned to Chicago with a new group, the Art Ensemble of Chicago. This ensemble would become one of Bowie’s most acclaimed units.

In the 1980s, Bowie became very active as a leader and started many groups including the New York Hot Trumpet Repertory Company, Brass Fantasy, and From the Root to the Source. Bowie frequently found himself paired with musicians including Arthur Blythe, Archie Shepp, Roscoe Mitchell, and Jack DeJohnette. Bowie died due to complications of liver cancer.

BRAFF, RUBY (1927–2003)

Born in Boston, Ruby Braff began studying the cornet at a young age against his own wishes, as he wanted to be a tenor saxophone player. His music, which was primarily Dixieland, was considered to be outdated, and therefore he had difficulty finding work throughout much of his career. He moved to New York in 1953 and recorded live for the Savoy with clarinetist Pee Wee Russell. As a leader, Braff recorded for Vanguard with artists such as Urbie Green, Vic Dickenson, and Buck Clayton. After working with Benny Goodman in the mid-1950s, Braff went on to form a quartet with guitarist George Barnes in 1973, which opened the way for him to become more active in the small-group setting.

BRASS BAND

An ensemble, consisting primarily of brass instruments, that is often accompanied by a percussion section. The brass band tradition dates back to the 1800s during the U.S. Civil War and evolved with the development of ragtime and early jazz in New Orleans. Brass bands were very common in the area. In the early 1900s, influential players including Buddy Bolden and Freddie Keppard are attributed with fronting many of these bands. During the swing and bebop eras, the brass band tradition was not as popular, but it experienced a resurgence during the 1950s. See also DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND; EUREKA BRASS BAND; EXCELSIOR BRASS BAND; GREEN, CHARLIE (1900–1936); HANDY, W(ILLIAM) C(HRISTOPHER) (1873–1958); ONWARD BRASS BAND; ORIGINAL TUXEDO ORCHESTRA; PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND; YOUNG TUXEDO BRASS BAND.

BRASS (SECTION)

A general term used to describe the trombones, trumpets, French horns, tuba, and euphonium instruments in a given ensemble. The brass section in jazz ensembles frequently features four trumpets and four trombones, although some groups, like those led by Stan Kenton, have been expanded to feature additional brass.

BRAUD, WELLMAN (1891–1966)

Braud was born in St. James Parish, Louisiana, and moved to New Orleans in his early teen years. By 1910, he had already been playing violin and bass in the Storyville district of New Orleans. After briefly living in Chicago, he relocated to New York City and began playing with Wilbur Sweatman’s band before joining the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Braud introduced the walking-bass style of playing, emphasizing all four beats in a measure, which was a departure from the two-beat approach used in jazz groups to that time. Braud also utilized a slap bass style of playing at times, which became a popular technique for other bassists that followed. Braud also doubled on tuba and occasionally played that instrument on recordings.

BRAXTON, ANTHONY (1945–)

One of jazz’s most creative and forward-thinking artists, Braxton’s early saxophone career was forged in Chicago working with members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Developing a very unique style and unorthodox playing method, Braxton spent the end of the 1960s leading groups and touring. In the 1970s, Braxton became an important member of the Chick Corea–led unit Circle before continuing work on his own career. Braxton would perform in a variety of situations and ensembles, most notably performing many solo concerts. Throughout the 1980s, Braxton would become increasingly active as an educator while performing across the globe in many different contexts. Braxton has remained equally influential as a composer and as a saxophonist and has had compositions premiered by several groups in the United States and Europe during the 1990s and 2000s. He was awarded a genius grant by the MacArthur Foundation in 1994. Braxton served as professor of music at Wesleyan University until his retirement in 2013 and was named a Jazz Master by the NEA in 2014.

BREAK

A term used to describe a section of a song in which the rhythm section stops playing for a period of time. A break can be any length, from one measure to an entire chorus of a given tune. A break is done to give the soloist a completely different texture to work with and to help generate excitement.

BRECKER, MICHAEL (1949–2007)

Widely considered to be one of the most influential saxophonists to come after John Coltrane, Brecker studied tenor saxophone at Indiana University during the 1960s before moving to New York. Throughout the 1970s, Brecker was heard in a variety of settings, included straight-ahead sessions with Horace Silver, and with many fusion groups. Along with his brother, trumpet player Randy Brecker, Brecker formed the Brecker Brothers in 1974, a highly influential fusion group. After the group disbanded in 1979, the two would continue to record together for the next several decades.

In the 1980s, Brecker began to lead his own groups in addition to performing with notable musicians including Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius, and playing on a number of pop and studio sessions. During this time, Brecker’s popularity soared, and he became one of the top touring musicians during the 1990s, bringing along sidemen like Pat Metheny and Jeff “Tain” Watts. Brecker would continue to be one of the most recorded saxophonists well into the 2000s until his death due to complications of leukemia.

BRECKER, RANDY (1945–)

Part of an incredibly musical family, Randy Brecker is older brother of tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker. Brecker’s career began while a prodigious youth, winning several competitions in both classical and jazz music. In the 1960s, Brecker played with pop and jazz groups, most notably Blood, Sweat & Tears and Horace Silver. Very active in the fusion movement, Brecker worked with several groups in this style during the 1970s, including ones led by Billy Cobham and Larry Coryell, along with a group founded with his brother, the Brecker Brothers. The Brecker Brothers remained active until the end of the 1970s, when each sibling elected to pursue other work.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Brecker remained active as a sideman and leader performing with Eliane Elias, Jaco Pastorius, Bob Berg, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Henderson, and Conrad Herwig. Brecker was one of the top recorded trumpet players during this time and was frequently used in big bands including the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and the Mingus Big Band. During the 2000s, Brecker released numerous recordings and continued to appear as a soloist and leader while maintaining an active schedule presenting workshops and performing at jazz festivals worldwide. Several books and transcriptions of Brecker’s solos have been made available.

BRICKTOP’S

A term for the nightclubs in Paris, Mexico City, and Rome that were owned by singer Ada “Bricktop” Smith.

BRIDGE

A term for a section of a song containing melodic material that is in contrast to the other section. A common form in jazz is AABA, in which the A sections are all similar to each other and the B section may contain a modulation in key. “I Got Rhythm” and “Confirmation” are examples of jazz standards with an AABA form. See also RELEASE.

BRIDGEWATER, DEE DEE (1950–)

A jazz singer, Bridgewater is a three-time Grammy Award winner and a Tony Award–winning actress. She performed with musicians including Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, and Max Roach, among many others. She was the host of National Public Radio’s syndicated program JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater for 23 years. In 2017, Bridgewater was named an NEA Jazz Master. In addition to numerous jazz recordings, she has also recorded as a rhythm and blues (R&B) and soul singer, reflecting her roots in Memphis, Tennessee. Bridgewater has been awarded honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan and the Berklee College of Music and is a United Nations goodwill ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization.

BRITISH RHYTHM SOCIETY

A New York–based record label established in 1948, it was created as part of Dante Bolletino’s Globe Industries. It was one of the first record labels to release reissues of early jazz that had previously been released without authorization during the 1920s.

BROOKMEYER, ROBERT “BOB” (1929–2011)

One of the most significant players to perform on valve trombone, Brookmeyer’s career is a combination of working as a leader, sideman, and arranger for many groups. After freelancing for several years in New York during the 1950s with musicians like Claude Thornhill, Woody Herman, and Tex Beneke, Brookmeyer was hired by Gerry Mulligan. The two created a formidable pairing and toured frequently throughout the end of the decade.

During the 1960s, while still working and recording with Mulligan, Brookmeyer began to develop as a composer and wrote compositions for Mulligan, Clark Terry, and the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra. Brookmeyer’s affiliation with the Jones-Lewis band was significant and led eventually to his being given the role of musical director for the group. During the 1970s, he split time leading his own small groups and doing studio work. Brookmeyer’s presence overseas increased, and he found much work there during this time as well. Among Brookmeyer’s best-known arrangements is his interpretation of the ballad “Skylark.” Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Brookmeyer became increasingly more involved in education and joined the faculty of the New England Conservatory.

BRÖTZMANN, PETER (1941–)

A highly influential free jazz saxophonist, Brötzmann was born in Germany. He learned several instruments as a youth until settling on the saxophone. Recording as a sideman and under his own name in the 1960s, Brötzmann would work with many of Europe’s finest free jazz musicians, including Evan Parker and William Parker. Brötzmann continued to experiment with a variety of jazz styles throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including the expanded use of electronic instruments. Beginning in 1997, he toured and recorded regularly with the Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet before disbanding the group in 2012. He has recorded more than 50 albums as a bandleader.

BROWN, CLIFFORD (1930–1956)

Despite passing away much too young, trumpet player Brown was one of the most influential jazz figures of the 1950s and remains highly influential today. Developing his style and improvisation skills in Philadelphia, Brown worked with Tadd Dameron and Lionel Hampton in the early 1950s. After a famous but short stint with Art Blakey, Brown forged a relationship with Max Roach, creating the now famous Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet. Sidemen for the group included Harold Land, Sonny Rollins, and Richie Powell, and the group released several classic albums on the EmArcy label. On the way home from a performance with the group, Brown was involved in a fatal car accident along with Powell. Brown’s legacy is carried on through the recordings he made, in addition to the influence he had on trumpeters including Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. See also HARD BOP.

BROWN, (RAY)MOND MATTHEWS (1926–2002)

Brown was a bassist, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who was influenced early in his life by the bass playing of Duke Ellington’s bassist, Jimmy Blanton. He moved to New York City at the age of 20, eager to experience the growing jazz scene. He began almost immediately working with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and soon played with established musicians including Art Tatum and Charlie Parker. While playing in Gillespie’s band, Brown performed in the rhythm section alongside vibist Milt Jackson, drummer Kenny Clarke, and pianist John Lewis. After vocalist Ella Fitzgerald joined the band in 1947, the two married. Though they divorced 1953, they would continue to perform together for many years. From 1951 to 1965, Brown was a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio. Brown recorded extensively as a session musician for producer Norman Granz during the 1950s, often with Peterson.

After leaving the Peterson trio, Brown moved to Los Angeles, California. During the following decades, he performed and recorded a number of albums. He led his own trios and in his later years recorded and toured extensively with pianist Gene Harris. Collaborations included Monty Alexander, André Previn, Joe Pass, and guitarist Herb Ellis, among others. Brown continued to perform until his death in 2002.

BRUBECK, DAVE (1920–2012)

One of the most popular jazz musicians of all time, Brubeck began his career in California while attending the University of the Pacific. His early career included work with several different-sized groups, including a 12-piece band, and eventually his own trio. Much of Brubeck’s fame came from his compositions, most notably “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo à la Turk,” both composed in the 1950s when he was in his prime and working with what would be considered his most famous group, a quartet featuring alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Brubeck spent much time in the 1960s and 1970s composing for large and small groups, in addition to raising three children who would themselves develop into established musicians. Toward the end of his career, Brubeck was presented many lifetime achievement awards for the work he had done as a composer and performer. See also WEST COAST JAZZ.

BRUNSWICK

An important record label established in the 1910s in Iowa. Brunswick acquired many other record labels throughout the 1920s and 1930s, including Vocalion. Artists to record for Brunswick in the 1920s and 1930s included Fletcher Henderson, the Original Memphis Five, Teddy Wilson, and Billie Holiday. Brunswick was sold to Decca in the 1940s.

BRUSH

A type of beater used by drummers that consists of a tube containing many thin straight wires that can be fanned out. Many drummers frequently use brushes when playing slower songs because of their timbre and light feeling. Brushes are much softer in volume than drumsticks.

BUCKET MUTE

A type of mute that resembles a bucket and attaches to the bell of a brass instrument. The bucket mute dampens the sound, resulting in a mellower, rounded sound.

BUCKNER, MILTON BRENT “MILT” (1915—1977)

A piano player and organist, Buckner began studying piano at the age of 10 and began writing arrangements for the Earl Walton Band in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 15. He became very active in the Detroit music scene, playing with McKinney’s Cotton Pickers and later with Cab Calloway. He joined the band of Lionel Hampton in 1941, serving as the band’s pianist and staff arranger for seven years. Buckner had a big band of his own for a short period before rejoining Hampton in 1950. In 1952 he formed his own trio and pioneered the use of the electric Hammond organ.

BURRELL, KENNETH EARL “KENNY” (1931–)

Developing his jazz skills in Detroit, Burrell’s career as a jazz guitar player began while working in his hometown with many of the musicians who spent time in that area, including pianist Tommy Flanagan. Burrell moved to New York in the mid-1950s and found work with Dizzy Gillespie, Hampton Hawes, and fellow former Detroit musicians Donald Byrd and Thad Jones. Toward the end of the decade, Burrell began to lead his own groups, many of which would continue for several years. He transitioned to studio work in the 1960s for a brief period while also recording albums as both a leader and a sideman. Burrell became an active educator in the 1970s, teaching for several decades at the University of California, Los Angeles, including assuming the role of chair of the jazz studies program in 1996. He received the 2004 Jazz Educator of the Year award from DownBeat magazine and was named a Jazz Master by the NEA in 2005.

BURTON, GARY (1943–)

An important vibraphonist, Burton was raised in Indiana, where he taught himself to play the vibraphone. At the age of 17, he made his recording debut in Nashville, Tennessee, with guitarists Hank Garland and Chet Atkins. Burton’s career took off after a brief time studying at the Berklee College of Music in a partnership with George Shearing. After working with Stan Getz in the 1960s, Burton became active as a leader and made a series of important recordings during the 1970s with artists including Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Chick Corea. In 1971, he began his career as a music educator at Berklee as an instructor of percussion and improvisation, and in 1985 he was named dean of curriculum. He received an honorary doctorate of music from the college in 1989, and in 1996 he was appointed executive vice president, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the college. After retiring from the college in 2003, Burton formed a new band and began touring regularly. Over the next years, he continued to focus on recording projects and touring, playing in a variety of ensembles. Burton frequently recorded in duos with pianists, including Corea and Makoto Ozone. Burton is the recipient of seven Grammy Awards. He announced his retirement in the spring of 2017.

BUTMAN, IGOR (1961–)

A saxophone player, bandleader, club owner, and television host, Butman is one of Russia’s top jazz personalities. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Butman started playing the clarinet at the age of 11. He entered the Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music in 1976 and in his second year dropped his focus on classical clarinet in favor of the jazz saxophone. In 1983, he began playing in top big bands and became widely known, placing first in the Soviet critic polls. He appeared with many touring musicians, including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, and Grover Washington Jr., who became a mentor to Butman. Butman immigrated to the United States in 1987 and attended the Berklee College of Music. He released his first solo album in 1993, Falling Out (Violent Journey). In 1998, after having returned to live in Russia, Butman was invited by Wynton Marsalis to perform with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Then in 2003, Jazz at Lincoln Center opened its season with a collaboration between the Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Igor Butman Big Band. From 1998 to 2006, Butman served as artistic director of a legendary Moscow jazz venue, Le Club. He has performed at many international jazz festivals and has performed at every Olympic Games since 2004. Butman was recognized as a People’s Artist by the Russian Federation for his service to Russian music.

BUTTERFIELD, BILLY (1917–1988)

A trumpet player, Butterfield performed in Broadway pit orchestras while also working in various touring jazz bands. After attempting to front his own band, Butterfield worked steadily in the 1950s, including performances with Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett, and the World’s Greatest Jazz Band.

BUTTERFIELD, DON (1923–2006)

Primarily a tuba player, Butterfield worked mostly as a studio musician in New York. Butterfield spent time working with famous jazz musicians including Charles Mingus, Teddy Charles, Bill Evans, and the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra.

BYAS, DON (1912–1972)

One of the first great tenor saxophonists and a figure very influential in the development of bebop, Byas received his first professional work in groups led by Bennie Moten and Walter Page. In the 1930s, he worked with Lionel Hampton, Buck Clayton, and Ethel Waters while developing his own approach to improvisation. The 1940s proved to be an important decade for Byas as he was first hired to fill in for Lester Young in the Count Basie Orchestra and later was called to join a small group led by rising trumpet star Dizzy Gillespie. Along with other bebop jazz musicians at Minton’s Playhouse, Byas played in jam sessions with Charlie Christian and Thelonious Monk, among others, further developing the new style. Before the decade was over, Byas had worked with many of the great names in jazz, including Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, and Charlie Parker, along with some time spent playing as a duo with bassist Slam Stewart, which resulted in a memorable concert at Town Hall in New York City in 1945. Byas lived in the Netherlands during the later years of his career, primarily freelancing or performing as a guest artist with different groups.

BYERS, BILLY (1927–1996)

An important arranger of the 1950s and 1960s, Byers contributed arrangements to many top touring bands, including those of Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, and Frank Sinatra. Byers’s work was recorded on several labels including Mercury and Verve.

BYRD, CHARLIE (1925–1999)

Considered a very proficient guitarist at a young age, Byrd’s career was shaped by his early association with Django Reinhardt. Byrd was greatly influenced by Reinhardt’s style, although Byrd decided to pursue a career in classical guitar. After spending part of the 1950s working on developing his classical technique, Byrd decided to apply all he had learned to jazz. Working mostly as a leader, Byrd also did some tours with Woody Herman and Stan Getz in the 1950s and 1960s. Byrd spent some time in the 1970s performing with the all-guitar group Great Guitars, which also featured Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis. Byrd died due to complications of lung cancer.

BYRD, DONALD(SON) TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE, II (1932–2013)

Byrd’s trumpet career began while performing in air force bands before moving to New York in the mid-1950s. Byrd was considered to be highly reliable because he had none of the addiction problems that plagued many of the other musicians during the decade. This reliability, in addition to Byrd’s long phrasing and harmonic ideas, led him to work steadily with many of the top musicians of the 1950s, including Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, and Sonny Rollins. Byrd became a leader during the 1960s and frequently recorded for Blue Note Records. He was highly educated and had received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, in addition to a degree in law. A strong advocate of music education, he received a doctorate in music education from the Teachers College at Columbia University in 1982. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Byrd was an active teacher, in addition to making a number of fusion and contemporary albums with his groups. Byrd experienced a brief resurgence of his music in the 1980s, although he would primarily work as an educator for the remainder of his career. He was recognized in 2000 by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master.