- Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer (born April 10, 1959 in Massapequa, Long Island, New York) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. In the 1980s, Setzer fronted the popular rockabilly band, Stray Cats. Stray Cats caught America's attention with the 1982 album "Built for Speed", which included the two Top Ten hits, "Rock This Town" (#9) and "Stray Cat Strut" (#3), as well as with the follow-up 1983 album "Rant 'N Rave", … - Louis Jordan
Louis Jordan was a pioneering American jazz, blues and rhythm & blues musician and songwriter who enjoyed his greatest popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as The King of the Jukebox, Jordan was highly popular with both black and white audiences in the later years of the swing era. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #59 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. - Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. (December 18, 1897 - December 28, 1952) was an African American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and Swing music. - Charlie Barnet
Charles Daly Barnet was an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader. Barnet was born in New York City. His parents divorced when he was two, and he was raised by his mother and her grandparents. His grandfather was Charles Frederick Daly, a vice-president for the New York Central Railroad, banker, and businessman. Barnet attended various boarding schools, both in the New York and Chicago areas. He learned to play piano and saxophone as a child. - Chick Webb
William Henry Webb, usually known as Chick Webb (February 10, 1905 –June 16, 1939) was a jazz and swing music drummer as well as a band leader. - Neil Young
Neil Percival Young OM (born November 12, 1945, Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film director from Omemee, Ontario. His work is characterized by deeply personal lyrics, distinctive guitar work, and an instantly recognizable nasal tenor (and frequently alto) singing voice. - Anita O'Day
Anita O'Day (October 18, 1919 - November 23, 2006) was an American jazz singer. Many place her among the greatest female jazz singers (the only white one) in a group that includes Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter. Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer". - Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian (Charles Henry Christian) (29 July 1916 - 2 March 1942) was an American swing and bebop jazz guitarist. Christian was an important early performer on the electric guitar, and is cited as a key figure in the development of bebop, cool and modern jazz. Many critics believe that he alone is the link between hot and modern jazz; there is jazz before Charlie Christian and jazz "after" Charlie Christian. - Roy Eldridge
Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 - February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz" was an American jazz trumpet player. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos and his strong influence on Dizzy Gillespie mark him as one of the most exciting musicians of the Swing Era and a precursor of bebop. - Clark Terry
Clark Terry (born December 14, 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri), nicknamed Mumbles, is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, and NEA Jazz Master. - Sun Ra
Sun Ra (Born Herman Poole Blount; legal name Le Sony'r Ra; born May 22, 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama, died May 30, 1993 in Birmingham, Alabama) was an innovative jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy", musical compositions and performances. He abandoned his birth name and took on the name and persona of Sun Ra (Ra being the ancient Egyptian god of the Sun). - Freddie Green
Freddie Green (baptized Frederick William Green, March 31 1911-March 1 1987) was an American swing jazz guitarist. He was especially noted for his sophisticated rhythm guitar in big band settings, particularly for the Count Basie orchestra, where he was part of the "All-American Rhythm Section" with Basie on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Walter Page on bass. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina on the 31st of March 1911. He was exposed to music from an early age, … - Stuff Smith
Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith, better known as Stuff Smith, was a jazz violinist. Smith was, along with Stéphane Grappelli and Joe Venuti, one of jazz music's preeminent violinists of the swing era. He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio in 1909 and studied violin with his father. Smith cited Louis Armstrong as his primary influence and inspiration to play jazz, and like Armstrong, was a vocalist as well as instrumentalist. - Jimmy Rushing
James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1903 - June 8, 1972) (known as Jimmy Rushing) was an American blues shouter and swing jazz singer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as 'Mr. Five by Five' and was the subject of an eponymous 1942 popular song that was a hit for Harry James and others. He joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1927, … - Ben Pollack
Ben Pollack was a drummer and bandleader from the mid 1920s through the swing era. His eye for talent led him to either discover or employ, at one time or another, musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Jimmy McPartland and Harry James. This ability earned him the nickname "Father of Swing". Born in Chicago, Illinois to a well-to-do family, Pollack was largely self taught as a drummer, … - Buddy Defranco
Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (born February 17, 1923 in Camden, New Jersey) is a jazz clarinet player. DeFranco had the bad fortune to begin his professional career just as Swing Music and Big Bands - so many of which were led by clarinet players like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman - were fading in popularity. DeFranco was perhaps the only major jazz clarinet player to adapt to this change, and until the 1980's, … - Roy Haynes
Roy Owen Haynes, born on March 13 1926, in Boston, Massachusetts, is an American jazz drummer who began his full time professional career in 1945. From 1947 to 1949 he worked with Lester Young, and from 1949 to 1952 was a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet. He also recorded at the time with Bud Powell, Wardell Gray, and Stan Getz. From 1953 to 1958 he toured with Sarah Vaughan. - Harry Carney
Harry Howell Carney (1910 - 1974) was a swing baritone saxophonist, and bass clarinetist best known for his 45-year tenure in Duke Ellington's band. Carney started off in Ellington's band playing alto, but soon switched to the baritone. His strong, steady saxophone often serves as the anchor of Duke's music. He also played bass clarinet on occasion. - Lucky Millinder
Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder was an American rhythm and blues and swing bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical taste made his bands successful. His group was said to have been "the greatest big band to play rhythm and blues", and gave a break to a number of influential musicians at the dawn of the rock and roll era. - Duke Robillard
Michael John "Duke" Robillard (born October 4, 1948 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island) is an American blues musician. After paying his dues in various bands and even working for Guild guitars, he co-founded Roomful of Blues with pianist Al Copley in 1967. He has also been a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds which included Kim Wilson, replacing Jimmie Vaughan. Although an extremely competent guitarist in Jazz, Swing, Rock and Roll and modern electric blues forms, … - Alix Combelle
Alix Combelle (15 June, 1912-2 March, 1978) was a French swing jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist and bandleader, born in and performing in Paris, France for most of his life. He was well known on the Continental Jazz scene of Europe, active mostly in the 1930s and 1940s. He performed or featured in his bands such musicians as Arthur Briggs, Michel Warlop and Gregor et ses Gregoriens, among others. During the 1940s his popularity eased off somewhat, … - Albert Ammons
Albert Ammons (23 September 1907-2 December1949) was an American jazz, blues and boogie woogie pianist born in Chicago, Illinois, perhaps most known for his hit "Swanee River Boogie". Ammons played the melody of "Old Folks at Home" over a boogie woogie bass. One of the leading boogie woogie pianists of his era, he led his own band in Chicago from 1934-1938 and was flexible enough to play Swing music as well. - Don Byas
Carlos Wesley (Don) Byas (October 21, 1912-August 24, 1972) was an African American jazz tenor saxophonist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in the United States. Although his long residence in Europe kept him out of the public eye in the United States, he is often considered to be one of the great jazz musicians on his instrument. - Ken Peplowski
Ken Peplowski (b. May 23, 1959) is a jazz clarinetist born in Cleveland, Ohio, known primarily for playing in the swing music idiom. He is sometimes compared to Benny Goodman in terms of tone and virtuosity. For over a decade, Peplowski recorded for Concord Records; his most recent albums have appeared on the "Nagel-Heyer Records" record label. In 2007 Peplowski was named jazz advisor of Oregon Festival of American Music and music director of Jazz Party at The Shedd, … - Sid Catlett
Sidney Catlett (born January 17, 1910 in Evansville, Indiana and died March 25, 1951 Chicago, Illinois) was a swinging jazz drummer often referred to as "Big Sid Catlett" because of his large frame. He started at piano, but switched to drums and entered formal study when his family moved to Chicago. His career began in Chicago in 1928 with Darnell Howard. In adulthood he moved to New York City and worked with Benny Carter, Fletcher Henderson, Elmer Snowden, and others. - Barrett Deems
Barrett Deems (March 1, 1914-September 15, 1998) was an American swing music jazz drummer born in Springfield, Illinois, probably better known for his work with musicians like Jimmy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Red Norvo or Muggsy Spanier, among others. - Dale Evans
Dale Evans was the stage name of Frances Octavia Smith, a writer, movie star, and singer-songwriter. She was the wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers. - Eddie Durham
Eddie Durham (19 August, 1908-6 March, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist and musical arranger of the swing music medium born in San Marcos, Texas, probably better known for his work with musicians like Cab Calloway, Willie Bryant, Andy Kirk, Glenn Miller, Jimmie Lunceford and Count Basie, among others. - Georgie Auld
Georgie Auld (born May 19, 1919 in Toronto; died January 8, 1990 in Palm Springs, California) was a jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist and bandleader. Auld lived in the United States from the late 1920s onward, and was most noteworthy for his work with Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Porcino, Billy Eckstine, Tiny Kahn, Frank Rosolino, and many others. Primarily a swing saxophonist, he did many big band stints in his career, … - Paul Smith
Paul Smith , also known as Paul T. Smith is a jazz pianist. He was born in San Diego, California and is often praised for his brilliant technique and lyrical playing. He has performed in various genres of jazz, most typically bebop. However, he has also explored cool jazz, swing music, and even traditional pop. After playing early on with Johnny Richards in 1941 and spending a couple of years in the military, … - Al Casey
Albert Aloysius Casey (September 15, 1915 - September 11, 2005) known professional as Al Casey, was an African American swing guitarist who played with Fats Waller on some of his famous recordings. Casey composed the well known tune "Buck Jumpin" which was recorded by Waller. Casey was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Joseph and Maggie B. Johnson Casey. He joined Thomas Fats Waller's band in the early 1930's, … - Jimmy Rowles
Jimmy Rowles was an American jazz pianist who was best known as an accompanist. He also released a number of albums under his own name, and explored various idioms including swing and cool jazz. Born in Spokane, Washington, Rowles studied at the University of Washington, Seattle. After moving to Los Angeles, he joined Lester Young's group in 1942. Rowles also worked with Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Les Brown, Tommy Dorsey, and Tony Bennett, and as a studio musician. - Oscar Moore
Oscar Moore was an American swing jazz guitarist. A superb and influential guitarist, Moore was himself influenced by Charlie Christian. Oscar Moore was an integral part of the Nat King Cole Trio during 1937–1947, appearing on virtually all of Cole's records during the period. Barney Kessel once said that Moore practically created the role of the jazz guitarist in small combos. He also recorded with Lionel Hampton, Art Tatum (1941), the Capitol Jazzmen, and Lester Young. - Will Bradley
Wilbur Schwichtenberg was an American trombonist and bandleader who performed under the name Will Bradley. He was known for swing and sweet dance music. Born in Newton, New Jersey, he and drummer Ray McKinley formed a big band in 1939 which became well known for boogie-woogie, particularly its hit record, "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar." In 1942 McKinley left to form his own band and a few months after joined the United States Air Force, … - Lucky Thompson
Eli (Lucky) Thompson (June 16, 1924, Columbia, South Carolina - July 30, 2005, Seattle, Washington) was an African American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist. He is considered, alongside Steve Lacy, to have brought the soprano saxophone out of obsolescence, playing it in a more advanced boppish format, which inspired John Coltrane to take it up in the early 1960s. After playing with the swing orchestras of Lionel Hampton, Don Redman, Billy Eckstine, Lucky Millinder, … - Bill Doggett
Bill Doggett (February 16, 1916 - November 13, 1996) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist. William Ballard Doggett was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, a church pianist, introduced him to music when he was 9 years old. By the time he was 15, he had joined a Philadelphia area combo, playing local theaters and clubs while attending high school. He later sold his band to Lucky Millinder, … - Flip Phillips
Flip Phillips (February 26, 1915-August 17, 2001) was a jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He is best remembered for his work with Jazz at the Philharmonic from 1946 to 1957. Over a long career, he played on many albums, retired to Florida for fifteen years, came back to music, and recorded a CD for Verve Records when he was in his 80s. Phillips performed in a variety of genres, not just jazz. - Russell Malone
Russell Malone (born November 8, 1963 in Albany, Georgia) is a swing jazz guitarist, perhaps best known for his work with Diana Krall. He also performs in the bebop and contemporary jazz genres of jazz. He began with Jimmy Smith and also worked with Harry Connick, Jr. - Pete Candoli
Pete Candoli (born Walter Joseph Candoli in Mishawaka, Indiana on June 28, 1923) is an American swing and West Coast jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast of the US. He has played with the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and many others, and has worked extensively in the studios of the recording and television industries. Pete (Walter) Candoli is one of the most under-appreciated musicians in jazz. - Houston Person
Houston Person (born November 10th, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing. He received the Eubie Blake Jazz Award in 1982. Contrary to popular belief, he was never married to the late singer Etta Jones, …
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