October 9, 1999 Milton Jackson, jazz vibraphonist and composer, died. Jackson was born January 1, 1923 in Detroit, Michigan. He was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie who hired him for his sextet in 1946. Around 1950, Jackson formed his own group, the Milt Jackson Quartet which in 1952 was renamed the Modern Jazz Quartet.
"nea jazz master"
October 4th in African American History – Arthur Stewart Farmer
October 4, 1999 Arthur Stewart Farmer, jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player, died. Farmer was born August 21, 1928 in Council Bluff, Iowa but raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He began his musical education by studying the piano and violin. He moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of 16 and worked as a musician from […]
September 28th in African American History – Miles Dewey Davis III
September 28, 1991 Miles Dewey Davis III, jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer, died. Davis was born May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois. By the age of 16, Davis was a member of the musical society and playing professionally. In 1944, he moved to New York City to study at the Juilliard School of Music. In […]
Groups of Interest
One of the many ways to help us understand the tremendous impact of our famous and most influential leaders is to look at their achievements throughout history. The awards, the championships, the organizations that have been built by individuals are part of the legacy of these trailblazers. African Americans have made their marks all around […]
September 7th in African American History – Theodore Walter “Sonny” Rollins
September 7, 1930 Theodore Walter “Sonny” Rollins, jazz tenor saxophonist and composer, was born in New York City. Rollins received his first saxophone at 13 and first recorded in 1949. By 1954, Rollins had recorded with such jazz giants as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk. By 1956, Rollins was leading his own groups […]
September 3rd in African American History – Jonathan David Samuel “Jo” Jones
September 3, 1985 Jonathan David Samuel “Jo” Jones, influential jazz drummer, died. Jones was born October 7, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois but raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He worked as a drummer and tap dancer at carnival shows until joining Walter Page’s band in the late 1920s. In 1933, Jones joined Count Basie’s band and he […]
August 31st in African American History – Lionel Leo Hampton
August 31, 2002 Lionel Leo Hampton, jazz vibraphonist and band leader, died. Hampton was born April 20, 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky. While still a teenager, he played the xylophone and drums. In 1936, he joined the Benny Goodman Quartet, making it one of the first racially integrated jazz groups to record and play before wide […]