Discover the greatest jazz musicians from the last 100+ years
All our guides and deep-dives into the players who shaped the history.
The Best Jazz Violinists In History | Legends & Modern Day Greats
They may not grab the headlines in most styles of the music, but jazz violinists deserve their fair share of attention … Read more
The Best Jazz Musicians of All Time – 42 Legendary Jazz Artists
Who are the greatest jazz musicians of all time? While no list can ever be completely definitive, certain names appear again … Read more
The 50 Greatest Jazz Saxophonists of All Time (Ranked & Explained)
The greatest jazz saxophonists of all time include Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter — players … Read more
The Most Famous Jazz Trumpet Players of All Time (Expanded)
Ask the average person to picture a jazz musician, and there’s a good chance they’ll think of a trumpet player… Louis … Read more
The Best Jazz Pianists of All Time
Whether laying the foundations for a star soloist or taking the lead role themselves, the best jazz pianists through history have … Read more
The Best Jazz Singers of All Time
When it comes to ‘essential listening’ lists, many of the best jazz singers of all time are omitted in favour of … Read more
The Most Famous Jazz Guitarists In History (Countdown)
From early icons like Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian to later greats like Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery, the topic of … Read more
32 of The Most Influential and Best Jazz Drummers In History
The drums have been the powerhouse of many of the greatest groups in jazz history. Whilst the list of incredible players … Read more
The Best Jazz Bass Players In History (with videos)
Who are the best jazz bass players of all time and what were their most iconic albums? We’ve rounded up a … Read more
Want the best jazz stories into your inbox?
Join 15,000+ serious jazz fans getting the free weekly email full of the best stories in jazz…
10 of the Greatest Saxophonists of the Fusion Era
When Miles Davis went electric, he didn’t just change the sound of jazz. He created a new job for the saxophone. … Read more
The Greatest Fusion Drummers of All Time
When jazz went electric at the end of the 1960s, the drummer’s job changed almost overnight. Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather … Read more
The Greatest Fusion Guitarists of All Time
In the space of little more than a decade, the electric guitar went from the edges of jazz to one of … Read more
Let’s Get Lost: The Chet Baker Documentary That Became His Epitaph
Bruce Weber met Chet Baker for the first time in the winter of 1986, at a club in New York. Baker … Read more
What Jaco Pastorius Did After Weather Report: The Word of Mouth Story
By the start of the 1980s, Jaco Pastorius had already changed the electric bass forever. His 1976 debut album redefined what … Read more
Before Saturday Night Live, Lenny Pickett Was Already Astonishing Audiences with Tower of Power
For most people, Lenny Pickett is the unmistakable saxophonist leading the band on Saturday Night Live. He’s held that role for … Read more
Abdullah Ibrahim: The South African Jazz Legend Nelson Mandela Compared to Mozart
Abdullah Ibrahim’s death on the 15th June, 2026, prompted tributes from musicians, cultural figures and listeners around the world. For many, … Read more
McCoy Tyner: 6 Decades of Grounbreaking Jazz Piano
Before he became one of the most influential jazz pianists of all time, McCoy Tyner was holding jam sessions in the … Read more
Stan Kenton – Dividing The World of Big Band Music
Before there was fusion, before conservatories taught jazz as art music, there was Stan Kenton—an ambitious bandleader whose work continues to … Read more
Remembering Charnett Moffett
Known for his lightning-fast facility, deep musical intuition, and fearless versatility, Charnett Moffett was the kind of double bassist who could … Read more
The most popular alto saxophonists in 1959…
We probably all have our favourite saxophonists, but but what did the jazz world think of the musicians on the scene … Read more
From Miles to MTV – Iconic Herbie Hancock Songs
Perhaps best known by jazz fans for his Blue Note albums and work with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock’s albums over the … Read more
Michel Petrucciani: The Tragically Brief Life of a French Jazz Legend
Pianist Michel Petrucciani was one of the greatest jazz musicians to emerge from France. His tragically short life was crammed full … Read more
John Coltrane’s Sheets of Sound
Never content to sit still, groundbreaking saxophonist John Coltrane changed the course of jazz history more than once. In this article, … Read more
McCoy Tyner – Breaking Jazz Piano Ground
Rising to prominence in the 1960s as part of the classic John Coltrane Quartet, jazz piano legend McCoy Tyner has one … Read more
Want the best jazz stories into your inbox?
Join 15,000+ serious jazz fans getting the free weekly email full of the best stories in jazz…