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Mingus Dynasty

Mingus Dynasty was formed in 1979, shortly after the death of jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus, to keep the music of Mingus alive. Mingus Dynasty has featured many alumni of the Mingus groups. In recent years, it has become one of a trio of Mingus legacy bands: Mingus Dynasty is a septet, the ten-piece Mingus Orchestra, and the Mingus Big Band with 14 members. Mingus Dynasty members have included Jimmy Owens, Randy Brecker, Richard Williams, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Knepper, John Handy, Joe Farrell...

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Dave Weckl

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, January 8th, 1960, to a mother who loved music and a father who played the piano as a hobby, Dave started playing drums around the age of 8. During his high school years he received many awards from the NAJE (National Association of Jazz Educators) for his outstanding performances in his high school's competition winning jazz band, and was involved with numerous local groups from a very early age while studying with St.

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Ahmad Jamal

Celebrated pianist-composer Ahmad Jamal continues his performance schedule around the world, as he has for well over the last four decades. Noted for his outstanding technical command and identifiable sound as a piano stylist, Mr. Jamal was born on July 2, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A child prodigy who began to play the piano at the age of three, he began formal studies at age seven. While in high school, he completed the equivalent of college master classes under the noted African-American concert singer and teacher Mary Cardwell Dawson and pianist James Miller.

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Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins (Theodore Walter Rollins, New York City, September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Rollins' long, prolific career began at the age of 11, and he was playing with piano legend Thelonious Monk before reaching the age of 20. Rollins is still touring and recording today, having outlived most of his contemporaries such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Max Roach, and Art Blakey, all performers with whom he recorded. While Rollins was born in New York City, his parents were born in the United States Virgin Islands. Rollins received his first saxophone at age 13.

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Harry James

Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was a popular United States musician and band leader, and a well known trumpet virtuoso. Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a traveling circus. By age 10 he was taking trumpet lessons from his father. His father had him on a very strict practicing schedule every day. He was given one page to learn out of the Arban's book (a trumpet drill book) every day and could not do anything until he learned that page.

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Monty Alexander

Born Montgomery Bernard Alexander on June 6, 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica, Monty Alexander is a jazz pianist whose style is influenced by strong Caribbean and swing feeling. A musician of a great versatility, this piano virtuoso has covered wide range of musical genres in his career from jazz to reggae, playing with either small bands or an orchestra. "My goal is to uplift", says Alexander. “The piano, to me, is a vehicle for connecting to other human beings. I'm very open to all forms of music. I'm not a bebop musician, I'm not a calypso musician, I'm not a reggae musician.

Read more about Monty Alexander on Last.fm.

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King Pleasure

King Pleasure (March 24, 1922 - March 21, 1982) was a jazz vocalist and an early master of vocalese, where a singer sings words to a famous instrumental solo. Born Clarence Beeks in Oakdale, Tennessee, he moved to New York City in the mid-1940s and became a fan of bebop music. King Pleasure first achieved popularity by singing the Eddie Jefferson vocalese classic "Moody's Mood for Love," based on a James Moody saxophone solo to "I'm in the Mood for Love".

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Buster Williams

Buster Williams is a prodigious artist whose playing knows no limits. He has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Illinois Jacquet, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, the Jazz Crusaders, Ron Carter, Woody Shaw, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Mary Lou Williams, Hank Jones...

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Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman, born Benjamin David Goodman, (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American musician, known as King of Swing, Patriarch of the Clarinet, The Professor, and Swing's Senior Statesman. Goodman was regarded by some as a demanding taskmaster, by others an arrogant and eccentric martinet. Many musicians spoke of The Ray, Goodman's trademark glare that he bestowed on a musician who failed to perform to his demanding standards.

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