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A&M RECORDS. A record company founded by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Founded primarily as an outlet for Herb Alpert to record and distribute albums for his group the Tijuana Brass, the label had great success in the late 1960s and opened offices overseas. A&M signed several Pop groups that would go on to great success. These artists included the Carpenters, the Police, and Cat Stevens. Alpert and Moss decided to sell the label to Polygram Records in 1989, shortly after the success the label generated with Bryan Adams’ smash single “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You.” The label had very little success with jazz outside of Herb Alpert and some albums of arrangements by Creed Taylor and Don Sebesky, which featured strings and several mainstream jazz artists, including George Benson.

ABENE, MICHAEL (1942– ). Abene began his professional career at an early age playing piano with Marshall Brown’s Youth Jazz Band in 1958 before studying at the Manhattan School of Music. During the 1960s, he played in small-group and big band settings with many notable musicians including Clark Terry, Maynard Ferguson, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, and Don Ellis. Abene’s arrangements were prominently featured in many groups including the bands of Buddy Rich, Ferguson, Harry Edison, and Mel Lewis. Abene’s first album came later in his career and was entitled You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby (1984, Stash). Held in high regard as both a performer and arranger, he expanded into the production of several projects for the GRP record label including the GRP Big Band, GRP Big Band Live, and The GRP Christmas Collection (Volumes 1, 2, and 3). In addition to providing workshops and clinics worldwide, Abene joined the collegiate ranks in 1998 as a professor at his alma mater, the Manhattan School of Music.

ABERCROMBIE, JOHN (1944– ). Originally from Connecticut, Abercrombie’s music studies brought him to Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1962 and later to North Texas State University where he refined his guitar-playing skills. After his time at North Texas, Abercrombie relocated to New York and quickly found his way into the jazz scene. From 1969 to 1984, he performed and worked with many established jazz leaders including Chico Hamilton, Gil Evans, and Gato Barbieri, and also developed connections with many leaders of the next wave of jazz innovation. These musicians included Billy Cobham, the Brecker Brothers, Richie Bierach, Dave Holland, George Mraz, and Jack DeJohnette. From the mid-1970s onward, Abercrombie was recorded regularly on the ECM label as both a leader and sideman. The first of these recordings was with his group Gateway, featuring Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette on the albums Timeless (1974, ECM) and Gateway (1975, ECM).

From the 1980s to today, Abercrombie has led or co-led many groups with different focuses. Experimenting with different guitar synthesizer possibilities and the use of electric mandolin, Abercrombie has explored many innovative uses of the guitar. Abercrombie recorded in duo format in separate sessions with John Scofield, Andy LaVerne, Marc Copland, and Richie Beirach, and in trio settings with Peter Erskine and Marc Johnson, and organists Dan Wall and Jeff Palmer. Abercrombie experimented with Free Jazz in a quartet he formed with Marc Johnson, Joey Baron, and violinist Mark Feldman. Abercrombie had a brief reunion with his Gateway trio and recorded another album in 1994 entitled Gateway: Homecoming (1994, ECM).

ABRAMS, MUHAL RICHARD (1930– ). A native of Chicago, Abrams is a multifaceted musician playing the piano, clarinet, and cello in addition to being a prominent composer, arranger, and educator. Abrams first worked on the Chicago Hard Bop scene with musicians such as Dexter Gordon and Eddie Harris starting in the mid-1950s. From his rehearsal-based Experimental Band, formed in 1962, Abrams would soon form his creative and forward-thinking Free Jazz cooperative, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in 1965. In 1975, Abrams relocated to New York City, where he continued to compose along with playing and pursuing Avant-Garde Jazz. In addition to appearing as a sideman with the likes of Anthony Braxton, Eddie Harris, Kenny Dorham, and Woody Shaw, Abrams has recorded and toured extensively throughout out the United States and abroad as a bandleader. Notable recording: The Hearing Suite (1989, Black Saint). In 2009 the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced that Abrams would be one of the recipients for the NEA’s Jazz Masters Award.

ACCORDION. A portable mechanical keyboard-like instrument that generates sound through air pushed by both arms through the center bellows of the instrument. Each side of the instrument has either a small keyboard or bass buttons. The bass buttons are usually located on the left side. There are several different styles of accordion including the melodeon and concertina, which have different cultural importance. While not directly involved in much of jazz’s history, many world music styles heavily use instruments from the accordion family such as the use of the bandoneón in Argentinian music.

ACE OF HEARTS. A record label, associated with partner label Ace of Clubs, primarily dedicated to reissuing albums made prior to 1932 that were initially released on Decca, Brunswick, and Vocalion. The majority of these released albums were cheaper recordings of early Swing and popular music.

ACID JAZZ (I). A term first used to describe the fusion of jazz-influenced improvisation, harmony, and rhythm, with elements of Funk and Soul styles and other groove-based music. Created in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Acid Jazz began to incorporate electronics as it developed and also incorporated the use of digital sequencing and sampling. The Acid Jazz style was created in Great Britain, primarily influenced by Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson and their record label with the same name. Groups that play in the Acid Jazz style include Freak Power, Goldbug, and Galliano.

ACID JAZZ (II). An independent record label founded in England that was partially responsible for the development of the Acid Jazz style. Created by two disc jockeys, Acid Jazz sought out obscure, electronic-influenced Funk performers from previous decades. Groups signed to the Acid Jazz label include Jamiroquai and the Brand New Heavies. See also ACID JAZZ (I).

ACTUELLE. An American-based record label that produced the first lateral-cut records. Founded in 1920, Actuelle expanded to produce international records shortly after its initial U.S.-only based recordings.

ACUNA, ALEX (1944– ). A self-taught drummer and percussionist, Acuna made a name for himself in Puerto Rico as a performer and studio musician. In 1975, Acuna moved to Las Vegas to pursue new musical opportunities and was invited to perform with the group Weather Report. Acuna’s tenure as a member of Weather Report lasted two years and two albums (Heavy Weather and Black Market). After leaving Weather Report, Acuna was an in-demand performer who recorded with Clare Fischer, Ella Fitzgerald, Tania Maria, Chick Corea, and Joni Mitchell during the early 1980s. Since then, Acuna has performed primarily as a studio musician while branching out into education. He joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles, and has taught at the Berklee College of Music in addition to releasing several instructional videos.

ADDERLEY, JULIAN “CANNONBALL” (1928–1975). A major bandleader and sideman of the Hard Bop era, Cannonball Adderley was a highly influential alto saxophonist with a style of playing accessible to many. Originally from Tampa, Florida, he moved to New York City in 1955, gaining acclaim and launching his career from that point. Shortly after moving to the city, he tried to create a quintet with brother and cornetist Nat Adderley but did not find much success early on. However, with his exuberant tone and Blues-rooted improvisations, he was soon noticed by trumpet player Miles Davis and joined the Miles Davis Sextet in October of 1957.

His work with the Miles Davis group included participation in the two definitive albums: Kind of Blue and Milestones. Adderley worked as a bandleader with his quintet/sextet during 1959–1966 which featured his brother, Nat Adderley, along with a handful of renowned musicians, including Bobby Timmons, Joe Zawinul, Victor Feldman, Sam Jones, Louis Hayes, and Charles Lloyd, among others. The late 1960s began to reflect an influence of electric jazz and Avant-Garde Jazz in Adderley’s playing. Adderley died from a stroke in 1975 and was soon thereafter inducted in the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame. He still remains one of the greatest influences on alto saxophonists today. Notable recordings: Somethin’ Else (1958, Blue Note); Phenix (1975, Fantasy); and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (1996, Capitol rerelease). See also SOUL JAZZ.

ADDERLEY, NATHANIEL “NAT” (1931–2000). Nat Adderley was a Hard Bop cornetist and trumpet player who played in a style influenced by Miles Davis. Adderley played in his brother Cannonball’s original group and then went on to work as a sideman with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, trombonist J. J. Johnson, and clarinetist Woody Herman. He joined the Cannonball Adderley quintet in 1959 and remained with the group until 1975. Many great compositions, including “Work Song” and “The Old Country,” were written by Adderley during this time. After his brother’s death in 1975, he continued to play with his own groups and recorded extensively with such artists as Ron Carter, Johnny Griffin, and Sonny Fortune, including an exciting group he led with trombonist J. J. Johnson. Adderley joined the faculty of the Florida Southern College in 1997 as an artist-in-residence, just three years before dying from complications with diabetes.

ADLER, LARRY (1914–2001). Adler took up the harmonica at age 10 and began performing professionally as a teenager in New York. Sir Charles Cochran, a theater manager from Sussex England, heard Adler perform at the age of 20 and recruited him to move to London to perform in one of Cochran’s revues. Adler further refined his harmonica skills as a Classical performer and quickly gained recognition as being an elite performer. Malcolm Arnold, Darius Milhaud, Vaughn Williams, and Gordon Jacob all wrote pieces for Adler as a featured soloist with orchestra. Toward the later part of Adler’s career he began teaching in addition to composing more. Some of his work is captured on the scores to the films Genevieve and King and Country.

AFFINITY. A post-Bop quartet made up of Bobby Lurie (drums), Rob Sudduth (tenor saxophone), a rotating bass chair of Michael Silverman and Richard Sanders, and led by soprano saxophonist Joe Rosenburg. Inspired by the work of Ornette Coleman and other Free Jazz leaders, much of the material played is targeted toward collective intellectual improvisation. Repertoire of the group ranges from Free Jazz artists Eric Dolphy and Anthony Braxton to Straight-Ahead artists including Art Blakey and Cedar Walton.

AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ. A style arising out of New York City, Afro-Cuban Jazz consists of a blending of Cuban and African polyrhythms with jazz improvisation. At the center of the rhythmic identity of Afro-Cuban Jazz is the clave, an off-beat, repeated rhythmic pattern. Although Cuban music remained separate from Swing music prior to the 1940s, the rise of Bebop in 1945 included an increased influence and incorporation of Afro-Cuban styles. The collaboration between Bebop trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie and Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo in Gillespie’s orchestra proved significant in the rise of the genre, producing such tunes as “A Night in Tunisia,” the original version of “Manteca,” and “Tin Tin Deo.” Gillespie remained at the forefront of the genre throughout his career, later working with other artists in Afro-Cuban Jazz including Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. See also LATIN JAZZ.

AIRTO. See MOREIRA, AIRTO.

AJAX RECORDS. A record company founded by H. S. Berliner in 1921. Berliner had recording studios in Montreal, Canada, and New York City. Poor distribution to the southern and central areas of the United States led to a short business life of the company. Prior to their closing in 1926, Ajax cut records for artists Rosa Henderson, Edna Hicks, and Mamie Smith.

AKIYOSHI, TOSHIKO (1929– ). Originally from Japan, Akiyoshi made a name for herself in the world of jazz through her work as pianist, arranger, and composer. Discovered in 1952 by pianist Oscar Peterson while he was on a tour of Japan, Akiyoshi recorded with Peterson’s own rhythm section of Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and J. C. Heard on her first release titled Toshiko’s Piano. Upon moving to the United States in 1956 to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Akiyoshi began learning the art of arranging and composition. Along with her husband Lew Tabackin, Akiyoshi formed a big band in the Los Angeles area in 1973. Using Akiyoshi’s compositions and arrangements for the group, the Toshiko Akiyoshi–Lew Tabackin Big Band would hold a strong presence in the jazz world by 1980. After moving to New York City in 1982, the band was started up once again and continued touring, recording, and performing regularly, all the while driven by the energetic writing and conducting of Akiyoshi. She has been the recipient of countless Grammy nominations, DownBeat Critics Poll contests, and in 2007 was honored with the title of NEA Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Today, while her big band is no longer performing or recording, she continues to appear as a pianist and guest bandleader. Notable recordings: Toshiko Akiyoshi–Lew Tabackin Big Band (1974–1976, Novus) and Carnegie Hall Concert (1991, Columbia). See also JAPAN.

ALBAM, MANNY (1922–2001). Albam started in the music world as a baritone saxophonist but quickly gained a reputation as a standout arranger in New York. His work was performed by jazz big bands led by Don Joseph, Bob Chester, Georgie Auld, Sam Donahue, Charlie Barnet, and Jerry Wald. In the 1950s, he elected to stop performing and focused his efforts on composition and leading ensembles for the next two decades. Many prominent musicians were attracted to Albam’s works, which were featured by groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Rich. Albam released one title under his name during this time, The Jazz Greats of Our Time (1957, MCA), which featured top-flight soloists. Albam is not heard on the album but is instead featured as a conductor/arranger for most of the material. He also explored Classical music and composed several works including his “Concerto for Trombone and Strings.”

Albam became a more active educator in 1964, teaching at Glassboro State College where he served as a faculty member for the next three decades. He further expanded his compositional skills into developing long, large-scale jazz pieces in addition to working on scores for several movies and television shows. He succumbed to cancer in 2001.

ALBUM. A reference to a collection of recorded songs based around a common theme or idea. Originally used in reference to several 78 rpm recordings that made up a long Classical work, such as a symphony, the word was later used to define recordings that lasted over 30 minutes. In the 1960s, the idea of “album artists” was founded by Rock groups like the Moody Blues, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin, who created recordings around a central theme that featured no singular material. Jazz recordings like Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain (1960, Columbia) and Porgy & Bess (1958, Columbia) were constructed with the album idea. See also RECORD LABEL.

ALEXANDER, MONTGOMERY BERNARD “MONTY” (1944– ). Inspired by Nat “King” Cole, Louis Armstrong, and Calypso music from his native Jamaica, Alexander began studying jazz piano at the age of 14. After moving to the United States in 1961, Alexander struggled at first to find steady work in Miami and then Las Vegas, until heard by Jilly Rizzo, a club owner and friend of Frank Sinatra. After being hired to perform in Rizzo’s club (sometimes accompanying Sinatra), he soon met vibraphonist Milt Jackson. This encounter was important as Jackson referred Alexander to bassist Ray Brown who invited him to join his trio. Alexander soon relocated to New York and saw his career quickly take shape. He was a regular performer at Minton’s Playhouse with both Jackson and Brown and was featured on several recordings made by both.

Alexander led his own groups from 1974 onward, with the first group featuring John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton. This group recorded Alexander’s first album, Live! Montreux Alexander (1976, Verve). Alexander enjoyed trying to capture the feel of his native Jamaica by using steel drums and other Caribbean percussion on several albums he would record over the next few decades. Alexander maintained a steady touring and recording career throughout the 1980s and 1990s while also performing with jazz legends including Barney Kessel, Johnny Griffin, Shelly Manne, and Marshal Royal. In 2000, he was given the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica as a worldwide music ambassador. He served as director of two major works featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center (Lords of the West Indies and Harlem Kingston Express).

ALI, RASHIED (1935–2009). Ali’s musical training started at early age as he was surrounded by music since birth. His mother had sung with Jimmie Lunceford, and his brother, Muhammed, was a drummer with Albert Ayler. Ali was born Robert Patterson Jr. but elected to change his name to Rashied Ali when his father, Robert Patterson Sr., converted to Islam and also took the name Rashied Ali.

After moving to New York, Ali quickly found work playing drums with Bill Dixon, Paul Bley, Pharoah Sanders, and Alice Coltrane before replacing Elvin Jones as drummer in John Coltrane’s group in 1965. A pioneer of Free Jazz drumming, Ali can be heard on Coltrane’s album Meditations (1965, Impulse!) and Interstellar Space (1967, Impulse!) recorded before Coltrane’s death. Although a very prominent performer, Ali did not record very much until later in his life. He formed the group Phalanx in the 1980s that featured James “Blood” Ulmer on guitar, Sirone on bass, and George Adams on tenor saxophone. Ali experimented with much new music and incorporated the use of multimedia in two groups, the Gift of the Eagle and Cosmic Legends, and recorded several albums with groups that included Henry Grimes and Marilyn Crispell. In 2009, Ali died in a New York hospital due to a sudden heart attack.

ALLEN, HENRY “RED” (1908–1967). Son of New Orleans brass band leader Henry Allen Sr., Henry “Red” Allen was one of the foremost trumpet players in the early Swing style. Influenced by and in many ways seen as following in the footsteps of fellow trumpeter Louis Armstrong, Allen played in an energetic and convincing manner and was known for his innovative rhythmic freedom and idiomatic trumpet devices (trills, half-valve effects, growls, falls, etc.) that he used to create interesting and memorable solos. Red Allen moved to New York City in 1927 to play with King Oliver’s band and would soon become a featured soloist in Fletcher Henderson’s orchestra as well, demonstrating his expertise at playing the Blues through the many wonderful recordings he produced with the band. Additionally, Allen recorded and played with the likes of Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Billie Holiday, and Benny Goodman. Allen continued to play and tour with his own group throughout the United States and Europe until his death in the spring of 1967. Notable recording: Swing Out (1929–1932, Topaz).

ALLEN, STEVE (1921–2000). Pianist, composer, jazz aficionado, and comedian, Steve Allen was instrumental in bringing a greater audience to jazz music via television. The Steve Allen Show, which aired on NBC from 1956 to 1958, featured several broadcasts of jazz performances, including one unforgettable one with the Count Basie Orchestra from the Birdland jazz club. Allen was strongly influenced by jazz, and his love of it prompted him to feature jazz musicians as guests as often as possible. In fact, Allen was one of the first television hosts to showcase many African-American jazz artists on live television. Always an avid musician and composer, Allen won a Grammy in 1963 for Best Jazz Composition for his tune “Gravy Waltz.”

ALLISON, JOHN “MOSE,” JR. (1927– ). Allison’s study of piano began at the age of five while he was in grammar school and remained a focal part of his academic life until he chose to pursue a full-time career in music. Studying first at the University of Mississippi followed by a stint at Louisiana State University (where he received a B.A. in English), Allison led a successful piano trio while completing his studies. After graduating, Allison pursued a career in music and moved to New York where he worked with many of the Cool Jazz or West Coast Jazz leaders including Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, and Al Cohn while also recording several albums for the Prestige record label. Allison toured Europe on and off in the 1960s and 1970s with his trio or would use local musicians to cover the bass and drum chairs.

Allison’s legacy is tied into the musicians whom he would influence as much as his own ability to perform. He is held in high regard by Blues and Rock musicians, including Pete Townshend (The Who), Tom Waits, and the Yardbirds. Many of his compositions such as “A Young Man’s Blues,” “Tell Me Something,” and “I’m Not Talking” have been recorded multiple times by artists from other genres. In the late 1990s, Allison saw a resurgence of his popularity, and his music has been used in motion pictures, and several collaborative efforts with musicians including Van Morrison and Ben Sidran have added to his legacy. While being an active performer, Allison has not recorded much since the 1990s.

ALTO SAXOPHONE. Pitched in E, the alto saxophone is one of the dominant members of the saxophone family along with the tenor. The alto’s range is from the D below middle C to A5 (and sometimes A depending on the model of the saxophone). Alto saxophone has been a popular instrument in jazz that was especially heightened during Charlie Parker’s prominence in the late 1940s and early 1950s. See also ADDERLEY, JULIAN; SAXOPHONE; STITT, SONNY; WOODS, PHIL.

ALTSCHUL, BARRY (1943– ). Altschul grew up in New York and was exposed to jazz early on through Charles Tolliver and Junior Cook—musicians who lived in his neighborhood. He took up the drums and studied with Hard Bop drummer Charlie Persip during his teenage years. His career continually switched between Straight-Ahead groups and newer modern free styles. During the mid-1960s, Altschul worked with Paul Bley as well as the group Circle that featured Anthony Braxton, Dave Holland, and Chick Corea, both groups that were considered highly experimental. Altschul would work with each of the members of Circle in their own groups as well. He recorded on Holland’s album Conference of the Birds (1972, ECM) that also featured Braxton, and toured with Braxton’s quartet, which ironically also featured Holland on bass.

From the late 1970s, Altschul freelanced with many performers including Sam Rivers, Paul Bley, Dave Liebman, Roswell Rudd, Pepper Adams, Ray Anderson, and Kenny Drew. Altschul would continue to play with Paul Bley’s groups throughout the 1980s as well as playing in reunion groups of all the influential groups that he had played for previously. Altschul has done limited recording under his own name but did have several notable recordings in the 1970s that included You Can’t Name Your Own Tune (1977, Muse) and Another Time, Another Place (1978, Muse).

ALVAREZ, CHICO (1920–1992). After learning piano and violin, Alvarez decided to take up the trumpet while growing up in Inglewood, California. Performing as a soloist in Stan Kenton’s band, Alvarez got his first break before serving in the army from 1943 to 1946. Following his stint in the army, he played with Kenton again before moving first to Hermosa Beach and then to Las Vegas. Alvarez worked for several hotels, backing up artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan from 1958 to 1982. In 1985 he was a featured performer at the Sacramento Dixieland Jubilee and started his own group, the Las Vegas Jazz Band.

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF JAZZ SOCIETIES (AFJS). An international nonprofit organization whose focus is to manage international communication between jazz groups by sharing information, resources, and techniques. The organization was founded in 1985.

AMERICAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA. Founded by Roberta Swann and Gary Giddins, the American Jazz Orchestra focused on performing music from the big band repertoire. Starting with its first concert in 1986, the group performed several concerts a year with fluid personnel based on availability and often featured themed concerts or guest artists. The music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, and Dizzy Gillespie were all covered during the group’s first few years, and from 1987 to 1992 the group featured the music of living composers such as Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson, Muhal Richard Abrams, Jimmy Heath, and David Murray. The orchestra eventually was forced to shut down operations in 1993 when funding problems arose.

AMERICAN RECORD COMPANY (ARC). Formed in 1929, ARC was produced as a result of the combination of several smaller companies. The Cameo Record Corporation, Pathe Phonograph and Radio Corporation, Plaza Music Company, and Scranton Button Company all merged to form the American Record Company. From 1929 until 1938, ARC was seen as a label that produced cheap records (often capitalizing on fallout from the Great Depression) until the label was purchased by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in 1938. As a result of this transaction, CBS moved many of the records that had been successful on ARC to their more popular labels, Columbia and OKeh.

AMMONS, ALBERT (1907–1949). Considered one of the masters of the Blues-based Boogie-Woogie style, Ammons was a successful and influential pianist from the late 1920s until his death in 1949. After moving from Chicago to New York City in the late 1930s, Ammons worked with fellow Boogie-Woogie pianists Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis, whom Ammons had known well in Chicago. Together, they formed the Boogie Woogie Trio, performing at Carnegie Hall and regularly at the famous Café Society in New York. He was known for his powerful and enigmatic piano style that can be heard through his classic recordings of “Boogie-Woogie Stomp” and “Pinetop’s Boogie-Woogie.” Ammons continued to perform regularly and tour as an artist throughout the 1940s, despite the declining public interest in the Boogie-Woogie style. He performed at the inauguration of President Harry S. Truman in 1949. Regardless of his death in 1949 at the age of 32, Ammons would prove to have a great influence on an emerging generation of pianists, including the likes of Ray Bryant and Erroll Garner. Ammons is considered by most to be the king of the idiomatic Boogie-Woogie genre. See also AMMONS, EUGENE “JUG.”

AMMONS, (EU)GENE “JUG” (1925–1974). Eugene “Jug” Ammons, the son of notable Boogie-Woogie pianist Albert Ammons, was a tenor saxophonist and native of Chicago who was greatly influenced by saxophonists Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins. He got his start in 1943 at the ripe age of 18 when he went on the road with the King Kolax band. Soon thereafter, in 1944, he would join the noteworthy big band of vocalist Billy Eckstine and remain with the band until 1947 as a featured soloist. Ammons formed his own quintet and in 1949 replaced Stan Getz in the Woody Herman Orchestra. Additionally, Ammons joined fellow saxophonist Sonny Stitt in 1950 and worked closely playing and “battling” him for a few years. His career unfortunately did not go without hardships; Ammons was imprisoned twice on possession of narcotics charges—once from 1958 to 1960 and again from 1962 to 1969.

Ammons soon returned, however, in 1969 and came back onto the Chicago scene as vibrant as ever. Considered part of the Chicago school of tenor saxophone along with Von Freeman, Ammons was known for his recognizable full and soulful tone. Capable of burning Bebop lines like the rest of the great jazz musicians on the scene, Ammons was also well known for his thoughtful and poignant ballad playing. Throughout the rest of his life, he recorded with all-star musicians including John Coltrane and Art Farmer, and performed often with fellow saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt. Ammons, a great influence on the next generation of saxophonists that would follow (including Joshua Redman), died of bone cancer in 1974.

ANDERSON, IVIE MARIE (1905–1949). Anderson began her professional career at the age of 16, performing in Los Angeles and touring the United States and Cuba in 1922–1923. Performing regularly in the mid-1920s, Anderson developed a strong connection with bandleader Sonny Clay who took her with his band on his infamous trip to Australia. Anderson’s big break occurred when she was invited to perform with Duke Ellington in 1931. The two worked together extensively during the 1930s, including tours of England and collaborating on film and recording projects together. The two can be seen together in a soundie made of Ellington’s composition “I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good).” Anderson was also the first vocalist to record Ellington’s composition “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).” Some of these songs are captured on a compilation made of their collaborations, With Duke Ellington (1942, EPM Musique). In the early 1940s, Anderson retired due to complications with asthma and became a restaurateur. She made one final record in 1946 with future jazz icon Charles Mingus before health complications resulted in her death in 1949.

ANDERSON, RAY (1952– ). Born in Hyde Park, Chicago, Anderson took up the trombone in the fourth grade inspired by sounds he had heard from jazz records his father played that included trombonists such as Vic Dickenson and Trummy Young. Anderson grew up with fellow trombonist George Lewis, and the two have worked together ever since. Anderson bounced around cities in the early 1970s, playing in a variety of bands in Minnesota, Los Angeles, and San Francisco before relocating in New York in 1972. In New York, Anderson’s career took off, and he worked with Bennie Wallace, Barry Altschul, and took over his friend George Lewis’s chair in Anthony Braxton’s quartet.

Anderson became an important bandleader in the early 1980s with his group BassDrumBone made up of fellow cutting-edge musicians Mark Helias and Gerry Hemingway. The group made several records over the next two decades and helped usher in new ways of approaching trombone. Right Down Your Alley (1984, Soul Alley) and You Be (1985, Minor Music) were two of the first BassDrumBone albums that ushered in this style.

Anderson was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy in the early 1980s and responded by taking up singing while allowing his chops ample time to recover from stress from the disease. After recovering, he continued to sing in several groups including another group he led called the Slickaphonics. Throughout the remainder of the 1980s through today, Anderson remains an in-demand sideman and soloist and has performed with Charlie Haden, Tim Berne, John Scofield, Bobby Previte, Henry Threadgill, New York Jazz Composers Orchestra, Lew Soloff, David Murray, Craig Harris, and Gary Valente. In 2003, Anderson was hired as director of jazz studies for the Music Department at the State University of New York–Stony Brook. See also TROMBONE.

ANDERSON, WILLIAM ALONZO “CAT” (1916–1981). Born William Alonzo Anderson, “Cat” got his nickname while living at Jenkins Orphanage in South Carolina. At the age of 13, Anderson got his first professional experience playing the trumpet in a band created at the orphanage, called “The Carolina Cotton Pickers.” After leaving the group in 1935, Anderson quickly caught on with several groups over the next eight years in part due to his incredible upper-register playing. Groups Anderson performed with include the big bands and orchestras of Claude Hopkins, Lucky Millinder, Erskine Hawkins, Lionel Hampton, and Sabby Lewis.

In 1944, Anderson was recruited to join Duke Ellington’s orchestra, a band he would continue to play with for the next three decades. From 1951 to 1959, Anderson was featured on many of Ellington’s classic Columbia dates and played regularly with the band until taking a two-year hiatus from 1959 to 1961. Some of his playing is captured on Ellington’s album Ellington at Newport (1956, Columbia). In addition to playing with Ellington, Anderson freelanced with many big bands over the next two decades including groups led by Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Louie Bellson, and Bill Berry. Anderson moved to Los Angeles in 1971 and lived there until his passing in 1981. Anderson is remembered for his high-note playing but among musicians was well respected for his general musicality.

ANDERSON’S ANNEX. A nightclub in New Orleans owned by Tom Anderson and managed by Billie Struve on 201 North Basin Street. The club was open from 1901 to 1925, and performers included Bill Johnson, Tom Brown, and allegedly Louis Armstrong, although later it was determined that he performed at a different club also owned by Anderson.

ANDRE, WAYNE (1931–2003). Andre began his professional career as a trombonist performing and recording with Charlie Spivak, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, and Woody Herman’s orchestra starting when he was 19. In 1956, Kai Winding recruited Andre to be part of a four-trombone septet of which Andre was a member until he moved to New York in 1958 to pursue work as a studio musician. In between big band recording sessions with artists like Art Farmer, Sarah Vaughan, and Wes Montgomery, Andre completed a B.A. degree at the Manhattan School of Music. He further developed his reputation as a top-flight performer working with bands led by Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Jaco Pastorius, Thad Jones, and Clark Terry. In the 1980s, he worked more frequently in smaller groups playing in a quintet with trumpet player Marvin Stamm and starting another four-trombone septet that was similar to the group he performed in with Winding several decades prior. Andre continued to be a frequent session player through the 1990s until his death in 2003.

ANTHONY, RAYMOND “RAY” (1922– ). Anthony began his professional career as a trumpet player in the bands of his childhood home in Cleveland before being recruited to join the Glenn Miller band in 1940. In 1942, Anthony joined the U.S. Navy and led a service orchestra until 1946 when he was honorably discharged. In the late 1940s, he formed the Ray Anthony Orchestra and would see great success over the next decade. Among his hits were the “Bunny Hop,” the “Hokey Pokey,” and theme music for the television shows Dragnet and Peter Gunn. Anthony briefly explored acting in film during the 1950s and starred as trombonist Tommy Dorsey in the movie Five Pennies. After briefly reducing his orchestra down to a sextet in 1960, he revived his orchestra in the mid-1960s and continued to lead big bands throughout the 1990s in the Los Angeles area.

ANTIBES-JUAN-LES-PINS JAZZ FESTIVAL. A jazz festival founded in the New Orleans sister city of Juan-les-Pins located in southeastern France. The festival, which is usually held in July, began in 1960 and often brings in many top jazz talents like Keith Jarrett and Wynton Marsalis in addition to crossover and Pop artists. See also FRANCE.

ANTILLEAN JAZZ. A Swing era term that describes a style of jazz that incorporates musical elements from Caribbean countries included Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti. Between 1920 and 1950, many recordings were made that featured musicians from the Caribbean area performing with North American jazz musicians as well as having jazz musicians featured on recordings of their own.

ANTOLINI, CHARLY (1937– ). Antolini began his musical career as a marching band drummer and Dixieland drummer in his homeland of Switzerland before the age of 18. At 18, Antolini pursued a professional career as a jazz drummer by moving to Paris and was immediately recruited to perform with many of the top musicians who resided there including Sidney Bechet and Bill Coleman. Antolini was an original member of the Dixieland group the Tremble Kids with whom he would perform and record through several stints over the next two decades. Antolini was hired to perform with several big bands in Germany, and he relocated there in 1962. These big bands were led by Erwin Lehn and Kurt Edelhagen and were some of the initial versions of Europe’s popular jazz ensembles the SWR big band and NDR big band. In the 1970s, Antolini was often used by touring American jazz artists, and he further boosted his career accompanying Thad Jones, Roy Eldridge, Buddy DeFranco, Benny Goodman, and Booker Ervin.

Antolini also began to lead his own groups, the first of which was called Jazz Power and featured trumpet player Lew Soloff, tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico, and alto saxophonist Herb Geller. Jazz Power toured and performed from 1976 through the 1980s. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Antolini performed in a variety of contexts including big bands and piano trios. He was a featured member in Barbara Dennerlein’s trio and in the group The Super Trio.

APEX CLUB. A name used by several jazz clubs, predominantly mentioned in reference to the Apex Club formally located on 330 East 35th street in Chicago’s South Side. The club was made famous by the Apex Club Orchestra that performed there regularly under the direction of Jimmie Noone. The club was shut down in 1930 during a federal raid for breaking prohibition laws.

APOLLO THEATER. An influential theater founded in Harlem, New York, originally owned and operated as a burlesque theater from 1914 to 1933. The Apollo received its name in 1934 when the theater was converted into a performance space for revues and variety shows. In addition to being a very influential and important venue for social reasons, the Apollo featured many leading jazz artists. Jazz musicians Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughan, and Thelonious Monk were among the jazz elite that performed there. See also BASIE, COUNT; FITZGERALD, ELLA; HOLIDAY, BILLIE.

ARCADIAN SERENADERS. A group of predominantly white musicians originally known as the Original Crescent City Jazzers who performed regularly at the Arcadia Ballroom in St. Louis during the 1920s.

ARC-BRC. An abbreviation for the shared operations of the record labels American Record Company and Brunswick Record Company during the 1930s.

ARGO RECORDS. Record label founded in Chicago by brothers Phil and Leonard Chess. Founded in 1955, Argo was primarily interested in recording Blues sessions but quickly expanded to include jazz musicians like James Moody, Ahmad Jamal, and Ramsey Lewis. The label was very important to Chicago’s jazz scene and was viewed as its most important independent record label. Barry Harris, Ira Sullivan, Illinois Jacquet, Gene Ammons, Max Roach, and Red Rodney were all musicians recorded on the label. After complications with the British Classical record label also named Argo, the brothers renamed the label as Cadet. The label was eventually sold several times, first to GRT (1969), then to Sugar Hill (1979), and finally to MCA (1985). See also RECORD LABEL.

ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. An early Swing group that recorded on the OKeh and Harmony labels during the 1920s. Members included Jimmy Dorsey, Red Nichols, Miff Mole, and Pee Wee Russell.

ARMED FORCES RADIO SERVICE (AFRS). A government and military sponsored organization and record label dedicated to the broadcasting of shows and concerts to American military bases overseas. Jazz artists were very popular on the label, and artists like Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie all made recordings for the AFRS. Seventy-nine transcriptions of concerts were made by the AFRS of the concert series “A Date with Duke” that featured the music of Ellington. In 1948 the AFRS sponsored a short-lived jazz series entitled Just Jazz that consisted of recordings made in the Los Angeles area. Much of the material transcribed and recorded as part of the AFRS series was destroyed by the military in the early 1950s.

ARMSTRONG, LILLIAN HARDIN “LIL” (1898–1971). Armstrong began her professional career as a jazz pianist after moving to Chicago in 1917. She was quickly hired by top Chicago musicians Freddie Keppard, Lawrence Duke, and King Oliver. Being hired by Oliver was a big professional milestone for Armstrong as she was introduced to her future husband, the great trumpet player Louis Armstrong, who was also a member of the band. Lil and Louis were married in 1924, and divorced in 1938. Lil was a huge contributor to Louis Armstrong’s famous Hot Five (1926, Columbia) recordings both as a performer and composer. Her most famous composition from those sessions is “Struttin’ with Some Barbeque.” In the late 1920s, Armstrong left both groups and was rehired by Freddie Keppard and also toured with Baby Dodds in addition to leading her own groups.

In 1937, she was the house pianist for a series of recordings on Decca. Many of these recordings featured her fronting bands that included many other top musicians. These records are compiled in an album called 1936–1940 (1940, Classics). After ending her relationship with Decca in 1940, Armstrong did not record much for the remainder of her career. She had several brief tours in Europe in the early 1950s until eventually settling in Chicago. She died due to a heart attack during a concert in 1971.

ARMSTRONG, LOUIS (1901–1971). Armstrong was a performer at a young age, first developing his vocal skills as a street performer in New Orleans at the age of seven. In 1912, Armstrong celebrated New Years by firing a pistol into the air, an event that would end up with him being placed in a waif’s home. During his two years at the home, he decided to learn the cornet. After his release he was hired by various brass bands throughout New Orleans. He progressed so quickly that in 1917 he was befriended by Joe “King” Oliver, one of the top bandleaders in New Orleans and in the early jazz scene. Oliver started his own band, and Armstrong was hired to take over Oliver’s chair in Kid Ory’s band.

In 1919, Oliver toured Chicago and decided to relocate there. His popularity increased every year, and by 1922 he was considered to be one of the top jazz artists. At this time, he decided to include Armstrong in his band and sent to New Orleans for him. Also at this time, pianist and Armstrong’s future wife “Lil” Hardin was in Oliver’s band, and two years later the two would be married. Armstrong’s tenure with King Oliver only lasted two years, but the band was considered to be the top working jazz unit of the time. After being talked into leaving Oliver’s band by his wife, Armstrong moved to New York and joined Fletcher Henderson’s band for one year until being summoned back to Chicago to lead a group with his wife. From 1925 to 1928 he recorded Hot Fives Vol. 1 (1926, Columbia) and Hot Fives and Sevens, Vols. 2–3 (1927, Columbia) with groups that included his wife on piano, Kid Ory on trombone, and Johnny Dodds on clarinet. These recordings would serve as highly influential jazz landmarks and would be imitated for decades to come.

By 1930, Armstrong was immensely popular and began actively touring the United States. Rarely did Armstrong ever bring a band with him and instead performed as a featured soloist with different house bands. Armstrong toured Europe for the first time in 1932. He continued this trend of touring alone into the 1940s. In 1938 Armstrong and Hardin divorced, and Armstrong quickly remarried. As Bebop came into prominence in the 1940s, Armstrong’s popularity took a hit after having been one of the most dominant artists for the previous decade. Armstrong responded by forming the All Stars big band, which was quickly watered down to a smaller group in 1947. Members of this group changed over the next decade but included trombonists Jack Teagarden and Trummy Young, clarinetists Barney Bigard and Edmond Hall, and pianist Earl Hines.

Armstrong remained a very popular artist and celebrity well into the 1960s but saw his popularity diminish among jazz musicians and was criticized for never changing or adapting his style. In addition to playing his trumpet, he was a very popular vocalist (recording “Hello Dolly” in 1964, a number-one Pop hit) and was a major contributor to the development of vocal improvisation. He died in 1971 and is considered to be one of the greatest jazz figures ever. See also ARMSTRONG, LILLIAN H.; EARLY JAZZ; SHAW, ARVELL.

ARRANGEMENT. An arrangement is an interpretation of a previously written composition, be it a standard, a jazz tune, or other melody. While the melody is typically worked into the arrangement, there is much artistic freedom in terms of how the arranger chooses to deal with tempo, form, orchestration, rhythm, and harmony (I). Although arrangements for large groups, namely big bands, are mostly written out, some small groups may come up with an improvisational arrangement of a tune on the spot. Jazz arranging first emerged in the late 1920s with Swing bands such as the one of bandleader Fletcher Henderson who employed arrangements regularly in his band’s performances. A prominent arranger of the Swing era was Duke Ellington, who, using the Henderson band as a model, took his arrangements and compositions to a new level by experimenting with new combinations of tones, colors, and instrument pairings. Arrangers were oftentimes hired by famous bandleaders in the Swing era to create unique orchestrations for their groups, as Billy Strayhorn and Sammy Nestico did for the Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Count Basie Orchestra, respectively. See also AKIYOSHI, TOSHIKO; BROOKMEYER, BOB; DAMERON, TADD; EVANS, GIL; JONES, THAD; NELSON, OLIVER; SCHNEIDER, MARIA.

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO. Formed in 1968 in the city of Chicago from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), the Art Ensemble of Chicago originally involved saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman, trumpet player Lester Bowie, bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut, and later, drummer Famodou Don Moye. Despite being at the forefront of Free Jazz and blending all sorts of influences from Bop to Rock to Blues to Traditional Jazz and ethnic music, the ensemble always surrounded their playing with composition, along with an exploration of new sound structures and timbre combinations. With a firm but not necessarily explicitly detailed structure of composition, the ensemble explored new sounds and frequently improvised collectively, evolving their improvisations throughout the performance. Theatrical elements such as recitation of poetry and multimedia formats were an element to the ensemble’s identity, but what is very noteworthy about the group was their refined ensemble playing in which each individual added a great deal to the group as a whole.

In 1969, the ensemble moved to Paris and from there became one of the preeminent Avant-Garde ensembles, experiencing a considerable amount of success. During that time, they made such recordings as Reese and the Smooth Ones and People in Sorrow. In 1972, the ensemble moved back to Chicago and from there continued to grow. Despite the passing on of several musicians throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the group has more or less remained together, adding trumpeter Corey Wilkes and bassist Jaribu Shahid to the ensemble in 2004.

ARTISTS HOUSE. A record label founded in 1977 by John Snyder with the intention of delivering top-notch recordings and detailed liner notes. The record label was only in existence a short time (from 1977 to 1979) and put out about 10 albums including James “Blood” Ulmer’s first album Tales of Captain Black (1978, Artists House). Other artists affiliated with the label included Ornette Coleman, Paul Desmond, Charlie Haden, and Thad Jones. After the record label dissolved in 1979, many of the sessions that had been recorded were rereleased in the 1980s under different labels.

ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF CREATIVE MUSICIANS INC. (AACM). Regarded as one of the most successful musicians’ cooperatives, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians was formed in 1965 by composer and multi-instrumentalist Muhal Richard Abrams and the musicians associated with him. The group was based on a commitment to support forward-thinking and innovative musicians and provide performance and composition opportunities for the musician members. Featuring advocates for new music and talented musicians alike including saxophonist Anthony Braxton, trumpet player Leo Smith, and violinist Leroy Jenkins among others, the organization emphasized the sharing of creative exploration and expression.

The Art Ensemble of Chicago, a similar forward-thinking group of jazz musicians, was formed in 1968 by musicians who were associated with the AACM. Other organizations, including the cooperative Black Artists’ Group (BAG) based out of St. Louis and formed in the 1970s, were inspired by the model created by the rather successful AACM. The group presented public concerts in churches, local taverns, art galleries, high schools, and colleges in both big band and small-group settings featuring original and creative music by its members. In 1969, an educational program was added to the AACM for inner-city youth, and today, the organization still remains very dedicated to jazz education. Supported by grants from the MacArthur Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, a charter by the State of Illinois, as well as an association with Columbia College, the AACM continues to thrive today in its commitment and celebration of creative and, coined by the organization itself, “great black music.”

ASSUNTO. A family of Dixieland musicians made famous by the band they formed named the “Dukes of Dixieland.” Jacob “Papa Jac” Assunto (b. Lake Charles, Louisiana, 1 November 1905; d. New Orleans, 5 January 1985) was a Jennings, Louisiana-based trombonist and banjo player who relocated to New Orleans in the 1920s to pursue more performance opportunities and education. In 1929 he gave birth to his first son, Freddie Assunto (b. Jennings, Louisiana, 3 December 1929; d. Las Vegas, Nevada, 21 April 1966), who also took up trombone and received instruction from Papa Jac. Frank Assunto (b. New Orleans, Louisiana, 29 January 1932; d. New Orleans, 25 February 1974), Papa Jac’s second son, signaled a change in Papa Jac’s life as he decided to no longer pursue an active performance career. Frank decided to learn trumpet and at the age of 13 started a Dixieland band with Freddie. This band was officially named the Dukes of Dixieland in 1949, and the brothers toured with the band across the United States and Europe. In 1955 the group extended an invitation to their father to join, and after 22 years of inactivity Papa Jac joined the band. After 11 years of touring, Freddie suffered from illness and succumbed to a heart attack in 1966. Almost 10 years later, Frank also died, and Papa Jac left the group to resume his teaching career that he had started almost 40 years prior.

ASTORIA HOT EIGHT. An early Swing/Dixieland band founded by tenor saxophonist David Jones and cornetist Lee Collins in 1928. The band worked primarily at the Astoria Garden in New Orleans and had regular members Theodore Purnell, Joseph Robichaux, Emanuel Sayles, Al Morgan, and Joe Strode. The band also used the name Jones and Collins Astoria Hot Eight and recorded four sides: Astoria Strut and Duet Stomp (1929, Victor) and Damp Weather and Tip Easy Blues (1929, Bluebird).

ATCO RECORDS. Through the work of Herb Abramson, Atco was created as a subsidiary of Atlantic records and was committed to popular music. Atlantic Records had primarily focused on Rhythm and Blues and jazz styles, and the smaller label was created out of a desire to sign more mainstream artists. The label was made famous through recordings and signings of several Pop stars including King Curtis, Otis Redding, the Allman Brothers, and Bobby Darin. The label signed several jazz musicians during the 1960s. These artists included Herb Geller, Betty Carter, and Sir Roland Hanna. The label eventually folded into Atlantic until the 1990s when it had a brief resurgence. The label name Atco was used for reissues by Warner Group music in 2006. See also ATLANTIC RECORDS.

ATLANTIC RECORDS. Founded by Herb Abramson and Ahmet Ertegun in 1947 with the intention of recording and distributing African-American influenced music, the label became immensely popular in the 1950s and 1960s. The label was divided in 1955 with the creation of the Atco label that featured primarily Pop artists, leaving Atlantic to remain primarily focused on Rhythm and Blues music. Atlantic produced many popular jazz albums in the late 1950s. John Coltrane’s album Giant Steps (1959, Atlantic) and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959, Atlantic) were two highly influential albums that were produced on the label. Jazz artists Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz, Charles Mingus, Charles Lloyd, Gary Burton, Eddie Harris, and Keith Jarrett also were recorded during a 10-year period in which Atlantic emphasized recording jazz. Warner Bros. bought Atlantic in 1967, although Ahmet Ertegun retained control of the label. This purchase triggered events that led to fewer and fewer jazz recordings as the label pursued interests in recording Soul music and artists like Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett. Atlantic eventually expanded to many other different forms of music and has a strong presence in the Rock and Country music recording industries in addition to R&B. See also ATCO RECORDS.

AULD, GEORGIE (1919–1990). Auld began his professional career in the 1930s modeling his idol, Coleman Hawkins, while performing with several New York–based bands in addition to leading his own groups. In 1939, Auld joined Artie Shaw’s band (even leading the band briefly during an extended absence by Shaw) until he left the group to become a member of Benny Goodman’s groups. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Auld constantly changed his tenor sound to imitate other saxophonists and was noted for sounding like Charlie Barnet and Lester Young at different points in his affiliation with various groups. Prior to joining the army in 1943, Auld performed and recorded with Benny Carter, Billie Holiday, and briefly rejoined Shaw. From 1943 to 1946, Auld formed a big band with many top jazz musicians including Dizzy Gillespie and Erroll Garner, and recorded Big Band Jazz (1945, Musicraft).

In 1950, Auld was a member of Count Basie’s octet before moving to the Los Angeles area and freelancing with several groups in addition to starting some of his own. Auld opened up his own jazz club called the Melody Room and started a quintet that featured Frank Rosolino and Stan Levey. During this time, Auld recorded one of his most popular albums, In the Land of Hi-Fi (1955, EmArcy), which also featured Rosolino. Throughout the remainder of the 1950s and 1960s, Auld would primarily freelance and tour with bands in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Japan. Auld also pursued a short-lived career in acting, performing in a stage play in 1949 entitled The Rat Race and also ghosted for actor Robert De Niro in the 1977 film New York, New York.

AURORA. A Canadian record label that featured recordings of Duke Ellington and King Oliver during the early 1930s. While the record label was based out of Canada, many of the albums were recorded in the United States. Partner companies included Brunswick and Melotone.

AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL GANG. The nickname of a group of musicians from the Chicago West Side who had attended Austin High School and formed a group in 1922. The group was influenced by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. In its early years, the band played for high school fraternity dances and at the homes of fellow students. Members included cornetist Jimmy McPartland and tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman. See also MEZZROW, MEZZ; TOUGH, DAVE.

AUSTRALIAN JAZZ QUARTET/QUINTET. An Australian jazz group featuring pianist Bryce Rohde and Jack Brokensha. There is debate as to whether the group was named after a tour of Australia in 1958 or whether the members of the group had always made the title official when the group began in 1954. The group disbanded in 1959, and Rohde moved to Australia. The group recorded several albums on the Bethlehem label included recordings of the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and jazz renditions of the music from “Three Penny Opera.” Other members of the group before they disbanded included drummers Frank Capp and Osie Johnson.

AVAKIAN, GEORGE (1919– ). After graduating from Yale in 1941 with an English literature degree, Avakian began freelancing and writing for jazz magazines, writing liner notes for albums, and serving as a jazz editor for nonmusic magazines like Mademoiselle. In 1940, Avakian was hired by Columbia to assist with reissuing jazz recordings. This proved to be very important, and he and Columbia would continue to work together after Avakian’s military service and for the better part of the next two decades. Avakian produced albums for Columbia in addition to several other labels including Warner Bros. and RCA Records. As a producer he signed Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington to deals in addition to his prized Columbia signing of Miles Davis. In the 1960s, Avakian left Columbia and freelanced as a producer. He remained an important figure in the careers of several jazz musicians including Paul Desmond, Sonny Rollins, and Keith Jarrett. Avakian remained connected to Columbia even throughout the 1990s and contributed liner notes for reissued albums and box sets. Most notably, he was awarded a Grammy in 1996 for his liner notes in a boxed set of the works of Miles Davis and Gil Evans. In 2011, he was included on the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame as a living jazz legend.

AVANT-GARDE. An alternative to the name Free Jazz that was made popular during the 1960s and 1970s. The name Free Jazz was often frowned upon because the musicians felt their music was very structured and not as open as the term “free” implied. There is a slight disconnect from the music labeled as Free Jazz such as was performed by Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler to those musicians who played under the Avant-Garde style such as Archie Shepp. See also DOLPHY, ERIC; JOHNSON, REGINALD “REGGIE”; LEADERS.

AX(E). A term used as a reference to one’s instrument. Initially used as slang for a saxophone.

AYLER, ALBERT (1936–1970). Ayler began his professional career as an alto saxophonist playing with Rhythm and Blues bands led by both others and himself. Ayler enlisted in the army and switched to tenor saxophone while performing in the army’s concert bands. Ayler sat in on jazz jam sessions in France and decided to remain in Europe after he completed his service with the army. Ayler felt that Europeans were more sympathetic toward his style, and he recorded several live albums in Denmark and Sweden. After moving to New York in 1963, Ayler found musicians in Henry Grimes, Gary Peacock, and Sunny Murray who were sympathetic to his musical style and recorded several albums from 1964 to 1968 that included In Greenwich Village and Love Cry, both on the Impulse label. Ayler showcased his spiritual and Rhythm and Blues roots on several albums including Spirits Rejoice on ESP. Reasons for Ayler’s premature passing are still unclear. His body was discovered by local authorities after being been washed up along the shore of New York City’s East River. See also AYLER, DONALD; FREE JAZZ.

AYLER, DONALD (1942–2007). Ayler started his musical career as an alto saxophonist but switched to trumpet after a short stint in Europe. Donald was asked to spend time focusing on developing his playing with musician and family friend Charles Tyler and was reunited with his brother Albert in 1965. Albert’s newly formed band, which also included Tyler, recorded several times including the ESP album Spirits Rejoice, and In Greenwich Village on Impulse. Ayler suffered from a nervous breakdown and alcoholism, causing him to be fired from his brother’s band in 1968. Donald continued to play sporadically throughout the remainder of his life including forming a septet that performed in Italy and recorded the album In Florence. See also AYLER, ALBERT.

AZIMUTH. A jazz trio formed by British pianist John Taylor, flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler, and singer Norma Winstone. The group was founded in 1977 and quickly recorded three albums: Azimuth (1977, ECM); The Touchstone (1977, ECM); and Depart (1979, ECM). The group remained active through the early 2000s although it did not perform regularly and often played together as part of other larger ensembles.