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Home>Jazz Profiles - A to Z>Jazz profiles - "A"
| Adams Pepper
baritone sax (8/10/1930-10/09/1986)
In 1947 at the age of 17 Adams played with tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson, and in the same year spent six weeks touring with Lionel Hampton’s band.
Pepper Adams went on to play with the who’s who of jazz including, Kenny Burrell, Stan Kenton, Chet Baker, Benny Goodman, Charles Mingus, Tommy Flanagan and Donald Byrd to name just a few.
Adderley Julian Cannonball
alto sax, composer (15/09/1928-8/08/1975)
Cannonball is the elder brother of cornet player Nat Adderley.
In 1955 on moving to New York City Cannonball made an immediate impact touring with his band.
Between 1956 and ’59 he worked for Miles Davis, following which he formed his own very successful quintet that included his brother Nat.
Cannonball Adderley’s alto playing was initially influenced by Charlie Parker, although he also absorbed the styles of Benny Carter and John Coltrane.
Alexander Monty
piano (6/06/1944)
Born in Kingston, Jamaica Alexander is a dynamic performer who frequently associated with bassist Ray Brown and vibes player Milt Jackson.
Alexander’s piano style is strongly influenced by Oscar Peterson. He has a fluent technique that is steeped in swing.
Monty Alexander has recorded a number of excellent albums under his own name.
Allison Mose
vocal, piano, trumpet, composer (11/11/1927)
Born in Mississippi Mose started taking piano lessons from the age of 5, and played the trumpet in high school.
Coming from the deep-south he was very influenced by the blues and black music of the Mississippi, as well as Nat King Cole’s Trio and the early bebop musicians.
In the mid 1950s he played with saxophonists Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims.
Mose Alison went on to have success with a number of albums on which he sang and played piano.
Ammons Gene
tenor sax (14/03/1925-23/07/1974)
Between 1944 and ’47 Gene was a member of Billy Eckstine’s band, before moving on to work and record under his own name.
In 1949 Ammons's played in Woody Herman’s band, and between 1950 and ’52 he co-led a septet with fellow saxophonist the versatile Sonny Stitt.
Gene Ammons’s tenor approach was derived from both Ben Webster and Lester Young.
His style was very popular with black record buyers.
Anderson Ernestine
vocal (11/11/1928)
Coming from a Gospel background, Ernestine began singing professionally in the early 1940s, with orchestras that modified swing arrangements, adding shouting vocalists and pacy instrumental blues.
This formula was eventually known as Rhythm and Blues or R and B.
In the ‘50s Anderson moved away from this style and became a prominent jazz stylist. It was in the early 1950’s that she sang with the Lionel Hampton band and recorded with Quincy Jones.
Ernestine Anderson became extremely popular in Europe where she settled for some time.
Armstrong Louis
trumpet, vocal (4/07/1900-9/07/1971)
Armstrong was most likely born on July 4th – American Independence Day.
Armstrong was a jazz originator with an inherent sense of exactly what the music is all about. Ever since the beginning of his career in the 1920s he has directly or indirectly been a prime influence on all forms of music – and every stage of jazz.
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