Suggested Listening

The best way to learn to play jazz well is to listen to accomplished players and imitate what you hear. Following is a list of some names to look for in the record store or youtube.

Alto Saxophone

Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderly, Sonny Stitt, Lou Donaldson, Phil Woods, Charlie Mariano, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, Jackie McLean, Ornette Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, Eric Dolphy, Herb Geller, Art Pepper, Lennie Niehaus, Bud Shank, Matt Catingub, Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter, Steve Coleman

Tenor Saxophone

John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Gene Ammons, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, George Coleman, Harold Land, Azar Lawrence, Dewey Redman, Steve Grossman, John Klemmer, Dave Liebman, Pharoah Sanders, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Dexter Gordon, Wayne Marsh, Zoot Sims, Charles Lloyd, Michael Brecker

Baritone Saxophone

Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams, Harry Carney, Sahib Shehab, Serge Chaloff, Dennis DiBlasio

Trumpet

Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gilespie, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Blue Mitchell, Clark Terry, Kenny Dorham, Roy Eldridge, Don Cherry, Fats Navarro, Johnny Coles, Chet Baker, Virgil Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Shew, Doc Severinson, Maynard Ferguson, John Faddis, Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbeck, Randy Brecker, Harry "Sweets" Edison

Trombone

J.J. Johnson, Carl Fontana, Jack Teagarden, Kai Winding, Milt Bernhardt, Jimmy Cleveland, Bill Harris, Phil Wilson, Frank Rosolino, Curtis Fuller, Grachan Moncur III, Garnett Brown, Bill Watrous, Roswell Rudd, Rob McConnell, Conrad Herwig, Slide Hampton, John Fedchock, Kid Ory, "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Urbie Green, Albert Mangelsdorf

Piano

Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock, Lennie Tristano, Mary Lou Williams, Hampton Haines, Roland Hanna, Al Haig, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Kieth Jarrett, Paul Bley, Wynton Kelly, Red Garland, George Cables, George Duke, Denny Zeitlen, Bud Powell, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Ahmad Jamal, Kenny Barton, Tommy Flannagan, Horace Silver, John Lewis, Count Basie, Erroll Garner, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington

Guitar

Freddy Green, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Harb Ellis, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Attila Zoeller, Pat Martino, Mick Goodrick, Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin, Grant Green, George Benson, Jerry Hahn, Jimmy Raney, Pat Meheny, Jimi Hendrix

Bass

Charlie Mingus, Ray Brown, Scott LaFaro, Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, Richard Davis, Ron Carter, Rufus Reid, Eddie Gomez, Monk Montgomery, Chuck Rainey, Carol Kaye, Miroslav Vitous, George Mraz, Stanley Clarke, Bob Cranshaw, Jimmy Garrison, Percy Heath, Steve Swallow, Buster Williams, Cecil McGee, Slam Stewart Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Walter Page, Jaco Pastorius, John Patitucci

Drums

Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Louis Bellson, Art Blakey, Connei Kay, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Paul Motion, Billy Higgins, Billy Cobham, Grady Tate, Mickey Roker, Ed Blackwell, Bobby Moses, Joe Chambers, Alphonse Mouzon, Shelly Manne, Stan Levy, Danny Richmond, Steve Houghton, Ed Shaughnesey, Sam Woodyard, Mel Lewis, Herold Jones

Vibraphone

Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Gary Burton, Dave Friedman, Roy Ayers, Lynn Blessing, Red Norvo, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Terry Gibbs

Big Bands

Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glen Miller, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Don Ellis, Gerald Wilson, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, Bill Watrous, Francine Bolan, Louis Bellson, Gil Evans, Matt Catingub, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Fletcher Henderson, Rob McConnell, Bob Mintzer, Claude Thornhill, Maynard Ferguson

Flute

Hubert Laws, James Moody, Herbie Mann, Frank Wess, Jeremy Steig, Roland Kirk, Yusef Lateef, Frank Wess, Lew Tabackin

Clarinet

Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Artie Sahw, Tony Scott, Buddy DeFranco, Pee Wee Russell, Jimmy Guiffre, Eric Dolphy (Bass Clarinet), Russell Procope, Johnny Dodds, Eddie Daniels

Soprano Saxophone

Michael Brecker, Joe Farrell, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Dave Liebman

Euphonium/Tuba

Rich Matteson, Bill Barber, Howard Johnson

Organ

Jimmy Smith, Larry Young, Jack McDuff, Richard "Groove" Holmes

Vocalists

Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Mel Torme, Frank Sinatra, Jon Lucien, Roy Kral, Lou Rawls, Ray Charles, Mose Allison, Billy Eckstine, Leon Thomas, Grady Tate, Joe Williams, Carmen McCrae, Peggy Lee, Jackie Cain, Anita O'Day, Chris Conner, June Christy, Diane Schuur, Louis Armstrong, Bobby McFerrin, Betty Carter

Composers/Arrangers

Duke Ellington, John Fedchock , Quincy Jones, Don Sebesky, Billy Byers, Bill Holman, Gil Evans, Johnny Richards, Thad Jones, Gerald Wilson, Pat Williams, Claus Ogerman, Neal Hefti, Hank Levy, Willie Maiden, Don Piestrup, Bob Florence, Kim Richmond, Al Cohn, George Russell, Pete Rugolo, Bill Russo, Oliver Nelson, Gerry Mulligan, Shorty Rogers, Billy Strayhorn, Ernie Wilkins, Ralph Burns, Wes Hensel

Violin

Joe Venuti, Stuff Smith, Ray Nance, Jean-Luc Ponty, Stephane Grappelli, Michael White, Jerry Goodman, John Blake, Randy Sabien, Fiddler Williams, Joe Kennedy Jr., Darol Anger