Examples of the artists who today might be considered “Influencers” run the decades from Louis Armstrong to Terence Blanchard, Nat King Cole to Gregory Porter, Lionel Hampton to Stefon Harris. Join us for Midday and Evening Jazz in February as we honor and uplift their creation of and contributions to this great Black American art form with 100 artists.
The 100 jazz artists who will be featured for Black History Month are the groundbreakers and inspired innovators who have transcended the genre to become jazz icons. We've selected a strong slate of singers, horn players, guitarists and rhythm section players that we consider to be among the best jazz artists on their instrument from the last 100 years.
Of course, there’s no way to come up with a definitive “short list” that includes all the best jazz musicians ever to have shared their life experiences through their instruments. There are, however, a selection of well-known jazz artists who appear whenever we talk about the players who have shaped, and continue to shape, the development of the genre.