Name These Jazz Legends
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Question 1
Who Is The Trumpeter Behind The Electric Jazz Album "Bitches Brew"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Recorded The Spiritual Suite "A Love Supreme" In 1964?
Question 1
Who Sang The Classic Protest Song "Mississippi Goddam"?
Question 1
Which Singer Is Famous For The Live Album "Ella In Berlin"?
Question 1
Who Was Nicknamed "Satchmo" And Remained A Global Jazz Icon Into The 1960s?
Question 1
Which Pianist-Led Group Popularized The 1960s Hit "Take Five"?
Question 1
Who Played Vibraphone In The Modern Jazz Quartet For Decades?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Helped Popularize Bossa Nova With "The Girl From Ipanema"?
Question 1
Who Is The Bebop Trumpeter Known For His Big Cheeks And Dizzying Runs?
Question 1
Which Bandleader’s Orchestra Stayed Famous Into The 1960s With A Hard-Swinging Sound?
Question 1
Who Composed "Take The 'A' Train" And Led A Legendary Orchestra Into The 1970s?
Question 1
Which Pianist-Composer Is Famous For Quirky Tunes Like "Round Midnight"?
Question 1
Which Jazz Guitarist Also Sang On The Crossover Hit Album "Breezin’"?
Question 1
Who Led The Jazz Messengers And Helped Launch Many Young Stars?
Question 1
Which Bassist-Composer Created Powerful Works Like "Haitian Fight Song"?
Question 1
Who Led The Funky 1973 Jazz-Fusion Album "Head Hunters"?
Question 1
Which Pianist Founded Return To Forever And Wrote The Standard "Spain"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist’s Album "Soul Station" Is A 1960s Hard-Bop Favorite?
Question 1
Which Pianist Is Known For The Trio Album "Sunday At The Village Vanguard"?
Question 1
Which Jazz Singer Is Nicknamed “Lady Day” And Left An Enduring Legacy Into The 1960s?
Question 1
Which Tenor Saxophonist Is Known For A Long Career And The Album "Saxophone Colossus"?
Question 1
Which Trumpeter Recorded The Hard-Bop Classic "The Sidewinder"?
Question 1
Which Alto Saxophonist Played On Miles Davis’s "Kind Of Blue" And Led His Own Bands?
Question 1
Which Vocalist Is Known For The Album "Sarah Vaughan With Clifford Brown"?
Question 1
Which Guitarist’s Octave-Laced Style Shaped Modern Jazz Guitar Before His 1968 Death?
Question 1
Who Is The Brazilian Composer-Pianist Behind Bossa Nova Classics Like "Desafinado"?
Question 1
Which Jazz Innovator Reinvented His Sound Repeatedly, From 1960s Post-Bop To 1980s Projects Like "Tutu"?
Question 1
Which Upright Bassist Appears On Countless 1960s Sessions, Including Miles Davis’s Second Quintet?
Question 1
Which Drummer Led The Fusion Band Tony Williams Lifetime, Featuring John McLaughlin On Guitar?
Question 1
Which Trumpeter Won Major 1980s Recognition For Blending Classical Technique And Jazz Swing?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Co-Founded Weather Report And Became Known For Soprano Sax In Fusion?
Question 1
Who Was Weather Report’s Keyboardist-Composer Behind "Birdland"?
Question 1
Which Electric Bass Virtuoso Joined Weather Report And Became Famous For Harmonics And Speed?
Question 1
Who Played Piano On The Long, Improvised 1975 Recording "The Köln Concert"?
Question 1
Which Guitarist Led The Pat Metheny Group And Won Multiple Grammys For Jazz And Fusion?
Question 1
Which Singer Blended Pop And Jazz On The 1980s Album "Breakin’ Away"?
Question 1
Who Created The A Cappella Hit "Don’t Worry, Be Happy"?
Question 1
Which Trumpeter-Composers’ Film Work Includes The Score For Spike Lee’s "Mo’ Better Blues"?
Question 1
Which Tenor Saxophonist Led The 1990s “Young Lions” Wave After Winning The Thelonious Monk Competition?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist From The Marsalis Family Balanced Straight-Ahead Jazz With High-Profile Mainstream Projects?
Question 1
Which Trumpeter Led A Celebrated 1990s Acoustic Jazz Band Often Rooted In Blues And Swing?
Question 1
Which Tenor Saxophonist Returned To Prominence In The 1970s With Albums Like "Sophisticated Giant"?
Question 1
Which Pianist Wrote The Latin-Infused Standard "Song For My Father"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist’s Blue Note Album "Speak No Evil" Is A 1960s Classic?
Question 1
Which Drummer Powered John Coltrane’s Classic Quartet With Explosive Polyrhythms?
Question 1
Which Drummer Led The 1970s Fusion Group The Eleventh House?
Question 1
Which Pianist’s Quartal Chords Helped Define The 1960s John Coltrane Quartet Sound?
Question 1
Which Bassist Joined Miles Davis In The Late 1960s And Later Co-Led The Avant-Garde Group Circle?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Was A Core Member Of Weather Report On The 1977 Album "Heavy Weather"?
Question 1
Which Smooth Jazz Saxophonist Became A Massive Best-Seller With The Song "Songbird"?
Question 1
Which Alto Saxophonist Made The Soul-Jazz Hit "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" Famous?
Question 1
Which Tenor Saxophonist Recorded The 1960s Classic "Inner Urge"?
Question 1
Which Guitarist And Composer Led The Jazz-Fusion Powerhouse Mahavishnu Orchestra?
Question 1
Which Singer Released The 1990s Album "Blue Light ’Til Dawn," Blending Jazz With Blues And Folk Colors?
Question 1
Which Canadian Jazz Singer-Pianist Broke Through In The Late 1990s With Albums Like "When I Look In Your Eyes"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Recorded The 1971 Spiritual-Jazz Album "Thembi"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Released The 1960 Album "Free Jazz," Helping Name A Movement?
Question 1
Which Trumpeter Led The 1980s Album "Black Codes (From The Underground)"?
Question 1
Which Jazz Guitarist Won A Grammy With His Hit Version Of "This Masquerade" In The Mid-1970s?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Was A Key Star Of The 1980s Contemporary Scene With The Group Steps Ahead?
Question 1
Which Bassist Produced And Played On Miles Davis’s 1986 Album "Tutu"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Is Closely Linked To The Grammy-Winning Album "Winelight"?
Question 1
Which Spiritual-Jazz Saxophonist Is Known For Searing Tone And Ecstatic 1970s Recordings Like "Karma"?
Question 1
Which Drummer Joined Miles Davis As A Teen And Became A Major Innovator And Bandleader?
Question 1
Which Keyboardist Co-Founded Return To Forever And Helped Define 1970s Fusion?
Question 1
Which Vocalese Pioneer Is Famous For Writing Lyrics To Instrumental Jazz Solos?
Question 1
Which Trumpeter Played On Herbie Hancock’s 1964 Album "Empyrean Isles"?
Question 1
Which Pianist Became A Free-Jazz Icon With Dense, Percussive Playing In The 1960s?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Recorded "The Shape Of Jazz To Come," Influencing 1960s Improvisation?
Question 1
Which Trombonist Co-Founded The Jazz Crusaders And Helped Steer The Band Toward 1970s Crossover As The Crusaders?
Question 1
Which Alto Saxophonist Became A Go-To 1970s-1990s Session Star With A Bright, Cutting Tone?
Question 1
Which Jazz Singer Was Revered For Daring Improvisation And Live Intensity, Including "The Audience With Betty Carter"?
Question 1
Which Pianist Famously Struggled On The First Take Of John Coltrane’s "Giant Steps" But Became A Respected Master?
Question 1
Which Multi-Instrumentalist Led The 1964 Avant-Garde Album "Out To Lunch!"?
Question 1
Which Pianist Recorded The 1990s Solo Album "The Melody At Night, With You"?
Question 1
Which Cuban Trumpeter Became Internationally Famous In The 1990s For Virtuosity And Dazzling High Notes?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Led The 1990s Project Buckshot LeFonque Alongside His Acclaimed Jazz Quartet?
Question 1
Which Pianist-Composer Wrote The Modern Standard "Maiden Voyage"?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist’s Writing And Playing In Miles Davis’s 1960s Quintet Helped Define Post-Bop?
Question 1
Which Singer Won Wide Praise For The 1997 Tribute Album "Dear Ella"?
Question 1
Which Vocalist Became A Leading Contemporary Jazz Star With Rich Tone And Storytelling In The 1990s?
Question 1
Which Saxophonist Created Socially Aware Jazz Statements In The 1970s, Including The Album "Attica Blues"?
Question 1
Which Electric Bass Virtuoso Co-Founded Return To Forever And Became A Fusion Star?
Question 1
Which Pianist Scored A Mid-1960s Hit With The Live Track "The ‘In’ Crowd"?
Question 1
Which Guitarist Showcased Solo Chord-Melody Mastery On The 1973 Album "Virtuoso"?
Question 1
Which Tenor Saxophonist Released The 1996 Album "Tales From The Hudson" And Became A Modern Jazz Titan?
Question 1
Which Composer’s Songs Power The Bossa Nova Classic Album "Getz/Gilberto"?
Question 1
Which Norwegian Saxophonist Became A Signature ECM Artist, Notably On The 1994 Project "Officium"?
Question 1
Which Cuban Trumpeter Is Known For Joining Irakere Before Becoming A Global Star In The 1980s-1990s?
Question 1
Which Singer Revived Standards In The 1990s With A Cool, Intimate Style On The Album "Dreamland"?
1
Miles Davis
2
Louis Armstrong
3
Chet Baker
4
Dizzy Gillespie
Miles Davis led the groundbreaking 1970 album “Bitches Brew,” helping spark jazz fusion and electric experimentation.
1
John Coltrane
2
Stan Getz
3
Sonny Rollins
4
Wayne Shorter
John Coltrane recorded “A Love Supreme” in 1964, a deeply spiritual suite that became a cornerstone of modern jazz.
1
Ella Fitzgerald
2
Sarah Vaughan
3
Nina Simone
4
Betty Carter
Nina Simone wrote and performed “Mississippi Goddam,” using jazz and song to protest racism after 1963 tragedies.
1
Dee Dee Bridgewater
2
Ella Fitzgerald
3
Anita O’Day
4
Carmen McRae
Ella Fitzgerald’s “Ella in Berlin” captures her fearless improvisation, including a legendary, off-the-cuff “Mack the Knife.”
1
Count Basie
2
Cab Calloway
3
Duke Ellington
4
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong—“Satchmo”—stayed globally beloved into the 1960s for his trumpet brilliance and warm vocals.
1
Weather Report
2
The Modern Jazz Quartet
3
The Miles Davis Quintet
4
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
The Dave Brubeck Quartet popularized “Take Five,” a best-known jazz hit built around its distinctive 5/4 groove.
1
Milt Jackson
2
Elvin Jones
3
Max Roach
4
Art Blakey
Milt Jackson’s vibraphone sound anchored the Modern Jazz Quartet, blending blues feeling with chamber-jazz elegance.
1
Ornette Coleman
2
Stan Getz
3
Lester Young
4
Coleman Hawkins
Stan Getz’s smooth tenor sax helped turn bossa nova into a worldwide craze through “The Girl from Ipanema.”
1
Lee Morgan
2
Clifford Brown
3
Freddie Hubbard
4
Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie helped invent bebop trumpet language, famous for virtuosic lines and his trademark puffed cheeks.
1
Benny Goodman
2
Glenn Miller
3
Tommy Dorsey
4
Count Basie
Count Basie’s orchestra remained a major force into the 1960s, celebrated for groove, riffs, and swinging precision.
1
Artie Shaw
2
Duke Ellington
3
Woody Herman
4
Fletcher Henderson
Duke Ellington led his orchestra for decades and stayed influential into the 1970s with timeless compositions and style.
1
McCoy Tyner
2
Horace Silver
3
Bill Evans
4
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk’s angular melodies and rhythmic surprises made “Round Midnight” one of jazz’s most played standards.
1
Pat Metheny
2
John McLaughlin
3
George Benson
4
Wes Montgomery
George Benson blended jazz guitar with pop-friendly vocals, and “Breezin’” helped define 1970s crossover jazz success.
1
Tony Williams
2
Buddy Rich
3
Gene Krupa
4
Art Blakey
Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers were a famed proving ground, launching generations of standout hard-bop musicians.
1
Ron Carter
2
Charles Mingus
3
Jaco Pastorius
4
Ray Brown
Charles Mingus wrote “Haitian Fight Song,” pairing fiery bass with ambitious, emotionally charged compositions and arrangements.
1
Joe Zawinul
2
Keith Jarrett
3
Herbie Hancock
4
Chick Corea
Herbie Hancock’s “Head Hunters” fused funk rhythms with jazz improvisation, becoming one of the best-selling jazz albums.
1
Chick Corea
2
Ahmad Jamal
3
Ramsey Lewis
4
Cecil Taylor
Chick Corea founded Return to Forever and wrote “Spain,” a virtuosic favorite that blends Latin energy with modern harmony.
1
Michael Brecker
2
Hank Mobley
3
Phil Woods
4
Wayne Shorter
Hank Mobley’s “Soul Station” is a hard-bop classic, praised for relaxed swing, clarity, and lyrical tenor phrasing.
1
Oscar Peterson
2
Herbie Hancock
3
Bill Evans
4
Bud Powell
Bill Evans’ Village Vanguard recordings showcase lyrical touch and deep trio interaction, influencing modern piano trios.
1
Sarah Vaughan
2
Billie Holiday
3
Ella Fitzgerald
4
Nina Simone
Billie Holiday—“Lady Day”—influenced vocal jazz phrasing profoundly, and her recordings stayed revered through the 1960s.
1
Ben Webster
2
Sonny Rollins
3
Dexter Gordon
4
Gerry Mulligan
Sonny Rollins’ “Saxophone Colossus” is a landmark, and his improvisations remained influential well beyond the 1960s.
1
Dizzy Gillespie
2
Maynard Ferguson
3
Lee Morgan
4
Arturo Sandoval
Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder” became a rare jazz hit, boosting hard bop’s popularity with a catchy groove.
1
Jackie McLean
2
Paul Desmond
3
Eric Dolphy
4
Cannonball Adderley
Cannonball Adderley’s soulful alto shines on “Kind of Blue,” and he later led hugely popular soul-jazz groups.
1
Julie London
2
Dinah Washington
3
Blossom Dearie
4
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan’s stunning range and tone shine on her sessions with Clifford Brown, among vocal jazz’s classics.
1
Grant Green
2
Wes Montgomery
3
Joe Pass
4
George Benson
Wes Montgomery’s octave technique and warm phrasing transformed jazz guitar, influencing countless players after him.
1
Antônio Carlos Jobim
2
Milton Nascimento
3
João Gilberto
4
Sérgio Mendes
Antônio Carlos Jobim wrote bossa nova standards like “Desafinado,” helping the style become an international phenomenon.
1
Miles Davis
2
Wynton Marsalis
3
John Coltrane
4
Herbie Hancock
Miles Davis continually reinvented jazz, from 1960s post-bop to later electric-era projects like “Tutu.”
1
Charles Mingus
2
Dave Holland
3
Ron Carter
4
Christian McBride
Ron Carter anchored many 1960s classics, especially with Miles Davis, using impeccable time and rich harmonic sense.
1
Tony Williams
2
Herbie Hancock
3
Keith Jarrett
4
Chick Corea
Tony Williams formed Lifetime in 1969, and John McLaughlin’s guitar helped define its fierce jazz-rock sound.
1
Terence Blanchard
2
Wynton Marsalis
3
Roy Hargrove
4
Freddie Hubbard
Wynton Marsalis gained major 1980s acclaim for virtuosic trumpet work and a high-profile acoustic jazz revival.
1
Branford Marsalis
2
Michael Brecker
3
Wayne Shorter
4
Joe Henderson
Wayne Shorter co-founded Weather Report, bringing a distinctive soprano sax voice to landmark jazz-fusion recordings.
1
Keith Jarrett
2
Chick Corea
3
Joe Zawinul
4
Herbie Hancock
Joe Zawinul co-led Weather Report and wrote “Birdland,” one of the most recognizable tunes in jazz fusion.
1
Marcus Miller
2
Jaco Pastorius
3
Victor Wooten
4
Stanley Clarke
Jaco Pastorius revolutionized electric bass with fretless tone, harmonics, and dazzling technique in the late 1970s.
1
Herbie Hancock
2
Chick Corea
3
Keith Jarrett
4
Bill Evans
Keith Jarrett’s “Köln Concert” became a best-selling solo piano album, built largely from spontaneous improvisation.
1
Mike Stern
2
Larry Coryell
3
Pat Metheny
4
Al Di Meola
Pat Metheny’s lyrical guitar and rich textures earned major Grammy recognition from the 1970s through the 1990s.
1
Joe Williams
2
Al Jarreau
3
Kurt Elling
4
Bobby McFerrin
Al Jarreau’s flexible voice crossed pop and jazz lines, and “Breakin’ Away” became a signature early-1980s release.
1
Jon Hendricks
2
Joe Williams
3
Bobby McFerrin
4
Cab Calloway
Bobby McFerrin built “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” using only his voice, bringing jazz sensibility to pop charts.
1
Arturo Sandoval
2
Terence Blanchard
3
Doc Severinsen
4
Wynton Marsalis
Terence Blanchard began a major film career with Spike Lee, including the 1990 score for “Mo’ Better Blues.”
1
Joshua Redman
2
Chris Potter
3
Michael Brecker
4
Joe Lovano
Joshua Redman emerged in the 1990s after winning the Monk competition, blending tradition with modern post-bop drive.
1
Branford Marsalis
2
Ellis Marsalis
3
Wynton Marsalis
4
Delfeayo Marsalis
Branford Marsalis built a major career across jazz, media, and crossover work while maintaining strong straight-ahead credentials.
1
Freddie Hubbard
2
Terence Blanchard
3
Roy Hargrove
4
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis led acclaimed 1990s acoustic bands, emphasizing blues, swing, and classic small-group jazz language.
1
Gerry Mulligan
2
Dexter Gordon
3
Paul Desmond
4
Johnny Hodges
Dexter Gordon’s big tenor tone shined on 1970s recordings like “Sophisticated Giant,” winning new fans and acclaim.
1
Eddie Palmieri
2
Michel Camilo
3
Tito Puente
4
Horace Silver
Horace Silver wrote “Song for My Father,” a catchy hard-bop tune with a memorable Latin-tinged groove.
1
Hank Mobley
2
Joe Henderson
3
Wayne Shorter
4
Jackie McLean
Wayne Shorter’s “Speak No Evil” is a defining Blue Note album, mixing mystery, melody, and advanced harmony.
1
Elvin Jones
2
Jack DeJohnette
3
Tony Williams
4
Art Blakey
Elvin Jones drove Coltrane’s quartet with rolling cymbals and polyrhythms that expanded modern jazz drumming.
1
Tony Williams
2
Alphonse Mouzon
3
Billy Cobham
4
Lenny White
Billy Cobham led The Eleventh House, showcasing thunderous, precise drumming central to 1970s jazz-rock fusion.
1
McCoy Tyner
2
Herbie Hancock
3
Joe Zawinul
4
Bill Evans
McCoy Tyner’s powerful quartal voicings and rhythmic drive became essential to the sound of Coltrane’s quartet.
1
Dave Holland
2
Ray Brown
3
Jaco Pastorius
4
Ron Carter
Dave Holland joined Miles Davis during the electric transition and later co-led Circle in adventurous modern jazz.
1
David Sanborn
2
Grover Washington Jr.
3
Michael Brecker
4
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter’s saxophone and compositions helped define Weather Report, including the influential 1977 album “Heavy Weather.”
1
Bob Berg
2
David Sanborn
3
Najee
4
Kenny G
Kenny G’s “Songbird” became a pop-radio staple, helping propel smooth jazz to mainstream commercial success.
1
Lou Donaldson
2
Cannonball Adderley
3
Phil Woods
4
Jackie McLean
Cannonball Adderley popularized “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” connecting gospel-tinged soul jazz with a wide audience.
1
Wayne Shorter
2
Stan Getz
3
Joshua Redman
4
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge” showcases tense harmony and driving rhythm, becoming a defining 1960s post-bop statement.
1
Chick Corea
2
John McLaughlin
3
Joe Zawinul
4
Pat Metheny
John McLaughlin founded the Mahavishnu Orchestra, blending rock intensity with complex jazz harmony and odd meters.
1
Dee Dee Bridgewater
2
Dianne Reeves
3
Diana Krall
4
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson’s 1993 “Blue Light ’Til Dawn” reimagined material with earthy vocals, acoustic textures, and genre blending.
1
Joni Mitchell
2
Diana Krall
3
Holly Cole
4
k.d. lang
Diana Krall rose to late-1990s stardom with elegant vocals and piano-driven swing that reached mainstream audiences.
1
Pharoah Sanders
2
Albert Ayler
3
Ornette Coleman
4
Archie Shepp
Pharoah Sanders recorded “Thembi,” continuing his spiritual jazz era with expansive forms and an intense, searching tone.
1
Ornette Coleman
2
Stan Getz
3
John Coltrane
4
Sonny Rollins
Ornette Coleman’s “Free Jazz” spotlighted collective improvisation and helped define the emerging free-jazz movement.
1
Freddie Hubbard
2
Wynton Marsalis
3
Miles Davis
4
Dizzy Gillespie
Wynton Marsalis’ “Black Codes” became a key 1980s release, associated with a high-profile acoustic jazz resurgence.
1
Joe Pass
2
Wes Montgomery
3
George Benson
4
Pat Metheny
George Benson’s “This Masquerade” performance won a Grammy, showcasing his smooth vocals and virtuosic guitar.
1
Wayne Shorter
2
Joe Henderson
3
Stan Getz
4
Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker’s powerful tenor sound helped define Steps Ahead and shaped the vocabulary of modern saxophone.
1
Ron Carter
2
Stanley Clarke
3
Marcus Miller
4
Jaco Pastorius
Marcus Miller produced and played bass on “Tutu,” shaping its sleek, modern sound around Miles Davis’s trumpet.
1
Grover Washington Jr.
2
Najee
3
Kenny G
4
David Sanborn
Grover Washington Jr.’s “Winelight” blended polished grooves with jazz phrasing, becoming a landmark smooth-jazz bestseller.
1
Albert Ayler
2
Pharoah Sanders
3
Ornette Coleman
4
Archie Shepp
Pharoah Sanders’ “Karma” exemplifies spiritual jazz, pairing ecstatic tenor sax with long-form, trance-like improvisations.
1
Buddy Rich
2
Elvin Jones
3
Jack DeJohnette
4
Tony Williams
Tony Williams joined Miles Davis as a teenager, then transformed modern drumming and led boundary-pushing ensembles.
1
Herbie Hancock
2
Chick Corea
3
Joe Zawinul
4
Keith Jarrett
Chick Corea’s Return to Forever work blended Latin rhythms and electric textures, becoming a cornerstone of 1970s fusion.
1
Joe Williams
2
Eddie Jefferson
3
Al Jarreau
4
Jon Hendricks
Jon Hendricks popularized vocalese by adding clever lyrics to famous instrumental solos and performing them with swing.
1
Freddie Hubbard
2
Dizzy Gillespie
3
Arturo Sandoval
4
Lee Morgan
Freddie Hubbard’s bright, fearless trumpet features on “Empyrean Isles,” a classic 1960s Herbie Hancock session.
1
Cecil Taylor
2
Ahmad Jamal
3
Bill Evans
4
Oscar Peterson
Cecil Taylor’s explosive, percussive style used clusters and complex rhythms, making him a central free-jazz figure.
1
Sonny Rollins
2
Wayne Shorter
3
Ornette Coleman
4
John Coltrane
Ornette Coleman’s “The Shape of Jazz to Come” challenged chord-based norms and opened new improvisational pathways.
1
Wilton Felder
2
Wayne Henderson
3
J.J. Johnson
4
Slide Hampton
Wayne Henderson co-founded the Jazz Crusaders and later guided The Crusaders toward jazz-funk crossover success.
1
Bob Berg
2
Grover Washington Jr.
3
Kenny G
4
David Sanborn
David Sanborn’s biting alto tone made him a sought-after soloist on jazz records, pop sessions, and TV bands.
1
Betty Carter
2
Dinah Washington
3
Sarah Vaughan
4
Carmen McRae
Betty Carter was famed for daring phrasing and improvisation, and “The Audience with Betty Carter” captures her live power.
1
Horace Silver
2
Bill Evans
3
McCoy Tyner
4
Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan played on the 1959 “Giant Steps” session and later became admired for elegant, swinging piano.
1
Ornette Coleman
2
Charles Mingus
3
Eric Dolphy
4
John Coltrane
Eric Dolphy led “Out to Lunch!” and showcased adventurous composition plus virtuosity on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet.
1
McCoy Tyner
2
Herbie Hancock
3
Keith Jarrett
4
Chick Corea
Keith Jarrett’s “The Melody at Night, With You” offers intimate standards performances, recorded during the 1990s.
1
Dizzy Gillespie
2
Freddie Hubbard
3
Roy Hargrove
4
Arturo Sandoval
Arturo Sandoval gained global fame for breathtaking trumpet technique, blazing range, and electrifying Latin jazz performances.
1
Branford Marsalis
2
Michael Brecker
3
Joshua Redman
4
David Sanborn
Branford Marsalis launched Buckshot LeFonque in the 1990s, mixing jazz improvisation with hip-hop and R&B textures.
1
McCoy Tyner
2
Herbie Hancock
3
Wayne Shorter
4
Chick Corea
Herbie Hancock wrote “Maiden Voyage,” a modern standard whose floating harmonies became central to post-bop repertoire.
1
Wayne Shorter
2
Ben Webster
3
Sonny Rollins
4
Stan Getz
Wayne Shorter’s compositions and solos with Miles Davis shaped post-bop language and influenced countless modern jazz writers.
1
Cassandra Wilson
2
Diana Krall
3
Dianne Reeves
4
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Dee Dee Bridgewater’s “Dear Ella” honored Ella Fitzgerald, earning Grammy recognition for vibrant, swinging vocal interpretations.
1
Betty Carter
2
Dianne Reeves
3
Dee Dee Bridgewater
4
Cassandra Wilson
Dianne Reeves became a top contemporary jazz vocalist, praised for deep tone, rhythmic command, and expressive storytelling.
1
Sonny Rollins
2
Stan Getz
3
Dexter Gordon
4
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp blended avant-garde jazz with political themes, and “Attica Blues” remains a powerful 1970s statement.
1
Stanley Clarke
2
Marcus Miller
3
Dave Holland
4
Ron Carter
Stanley Clarke’s electric bass virtuosity helped power Return to Forever and shaped the sound of jazz fusion.
1
Bill Evans
2
Ahmad Jamal
3
Ramsey Lewis
4
Horace Silver
Ramsey Lewis reached wide audiences with soulful grooves, and “The ‘In’ Crowd” became a major mid-1960s hit.
1
Pat Metheny
2
Wes Montgomery
3
Joe Pass
4
George Benson
Joe Pass’s “Virtuoso” showcases solo guitar mastery, combining walking bass lines, chords, and melody at once.
1
Joe Lovano
2
Joshua Redman
3
Chris Potter
4
Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker’s “Tales from the Hudson” highlights his modern tenor mastery, blending intensity, lyricism, and precision.
1
Stan Getz
2
Antônio Carlos Jobim
3
Astrud Gilberto
4
João Gilberto
Antônio Carlos Jobim wrote core bossa nova songs featured on “Getz/Gilberto,” helping define the genre’s global sound.
1
Branford Marsalis
2
Joshua Redman
3
Jan Garbarek
4
Wayne Shorter
Jan Garbarek’s airy tone became synonymous with ECM, and “Officium” paired his saxophone with choral voices.
1
Arturo Sandoval
2
Paquito D’Rivera
3
Dizzy Gillespie
4
Wynton Marsalis
Arturo Sandoval played with Irakere before international fame, later dazzling audiences worldwide with virtuosic trumpet fireworks.
1
Madeleine Peyroux
2
Cassandra Wilson
3
Shirley Horn
4
Diana Krall
Madeleine Peyroux’s “Dreamland” revived standards with a hushed, vintage-inflected style that drew major 1990s attention.
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Jazz has a way of sticking with you—those smoky clubs, bold solos, and unmistakable swing. But how well do you really know the artists who shaped the sound? Name these jazz legends and see if your musical memory hits every note!
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