When we think of great female artists in jazz history, the first names to come to mind are Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday. But it was not only the female vocalists; the world of jazz also saw some exceptionally talented female instrumentalists during its golden years. From playing the piano to the saxophone, these women were truly some of the most iconic jazz musicians of their times. Even today as you listen to a jazz music radio station in USA, you will come across musical hits featuring these evergreen female artists.
Below, we take a look at some of the top female jazz instrumentalists you should know of.
Lil Hardin Armstrong
A pianist, composer, singer, arranger, and bandleader – Lillian Hardin Armstrong was the second wife of Louis Armstrong. She grew up playing the piano in the church and started her career as a pianist playing for the New Orleans Creole Band. She started playing professionally in the early 1920s and was one of the first female artists to grace the piano back in the day. In no time, became a key attraction and came to be known as ‘Hot Miss Lil’. She also had great contribution to many of Louis Armstrong’s early Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings, where she was both the composer and pianist. Some of her most popular compositions include "Don't Jive Me", "Struttin' with Some Barbecue", "Doin' the Suzie-Q", "Two Deuces", "Knee Drops", and many more. Lillian Hardin Armstrong was one of the first prominent women in jazz to win such mass acclaim.
Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou Williams was one of the first successful women in jazz – a pianist, arranger, and composer of virtuosic skills. She had an early start, making her debut at the age of 12. A year later, she played with Duke Ellington for his band The Washingtonians. In 1929, she joined Andy Kirk's band, Twelve Clouds of Joy, where she was the pianist, arranger and composer. Some famous hits with Kirk’s band during this period include "Walkin' and Swingin'", "Froggy Bottom", "Roll 'Em", and some more. She left the band in 1942 after her divorce. Shortly thereafter, she joined Duke Ellington’s orchestra where she worked on several classic tunes for him, including her arrangement of “Blue Skies” from Ellington’s 1944 Carnegie Hall recordings. Mary Lou Williams wrote more than hundreds of compositions and arrangements, and released over a hundred recordings in her career. She was also mentor to some of the greatest jazz names such as Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Tadd Dameron.
Alice Coltrane
A skilled pianist, harpist, composer, arranger, and bandleader – Alice Coltrane is a veritable legend in jazz history. She was one of the first musicians to play the harp in a jazz ensemble, which later became her signature style. She replaced McCoy Tyner as pianist in her husband John Coltrane’s band and continued to play with them till his death. Afterwards, she became a composer and bandleader and focussed on solo work. Her work took a more spiritual approach and her music incorporated several aspects of Indian classical music in her later years.
Vi Redd
Vi Redd was an alto saxophone player and jazz vocalist. Daughter of New Orleans drummer, Alton Redd, she started playing the alto sax at age 12. She started playing professionally with her husband, trumpeter Nathaniel Meeks, before branching out on her own. Vi Redd was one of the first female sax players to establish herself as a soloist. She performed with some of the greatest names in jazz, such as Count Basie, Linda Hopkins, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dizzy Gillespie, and Marian McPartland.
Conclusion
Tuning into a jazz music radio station in USA, pay attention to the names of the instrumentalists of each song. You will find many women behind your favourite tracks.
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