"Jazz Profiles" Presented by Tim Owens & 32 Bar Blues Podcast
1) Les McCann
Jazz pianist and vocalist Les McCann was an early progenitor of the bluesy, crowd-pleasing style that came to be known as soul jazz. Best remembered for his 1967 protest song “Compared to What,” McCan...Show More
2) Zoot Sims
John Haley “Zoot” Sims was a saxophonist’s saxophonist, a musician everybody wanted to work with because he made everything he played sound better. Largely self-taught, he was renowned for his rhythmi...Show More
3) James Moody
From the late 1940s through the early 21st century, James Moody was an institution in jazz – whether on tenor sax, flute, occasional alto, or yodeling his way through his “Moody’s Mood for Love.” Ebul...Show More
4) Toshiko Akiyoshi
Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her six-decade career. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into h...Show More
5) McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner’s piano style – complete with sophisticated chords and an explosively percussive left hand – transcended conventional styles to become one of the most identifiable sounds in improvised mus...Show More
6) Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was the essence of cool in the world of hot jazz, the small-town blonde who could sing blues, bebop, swing and rock. She learned her craft singing in smoky clubs, and traveling on trains wit...Show More
7) Oscar Peterson
Famed jazz pianist Oscar Peterson commanded the entire keyboard with incredible dexterity, drive and precision. He performed around the world for more than 50 years, accruing countless honors, awards ...Show More
8) Sidney Bechet
One of the first important jazz soloists, Sidney Bechet’s recordings precede those of Louis Armstrong (three years his junior), with whom he would later play duets. Largely self-taught and prodigiousl...Show More
9) Hoagy Carmichael
With a laid-back, familiar style, the composer, pianist and singer Hoagy Carmichael created popular hits for decades – and logged numerous entries into the Great American Songbook. When asked about hi...Show More
10) Thelonious Monk
Jazz pianist Thelonious Monk had a gift for unusual and daring composition, for confounding and delighting the world. He did things with rhythm, melody and chords that had never quite been heard befor...Show More