Important Jazz Innovators / Historically Important?

Question

These I know, who am I missing. Louie Armstrong invented the jazz solo. Lester Young set the early standard for sax tone. Charlie Parker changed the timing of Jazz to allow much greater expressive qualities. Basie and Ellington, brought Jazz to the masses among other things. Charlie Christian defined Jazz guitar. Coltraine reached a new horizon. Miles Davis for so many reasons.

How about piano greats, I am not up on that, was Art Tatum the first to use classical moves in Jazz. I will be unable to pick a best answer so will leave it up to the community. Thank you all.

Answer 1

How about Dave Brubeck? His style experimented in new avant garde styles of jazz and experimented with time signatures never attempted before in jazz (or most any music). Along with Brubeck was the saxophonist Paul Desmond who created great solos without filling every beat with music like Parker and Coltrane. He experimented with simplicity and even silence for his solos. He also had a unique tone that is still nearly impossible to duplicate.

Answer 2

Before Lester Young there was Coleman Hawkins, who first established the tenor sax as a serious jazz instrument. While many swing players preferred to emulate the mellower style of Young, Hawkins's playing anticipated and inspired the more aggressive bop and hard-bop sax.

Dizzy Gillespie was a co-founder of bebop, and also influential in introducing Latin rhythms into jazz. Other bebop pioneers to consider are Bud Powell on piano and Max Roach on drums.

In piano, there was Jelly Roll Morton, who claims to have invented jazz. On piano, he has at least a share of that honor. James P. Johnson is generally credited as the progenitor of stride piano.

Answer 3

Lennie Tristano.

He played amazing poly rhythms. His skills are unreal.

He spent most of his career as a teacher of piano, although he did play gigs occasionally, most famously with Bird.

Also, he was the first to delve into the avant guard. I forget the song, but it is on the Intuition album. He didn't stick with the avant guard but he recorded at least one song in 1949, that escaped from chords and melodies. that's about 11 years before Ornette Coleman.

Hear for yourself;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGLpczTtnEM&mode=related&search=

Answer 4

piano greats? thelonius monk. he was an innovator and a man who stood by his principles, meaning that he had to be quiet for several years. his playing was unreal, his hands were huge, so he could play wide unheard-of stuff, but the main thing was that he just GOT it. he played the exact right note at the exact right time. he was revolutionary.
bill evans also. miles davis once said that bill evans was the only white man he would ever play with (turned out not to be true, he played with tons more). but bill evans had an amazing style that was pretty much perfect.
herbie hancock.....i could write 20 pages on him. pure genius. he moved the piano into the 20th century without losing his amazing mind. he would be my number one innovator, no contest.
of course, mcoy tyner was a giant. barely anyone can match him.
but innovators? herbie hancock, no doubt.

Answer 5

George Gershwin for piano favorite. Prelude 1.

Answer 6

Jelly roll , Monk, Sidney Bechet, George Lewis, and all the cats that played Preservation Hall in the beginning.

Answer 7

love him or hate him, Cecil Taylor, in his influence the equivalent on piano of Ayler, Coleman, Coltrane, Dolphy, etc.