DUKE ELLINGTON (i cant spell) and Gerry mulligan. Bing and most of the 1930s bigband jazz groups. and a few newer people but the old are the greats lol!
I'm a Gordon Goodwin fan all the way! I love their stuff. From the intricate sax runs to the screaming and mellow trumpet sounds. Gordon Goodwin is a great composer. Duke Ellington is okay too.
I like Duke Ellington, Count Bassie, and other big band-sounding composers. I also like George Girshwin and Dave Brubeck (kinda). I will admit, though, that I'm not into "smooth jazz" as much as the lively swing ang big band songs.
Maybe Gershwin brothers and Berlin. Re.bigbands sound...So am I. Especially the huge collored sound played directly to the ears.
By the way, has anybody possibility to send trumpet_sheetmusic for Yesterday/Beatles? Tomaso
My favorite jazz composer would be McCoy Tyner, with Billy Strayhorn close behind. For many years after Coltrane died in 1967, Tyner's compositions often resembled those that he played during his stint with Coltrane in the early to mid 1960s. Eventually, Tyner set out entirely on his own, apart from the musical compositions of Coltrane, although the influence was still there. Finally in the mid 1970s or even a bit later, Tyner's music sounded a lot different than the stuff Coltrane was writing in the early to mid 1960s. Tyner gradually incorporated latin jazz into his repertoire, and also did several albums with the McCoy Tyner big band. His arranging skills were further developed and improved during that period.
McCoy just turned 69 earlier this month. He's lost a lot of weight during the last 2 or 3 years but he's still quite active, playing with Tain Watts, Christian McBride and Joe Lovano. I wish him well. His music has shaped jazz piano like no other I have ever heard. I learned many chords and voicings from listening to him.