What Jazz "Names" Would Be Recognized at Your Dinner Table?

[BeBop]

As a lot of families are gathering for holiday meals, I'm curious about yours. (Mine's pretty-much dissipated to death and distance.)

I'm guessing my family would have recognized Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, and Chet Baker; add George Benson (for the younger generation) and Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw and a bunch of big band singers (for the not-so-younger). Charlie Parker is a "doubtful".

(They'd have recognized the names of a few of my friends who are from the jazz world, but they would have reconized them mainly as my friends.)

[BillF]

People here may have heard of Humphrey Lyttelton, Ronnie Scott, John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, as well as the expected American names. Someone recently commented that, while people know the names of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, they often think they're still alive and playing! I recently told someone about Horace Silver being spotted on the street in Wigan in Greater Manchester during the Wigan International Jazz Festival, only to find out they'd never heard of him!

Edited November 26, 2009 by BillF

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

People here may have heard of Humphrey Lyttelton, Ronnie Scott, John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, as well as the expected American names. Someone recently commented that, while people know the names of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, they often think they're still alive and playing! I recently told someone about Horace Silver being spotted on the street in Wigan in Greater Manchester during the Wigan International Jazz Festival, only to find out they'd never heard of him!

In addition, in Britain, George Melly, Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball - though it depends how old the people are. Also Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Wynton Marsalis (probably), Diana Krall, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Dave Brubeck, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Bix, Harry Connick, Lou Rawls, Kenny G, James Brown, Quincy Jones, Nat "King" Cole - and others, too numerous to mention. I wouldn't expect large numbers of any population to know much about these people, including their music, but I'd expect recognition of their names.

MG

[JohnS]

A non-jazz friend called the other day while Hank Mobley was on. He said "is that Charlie Parker?" I thought that was pretty good, I'd have never guessed he'd ever heard of Bird.

[Hot Ptah]

My wife would know hundreds of names. One brother, if he was there, would know dozens. Another brother might know Miles Davis and that's about it. My parents would know many bandleaders and vocalists of the big band era.

[BillF]

People here may have heard of Humphrey Lyttelton, Ronnie Scott, John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, as well as the expected American names. Someone recently commented that, while people know the names of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, they often think they're still alive and playing! I recently told someone about Horace Silver being spotted on the street in Wigan in Greater Manchester during the Wigan International Jazz Festival, only to find out they'd never heard of him!

In addition, in Britain, George Melly, Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball - though it depends how old the people are. Also Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Wynton Marsalis (probably), Diana Krall, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Dave Brubeck, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Bix, Harry Connick, Lou Rawls, Kenny G, James Brown, Quincy Jones, Nat "King" Cole - and others, too numerous to mention. I wouldn't expect large numbers of any population to know much about these people, including their music, but I'd expect recognition of their names.

MG

I imagine Wynton Marsalis would be no better known to the British man in the street than George Osborne, say.

[Shrdlu]

My kids are well indoctrinated. They probably know lots of jazz names. Certainly Trane, Miles, Bird, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea.

My Dad is no longer alive. My Mom knows all about Dave Brubeck, Bird, Trane, Miles, and all the swing era guys.

[BeBop]

My kids are well indoctrinated. They probably know lots of jazz names. Certainly Trane, Miles, Bird, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea.

My Dad is no longer alive. My Mom knows all about Dave Brubeck, Bird, Trane, Miles, and all the swing era guys.

Wow. How old are these "kids" of yours? And how did they learn about Bird, Trane, Miles...? Formal education? Music training? You? Radio? Some online source? The "kids" I know - nieces and nephews - don't even seem to know much about todays music. (I've little interest in current music, but still subscribe to Rolling Stone, Spin, Blender, Paste and a couple of others, just so I'm not totally clueless.)

[GA Russell]

I don't know what my family (my sister's family, really) would know if it were not for me. The one name they know well that has not been mentioned is Vince Guaraldi.

I'm sure that if I had never been born, they would still know Al Hirt, Errol Garner, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Dave Brubeck.

[BeBop]

Sorry, Dad. In my first post, I'd applied a narrow definition of jazz, befitting the topic: how jazz-hip is YOUR family.

Expanding the definition slightly to encompass the New Orleans revival, man, my Dad could go on for days about the Bay Area's revival legends and lesser lights. Turk Murphy, Leon Oakley, Bob Scobey. It took me a while to appreciate this era that was such a big part of his life. But I was ultimately able to shimmy nearly as well as my sister, Kate.