List Of Nicknames Of Jazz Musicians
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jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
musicians.
Nicknames A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
and
sobriquets A sobriquet ( ), or soubriquet, is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another, that is descriptive. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym, as it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name, without the need of expla ...
can also sometimes become stage names, and there are several cases of performers being known almost exclusively by their nicknames as opposed to their
given names A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...
. Some of the most notable nicknames and stage names are listed here. Although the term
Jazz royalty Jazz royalty is a term encompassing the many jazz musicians who have been termed as exceptionally musically gifted and informally granted honorific, "aristocratic" or "royal" titles as nicknames. The practice of affixing honorific titles to the ...
exists for "Kings" and similar royal or aristocratic nicknames, there is a wide range of other terms, many of them obscure. Where the origin of the nickname is known, this is explained at each artist's corresponding article.


List of jazz nicknames


A

* Abbey:
Abbey Lincoln Anna Marie Wooldridge (August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010), known professionally as Abbey Lincoln, was an American jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress. She was a civil rights activist beginning in the 1960s. Lincoln made a career out of deli ...
* Abbie: Albert Brunies * Ace: Ace Harris * Angry Man of Jazz (The):
Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and ...
* Ananias Garibaldi: A.G. Godley


B

* Babs: Babs Gonzales * Baby: Warren Dodds * Baby Sweets: Walter Perkins * Bags:
Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging solo ...
* Barney:
Barney Bigard Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone. Biography Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creole parents, Ale ...
* Barney:
Barney Wilen Bernard "Barney" Jean Wilen (4 March 1937 – 25 May 1996) was a French tenor and soprano saxophonist and jazz composer. Life Wilen was born in Nice, France; his father was an American dentist turned inventor, and his mother was French. He began ...
* Baron:
Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and ...
* Bass: Ernest Hill * Bean:
Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...
a.k.a. "Hawk" * Bear (The):
Eddie Costa Edwin James Costa (August 14, 1930 – July 28, 1962) was an American jazz pianist, vibraphonist, composer and arranger. In 1957, he was chosen as ''DownBeat'' jazz critics' new star on piano and vibes – the first time that one artist won two ...
* Beaver:
Beaver Harris William Godvin "Beaver" Harris (April 20, 1936 – December 22, 1991) was an American jazz drummer who worked extensively with Archie Shepp. Early life Harris was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Coming from an athletic family, he played basebal ...
* Betty Bebop:
Betty Carter Betty Carter (born Lillie Mae Jones; May 16, 1929 – September 26, 1998) was an American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and imaginative inter ...
* Benny:
Benny Bailey Ernest Harold "Benny" Bailey (August 13, 1925 – April 14, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bailey briefly studied flute and piano before turning to trumpet. He attended the Cleveland Institute ...
* Big Babe: Andrew WebbOwlsey, Dennis (2006)
''City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973''
Reedy Press, p. 9. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
* Big Bill:
Big Bill Bissonnette Big Bill Bissonnette (February 5, 1937 – June 26, 2018) was an American jazz trombonist, drummer, and record producer. He was a strong advocate of New Orleans jazz as played by veteran African-American musicians. In the 1960s, he led his ow ...
* Big Chief:
Big Chief Russell Moore "Big Chief" Russell Moore (August 13, 1912 – December 15, 1983) was an American jazz trombonist. Moore, a Pima tribe member, grew up on a Native American reservation before moving to Chicago and then Los Angeles where he learned to play vari ...
* Big Daddy:
Eric Dixon Eric "Big Daddy" Dixon (March 28, 1930 – October 19, 1989) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, flautist, composer, and arranger. Dixon's professional career extended from 1950 until his death in 1989, during which time he was credited ...
Lambert, Eddie; Barry Kernfel
"Dixon, Eric".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
* Big-Eye:
Louis Nelson Delisle "Big Eye" Louis Nelson Delisle (January 28, 1885 – August 20, 1949) was an American early twentieth-century Dixieland jazz clarinetist in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He also played double bass, banjo, and accordion. Early life and e ...
* Big Jim: Jim Robinson * Big Joe:
Big Joe Turner Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985) was an American singer from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." His greatest fame was due to ...
* Big John: John Patton * Big Mama:
Big Mama Thornton Willie Mae Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984), better known as Big Mama Thornton, was an American singer and songwriter of the blues and R&B genres. She was the first to record Leiber and Stoller's " Hound Dog", in 1952, which becam ...
* Big Nick:
Big Nick Nicholas George Walker "Big Nick" Nicholas (August 2, 1922 – October 29, 1997) was an American jazz saxophonist and singer. Strongly influenced by his hero, Coleman Hawkins, Nicholas in turn influenced a young John Coltrane to compose his tribute "B ...
* Big Sid:
Sid Catlett Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett (January 17, 1910 – March 25, 1951) was an American jazz drummer. Catlett was one of the most versatile drummers of his era, adapting with the changing music scene as bebop emerged. Early life Catlett was born in Eva ...
* Billie:
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...
a.k.a. "Lady Day" * Bing:
Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
* Bird:
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
a.k.a. "Yardbird" * Bix: Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke, though it appears his given names were Leon Bix. * Blood:
James "Blood" Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been called "ragge ...
* Blue: Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell * Blue Lou:
Lou Marini Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothers ...
* Blow It: J. T. Brown aka Nature Boy Brown * Bobo:
Bobo Stenson Bobo Stenson (born Bo Gustav Stenson; 4 August 1944) is a Swedish jazz pianist. The Bobo Stenson Trio, formed in collaboration with Anders Jormin (bass) and Jon Fält (drums), has been in existence for four decades. Career Stenson studied with We ...
* Bogey: Wilton Gaynair * Bones: Tom Malone * Boogaloo Joe:
Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones Ivan Joseph Jones (born November 1, 1940), known professionally as Joe Jones or Boogaloo Joe Jones, is an American jazz guitarist. Discography As leader * '' Introducing the Psychedelic Soul Jazz Guitar of Joe Jones'' KA ''The Mindbender''(Pr ...
* Boogaloo: James "Boogaloo" Bolden * Book:
Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...
* Boots: Clifford Douglas * Boots:
Boots Mussulli Henry "Boots" Mussulli (November 18, 1915 in Milford, Massachusetts – September 23, 1967 in Norfolk, Massachusetts) was an Italian-American jazz saxophonist, based chiefly out of Boston. According to the Social Security files, he was born in ...
* Bootsie:
Bootsie Barnes Robert "Bootsie" Barnes (November 27, 1937 – April 22, 2020) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist from Philadelphia. Early life and education Barnes was raised in a housing project in North Philadelphia. His father was a trumpet player who ...
* Booty:
Booty Wood Mitchell W. Wood, better known as Booty Wood (December 27, 1919 – June 10, 1987) was an American jazz trombonist. Career Wood played professionally on trombone from the late 1930s. He worked with Tiny Bradshaw and Lionel Hampton in the 1940s ...
* Bops Junior: Oliver Jackson * Bounce:
George Mraz George Mraz (born Jiří Mráz; 9 September 1944 – 16 September 2021) was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephan ...
* Brick:
Brick Fleagle Jacob Roger "Brick" Fleagle (22 August 1906 – 15 April 1992) was a jazz guitarist. He performed with leading musicians including Miles Davis. At one time Fleagle had his own sixteen-piece band.Brother Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...
* Brother Ray:
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
, aka "The High Priest" * Brownie:
Clifford Brown Clifford Benjamin Brown (October 30, 1930 – June 26, 1956) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. He died at the age of 25 in a car accident, leaving behind four years' worth of recordings. His compositions "Sandu", "Joy Spring", an ...
* Brute (The), Frog:
Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...
* Bruz: Bruz Freeman * Bu:
Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...
took the name "Abdullah Ibn Buhaina" after a reported trip to Africa. Friends shortened it to "Bu" * Bubba:
Bubba Brooks David Kenneth Brooks, Jr., better known as Bubba Brooks or Bubber Brooks (May 29, 1922 in Fayetteville, North Carolina – April 11, 2002) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was the brother of Tina Brooks. Brooks's first professiona ...
* Bubber:
James "Bubber" Miley James Wesley "Bubber" Miley (April 3, 1903 – May 20, 1932) was an American early jazz trumpet and cornet player, specializing in the use of the plunger mute. Early life (1903–1923) Miley was born in Aiken, South Carolina, United States ...
* Buck: Leroy BerryDriggs, Frank (2005)
''Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop - A History: From Ragtime to Bebop''
Oxford University Press, p. 59. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
* Buck: Wilbur Clayton * Buck:
Buck Hill Buck Hill is a ski hill in Burnsville, Minnesota, a suburb south of Minneapolis. It is one of three ski areas in the Twin Cities metropolitan area; the others are Afton Alps and Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area. Buck Hill opened in 1954 and offe ...
* Bucky:
Bucky Pizzarelli John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli (January 9, 1926 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz guitarist. He was the father of jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and double bassist Martin Pizzarelli. He worked for NBC as a staffman for Dick Cavett (1971) ...
* Bud:
Bud Brisbois Austin Dean "Bud" Brisbois (April 11, 1937 – June 1978) was a jazz and studio trumpeter. He played jazz, pop, rock, country, Motown, and classical music. Career Brisbois was born in Edina, Minnesota and began studying the trumpet at age 12. ...
* Bud:
Bud Freeman Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet. Biography In 1922, Freeman and some friends from high sc ...
* Bud:
Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...
* Bud:
Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...
* Budd:
Budd Johnson Albert J. "Budd" Johnson III (December 14, 1910 – October 20, 1984) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who worked extensively with, among others, Ben Webster, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke ...
(not to be confused with
Buddy Johnson Woodrow Wilson "Buddy" Johnson (January 10, 1915 – February 9, 1977) was an American jump blues pianist and bandleader active from the 1930s through the 1960s. His songs were often performed by his sister Ella Johnson, most notably "Since I F ...
) * Buddie: Buddie Petit * Buddy: Bernard Anderson a.k.a. "Step-Buddy" * Buddy: Buddy Banks (bassist) * Buddy:
Buddy Banks (saxophonist) Ulysses "Buddy" Banks (October 3, 1909 – September 7, 1991) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, pianist, and bandleader. Career Banks played in Charlie Echols's band in Los Angeles from 1933 to 1937 and remained in the group after it was ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Bolden Charles Joseph "Buddy" Bolden (September 6, 1877 – November 4, 1931) was an African American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of ragtime music, or "jass", which later c ...
a.k.a. "King" * Buddy: Buddy Catlett * Buddy:
Buddy Childers Marion "Buddy" Childers (February 12, 1926 – May 24, 2007) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and ensemble leader. Childers became famous in 1942 at the age of 16, when Stan Kenton hired him to be the lead trumpet in his band. Biography ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Clark Buddy Clark (born Samuel Goldberg, July 26, 1912 – October 1, 1949) was an American popular singer of the Big Band era. He had some success in the 1930s, but his career truly blossomed in the late 1940s, after his return from service in Worl ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Collette William Marcel "Buddy" Collette (August 6, 1921 – September 19, 2010) was an American jazz flutist, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He was a founding member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Early life William Marcel Collette was born in L ...
* Buddy:
Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Featherstonhaugh Rupert Edward Lee "Buddy" Featherstonhaugh ( ; 4 October 1909 – 12 July 1976) was an English jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Musical career Born in Paris in 1909, the son of an English marine architect and his Scottish wife. His grandfath ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Johnson Woodrow Wilson "Buddy" Johnson (January 10, 1915 – February 9, 1977) was an American jump blues pianist and bandleader active from the 1930s through the 1960s. His songs were often performed by his sister Ella Johnson, most notably "Since I F ...
(not to be confused with
Budd Johnson Albert J. "Budd" Johnson III (December 14, 1910 – October 20, 1984) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who worked extensively with, among others, Ben Webster, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke ...
) * Buddy:
Buddy Montgomery Charles "Buddy" Montgomery (January 30, 1930 – May 14, 2009) was an American jazz vibraphonist and pianist. He was the younger brother of Wes and Monk Montgomery, a guitarist and bassist respectively. Buddy and brother Monk formed The Masters ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Morrow Buddy Morrow (born Muni Zudekoff, aka Moe Zudekoff; February 8, 1919 – September 27, 2010) was an American trombonist and bandleader. Career On a scholarship at age 16, Morrow studied trombone with Ernest Horatio Clarke (1865–1947) at Juill ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Tate George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States, and first played the alto saxophone. According to the website All Ab ...
* Buddy: Buddy Williams * Bumps:
Robert Blackwell Robert Alexander "Bumps" Blackwell (May 23, 1918 – March 9, 1985) was an American bandleader, songwriter, arranger, and record producer, best known for his work overseeing the early hits of Little Richard, as well as grooming Ray Char ...
* Bunk:
Bunk Johnson Willie Gary "Bunk" Johnson (December 27, 1879 – July 7, 1949) was an American prominent jazz trumpeter in New Orleans. Johnson gave the year of his birth as 1879, although there is speculation that he may have been younger by as much as a dec ...
* Bunky:
Bunky Green Vernice "Bunky" Green (born April 23, 1935) is an American jazz alto saxophonist and educator. Biography Green was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played the alto saxophone, mainly at a local club called "The Brass Rail". Green's fir ...
* Bunny:
Rowland Berigan Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (November 2, 1908 – June 2, 1942) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader who rose to fame during the swing era. His career and influence were shortened by alcoholism, and ended with his early demise at the ...
* Buster:
Buster Bailey William C. "Buster" Bailey (July 19, 1902 – April 12, 1967) was an American jazz clarinetist. Career history Early career Buster Bailey was taught clarinet by classical teacher Franz Schoepp, who also taught Benny Goodman. Bailey gained his s ...
* Buster:
Buster Bennett James Joseph "Buster" Bennett (March 19, 1914 – July 3, 1980) was an American blues saxophonist and blues shouter. His nickname was "Leap Frog". At various times in his career, he played the soprano saxophone, the alto, and the tenor. H ...
a.k.a. "Leap Frog" Bennett * Buster:
Buster Cooper George "Buster" Cooper (April 4, 1929 – May 13, 2016) was an American jazz trombonist. Career A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, Cooper played in a territory band with Nat Towles in Texas in the late 1940s and with Lionel Hampto ...
* Buster:
Buster Harding Lavere "Buster" Harding (March 19, 1917 – November 14, 1965) was a Canadian-born American jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Early life Born to Benjamin "Ben" and Ada (née Shreve) Harding in North Buxton, Ontario, Harding was raised in Cle ...
* Buster:
Buster Smith Henry Franklin "Buster" Smith (August 24, 1904 – August 10, 1991), also known as Professor Smith, was an American jazz alto saxophonist and mentor to Charlie Parker.Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/artic ...
a.k.a. "Professor" * Buster:
Buster Williams Charles Anthony "Buster" Williams (born April 17, 1942) is an American jazz bassist. Williams is known for his membership in pianist Herbie Hancock's early 1970s group, working with guitarist Larry Coryell from the 1980s to present, working in th ...
* Buster:
Buster Wilson Albert Wesley "Buster" Wilson (1897 - October 23, 1949) was an American jazz pianist. Biography Buster Wilson was born in Atlanta and grew up in Los Angeles. He was the replacement for Lil Hardin in King Oliver's band in 1921 during its engagem ...
* Butter:
Quentin Jackson Quentin "Butter" Jackson
Morton, John Fass
''Backstory in Blue: Ellington at Newport '56'', pp. 30, 35, 37, 39. Rutgers University Press, 2008.
At Google Books. Retrieved 5 August.
* Butch:
Butch Ballard George Edward "Butch" Ballard (December 26, 1918 – October 1, 2011) was an American jazz drummer who played with Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington. Biography Ballard was born in Camden, New Jersey and grew up in the Frankfo ...
* Butch:
Butch Miles Butch Miles (born Charles J. Thorton, Jr. on July 4, 1944) is an American jazz drummer. He has played with the Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne and Tony Bennett Career Miles, who ci ...
* Butch:
Butch Morris Lawrence Douglas "Butch" Morris (February 10, 1947 – January 29, 2013) was an American cornetist, composer and conductor. He was known for pioneering his structural improvisation method, ''Conduction'', which he utilized on many recordings. B ...
* Buzzy:
Buzzy Drootin Benjamin "Buzzy" Drootin (April 22, 1920 – May 21, 2000) was an American jazz drummer. Career Drootin was born near Kyiv, Ukraine, and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, United States, with his family when he was five. His father played the cl ...


C

* Cab:
Cab Kaye Nii-lante Augustus Kwamlah Quaye (3 September 1921 – 13 March 2000), known professionally as Cab Kaye, was an English jazz singer and pianist of Ghanaian descent. He combined blues, stride piano, and scat with his Ghanaian heritage. Youth ...
* Cag:
Cag Cagnolatti Ernie Joseph "Cag" Cagnolatti (April 2, 1911, Madisonville, Louisiana – April 7, 1983, New Orleans) was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography He was one of six children born to Leonce "Leon" and Anna Shelby Cagnolatti. An excerpt from a piece ...
* Cake:
Al "Cake" Wichard Al "Cake" Wichard (born Albert C. Wichard, August 15, 1918 or 1919 — November 14, 1959) was an American blues and jazz drummer, especially active as a recording artist in the late 1940s. Biography He was born in Morrilton, Arkansas Morril ...
* Candy:
Otis Finch Otis "Candy" Finch, Jr. was an American jazz drummer. He played and recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Shirley Scott, Milt Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie (1966-9).Feather, Leonard; Ira Gitler (2007)''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. Oxford ...
* Candy:
Floyd "Candy" Johnson Floyd "Candy" Johnson (May 1, 1922 in Madison, Illinois – June 28, 1981 in Framingham, Massachusetts) was an American jazz saxophonist. Career Johnson started on drums before moving to saxophone. His professional career began in St. Louis, wher ...
* Cannonball:
Julian Adderley Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928August 8, 1975) was an American jazz alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Adderley is perhaps best remembered for the 1966 soul jazz single "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", whi ...
* Captain:
Captain John Handy Captain John Handy (June 24, 1900 – January 12, 1971), was an American jazz alto saxophonist, who was part of the New Orleans jazz revival. Career Handy was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi, United States. He played clarinet in New Orleans ...
* Cat:
William Alonzo Anderson William Alonzo "Cat" Anderson (September 12, 1916 – April 29, 1981) was an American jazz trumpeter known for his long period as a member of Duke Ellington's orchestra and for his wide range, especially his ability to play in the altissimo ...
* Cat (The): Jimmy Smith * Chairman of the Board:
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
a.k.a. "Ol' Blue Eyes", "The Voice" * Chick:
Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...
* Chick:
Chick Webb William Henry "Chick" Webb (February 10, 1905 – June 16, 1939) was an American jazz and swing music drummer and band leader. Early life Webb was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to William H. and Marie Webb. The year of his birth is disputed. ...
* Chico:
Alfred "Chico" Alvarez Alfred "Chico" Alvarez (February 3, 1920 – August 1, 1992) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and other bands. Life Alvarez was born in Montreal, grew up in Southern California. Upon graduation of high school, he at ...
* Chico:
Chico Freeman Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Award ...
* Chico:
Chico O'Farrill Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921 – June 27, 2001) was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces a ...
* Chink:
Chink Martin Martin Abraham, better known as Chink Martin (June 10, 1886 in New Orleans – January 7, 1981 in New Orleans) was an American jazz tubist. Career Martin played guitar in his youth before settling on tuba as his main instrument. He played with ...
* Chippie:
Bertha Hill Bertha "Chippie" Hill (March 15, 1905 – May 7, 1950), was an American blues and vaudeville singer and dancer, best known for her recordings with Louis Armstrong. Career Hill was born in Charleston, South Carolina, one of sixteen chil ...
* Chu: Leon "Chu" Berry * Chubby:
Chubby Jackson Greig Stewart "Chubby" Jackson (October 25, 1918 – October 1, 2003) was an American jazz double-bassist and band leader. Biography Born in New York City, Jackson began at the age of seventeen as a clarinetist, but quickly changed to bass in ...
* Chummy:
Chummy MacGregor John Chalmers MacGregor (March 28, 1903 – March 9, 1973), better known as Chummy MacGregor, a musician and composer, was the pianist in The Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1936 to 1942. He composed the songs " Moon Dreams", " It Must Be Jelly ('Cau ...
* Cie: Cie Frazier * Cleanhead:
Eddie Vinson Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (born Edward L. Vinson Jr.; December 18, 1917 – July 2, 1988) was an American jump blues, jazz, bebop and rhythm and blues, R&B alto saxophonist and blues shouter. He was nicknamed Cleanhead after an incident in whi ...
* Clyde:
Clyde Lombardi Claudio "Clyde" Lombardi (February 18, 1922 – after 1975) was an American jazz double bassist. After receiving classical training, Lombardi first performed and recorded with Red Norvo (1942–5) in a band which also included with Aaron Sa ...
* Conte:
Conte Candoli Secondo "Conte" Candoli (July 12, 1927 – December 14, 2001) was an American jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast. He played in the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Dizzy Gillespie, and in Doc Severinsen's NBC Orch ...
* Coop: Bob Cooper * Cootie: Charles Williams * Corky:
Corky Corcoran Gene Patrick "Corky" Corcoran (July 28, 1924 – October 3, 1979) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Early life Corcoran was born in Tacoma, Washington. Considered a child prodigy, he began performing in bands at the age of 16. Career ...
* Corky: Corky Cornelius * Cornbread:
Hal Singer Harold Joseph Singer (October 8, 1919 – August 18, 2020), also known as Hal "Cornbread" Singer, was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and jazz bandleader and saxophonist. Early life Harold Joseph Singer was born in Greenwood District, Tul ...
* Count:
Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...
* Count (The):
Conte Candoli Secondo "Conte" Candoli (July 12, 1927 – December 14, 2001) was an American jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast. He played in the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Dizzy Gillespie, and in Doc Severinsen's NBC Orch ...
* Count (The):
Steve Marcus Steve Marcus (September 18, 1939 – September 25, 2005) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Marcus was born in The Bronx, New York, United States. He studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, between 1959 and 19 ...
* Cow Cow: Charles Edward Davenport * Cozy:
Cozy Cole William Randolph "Cozy" Cole (October 17, 1909 – January 9, 1981) was an American jazz drummer who worked with Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong among others and led his own groups. Life and career William Randolph Cole was born in East Or ...
* Crane: Dave Burns * Crazy: Chris Columbus * Cutty:
Cutty Cutshall Robert Dewees "Cutty" Cutshall (December 29, 1911 – August 16, 1968) was an American jazz trombonist. Cutshall was born in Huntington Co., Pennsylvania, on December 29, 1911. He played in Pittsburgh early in his career, making his first major t ...


D

* Dee:
Dee Barton Dewells "Dee" Barton Jr. (September 18, 1937 — December 3, 2001) was an American jazz trombonist, big band drummer, and prolific composer for big band and motion pictures. He is best known for his association with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Li ...
* Dee Dee:
Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...
* Deedles:
Diane Schuur Diane Joan Schuur (born December 10, 1953), nicknamed "Deedles", is an American jazz singer and pianist. As of 2015, Schuur had released 23 albums, and had extended her jazz repertoire to include essences of Latin, gospel, pop and country music ...
* Dewey:
Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played ...
* Dicky:
Dicky Wells William Wells (June 10, 1907 – November 12, 1985), known professionally as Dicky Wells (sometimes Dickie Wells), was an American jazz trombonist. Career Dickie Wells is believed to have been born on June 10, 1907 in Centerville, Tennessee, Uni ...
* Dink:
Dink Johnson Ollie "Dink" Johnson (1892 – November 29, 1954 was a Dixieland jazz pianist, clarinetist, and drummer. Background Johnson was born in 1892, most likely in New Orleans, although the date is disputed and some sources have cited the place of b ...
* Dink: Harold TaylorSchuller (1989
''The Swing Era''
p. 798.
* Dippermouth:
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
a.k.a. "Satchmo", "Pops", "Satchel Mouth", "Dipper Mouth" * Divine One (The):
Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "Jazz royalty, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine ...
a.k.a. "Sassy" * Diz:
Diz Disley William Charles "Diz" Disley (27 May 1931 – 22 March 2010) was an Anglo-Canadian jazz guitarist and banjoist. He is best known for his acoustic jazz guitar playing, strongly influenced by Django Reinhardt, for his contributions to the UK trad ...
* Dizzy, or Diz: John Birks Gillespie * Dizzy:
Dizzy Reece Alphonso Son "Dizzy" Reece (born 5 January 1931) is a Jamaican-born hard bop jazz trumpeter. Reece is among a group of jazz musicians born in Jamaica which includes Bertie King, Joe Harriott, Roland Alphonso, Wilton Gaynair, Sonny Bradshaw, ...
* Django: Jean Baptiste Reinhardt * Doc:
Doc Cheatham Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, better known as Doc Cheatham (June 13, 1905 – June 2, 1997), was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader. He is also the Grandfather of musician Theo Croker. Early life Doc Cheatham was born in Nashvi ...
* Doc:
Doc Cook Charles L. Cooke (September 3, 1891 – December 25, 1958), known as Doc Cook, was an American jazz bandleader and arranger. Cook was a Doctor of Music, awarded by the Chicago Musical College in 1926. Born in Louisville, he first worked as a com ...
* Doc:
Doc Evans Paul Wesley "Doc" Evans (June 20, 1907 – January 10, 1977) was an American jazz cornetist. Evans was born in Spring Valley, Minnesota. the son of a Methodist minister. He learned piano and drums as a child, and played saxophone in high school. ...
* Doc:
Doc Goldberg Edward "Doc" Goldberg is a jazz bassist. He played in the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Will Bradley Trio, alongside Freddie Slack on piano and Ray McKinley on drums. Before that, he played in George Hall George Hall may refer to: People The ...
* Doc:
Doc Souchon Edmond "Doc" Souchon (October 25, 1897, New Orleans – August 24, 1968, New Orleans) was an American jazz guitarist and writer on music. He was a pivotal figure in the historical preservation of New Orleans jazz in the middle of the 20th ce ...
* Doc:
Doc West Harold "Doc" West (August 12, 1915 – May 4, 1951) was an American jazz drummer. Early life West was born in Wolford, North Dakota. He learned to play piano and cello as a child before switching to drums. Career In the 1930s, West playe ...
* Doctor Miller:
Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...
* Dodo: Michael Marmarosa * Dollar:
Dollar Brand Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934 and formerly known as Dollar Brand) is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...
* Dolo:
Dolo Coker Charles Mitchell "Dolo" Coker (November 16, 1927 – April 13, 1983) was a jazz pianist and composer who recorded four albums for Xanadu Records and extensively as a sideman, for artists like Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Art Pepper, Ph ...
* Duck: Donald Bailey * Dud:
Dud Bascomb Wilbur Odell "Dud" Bascomb (May 16, 1916, Birmingham, Alabama – December 25, 1972, New York City) was an American jazz trumpeter, best known for his tenure with Erskine Hawkins. Yanow, Scott. Dud Bascomb biography AllMusic He was a 1979 ind ...
* Duke:
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...
* Duke: Duke Groner * Duke:
Duke Jordan Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan (April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006) was an American jazz pianist. Biography Jordan was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn where he attended Boys High School. An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regula ...
* Duke (The):
Bennie Green Bennie Green (April 16, 1923 – March 23, 1977) was an American jazz trombonist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and ...
* Duke:
Duke Pearson Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer. ''Allmusic'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record produ ...


E

*
Eddie Lang Eddie Lang (born Salvatore Massaro, October 25, 1902 – March 26, 1933) was an American musician who is credited as the father of jazz guitar. During the 1920s, he gave the guitar a prominence it previously lacked as a solo instrument, as p ...
: Salvatore Massaro * Eubie:
Eubie Blake James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote ''Shuffle Along'', one of the first Bro ...
* Ella:
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...


F

* Fat Boy:
Fats Navarro Theodore "Fats" Navarro (September 24, 1923 – July 6, 1950) was an American jazz trumpet player. He was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz improvisation in the 1940s. He had a strong stylistic influence on many other players, including Cl ...
* Fat Girl:
Fats Navarro Theodore "Fats" Navarro (September 24, 1923 – July 6, 1950) was an American jazz trumpet player. He was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz improvisation in the 1940s. He had a strong stylistic influence on many other players, including Cl ...
* Fatha:
Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...
* Fathead: David Newman * Fats: Jimmy Ponder * Fats:
Fats Sadi "Fats" Sadi Pol Lallemand (23 October 1927, Andenne, Belgium – 20 February 2009, Huy) was a Belgian jazz musician, vocalist, and composer who played vibraphone and percussion. He chose the name "Sadi" because he disliked his last name, which mea ...
* Fats Waller: Thomas Waller * Fatty:
Fatty George Franz Georg Pressler (24 April 1927 – 29 March 1982), known by the stage name Fatty George was an Austrian jazz clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a fl ...
* Fess:
Fess Williams Fess Williams ''(né'' Stanley R. Williams; April 10, 1894 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz musician.''Biography Index, A Cumulative Index to Biographical Material in Books and Magazines, Volume 10: September 1973 — August 1976'', Ne ...
* Fiddler: Claude "Fiddler" Williams * First Lady (The):
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
a.k.a. "the First Lady of Song" * Flip:
Flip Phillips Joseph Edward Filippelli (March 26, 1915 – August 17, 2001), known professionally as Flip Phillips, was an American jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He is best remembered for his work with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic conce ...
, * Foots: Walter "Foots" Thomas * Fox (The):
Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...
* Frog:
Waldren Joseph Waldren "Frog" Joseph (September 12, 1918 – September 19, 2004) was an American jazz trombone player from New Orleans, Louisiana. Career Joseph played in a variety of styles over his career but was best known as a performer of traditional New ...
* Frog:
Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...
* Fud:
Fud Livingston Joseph Anthony "Fud" Livingston (April 10, 1906 – March 25, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger, and composer. Career In the 1920s, he performed with Ben Pollack and served as his arranger (to summer 1925, and again ...


G

* Gatemouth:
Clarence Brown Clarence Leon Brown (May 10, 1890 – August 17, 1987) was an American film director. Early life Born in Clinton, Massachusetts, to Larkin Harry Brown, a cotton manufacturer, and Katherine Ann Brown (née Gaw), Brown moved to Tennessee when he ...
* Gato:
Gato Barbieri Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (November 28, 1932 – April 2, 2016) was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s. His nickname, Gato, is Spa ...
* Gator: Willis Jackson * Geechie:
Geechie Fields Julius J. "Geechie" Fields (September 9, 1904 – August 15, 1997) was an American jazz trombonist. Early life Fields grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, and learned to play trombone at the Jenkins Orphanage. Career In the early 1920s he ...
* Geechy: James Robinson (musician) * Gigi:
Gigi Gryce Gigi Gryce (born George General Grice Jr.; November 28, 1925 – March 14, 1983), later Basheer Qusim, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator. While his performing career was relatively short, ...
* Ginger:
Ginger Smock Emma Smock (4 June 1920– 13 June 1995), better known as Ginger Smock,Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in his field. From early in his career, Tatum's technical ability was regarded by fellow musicians as extraord ...
* Great Dane (The):
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...
* Great Dane with the Never-Ending Name (The):
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...
* Groaner (The):
Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
* Groove: Richard Holmes * Guvnor (The):
Ken Colyer Kenneth Colyer (18 April 1928 – 8 March 1988) was an English jazz trumpeter and cornetist, devoted to New Orleans jazz. His band was also known for skiffle interludes. Biography He was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, but grew up i ...


H

* Habao:
Joe Texidor Joseph "Habao" Texidor, also known as Joe "Habao" Texidor, (July 23, 1941—October 19, 2007) was a Puerto Rican jazz percussionist known for his work with Rahsaan Roland Kirk during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. He played percussion a ...
* Half-Pint:
Frankie Jaxon Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon, born Frank Devera Jackson (March 3, 1896 or 1897 – May 15, 1953),Legal name and birth/death dates from headstone application as a military veteran, reproduced in Brian BergerFrankie Jaxon Hilobrow, 2013-02-03. Access ...
* Ham: Leonard Davis * Hammond:
Johnny "Hammond" Smith John Robert "Johnny Hammond" Smith (December 16, 1933 – June 4, 1997) was an American soul jazz and hard bop organist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was a renowned player of the Hammond B-3 organ so earning "Hammond" as a nickname, whi ...
* Hamp or Mad Lionel:
Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
* Hank:
Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was ...
* Hannibal:
Hannibal Lokumbe Hannibal Lokumbe (born Marvin Peterson on November 11, 1948) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career A native of Smithville, Texas, United States, he is sometimes known by the name "Hannibal". He attended high school in Texas City, Texas and was i ...
* Happy:
Happy Caldwell Albert W. "Happy" Caldwell (sometimes incorrectly spelled Cauldwell) (July 25, 1903 in Chicago – December 29, 1978 in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Caldwell began on clarinet at age 16, playing in t ...
* Happy:
David "Happy" Williams David "Happy" Williams (born September 17, 1946), is a US-based Trinidadian jazz double-bassist, who has been a long-time member of Cedar Walton's group. Williams has also worked with many other notable musicians, including Woody Shaw, Bobby ...
* Hawk:
Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...
a.k.a. "Bean" * Hazy:
Hazy Osterwald Rolf Osterwald, better known as Hazy Osterwald (February 18, 1922 in Bern – February 26, 2012 in Lucerne) was a Swiss jazz bandleader, trumpeter, and vibraphonist. Osterwald began his career as a pianist. He arranged for Fred Böhler in the ...
* Hi De Ho:
Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalist ...
* High Priest, The:
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
, a.k.a. "Brother Ray" * High Priest of Bop
Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", "B ...
* High Priestess of Soul
Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...
* Hipster (The):
Harry Gibson Harry "The Hipster" Gibson (June 27, 1915 – May 3, 1991), born Harry Raab, was an American jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter. He played New York style stride piano and boogie woogie while singing in a wild, unrestrained style. His music car ...
* Hod:
Hod O'Brien Walter Howard "Hod" O'Brien (January 19, 1936 – November 20, 2016) was an American jazz pianist. O'Brien was born in Chicago. He attended the Hotchkiss School and then studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music (1954 ...
* Hog: Leroy Cooper * Honeybear: Gene Sedric * Hootie:
Jay McShann James Columbus "Jay" McShann (January 12, 1916 – December 7, 2006) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He led bands in Kansas City, Missouri, that included Charlie Parker, Bernard Anderson (trumpeter), Bernard A ...
* Horacee:
Horace Arnold Horace Emmanuel Arnold, or Horacee Arnold (born September 25, 1937) is an American jazz drummer. He was born in Wayland, Kentucky. Career Arnold first began playing drums in 1957 in Los Angeles while he was in the United States Coast Guard. In ...
* Hoss:
Walter Page Walter Sylvester Page (February 9, 1900 – December 20, 1957) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, best known for his groundbreaking work as a double bass player with Walter Page's Blue Devils and the Count Basie Orchestr ...
* Hot Lips:
Henry Busse Henry Busse Sr. (May 19, 1894 – April 23, 1955) was a German-born jazz trumpeter. A 1948 review in ''Billboard'' magazine said that Busse had "a keen sense of musical commercialism". Early life Born May 19, 1894, in Magdeburg, Germany, t ...
* Hot Lips or Lips:
Oran Page Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultura ...
* Howdy: Howard "Howdy" Quicksell


I

* Illinois:
Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste "Illinois" Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on "Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. Although he was a pioneer of t ...
* Ivory: Herman Chittison * Ivory:
Harold Ivory Williams Harold may refer to: People * Harold (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Harold (surname), surname in the English language * András Arató, known in meme culture as "Hide the Pain Harold" Art ...


J

* Jabali:
Billy Hart Billy Hart (born November 29, 1940) is an American jazz drummer and educator. He is known internationally for his work with Herbie Hancock's "Mwandishi" band in the early 1970s, as well with Shirley Horn, Stan Getz, and Quest, among others. Bi ...
* Jabbo:
Jabbo Smith Jabbo Smith (born Cladys Smith; December 24, 1908 – January 16, 1991) was an American jazz musician, known for his virtuoso playing on the trumpet. Biography Smith was born in Pembroke, Georgia, United States. At the age of six he went into ...
* Jaco:
Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bass guitar, bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1 ...
* Jack:
Jack Jenney Truman Eliot "Jack" Jenney (May 12, 1910 – December 16, 1945) was an American jazz trombonist. Early life Born in Mason City, Iowa, Jenney first played trumpet, then switched to trombone. His father was a musician and music teacher. Jenney pe ...
* Jack:
Jack Teagarden Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden (August 20, 1905 – January 15, 1964) was an American jazz trombonist and singer. According to critic Scott Yannow of Allmusic, Teagarden was the preeminent American jazz trombone player before the bebop era of the 19 ...
* Jackie:
Jackie McLean John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their deat ...
* Jaki:
Jaki Byard John Arthur "Jaki" Byard (; June 15, 1922 – February 11, 1999) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. Mainly a pianist, he also played tenor and alto saxophones, among several other instruments. He was known for hi ...
* Jap: Jap Allen * Jaws:
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...
* Jay: Jay Clayton * Jay:
Jay McShann James Columbus "Jay" McShann (January 12, 1916 – December 7, 2006) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He led bands in Kansas City, Missouri, that included Charlie Parker, Bernard Anderson (trumpeter), Bernard A ...
a.k.a. "Hootie" * Jef:
Jef Gilson Jean-François Quiévreux (25 July 1926 – 5 February 2012), better known as Jef Gilson, was a French clarinetist, pianist, arranger, vocalist, composer and big band leader. "In the occupation of which he initiated groups" proved Gilson "an ex ...
* Jeep:
Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
a.k.a. "Rab" (short for "Rabbit") * Jeepy:
Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...
a.k.a. "Steepee"/"Steepy"Wild, David; Barry Kernfeld
"Marsalis_[Jeepy,_Steepee_ "Marsalis_[Jeepy,_Steepee_[Steepy
,_Branford__".">eepy,_Steepee_[Steepy">"Marsalis_[Jeepy,_Steepee_[Steepy
,_Branford__".''Grove_Music_Online''._Oxford_University_Press._Retrieved_26_November_2022.
*_Jelly_Roll:_Jelly_Roll_Morton.html" ;"title="teepy
,_Branford__"..html" ;"title="eepy, Steepee [Steepy">"Marsalis [Jeepy, Steepee [Steepy
, Branford ".">eepy, Steepee [Steepy">"Marsalis [Jeepy, Steepee [Steepy
, Branford ".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Jelly Roll: Jelly Roll Morton">Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe * Jeru: Gerry Mulligan * Jiggs: Jiggs Whigham * Jiunie: Jiunie Booth * Jiver: Jiver Hutchinson * Joe Blade: Nick LaRocca * Johnny Mac: John McLaughlin (musician), John McLaughlin * Josh: Josh Billings (musician), Josh Billings * Judge:
Milt Hinton Milton John Hinton (June 23, 1910 – December 19, 2000) was an American double bassist and photographer. Regarded as the Dean of American jazz bass players, his nicknames included "Sporty" from his years in Chicago, "Fump" from his time on the ...
* Jug or Jughead:
Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...
* Junior:
Junior Cook Herman "Junior" Cook (July 22, 1934 – February 3, 1992) was an American hard bop tenor saxophone player. Biography Cook was born in Pensacola, Florida. After playing with Dizzy Gillespie in 1958, Cook was a member of the Horace Silver Quin ...
* Junior:
Junior Mance Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early life (1928–1947) Mance was born in Evanston, Illinois. When he was five years old, Mance st ...
* Junior: Junior Raglin * J. R.: J. R. Monterose


K

* Kaiser:
Kaiser Marshall Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall (June 11, 1902 in Savannah, Georgia – January 2, 1948 in New York City) was an American jazz drummer. Marshall was raised in Boston, where he studied under George L. Stone. He played with Charlie Dixon before movin ...
* Kansas: Kansas Fields * Kat:
Herbert Cowans Herbert "Kat" Cowans or Cowens (born May 24, 1904 - Jan. 23rd, 1993) was an American jazz drummer born in Texas. Cowans worked as a shoeshine boy as a child. His first professional engagement as a drummer was with the Satisfied Five, a local Texa ...
* Keg:
Keg Johnson Frederic Homer Johnson (November 19, 1908 – November 8, 1967), known professionally as Keg Johnson, was an American jazz trombonist. Early life He was born in Dallas, Texas. His father was a choir director there and also worked at a local ...
* Kermit:
Kermit Driscoll James "Kermit" DriscollSmith, Steve"Driscoll, Kermit".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 December 2022. (born March 4, 1956) is an American jazz bassist. He is known for his long association with guitarist Bill Frisell. ...
* Keter:
Keter Betts William Thomas "Keter" Betts (July 22, 1928 – August 6, 2005) was an American jazz double bassist. Early life and education Born in Port Chester, New York, he was nicknamed "Keter", a short form of the word mosquito. He graduated from Port C ...
* Kid:
Kid Howard Avery "Kid" Howard (April 22, 1908, New Orleans, Louisiana - March 28, 1966, New Orleans) was an American jazz trumpeter, associated with the New Orleans jazz scene. Howard began on drums at about age fourteen, but switched to cornet and then tr ...
* Kid:
Kid Ory Edward "Kid" Ory (December 25, 1886 – January 23, 1973) was an American jazz composer, trombonist and bandleader. One of the early users of the glissando technique, he helped establish it as a central element of New Orleans jazz. He was ...
* Kid:
Kid Rena Henry "Kid" Rena (August 30, 1898 – April 25, 1949) was an American jazz trumpeter, who was an early star of the New Orleans jazz scene. Biography He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Rena may have taken lessons from Manuel ...
* Kid Sheik: Kid Sheik * Kidd:
Kidd Jordan Edward "Kidd" Jordan (born May 5, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist and music educator from New Orleans, Louisiana. After completing a music degree at Southern University in Baton Rouge, he relocated to New Orleans. He taught at Southern Uni ...
* King:
Buddy Bolden Charles Joseph "Buddy" Bolden (September 6, 1877 – November 4, 1931) was an African American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of ragtime music, or "jass", which later c ...
* King:
Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...
a.k.a. "Shorty Nadine" * King:
King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musicia ...
* King:
King Fleming Walter "King" Fleming (May 4, 1922 – April 1, 2014) was an American jazz pianist and bandleader.Freddie Keppard Freddie Keppard (sometimes rendered as Freddy Keppard; February 27, 1890 – July 15, 1933) was an American jazz cornetist who once held the title of "King" in the New Orleans jazz scene. This title was previously held by Buddy Bolden and suc ...
* King: Joe Oliver a.k.a. "Papa Joe" * King:
King Pleasure King Pleasure (born Clarence Beeks; March 24, 1922 – March 21, 1982) was an American jazz vocalist and an early master of vocalese, where a singer sings words to a well-known instrumental solo. Biography Born as Clarence Beeks in Oakdale, Te ...
* King: King Watzke * King Kolax:
King Kolax King Kolax (born William Little, November 6, 1912 – December 18, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Biography William Little was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1912; he misleadingly claimed he was born in 1918 in later ...
* King of the Clarinet:
Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...
* King of Cool:
Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
* King of Jazz:
Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, ...
* King of the Jazz Guitar:
Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...
* King of the Jukebox:
Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as " the King of the Jukebox", he earned his high ...
* King of Swing:
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...
a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "the Professor", "Swing's Senior Statesman" * Klook-Mop or Klook:
Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-ha ...
* Knife (The):
Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...


L

* Lady Day:
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...
* Leap Frog:
Buster Bennett James Joseph "Buster" Bennett (March 19, 1914 – July 3, 1980) was an American blues saxophonist and blues shouter. His nickname was "Leap Frog". At various times in his career, he played the soprano saxophone, the alto, and the tenor. H ...
* Lion (The): Willie Smith * Lips or Hot Lips:
Oran Page Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultura ...
* Little:
Benny Harris "Little" Benny Harris (April 23, 1919 in New York City – May 11, 1975 in San Francisco) was an American bebop trumpeter and composer. A self-taught musician, in the mid-1930s Benny Harris was already playing with Thelonious Monk. In later y ...
* Little Bear:
Chester Zardis Chester Zardis (May 27, 1900, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States - August 14, 1990, New Orleans) was an American jazz double-bassist. Zardis played bass from a young age, and studied without his disapproving mother's knowledge, under Billy Mar ...
* Little Bird:
Albert Ayler Albert Ayler (; July 13, 1936 – November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer. After early experience playing R&B and bebop, Ayler began recording music during the free jazz era of the 1960s. Howev ...
* Little Bird:
Jimmy Heath James Edward Heath (October 25, 1926 – January 19, 2020), nicknamed Little Bird, was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually co ...
* Little Brother:
Little Brother Montgomery Eurreal Wilford "Little Brother" Montgomery (April 18, 1906 – September 6, 1985) was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and blues pianist and singer. Largely self-taught, Montgomery was an important blues pianist with an original style. He was a ...
* Little Giant:
Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...
* Little Jazz:
Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from t ...
* Little Johnny C:
Johnny Coles John Coles (July 3, 1926 – December 21, 1997) was an American jazz trumpeter. Early life Coles was born in Trenton, New Jersey on July 3, 1926. He grew up in Philadelphia and was self-taught on trumpet. Later life and career Coles spent his ...
* Little Man: Walter Buchanan * Little Mitch: George Mitchell * Lockjaw:
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...
* Long Tall Dexter:
Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...
* Lord: Chauncey "Lord" Westbrook * Lovie:
Lovie Austin Cora "Lovie" Austin (September 19, 1887 – July 8, 1972) was an American Chicago bandleader, session musician, composer, singer, and arranger during the 1920s classic blues era. She and Lil Hardin Armstrong are often ranked as two of the best f ...
* Luckey:
Luckey Roberts Charles Luckyth Roberts (August 7, 1887 – February 5, 1968), better known as Luckey Roberts, was an American composer and stride pianist who worked in the jazz, ragtime, and blues styles. Biography Luckey Roberts was born in Philadelphia, ...
* Lucky:
Lucky Millinder Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910 – September 28, 1966) was an American swing and rhythm-and-blues bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical ...
* Lucky: Eli Thompson


M

* Ma:
Ma Rainey Gertrude "Ma" Rainey ( Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early blues recording artist. Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of s ...
* Mad Lionel:
Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
a.k.a. "Hamp" * Maffy: Muvaffak "Maffy" Falay * Maggie:
Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...
* Maharaja:
Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...
* Major:
Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...
* Man (The): Sam Taylor * Manzie:
Manzie Johnson Isham "Manzie" Johnson (August 19, 1906 – April 9, 1971) was an American jazz drummer. Johnson was raised in New York City, and played in Harlem in the 1920s with Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and other stride pianists, before going on ...
* Mash:
Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...
* Mex:
Paul Gonsalves Paul Gonsalves ( – ) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist best known for his association with Duke Ellington. At the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, Gonsalves played a 27-chorus solo in the middle of Ellington's "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue ...
* Mezz:
Mezz Mezzrow Milton Mesirow (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), better known as Mezz Mezzrow, was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He is remembered for organizing and financing recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier ...
* Mick:
Mick Mulligan Peter Sidney "Mick" Mulligan (24 January 1928 – 20 December 2006) was an English jazz trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his presence on the trad jazz scene. Biography He was born in Harrow, Middlesex, England. Mulligan began playing ...
* Mickey: Mickey McMahan * Midge: Midge Williams * Miff:
Miff Mole Irving Milfred Mole, known professionally as Miff Mole (March 11, 1898 – April 29, 1961) was an American jazz trombonist and band leader. He is generally considered one of the greatest jazz trombonists and credited with creating "the first dist ...
* Mighty Flea (The):
Gene Conners Eugene Conners (December 28, 1930 – June 10, 2010), known as Gene Conners, was an American trombonist and singer. He was known as the "Mighty Flea". Conners was born in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, and grew up in New Orleans, and may h ...
* Miles:
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
* Min: Min Leibrook * Minor:
Minor Hall Minor Hall (March 2, 1897 – October 16, 1959), better known as Ram Hall,Ted Sturgis * Money:
Money Johnson Harold "Money" Johnson (February 23, 1918 – March 28, 1978) was an American jazz trumpeter. Early life Johnson was born in Tyler, Texas, on February 23, 1918. He first played trumpet at age 15. Primarily a trumpeter, he also recorded with the tr ...
* Monk:
Monk Hazel Arthur Frank Hazel (August 15, 1903, Harvey, Louisiana - March 5, 1968, New Orleans, Louisiana), better known as Monk Hazel, was a jazz drummer and cornetist.Rye, Howard; Barry Kernfeld."Hazel, Monk".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press ...
* Monk: Monk McFay * Monk: William Montgomery * Montudie: Ed Garland * Monty:
Monty Waters Monty Waters (April 14, 1938 in Modesto, California – December 23, 2008 in Munich, Germany) was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist and singer. Waters received his first musical training from his aunt and first played in the church. After h ...
* Moonface, Wurmpth:
Claude Thornhill Claude Thornhill (August 10, 1908 – July 1, 1965) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He composed the jazz and pop standards "Snowfall" and "I Wish I Had You". Early years Thornhill was the son of J. Chester Thornhill ...
* Mouse: Irving Randolph * Mousie or Mousey: Elmer Alexander * Mr. Bongo:
Jack Costanzo Jack Costanzo (September 24, 1919 – August 18, 2018) was an American percussionist. Biography A composer, conductor and drummer, Costanzo is best known for having been a bongo player, and was nicknamed "Mr. Bongo". He visited Havana three ...
* Mr. Clock:
Freddie Green Frederick William Green (March 31, 1911 – March 1, 1987) was an American swing jazz guitarist who played rhythm guitar with the Count Basie Orchestra for almost fifty years. Early life and education Green was born in Charleston, South Ca ...
* Mr. Five by Five:
Jimmy Rushing James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...
* Mr. Lead: Derek Watkins * Mr. T:
Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion dur ...
aka "The Sugar Man"NPR's 'Jazz Profiles': "Stanley Turrentine: Saxophone 'Sugar Man'."
NPR. Retrieved 7th December 2022.
* Muffin, The Lamb: Donald Lambert * Muggsy:
Muggsy Spanier Francis Joseph "Muggsy" Spanier (November 9, 1901 – February 12, 1967) was an American jazz cornetist based in Chicago. He was a member of the Bucktown Five, pioneers of the "Chicago style" that straddled traditional Dixieland jazz and swing ...
* Mule:
Major Holley Major "Mule" Holley Jr. (July 10, 1924 – October 25, 1990) was an American jazz upright bassist. Biography Holley was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He attended the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit. Holley played ...
* Munn: Munn Ware * Mutt: Tom Carey a.k.a. "Papa Mutt"


N

* Nappy: Earle Howard * Nappy:
Hilton Lamare Joseph Hilton "Nappy" Lamare (June 14, 1905 – May 8, 1988) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and vocalist. Music career Lamare was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He got his nickname from his friend, Eddie Miller, becau ...
* Nature Boy: J. T. Brown aka "Blow It" BrownBüttner, Armin; Robert Campbell, and Robert Pruter (2020)
"The Parrot and Blue Lake Labels".
Red Saunders Research Foundation. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
* Newark Flash: Wayne Shorter * Newk: Sonny Rollins * NHØP:
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...
* Nick: Nick LaRocca


O

* O Bruxo (The Sorcerer): Hermeto Pascoal * Ol' Blue Eyes:
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
a.k.a. "The Voice" * Ool-Ya-Koo: Willie Cook * Osie: Osie Johnson


P

* Panama: Panama Francis * Pancho: Kenny Hagood * Papa: Papa Celestin * Papa: Lorenzo Tio, Louis "Papa" Tio * Papa Jack: Papa Jack Laine * Papa Jo: Jo Jones, Jonathan David Samuel Jones * Papa Joe: Joe "King" Oliver * Papa Mutt: Thomas Carey a.k.a. Mutt Carey * Pat: Pat Patrick (musician), Pat Patrick * Patriarch of the Clarinet (the):
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...
a.k.a. "the Professor", "Swing's Senior Statesman", "the King of Swing" * Peanuts: Peanuts Holland * Peanuts: Peanuts Hucko * Peck: Peck Kelley * Pee Wee: H. B. Barnum * Pee Wee: Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis * Pee Wee: Pee Wee Erwin * Pee Wee: Pee Wee Hunt * Pee Wee: Pee Wee Russell * Pee Wee: Leon "Pee Wee" Whittaker * Pepper:
Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...
a.k.a. "the Knife" * Pete: Pete Candoli * Pete: Pete Johnson (musician), Pete Johnson * Pha: Pha Terrell * : Farrell Sanders * Phantom: Joe Henderson * Philly Joe: Philly Joe Jones, Joseph Jones * Pinetop: Pinetop Perkins (Joseph William Perkins) * Pinetop: Pinetop Smith, Clarence Smith a.k.a. "Pine Top" * Polo: Polo Barnes * Pony: Norwood Poindexter * Pops: Sidney Bechet * Pops:
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
a.k.a. "Satchel Mouth", "Satchmo", "Dipper Mouth" * Pops: Pops Foster, George Murphy "Pops" Foster * Pops: Robert Popwell * Porky: Al Porcino * Pretty: Bernard Purdie * Pres (preferred spelling) or Prez (short for "President"): Lester Young * Prince of Darkness:
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
* Professor, the:
Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalist ...
* Professor (the):
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...
a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "Swing's Senior Statesman", "the King of Swing" * Pud: Pud Brown * Punch: Punch Miller


Q

* Queen: Peggy Lee * Queen of the Jukeboxes: Dinah Washington


R

* Rabbit:
Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
a.k.a. "Rab", "Jeep" * Rap: Leon Roppolo * Ray: Ray Bryant * Reb: Reb Spikes * Red: Red Allen * Red: Red Balaban * Red: Tom Brown (trombonist), Tom Brown * Red: Red Callender * Red: Red Garland * Red: Red Holloway * Red: Red Ingle * Red: Red McKenzie * Red: Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell * Red: Robert Muse * Red: Red Nichols * Red: Red Norvo * Red: Red Prysock * Red: Red Richards * Red: Red Saunders (musician), Red Saunders * Red: Alvin Tyler * Red Rodney: Red Rodney * Rosy: Rosy McHargue * Rusty: Rusty Bryant * Rusty: Lyle Dedrick * Rusty: Rusty Jones (musician), Rusty Jones


S

* Sabby: Sabby Lewis * Santy: Santy Runyon * Sassy:
Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "Jazz royalty, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine ...
a.k.a. "The Divine One" * Satchmo:
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
a.k.a. "Dipper Mouth", "Pops", "Satchel Mouth" * Sax: Sax Mallard * Scoops: Scoops Carey * Scotty: Howard "Scotty" Scott * Scotty: Kermit Scott (musician), Kermit Scott * Scrappy: Scrappy Lambert * Senator (the): Eugene Wright * Shadow: Rossiere Wilson * Shake: Shake Keane * Sharkey: Joseph Bonano * Shifty: Shifty Henry * Shorty: Shorty Baker, Harold Baker * Shorty: Shorty Rogers * Shorty: Shorty Sherock * Sippie: Sippie Wallace * Sir: Charles Thompson (jazz), Sir Charles Thompson * Sir James: Jimmy NottinghamYanow, Scott (2002)
"Nottingham, Jimmy."
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
* Skeeter: Clifton Best * Skeets: Skeets Herfurt * Skeets: Skeets Tolbert * Skip: Skip Martin * Skippy: Skippy Williams * Skitch: Skitch Henderson * Slam: Slam Stewart * Slats: Slats Long * Sleepy Hall: Chick Bullock * Slide: Slide Hampton * Slim: Bulee Gaillard * Slim: Alton Moore * Slow Drag: Alcide Pavageau * Smack: Fletcher Henderson * Smith: Smith Ballew * Smitty: Marvin Smith * Snakehips: Ken Snakehips Johnson * Snap Crackle: Roy Haynes * Snub: Snub Mosley * Sonny: Sonny Berman * Sonny: Sun Ra, Sonny Blount * Sonny: Sonny Brown (musician), Sonny BrownWaggoner, Andrew.
"Brown, Sonny".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Sonny: Sonny Clark * Sonny: Sonny Clay * Sonny: Sonny Cohn * Sonny: Sonny Criss * Sonny: Sonny Dallas * Sonny: Sonny Dunham * Sonny: Sonny Greer * Sonny: Sonny Henry (trombonist), Sonny Henry * Sonny: Clarence "Sonny" Henry * Sonny: Sonny Igoe * Sonny: Sonny Lester * Sonny: Sonny Parker (musician), Sonny Parker * Sonny: Sonny Payne * Sonny: Sonny Rollins a.k.a. "Newk" * Sonny: Sonny Russo * Sonny: Sonny Sharrock * Sonny: Sonny Simmons * Sonny: Edward Stitt * Sonny: Sonny White * Sound (the): Stan Getz * Spanky: Spanky Davis * Spanky: Spanky DeBrest * Specs: Gordon Powell * Specs: Specs Wright * Spider: Cyril Haynes * Spike: Spike Heatley * Spike: Spike Hughes * Spike: Spike Robinson * Spike: Spike Wells * Spoon: Jimmy Witherspoon * Spud: Spud Murphy * Stan: Stan Hasselgård * Steepee (Steepy):
Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...
a.k.a. "Jeepy" * Stix: Stix Hooper * Stork (the): Paul Desmond * Stuff: Stuff Combe * Stuff: Stuff Smith * Stump: Stump Evans * Stumpy: Stumpy Brady * Sunny: Sunny Murray * Swee' Pea: Billy Strayhorn * Sweets: Harry Edison * Swing's Senior Statesman:
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...
a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "the Professor", "the King of Swing" * Sy: Sy Oliver


T

* Tab: Tab Smith * Tain: Jeff "Tain" Watts * Teddy: Teddy Brannon Kennedy, Gary W
"Brannon, Teddy".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Teddy: Franz Teddy Kleindin, Teddy Kleindin * Teddy: Teddy Stauffer * Teo: Teo Macero * Terry: Terry GibbsTheroux, Gary
"Gibbs, Terry".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
* Tex: Tex Beneke * Tex: Herschel Evans * The Ghost: Earl Washington (musician), Earl Washington * The Sugar Man:
Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion dur ...
aka "Mr. T" * Tiger: Tiger Haynes * Tina: Tina Brooks * Tiny: Tiny Davis * Tiny: Tiny Grimes * Tiny: Tiny Hill * Tiny: Tiny Kahn * Tiny: Tiny Parham * Tiny: Tiny Taylor * Tiny: Tiny Winters * Tito: Tito Burns * Toby: Scoville Browne * Toby: Otto Hardwick * Tom: Tom Archia * Tootie: Albert "Tootie" Heath * Toots: Toots Mondello * Toots: Toots Thielemans * Tram: Frank Trumbauer * Trane: John Coltrane * Tricky Sam: Joe Nanton * Truck: Truck Parham * Trummy: Trummy Young * Trump: Trump Davidson * Tubby: Tubby Hall * Tubby: Tubby Hayes a.k.a. "Tubbs" * Tuff: Tuff Green * Turk: Turk Murphy * Turk: Turk Van Lake * Tuts: Tuts Washington * Tutti: Tutti Camarata


V

* Velvet Fog (The): Mel Tormé * Vice Prez: Paul Quinichette * Voice (The):
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
a.k.a. "Ol' Blue Eyes" * Vonski: Von Freeman


W

* Wah Wah: Wah Wah Watson * Wes: Wes Montgomery * Whitey: Gordon Whitey Mitchell, Gordon "Whitey" Mitchell * Wig (The): Gerald Wiggins * Wild: Wild Bill Davis * Wild: Bill Davison * Wingy: Joseph Manone * Wooden: Wooden Joe Nicholas


Y

* Yank: Yank Lawson * Yardbird:
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
a.k.a. "Bird" * Yellow: Alcide Nunez


Z

* Ziggy: Ziggy Elman * Zinky: Zinky Cohn * Zoot: Zoot Sims, Jack Sims * Zutty: Zutty Singleton


See also

*
Jazz royalty Jazz royalty is a term encompassing the many jazz musicians who have been termed as exceptionally musically gifted and informally granted honorific, "aristocratic" or "royal" titles as nicknames. The practice of affixing honorific titles to the ...
*List of best-selling music artists *List of honorific titles in popular music *List of stage names *List of nicknames of blues musicians *Lists of nicknames – nickname list articles on Wikipedia


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicknames Of Jazz Musicians Jazz culture Lists of jazz musicians Lists of people with nickname by occupation, Jazz Nicknames in music, Jazz