Jazz's North Carolina Roots

Jazz's North Carolina Roots

Thelonious Sphere Monk

Rocky Mount, NC
October 10, 1917 - February 17, 1982
Pianist, Composer, Band Leader

John Coltrane

Hamlet, NC; raised in High Point, NC
"Trane"
September 23, 1926 - July 17, 1967
Saxophonist, Composer, Band Leader

Lou Donaldson, The Dean

Badin, NC
November 1, 1926
Alto Saxophonist
Performed at NC A&T State University following WWII as part of "The Rhythm Vets"

Nina Simone

Tryon, NC
"The High Priestess of Soul"
February 21, 1933 - April 21, 2003
Singer, Pianist, Composer, Songwriter, Arranger, Civil Rights Activist

Frank Kimbrough

Roxboro, NC
November 2
Jazz Pianist/Composer

Talmadge "Tab" Smith

Kinston, NC
January 11, 1909 - August 17, 1971
Swing and R&B Alto Saxophonist

Freddie Moore

Washington, NC
August 20, 1900 - November 3, 1992
Played with King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Roy Eldridge, Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Rufus Harley

Raleigh, NC
May 20, 1936 - August 1, 2006
First Jazz Bagpiper

Linton Garner

Greensboro, NC
March 25, 1915 - March 6, 2003
Pianist

Roberta Flack

Asheville, NC
February 10
Singer, Pianist, Songwriter

Grady Tate

Durham, NC
January 14, 1932 - October 8, 2017
Drummer, Percussionist, Vocalist

Loonis McGlohon

Ayden, NC
September 29, 1921 - January 26, 2002
Jazz Pianist & Songwriter

Ernest Turner

Durham, NC
Jazz Pianist/Composer/Band Leader

Dannie Richmond

Greensboro, NC
December 15, 1935 - March 15, 1988

Harold Vick

Rocky Mount, NC
April 3, 1936 - November 13, 1987
Saxophonist

Numa S. "Pee Wee" Moore

Raleigh, NC
March 5, 1928 - April 13, 2009
Photo: Duke University

Chip Crawford

Raleigh, NC
Pianist
December 3
Gregory Porter's band

Percy Heath

Wilmington, NC
April 30, 1923 - April 28, 2005
Bassist
Modern Jazz Quartet
Photo: allaboutjazz.com

Johnny Best

Shelby, NC
October 20, 1913 - September 19, 2003

Max Roach

Newland, NC
January 10, 1924 - August 16, 2007
Drummer, Percussionist, Composer, Civil Rights Activist, Band Leader

Tal Farlow

Greensboro, NC
June 7, 1921 – July 25, 1998
Guitarist
Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tal_Farlow_5.jpg#/media/File:Tal_Farlow_5.jpg

Waymon Reed

Fayetteville, NC
January 10, 1940 - November 25, 1983
Jazz Trumpeter

Dr. Billy Taylor

Greenville, NC
July 24, 1921 - December 28, 2010
Jazz Pianist, Composer, Jazz Educator and Broadcaster

Maceo Parker

Kinston, NC
February 14
Soul and Jazz Saxophonist

Woody Shaw

Laurinburg, NC
December 24, 1944-May 10, 1989
Virtuoso Trumpeter, Flugelhornist, Cornetist, Composer, Band Leader

Thelonious Sphere Monk

Rocky Mount, NC
October 10, 1917 - February 17, 1982
Pianist, Composer, Band Leader

John Coltrane

Hamlet, NC; raised in High Point, NC
"Trane"
September 23, 1926 - July 17, 1967
Saxophonist, Composer, Band Leader

Lou Donaldson, The Dean

Badin, NC
November 1, 1926
Alto Saxophonist
Performed at NC A&T State University following WWII as part of "The Rhythm Vets"

Nina Simone

Tryon, NC
"The High Priestess of Soul"
February 21, 1933 - April 21, 2003
Singer, Pianist, Composer, Songwriter, Arranger, Civil Rights Activist

Frank Kimbrough

Roxboro, NC
November 2
Jazz Pianist/Composer

Talmadge "Tab" Smith

Kinston, NC
January 11, 1909 - August 17, 1971
Swing and R&B Alto Saxophonist

Freddie Moore

Washington, NC
August 20, 1900 - November 3, 1992
Played with King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Roy Eldridge, Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Rufus Harley

Raleigh, NC
May 20, 1936 - August 1, 2006
First Jazz Bagpiper

Linton Garner

Greensboro, NC
March 25, 1915 - March 6, 2003
Pianist

Roberta Flack

Asheville, NC
February 10
Singer, Pianist, Songwriter

Grady Tate

Durham, NC
January 14, 1932 - October 8, 2017
Drummer, Percussionist, Vocalist

Loonis McGlohon

Ayden, NC
September 29, 1921 - January 26, 2002
Jazz Pianist & Songwriter

Ernest Turner

Durham, NC
Jazz Pianist/Composer/Band Leader

Dannie Richmond

Greensboro, NC
December 15, 1935 - March 15, 1988

Harold Vick

Rocky Mount, NC
April 3, 1936 - November 13, 1987
Saxophonist

Numa S. "Pee Wee" Moore

Raleigh, NC
March 5, 1928 - April 13, 2009
Photo: Duke University

Chip Crawford

Raleigh, NC
Pianist
December 3
Gregory Porter's band

Percy Heath

Wilmington, NC
April 30, 1923 - April 28, 2005
Bassist
Modern Jazz Quartet
Photo: allaboutjazz.com

Johnny Best

Shelby, NC
October 20, 1913 - September 19, 2003

Max Roach

Newland, NC
January 10, 1924 - August 16, 2007
Drummer, Percussionist, Composer, Civil Rights Activist, Band Leader

Tal Farlow

Greensboro, NC
June 7, 1921 – July 25, 1998
Guitarist
Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tal_Farlow_5.jpg#/media/File:Tal_Farlow_5.jpg

Waymon Reed

Fayetteville, NC
January 10, 1940 - November 25, 1983
Jazz Trumpeter

Dr. Billy Taylor

Greenville, NC
July 24, 1921 - December 28, 2010
Jazz Pianist, Composer, Jazz Educator and Broadcaster

Maceo Parker

Kinston, NC
February 14
Soul and Jazz Saxophonist

Woody Shaw

Laurinburg, NC
December 24, 1944-May 10, 1989
Virtuoso Trumpeter, Flugelhornist, Cornetist, Composer, Band Leader

Johnny Best

Shelby, NC October 20, 1913 - September 19, 2003