Jazz From Philly

Philadelphia may not be like New Orleans,, Chicago, or New York when it comes to a much-talked-about jazz history. But it has been home to a number of jazz greats and has history of jazz. To ring out Jazz Appreciation Month, or Philly Jazz Month as it’s called here, here’s a subjective look at the greats, and should-have-been greats, that have called Philly home.

Story and illustrations by Steve Madden / Staff Artist

John Coltrane

(b. 1926- d. 1967)

Tenor and soprano saxophones Born and raised in North Carolina, Coltrane moved to Philadelphia to live with his mother and cousin in 1944 when he was just out of high school. The house in Strawberry Mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places. His early development as a musician took place in Philly, where he first played the alto sax and played in a Navy band for a couple of years. Once out of the Navy, he returned to Philly and, with Jimmy Heath, joined Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, of which Lee Morgan was also a member. When that band shrunk to a sextet, he switched to the tenor sax. Coltrane joined Miles Davis in 1955, and in 1957 he left Philly to start his solo career.

Lee Morgan

(b. 1938- d. 1972)

Trumpet Morgan was 18 when he joined Dizzy Gillespie's big band in 1956. After two years, he left to join Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, becoming one of the great hard-bop trumpeters. He recorded his own album and went solo in 1961.

Christian McBride

(b. 1972)

Bass, electric and acoustic The Philly born McBride’s father and uncle also played the bass. The preeminent bassist of his generation, he was encouraged by his buddy Joey DeFrancesco to attend Juilliard. One of his idols, Ray Brown, said of him: “This guy really has a handle on it, and he’s going to be magnificent.” He is also an advocate for the music, hosting weekly Jazz Night in America on NPR.

The Heath Brothers

Percy, bass (b. 1923- d.2005)

Jimmy, tenor and soprano saxes, composer

(b. 1926- d.2020)

Albert “Tootie,” drums

(b. 1935- d.2024)

All three brothers had very successful careers in post-bop jazz. Percy didn’t get serious about music until his discharge from the Air Force in 1946. He is best known as an original member of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Besides playing, Jimmy was an in-demand composer and arranger. Albert spent a lot of time playing and recording in Europe, joining his brothers in 1975 to form the Heath Brothers Group.

Jimmy Smith

(b. 1925- d. 2005)

Organ Born in Norristown, he won an amateur contest when he was 9. Coltrane was in his trio briefly in 1955. He is credited with playing bebop phrasing on the organ while retaining a blues feel. His influence is felt in blues and funk also.

Sun Ra

(b. 1914- d. 1993)

Keyboards, composer Born in Alabama, he started his career in Chicago writing arrangements for Fletcher Henderson in the mid-1940s. He formed his big band, the Arkestra, and later moved to New York. In 1968, the entire band moved back to Philadelphia to Morton Street in Germantown. He is considered to be "the Godfather of Afrofuturism." The Arkestra remains active under the direction of Marshall Allen.

Joey DeFrancesco

(b. 1971- d. 2022)

Organ, trumpet, sax He helped revive the Hammond organ in jazz in the late 1980s. At age 10, the Springfield- born DeFrancesco played in a band with Hank Mobley and Philly Joe Jones. He picked up the trumpet after touring with Miles Davis as a teenager. He has more than 30 albums under his own name. He was added to the Philadelphia Walk of Fame in 2016.

Shirley Scott

(b. 1934- d. 2002)

Organ, piano As a teen, Scott played trumpet and piano, but switched to organ when that became popular in the 1950s. She and a young John Coltrane backed up a local vocal group, the Hi-Tones. Scott recorded some great albums in the late 1950s with Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and later with her husband, Stanley Turrentine. She later taught jazz history at Cheney University.

Dizzy Gillespie

(b. 1917- d. 1993)

Trumpet He was born in South Carolina but moved to Philadelphia in 1935. He quickly became an in-demand trumpet player, bouncing from big band to big band. Around 1940 he, along with Charlie Parker, became one of the architects of bebop. His showmanship tended to mask his virtuosity. Always confident in his status, he never hesitated to help and encourage other musicians, including trumpet players.

Billie Holiday

(b. 1915- d. 1959)

Singer Born in Philadelphia but raised in Baltimore, Holiday escaped a brutal childhood by moving to New York and signing in Harlem clubs. She first recorded at 18 with Benny Goodman; her small but precise voice standing in contrast to the big-voiced blues singers. Frank Sinatra called her the “greatest musical influence on me.” Her recordings with Lester Young on tenor are classics, as are her tunes “Strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child.”

Stanley Clarke

(b. 1951)

Bass, electric and acoustic After playing with rock bands in the late 1960s, Clarke played with a series of jazz groups in the 1970s, as well as spending time with Stan Getz. He achieved great fame with Chick Corea’s Return to Forever and his own solo career.

Henry Grimes

(b. 1935- d. 2020)

Bass, violin Probably the only musician to have played with Benny Goodman and Albert Ayler. At the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, he was in such demand that he played with six different bands. But in 1967 he disappeared. Presumed dead, he was found alive in Los Angeles in 2002 by a determined fan. Word got out, William Parker gave him one of his basses, and Grimes finished his career releasing albums, performing, teaching, and publishing poetry.

Beryl Booker

(b. 1922- d. 1974)

Piano When bassist Slam Stewart heard Beryl Booker, he broke his promise not to work with a woman and hired her. She later led her own bands, played in Europe, and accompanied Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington. The effort to get her on the Philadelphia Walk of Fame is ongoing.

Kenny Barron

(b. 1943)

Piano, composer, educator Barron started playing piano at 12, and by 19 he was playing with Philly Joe Jones. After Barron spent some time freelancing in New York, Dizzy Gillespie hired him, based on others’ recommendations. He balanced his career with getting a college education and, in 1973, Barron joined the faculty of Rutgers University. His discography has a wide range of settings, and in 2010 he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment of the Arts.

Stan Getz

(b. 1927- d. 1991)

Tenor sax Born in Philadelphia, Getz was renowned for his melodic playing and delicate tone. He started in big bands when he was 15, and by 19 he was recording under his own name. He had great success with his bossa nova recordings in the 1960s. Many musicians, including Stanley Clarke and Kenny Barron, spent part of their careers in his bands.

Astrud Gilberto

(b. 1940- d. 2023)

Singer The semi-reclusive singer spent the last 30 years or so of her life in Philadelphia. In 1963 she was at a recording session with her husband at the time, Joao Gilberto, and Stan Getz. She volunteered to sing when they needed an English version of the lyrics to “The Girl From Ipanema.” The song was a hit and won a Grammy. Gilberto received a standard $120 session fee.

McCoy Tyner

(b. 1938- d. 2020)

Piano Establishing his career in the late 1950s, Tyner joined John Coltrane’s quartet in 1960 and was an integral part of its success. His style on piano was similar to Coltrane’s on sax: melodic one second, volcanic the next. He left the band in 1965, and, after a few rough years that left him considering driving a cab, began a very successful solo career that made him one of the most influential pianists in jazz.

Philly Joe Jones

(b. 1923- d. 1985)

Drums Picking up the nickname “Philly” mainly to distinguish him from the great swing drummer Jo Jones, he moved to New York in 1947. By 1955 he, along with Red Garland on piano and Paul Chambers on bass, was part of the legendary rhythm section of the first Miles Davis quintet. He later spent a lot of time in Europe, recording and teaching. He was Davis’ favorite drummer.