Stephane Grappelli (originally surname was spelled with a 'Y') would have earned himself a place in Jazz History books if only for his important role in the Quintette of the Hot Club of France, featuring the dazzling virtuosity of Django Reindhart. Grappelli's violin was the perfect foil to Reindhart's guitar in this piano-less group. Fired by Reindhart's tremendous rhythmic powers, Grappelli's contributions to recordings by the Quintette like Lime House Blues, China Boy and It Don't Me …

A marvelously eloquent, always mellifluous player, Reuben 'Ruby' Braff (born Boston, Mass., 1927) is something of throwback to jazz of pre - World War II except that where Braff is concerned his music sounds fresh and despite strong influences is Armstrong, Berigan, Hackett, James, he does not slavishly copy any of the great trumpeters / cornettists of the past. A self - taught musician, Braff has tended to concentrate almost exclusively on the warmer sound of the cornet (like, for example, Nat …

Cornet-player Joe "King" Oliver was born in 1885, joining Kid Ory's Brownskin Babies in about 1914 or 1915, and developing great expressive skills in the use of mutes. Oliver, like many New Orleans musicians, left for Chicago after the closure of Storyville in 1918, forming his own band, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Clarinetist Johnny Dodds eventually replaced Jimmie Noone, Lil Hardin took over piano from Lottie Taylor and Baby Dodds on drums replaced Minor Hall. In 1922, Oliver furt …

The celebrated pianist Keith Jarrett first established his reputation in the popular Charles Lloyd group (Dream Weaver) where he proved himself to be a dazzlingly gifted player. A period with Miles Davis in the early '70s (Live Evil and At Fillmore) did not lead- as with pianists Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul and Herbie Hancock- to the subsequent formation of a jazz-rock outfit. Jarrett's career has been remarkably diverse. Born Allentown, Pennsylvania, on May 8, 1945, Jarrett learned piano …

With his revolutionary Mahavishnu Orchestra, John McLaughlin became one of the most influential and individual fusion guitarists of the 1970s. His awesome, soaring, seemingly ever-ascending guitar lines- exploding in increasing mind-bending time signatures- tests the limits of human endurance for both player and listener. Born in Yorkshire England, on January 4, 1942, McLaughlin was encouraged to learn piano from age 9 by his mother, an amateur violinist. All his brothers were musical a …