Subgenre

Avant-Garde Jazz

379 profiles tagged Avant-Garde Jazz, A-Z.

Avant-garde jazz developed in the United States from the late 1950s onward as musicians pushed beyond bebop's harmonic conventions toward greater structural, tonal, and textural experimentation, while often retaining some composed material unlike the fully collective improvisation of free jazz. It is marked by unconventional forms, extended instrumental techniques, dissonance, and a willingness to abandon steady tempo or fixed chord changes. Pianist Cecil Taylor, saxophonist Eric Dolphy, and bandleader Sun Ra are among its most influential early figures.

Aaron Stewart Tenor saxophone Achille Succi Alto saxophone Adriano Orrù Double bass Aki Takase Piano Akiko Yano Piano Akira Miyazawa Tenor saxophone ✦ 1927–2000 Akira Sakata Alto Saxophone Albert Ayler Tenor saxophone ✦ 1936–1970 Albert Beger Tenor saxophone Albert Piamenta Alto saxophone Alberto Braida Piano Alberto Mandarini Trumpet Alberto Tacchini Piano Alessandro Lanzoni Piano Alessandro Zolo Double Bass Alexandra Grimal Tenor Alfonso Santimone Piano Alice Coltrane Piano ✦ 1937–2007 Allan Chase Alto and soprano saxophone (also baritone on later recordings) Anaïs Drago Violin Andrea Centazzo Percussion Andrea Grillini Drums Andrea Grossi Double bass Andrea Marcelli Drums Andrew Cyrille Drums Andrew Hill Piano ✦ 1931–2007 Angelo Olivieri Trumpet Anthony Braxton Saxophones (sopranino through contrabass) Antonello Salis Piano Antonin-Tri Hoang Alto saxophone Antonio Borghini Double Bass Archie Shepp Tenor Saxophone Ares Tavolazzi Double bass Arrigo Cappelletti Piano Art Ensemble of Chicago Quintet Asaf Shchori Double bass Assaf Talmudi Piano Assif Tsahar Tenor saxophone Aviran Ben Naim Piano Ayumi Tanaka Piano Ben Perowsky Drums Ben Street Double bass Beppe Castellani Tenor saxophone Beppe Scardino Baritone Saxophone Bernard McKinney (Kiane Zawadi) Euphonium ✦ 1932–2024 Bill Dixon Trumpet ✦ 1925–2010 Bill Laswell Bass Bill McHenry Tenor saxophone Bob Stewart Tuba (early credits also on trumpet and flugelhorn) Boris Savoldelli Vocals Bruce Arnold Guitar Bruno Biriaco Drums Bruno Romani Alto & Soprano Saxophone ✦ 1960–2025 Camilla Battaglia Voice Carlo Actis Dato Baritone saxophone Carlos Ward Alto saxophone ✦ 1940–2026 Caterina Palazzi Double Bass Cecil McBee Double bass Cecil Taylor Piano ✦ 1929–2018 Cesare Mangiocavallo Drums Chad Taylor Drums Charles Gayle Tenor saxophone ✦ 1939–2023 Charles Mingus Double bass ✦ 1922–1979 Chick Corea Piano ✦ 1941–2021 Chico Freeman Tenor saxophone Chris Cheek Tenor saxophone Chris Tordini Double bass Christopher Hoffman Cello Claudio Cojaniz Piano Claudio Lodati Guitar Cooper-Moore Piano Craig Taborn Piano Cristiano Calcagnile Drums Cristina Mazza Alto Saxophone Cristina Zavalloni Voice (mezzo-soprano/soprano) Cyro Baptista Percussion (over 40 instruments, many self-built) Dan Mayo Drums Daniel Zamir Alto & soprano saxophone Daniele Cavallanti Tenor Saxophone Daniele D'Agaro Clarinet Daniele Di Gregorio Vibraphone Danilo Gallo Double bass Danilo Terenzi Trombone ✦ 1956–1995 Dario Congedo Drums Dave Douglas Trumpet Dave Holland Double bass Dave Liebman Tenor saxophone David Murray Tenor Saxophone Davide Strangio Guitar Dewey Redman Tenor saxophone ✦ 1931–2006 Dimitri Sillato Piano Dino Betti van der Noot Composer Domenico Caliri Guitar Don Cherry Cornet ✦ 1936–1995 Ed Schuller Double bass Ehran Elisha Drums Emanuele Maniscalco Piano Emanuele Parrini Violin Emanuele Primavera Drums Enrico Fazio Double bass Enrico Intra Piano Enrico Morello Drums Enrico Terragnoli Electric guitar Eric Dolphy Alto Saxophone ✦ 1928–1964 Eric Revis Double bass Erik Friedlander Cello Ernesto Rodrigues Viola Eugenio Colombo Alto Saxophone Evita Polidoro Drums Eyal Netzer Tenor saxophone Eyal Talmudi Tenor saxophone Fabio Sartori Piano Fabrizio Puglisi Piano Federica Michisanti Double Bass Federico Calcagno Clarinet Federico Pierantoni Trombone Federico Ughi Drums Ferdinando Romano Double bass Filippo Vignato Trombone Florent Nisse Double bass Francesca Remigi Drums Francesco Bearzatti Tenor saxophone Francesco Bigoni Tenor Saxophone Francesco Chiapperini Bass Clarinet Francesco Cusa Drums Francesco Diodati Electric Guitar Francesco Lo Cascio Vibraphone Francesco Ponticelli Double bass Francesco Saiu Guitar Franco Tonani Drums Frank London Trumpet Frank Lowe Tenor saxophone ✦ 1943–2003 Frank Wright Tenor Saxophone ✦ 1935–1990 Fumio Itabashi Piano Gabriel Marciano Alto Saxophone Gabriel Meyer Bass Gabriele Evangelista Double Bass Gabriele Mitelli Trumpet Gaetano Liguori Piano Gaetano Partipilo Alto Saxophone George Adams Tenor saxophone ✦ 1940–1992 Gerald Cleaver Drums Geri Allen Piano ✦ 1957–2017 Gerry Hemingway Drums Giacomo Papetti Double Bass Giancarlo Barigozzi Saxophones ✦ 1930–2008 Giancarlo Schiaffini Trombone Gianluigi Trovesi Clarinet Gianni Bedori Tenor Saxophone ✦ 1930–2005 Gianni Gebbia Alto Saxophone Gianni Lenoci Piano ✦ 1963–2019 Gianni Mimmo Soprano saxophone Giorgio Albanese Accordion Giorgio Azzolini Double bass ✦ 1928–2024 Giorgio Gaslini Piano ✦ 1929–2014 Giorgio Pacorig Piano Giovanni Falzone Trumpet Giovanni Maier Double bass Giulio Corini Double Bass Glauco Benedetti Tuba Greg Murphy Piano Guglielmo Pagnozzi Clarinet Guido Mazzon Trumpet Hagai Fershtman Drums Haggai Cohen Milo Double bass Haim Peskoff Drums Hamid Drake Drums Harold Rubin Clarinet ✦ 1932–2020 Henry Grimes Double bass ✦ 1935–2020 Henry Threadgill Alto saxophone Hiroaki Katayama Tenor Saxophone ✦ 1951–2018 Hiroaki Mizutani Double Bass Ichiko Hashimoto Piano Ido Bukelman Electric guitar Immanuel Wilkins Alto saxophone Itaru Oki Trumpet ✦ 1941–2020 Jack DeJohnette Drums ✦ 1942–2025 Jackie McLean Alto saxophone ✦ 1931–2006 Jacopo Fagioli Trumpet Jaki Byard Piano ✦ 1922–1999 James Blood Ulmer Electric guitar ✦ 1940–2026 James Carter Tenor James Newton Flute Jean-Michel Pilc Piano Jeff Ballard Drums Jeremy Corren Piano Jimmy Garrison Double bass ✦ 1934–1976 Joe Lovano Tenor saxophone Joel Ross Vibraphone Joëlle Léandre Double bass John Bostock Piano John Coltrane Tenor saxophone ✦ 1926–1967 John Hicks Piano ✦ 1941–2006 John Medeski Piano John Zorn Alto saxophone Julius Hemphill Alto saxophone ✦ 1938–1995 Junji Hirose Tenor saxophone Kaoru Abe Alto saxophone ✦ 1949–1978 Kazuo Imai Guitar Kazutoki Umezu Alto saxophone Ken Tsunoda Drums Koichi Matsukaze Alto saxophone ✦ 1948–2023 Kris Davis Piano Kyoko Kuroda Piano Lelio Giannetto Double Bass Leroy Jenkins Violin ✦ 1932–2007 Leszek Możdżer Piano Lex Korten Piano Linda Oh Double bass Louis Belogenis Tenor Saxophone Luca Tilli Cello Lucia Ianniello Trumpet Luciano Caruso Soprano Saxophone Luigi Vitale Vibraphone Makiko Hirabayashi Piano Manlio Maresca Guitar Marc Ribot Guitar Marcello Allulli Tenor Saxophone Marcello Magliocchi Drums Marcello Melis Double bass ✦ 1939–1994 Marco Bardoscia Double bass Marco Centasso Double bass Marco Colonna Clarinet Marco Luparia Drums Marco Sinopoli Guitar Marcus Gilmore Drums María Grand Tenor saxophone Mariasole De Pascali Flute Mario Schiano Alto saxophone ✦ 1933–2008 Mark Guiliana Drums Marta Sánchez Piano Martin Mayes French horn Masa Kamaguchi Double bass Masahiko Ozu Drums ✦ 1941–1997 Masahiko Satoh Piano Masahiko Togashi Drums ✦ 1940–2007 Masami Shinoda Alto saxophone ✦ 1958–1992 Masayuki Takayanagi Guitar ✦ 1932–1991 Massimiliano Milesi Tenor Saxophone Massimo Barbiero Drums Massimo De Mattia Flute Mat Maneri Violin Matt Brewer Double bass Matteo Bortone Double Bass Mattia Barbieri Drums Maurizio Brunod Electric guitar Mauro Negri Clarinet Mauro Ottolini Trombone Max Roach Drums ✦ 1924–2007 Max Trabucco Drums Maya Dunietz Piano Michael Blake Tenor saxophone Michele Rabbia Percussion Michiyo Yagi Koto (13, 17, 18 and 21-string) Miguel Zenón Alto saxophone Milton Michaeli Piano Mirio Cosottini Trumpet Motoharu Yoshizawa Double bass ✦ 1931–1998 Motohiko Hamase Bass Muhal Richard Abrams Piano ✦ 1930–2017 Muhammad Ali (drummer) Drums Nadav Masel Double bass Naruyoshi Kikuchi Tenor Saxophone Nasheet Waits Drums Natsuki Tamura Trumpet Nelide Bandello Drums Nicola Fazzini Alto Saxophone Nicola Guazzaloca Piano Nicolò Francesco Faraglia Guitar Nobu Stowe Piano Nobuyoshi Ino Double Bass Ofer Bymel Drums Oliver Lake Alto saxophone Ori Kaplan Saxophone (alto, baritone) Ornette Coleman Alto saxophone ✦ 1930–2015 Otomo Yoshihide Guitar Paolo Angeli Prepared Sardinian guitar (chitarra sarda preparata) Paolo Botti Viola Paolo Damiani Cello Pasquale Mirra Vibraphone Paul Bley Piano ✦ 1932–2016 Paul Motian Drums ✦ 1931–2011 Perry Robinson Clarinet ✦ 1938–2018 Phalanx Quartet Pharoah Sanders Tenor saxophone ✦ 1940–2022 Piero Bittolo Bon Alto Saxophone Pino Minafra Trumpet Prima Materia Quintet Ramberto Ciammarughi Piano Rashied Ali Drums ✦ 1933–2009 Ravi Coltrane Tenor saxophone Reggie Workman Double bass Rene Hart Double bass Riccardo Fassi Piano Riccardo Pittau Trumpet Rob Clearfield Piano Roberto Bellatalla Double Bass Roberto Cecchetto Guitar Roberto Giaquinto Drums Roberto Negro Piano Roberto Ottaviano Soprano Saxophone Roberto Zorzi Guitar Rosario Di Rosa Piano Roscoe Mitchell Saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, sopranino) Roswell Rudd Trombone ✦ 1935–2017 Roy Haynes Drums; occasional vocals ✦ 1925–2024 Sachi Hayasaka Alto saxophone Sam Rivers Tenor saxophone ✦ 1923–2011 Sandro Cerino Saxophones (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone, sopranino) Sandro Satta Alto Saxophone Santi Debriano Double bass Satoko Fujii Piano Satoshi Takeishi Drums Savannah Harris Drums Scott Robinson Saxophones (soprano to contrabass, plus C-melody) Sebi Tramontana Trombone Sergio Armaroli Vibraphone Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz Electric and acoustic bass Shay Hazan Double bass Shigenori Kamiya Electric guitar Shinpei Ruike Trumpet Shoji Hano Drums Shun Ishiwaka Drums Silvia Bolognesi Double bass Silvia Corda Piano Simone Alessandrini Alto saxophone Simone Graziano Piano Simone Massaron Electric guitar Simone Zanchini Accordion Sirone Double bass ✦ 1940–2009 Slava Ganelin Piano Stefano Battaglia Piano Stefano Giust Drums Stefano Senni Double bass Stefano Tamborrino Drums Steve Coleman Alto saxophone Steve Lacy Soprano saxophone ✦ 1934–2004 Steve Peskoff Guitar Steven Lugerner Alto and soprano saxophone Stomu Takeishi Electric bass Sun Ra Piano ✦ 1914–1993 Sunny Murray Drums ✦ 1936–2017 Takashi Kako Piano Tetsu Saitoh Double bass ✦ 1955–2019 The Klezmatics Quintet Thomas Morgan Double bass Tigran Hamasyan Piano Tino Tracanna Saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) Tito Mangialajo Rantzer Double bass Tiziana Ghiglioni Voice Tiziano Tononi Drums Tony Cattano Trombone Toshiki Nagata Double bass Toshinori Kondo Trumpet (acoustic and electric/amplified) ✦ 1948–2020 Toshiyuki Miyama Alto Saxophone ✦ 1921–2016 Tyshawn Sorey Drums U.T. Gandhi Drums ✦ 1960–2026 Umberto Petrin Piano Uri Caine Piano Uri Gurvich Alto Saxophone Valentina Fin Vocals Vijay Iyer Piano Vincenzo Mazzone Drums Vitor Goncalves Piano Vittorio Solimene Piano Wadada Leo Smith Trumpet Wilber Morris Double bass ✦ 1937–2002 William Parker Double bass Yasuaki Shimizu Tenor saxophone Yiftach Kadan Guitar Yoav Zohar Drums Yoni Kretzmer Tenor saxophone Yoni Silver Bass clarinet Yoriyuki Harada Piano Yoshisaburo Toyozumi Drums Yosuke Yamashita Piano Zeno De Rossi Drums Ziv Taubenfeld Bass clarinet Zoe Pia Clarinet

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