Subgenre

Hard Bop

320 profiles tagged Hard Bop, A-Z.

Hard bop developed in the mid-1950s, largely in New York and Philadelphia, as a reaction against the restraint of cool jazz, reintroducing the blues and gospel-inflected feeling of earlier Black American music into small-combo bebop. It is marked by driving rhythms, bluesy melodic phrasing, and often features quintet or sextet lineups over a hard-swinging rhythm section. Drummer Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers, pianist Horace Silver, and the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet were central to establishing the style.

Adam Nussbaum Drums Akiko Tsuruga Organ ✦ 1967–2025 Al Foster Drums ✦ 1943–2025 Albert Beger Tenor saxophone Aldo Bassi Trumpet ✦ 1962–2020 Alexander Claffy Double bass Alexander Levin Tenor saxophone Alfio Galigani Clarinet ✦ 1924–2010 Ali Jackson Drums Amedeo Tommasi Piano ✦ 1935–2021 Amit Golan Piano ✦ 1964–2010 Andrea Pozza Piano Andrew Hill Piano ✦ 1931–2007 Antoine Roney Tenor Saxophone Antonio Hart Alto saxophone Ari Hoenig Drums Art Blakey Drums ✦ 1919–1990 Art Farmer Trumpet ✦ 1928–1999 Asaf Yuria Tenor saxophone Assaf Hakimi Double bass Attilio Zanchi Double Bass Avi Lebovich Trombone Barak Mori Double bass Benny Benack III Trumpet Benny Golson Tenor saxophone ✦ 1929–2024 Benny Green Piano Benny Sharoni Tenor saxophone Bernard McKinney (Kiane Zawadi) Euphonium ✦ 1932–2024 Bert Seager Piano Betty Carter Vocals ✦ 1929–1998 Bill Saxton Tenor saxophone Billy Drewes Tenor Billy Harper Tenor saxophone Billy Hart Drums Billy Higgins Drums ✦ 1936–2001 Bobby Timmons Piano ✦ 1935–1974 Boris Gammer Tenor Saxophone Brian Charette Hammond organ Bruce Harris Trumpet Bruno De Filippi Guitar ✦ 1930–2010 Bruno Marini Baritone Saxophone Buster Williams Double bass Cannonball Adderley Alto saxophone ✦ 1928–1975 Carl Perkins Piano ✦ 1928–1958 Cecil Payne Baritone saxophone ✦ 1922–2007 Cedar Walton Piano ✦ 1934–2013 Charles Davis Baritone ✦ 1933–2016 Charles McPherson Alto saxophone Charles Mingus Double bass ✦ 1922–1979 Charles Owens Tenor saxophone Chico Hamilton Drums ✦ 1921–2013 Christian McBride Double bass Chuck Mangione Flugelhorn ✦ 1940–2025 Cinzia Gizzi Piano Clarence Penn Drums Clark Terry Trumpet ✦ 1920–2015 Claudio Angeleri Piano Claudio Giambruno Tenor Saxophone Claudio Roditi Trumpet ✦ 1946–2020 Clemens Grassmann Drums Clifford Brown Trumpet ✦ 1930–1956 Clint Houston Double bass ✦ 1946–2000 Craig Handy Tenor saxophone Curtis Amy Tenor and soprano saxophone ✦ 1929–2002 Curtis Fuller Trombone ✦ 1932–2021 Dan Aran Drums Daniele Tittarelli Alto Saxophone Dario Rosciglione Double bass David Amram French horn David Kikoski Piano Dexter Gordon Tenor saxophone ✦ 1923–1990 Dmitry Baevsky Alto saxophone Don Friedman Piano ✦ 1935–2016 Don Patterson Hammond organ ✦ 1936–1988 Donald Byrd Trumpet ✦ 1932–2013 Donald Harrison Alto saxophone Doron Tirosh Drums Doug Watkins Double bass ✦ 1934–1962 Duane Eubanks Trumpet Duke Pearson Piano ✦ 1932–1980 Eddie Henderson Trumpet Eddy Louiss Hammond organ ✦ 1941–2015 Eitan Itzcovich Drums Eli Degibri Tenor saxophone Elvin Jones Drums ✦ 1927–2004 Emanuele Cisi Tenor Saxophone Enzo Randisi Vibraphone ✦ 1935–2006 Eraldo Volonté Tenor saxophone ✦ 1918–2003 Eric Dolphy Alto Saxophone ✦ 1928–1964 Eviatar Slivnik Drums Fabio Morgera Trumpet Fabio Zeppetella Electric Guitar Fabrizio Bosso Trumpet Flavio Boltro Trumpet Francesca Tandoi Piano Francesco Cafiso Alto saxophone (also flute) Francesco Lento Trumpet Franco Manzecchi Drums ✦ 1931–1979 Franco Tonani Drums Frank Foster Tenor saxophone ✦ 1928–2011 Frank Gant Drums ✦ 1931–2021 Frank Hewitt Piano ✦ 1935–2002 Frank Wess Tenor saxophone ✦ 1922–2013 Freddie Hubbard Trumpet ✦ 1938–2008 Fumika Asari Guitar Gap Mangione Piano Gary Bartz Alto saxophone Gary Smulyan Baritone saxophone Gene Ammons Tenor saxophone ✦ 1925–1974 George Cables Piano George Coleman Tenor saxophone George Duvivier Double bass ✦ 1920–1985 George Otsuka Drums ✦ 1937–2020 Giacomo Tantillo Trumpet Gianni Basso Tenor Saxophone ✦ 1931–2009 Gianni Cazzola Drums ✦ 1938–2026 Gianni Giudici Hammond Organ Gianni Savelli Tenor Saxophone Giorgio Azzolini Double bass ✦ 1928–2024 Giorgio Rosciglione Double bass Giovanni Tommaso Double bass Giuliano Perin Vibraphone Grant Green Guitar ✦ 1935–1979 Grant Stewart Tenor saxophone (soprano saxophone; classical composition) Greg Gisbert Trumpet Gregory Hutchinson Drums Gregory Rivkin Trumpet Gregory Tardy Tenor saxophone Guido Manusardi Piano Gur Liraz Guitar Hal Galper Piano ✦ 1938–2025 Hampton Hawes Piano ✦ 1928–1977 Hank Mobley Tenor saxophone ✦ 1930–1986 Harvie S Double bass Henry Grimes Double bass ✦ 1935–2020 Hideo Shiraki Drums ✦ 1933–1972 Horace Silver Piano ✦ 1928–2014 Idris Muhammad Drums ✦ 1939–2014 Ilan Salem Flute Isao Suzuki Double bass ✦ 1933–2022 J.J. Johnson Trombone ✦ 1924–2001 Jack McDuff Hammond organ ✦ 1926–2001 Jackie McLean Alto saxophone ✦ 1931–2006 Jaki Byard Piano ✦ 1922–1999 James Moody Tenor saxophone ✦ 1925–2010 Jason Tiemann Drums Jay Collins Tenor saxophone Jeremy Pelt Trumpet Jimmy Cobb Drums ✦ 1929–2020 Jimmy Garrison Double bass ✦ 1934–1976 Jimmy Heath Tenor saxophone ✦ 1926–2020 Jimmy Knepper Trombone ✦ 1927–2003 Jimmy Lovelace Drums ✦ 1940–2004 Jimmy Smith Hammond B-3 organ ✦ 1928–2005 Jiro Inagaki Tenor saxophone ✦ 1933–2024 Joe Henderson Tenor saxophone ✦ 1937–2001 Joe Lovano Tenor saxophone Joe Strasser Drums Joel Frahm Tenor saxophone John Coltrane Tenor saxophone ✦ 1926–1967 John Hicks Piano ✦ 1941–2006 Johnathan Blake Drums Johnny O'Neal Piano Jonathan Voltzok Trombone Joris Teepe Double bass Joseph Lepore Double bass Josh Evans Trumpet Julius Watkins French horn; trumpet (1943-1950, before switching permanently to horn) ✦ 1921–1977 Junior Mance Piano ✦ 1928–2021 Junko Onishi Piano Karl Denson Tenor saxophone Kei Akagi Piano Kenny Barron Piano Kenny Burrell Guitar Kenny Garrett Alto and soprano saxophone Kenny Washington Drums Kunimitsu Inaba Double bass Larry Nocella Tenor Saxophone ✦ 1949–1989 Larry Ridley Double bass Lawrence Clark Tenor saxophone Laymon Jackson Double bass ✦ 1932–1993 Lee Morgan Trumpet ✦ 1938–1972 Lenny McBrowne Drums ✦ 1933–1980 Leroy Vinnegar Double bass ✦ 1928–1999 Leroy Williams Drums ✦ 1937–2022 Lewis Nash Drums Lisle Atkinson Double bass ✦ 1940–2019 Lou Donaldson Alto saxophone ✦ 1926–2024 Louis Hayes Drums Louis Moutin Drums Luca Flores Piano ✦ 1956–1995 Luca Mannutza Piano Lucio Terzano Double bass Luigi Bonafede Piano Makaya Ntshoko Drums ✦ 1939–2024 Makoto Terashita Piano Mal Waldron Piano ✦ 1925–2002 Marcello Pellitteri Drums Marco Vaggi Double Bass Marianne Solivan Vocals Martin Gjakonovski Double bass Marvin "Smitty" Smith Drums Masanaga Harada Double bass Massimo Manzi Drums Massimo Pirone Trombone Massimo Urbani Alto saxophone (tenor saxophone early on) ✦ 1957–1993 Maurizio Caldura Núñez Tenor Saxophone ✦ 1959–1998 Maurizio Majorana Double bass ✦ 1938–2023 Mauro Beggio Drums Max Ionata Tenor saxophone Max Roach Drums ✦ 1924–2007 McCoy Tyner Piano ✦ 1938–2020 Mel Keller Saxophone ✦ 1920–1998 Michael Philip Mossman Trumpet Michael Sagmeister Guitar Michele Polga Tenor Saxophone Miles Davis Trumpet ✦ 1926–1991 Milt Jackson Vibraphone ✦ 1923–1999 Myron Walden Alto saxophone Nat Adderley Cornet ✦ 1931–2000 Neal Miner Double bass Nicholas Payton Trumpet Nick Brignola Baritone saxophone ✦ 1936–2002 Nicola Angelucci Drums Nicola Mingo Guitar Nicole Glover Tenor saxophone Nunzio Rotondo Trumpet ✦ 1924–2009 Oscar Valdambrini Trumpet ✦ 1924–1996 Paolo Passalacqua Piano Paolo Pellegatti Drums Pat Martino Guitar ✦ 1944–2021 Paul Chambers Double bass ✦ 1935–1969 Paul Sikivie Double bass Paul West Double bass Pepper Adams Baritone saxophone ✦ 1930–1986 Peter Anderson Tenor Saxophone Peter Bernstein Guitar Peter Washington Double bass Phil Stewart Drums Phil Woods Alto saxophone ✦ 1931–2015 Philly Joe Jones Drums ✦ 1923–1985 Piero Odorici Tenor Pietro Iodice Drums Pietro Tonolo Tenor Saxophone Ray Gallon Piano Reggie Quinerly Drums Reggie Workman Double bass Renato D'Aiello Tenor Saxophone Renee Rosnes Piano Reuben Rogers Double bass Riccardo Biancoli Drums Riccardo Fioravanti Double Bass Richard Wyands Piano ✦ 1928–2019 Rick Faulkner Trombone Roberto Magris Piano Roberto Spizzichino Drums ✦ 1944–2011 Rodney Green Drums Roland Hanna Piano ✦ 1932–2002 Roman Kunsman Alto Saxophone ✦ 1941–2002 Ron Carter Double bass Ronnie Mathews Piano ✦ 1935–2008 Rosario Bonaccorso Double bass Rosario Giuliani Alto saxophone Roy Hargrove Trumpet ✦ 1969–2018 Roy Haynes Drums; occasional vocals ✦ 1925–2024 Rudy Van Gelder Recording engineer ✦ 1924–2016 Rufus Reid Double bass Ryan Kisor Trumpet Sam Jones Double bass ✦ 1924–1981 Sam Rivers Tenor saxophone ✦ 1923–2011 Saori Yano Alto Saxophone Seamus Blake Tenor saxophone Sharel Cassity Alto saxophone (primary) Shauli Einav Tenor saxophone Shay Zelman Drums Sheryl Bailey Guitar Shirley Scott Hammond organ ✦ 1934–2002 Slide Hampton Trombone ✦ 1932–2021 Sonny Clark Piano ✦ 1931–1963 Sonny Rollins Tenor saxophone ✦ 1930–2026 Stanley Turrentine Tenor saxophone ✦ 1934–2000 Stefano D'Anna Tenor Saxophone Stefano Di Battista Alto saxophone Stefano Travaglini Double Bass ✦ 1955–2025 Steve Davis (trombonist) Trombone Steve Wilson Alto saxophone Steven Lugerner Alto and soprano saxophone Stu Williamson Trumpet ✦ 1933–1991 Sylvia Cuenca Drums Takehiro Honda Piano ✦ 1945–2006 Tamir Shmerling Double bass Thad Jones Trumpet ✦ 1923–1986 Thelonious Monk Piano ✦ 1917–1982 Tom Harrell Trumpet Tommy Flanagan Piano ✦ 1930–2001 Tommy Turrentine Trumpet ✦ 1928–1997 Tony Williams Drums ✦ 1945–1997 Toshiyuki Sekine Piano Tsutomu Okada Double Bass ✦ 1948–2013 Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Piano Ugonna Okegwo Double bass Victor Lewis Drums Vince Ector Drums Vito Giordano Trumpet Wallace Roney Trumpet ✦ 1960–2020 Walt Weiskopf Tenor saxophone Walter Blanding Tenor saxophone Walter Booker Double bass ✦ 1933–2006 Wayne Shorter Tenor and soprano saxophone ✦ 1933–2023 Wes Montgomery Guitar ✦ 1923–1968 Will Anderson Alto Saxophone Willie Jones III Drums Woody Shaw Trumpet ✦ 1944–1989 Wynton Kelly Piano ✦ 1931–1971 Wynton Marsalis Trumpet Yaki Levy Drums Yoshiaki Miyanoue Guitar Yoshio Otomo Alto saxophone Yoshio Suzuki Double bass ✦ 1946–2026 Yusef Lateef Tenor saxophone ✦ 1920–2013

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