Since this month celebrates Mother’s Day, and we’re focusing on masters of the keyboard, it only seems fitting to make a list of some of the most important female artists on the piano and organ. Usually when you think of women and jazz, it’s vocalists that first come to mind, but like in the stories of the Bible, there are influential women on the scene from the very beginning.
Here’s a list of some of the ladies that have had a major impact on jazz from the very first days:
- Lil Hardin Armstrong: the wife of Louis Armstrong was an accomplished pianist, singer, bandleader , vocalist and her compositions “Struttin’ with Some Barbecue,” “Just For a Thrill” and “Bad Boy” became hits for Satchmo, Ray Charles and Ringo Starr, respectively.
Mary Lou Williams: the highly influential Ms. Williams wrote and arranged for Goodman and Ellington, was a prototypical bopper with Bird and Monk and even wrote sacred music for the church!
Dorothy Donegan: this hard swinger teamed with Dinah Washington, Johnny Griffin, Gene Ammons and Von Freeman. Art Tatum once declared that she was “the only woman who can make me practice.”- Marian McPartland: better known for her classic interviews, Ms. McPartland was an impressive swinger with the
likes of husband Jimmy as well as siding along with Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge and Terry Gibbs before forming her own hot trio. - Toshiko Akiyoshi: the bebopping lady is responsible for co-leading the most important 1970s orchestra, the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, while her trio albums are simply
marvelous as well. - Geri Allen: the recently departed Allen was a personal favorite, a leader of the freer side of jazz with her albums like The Nurturer while also composing albums with spiritual messages such as A Child is
Born.
- Alice Coltrane: the wife of the jazz icon created her own important niche, combining piano, harpsichord and harp on some gorgeous creations such as Transcendence,
World Galaxy and Universal Consciousness. She also gave us saxist Ravi Coltrane! - Hiromi Uehara: probably the most technically accomplished modern pianist, she veers between progressive jazz on the keyboards, creating duos and trios
with Chick Corea or Stanley Jordan and leads her own incendiary band with ivory pyrotechnics - Carla Bley: noted composer and pianist, she’s created a whole school of sound with her ECM catalogue, teaming with Steve Swallow,
the Jazz Composer’s Orchestra and the Liberation Music Orchestra with Charlie Haden.
- Nina Simone, Diana Krall, Norah Jones: these three ladies were able to capture the airwaves with a mix of soul, pop and
jazz, but are also highly regarded pianists and are usually overlooked because of their other talents.