This article lists notable

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who w ...

s who have played the clarinet.

Classical clarinetists

* Laver Bariu *

Ernest Ačkun Ernest Ačkun (Ернест Ачкун) (March 27, 1930 – September 28, 2001) was a Yugoslav clarinetist. Early life Ernest Ačkun was born in Hrastnik, Slovenia, which was then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He completed his studies at t ...

Luís Afonso Luís Afonso (also known as Montanha) is a Brazilian clarinetist and bass clarinetist. Afonso studied clarinet and bass clarinet at the Rotterdam Conservatoire under Walter Boeykens and Henri Bok. He has taught at São Paulo University since 1992 ...

Cristiano Alves Cristiano Alves is a Brazilian clarinetist. Alves was born in Rio de Janeiro and was taught by José Carlos Castro. He holds a Master's degree from the School of Music at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (UFRG). He is first clarinet of the Orque ...

Michel Arrignon Michel Arrignon is a French clarinetist and professor of clarinet at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid. Arrignon studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musiqu ...

Dimitri Ashkenazy Dimitri Thor Ashkenazy (born October 8, 1969 in New York City) is an Icelandic clarinetist living in Switzerland. He is the son of pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy and has toured Europe with him, as well as performing under him with the S ...

* Kinan Azmeh * Alexander Bader *

Carl Baermann Carl Baermann (24 October 1810 – 23 May 1885) was a clarinetist and composer from Munich, Germany. Life and career He was the son of noted clarinet virtuoso Heinrich Baermann and Helene Harlas. As a child he was taught the clarinet and the b ...

Heinrich Baermann Heinrich Joseph Baermann (also spelled Bärmann; 14 February 1784 – 11 June 1847) was a German clarinet virtuoso of the Romantic era who is generally considered as being not only an outstanding performer of his time, but highly influential in t ...

* József Balogh * Cristo Barrios * Luigi Bassi * Simeon Bellison * Kálmán Berkes * Julian Bliss *

Kalman Bloch Kalman Bloch (May 30, 1913 in Harlem – March 12, 2009 in Los Angeles) was principal clarinetist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for more than 40 years. Bloch studied with Simeon Bellison, a notable clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic. As ...

Walter Boeykens Walter, Knight Boeykens (January 6, 1938 – April 23, 2013) was a Belgian conductor and a world-renowned clarinetist. Boeykens' impressive discography, including several critically acclaimed performances, are testimony to his status as one of t ...

* Henri Bok *

Daniel Bonade Daniel Bonade (April 4, 1896 – October 30, 1976) was a French classical clarinetist and professor of clarinet. He was the most influential teacher of the first generation of American-born professional clarinetists. Biography Daniel Bonade was b ...

* Tara Bouman *

Naftule Brandwein Naftule Brandwein, or Naftuli Brandwine, ( yi, נפתלי בראַנדװײַן, 1884–1963) was an Austrian-born Jewish American Klezmer musician, clarinetist, bandleader and recording artist active from the 1910s to the 1940s. Along with D ...

Shirley Brill Shirley Brill ( he, שירלי בריל; born 1982) is an Israeli clarinetist living in Germany. Education and career Born in Petah Tikva, Israel, Brill received her musical education in Israel from Yitzhak Katzap at the Petah Tikva Conservat ...

Bruno Brun Bruno Brun (1910–1978) was a Yugoslav clarinetist and professor at the Belgrade Music Academy. Education Brun was born in Hrastnik, Austro-Hungary, now Slovenia. He graduated from the Belgrade Music Academy in 1945 and continued his education ...

Jack Brymer John Alexander Brymer OBE (27 January 191515 September 2003) was an English clarinettist. ''The Times'' called him "the leading clarinettist of his generation, perhaps of the century". Goodwin, Noël"Jack B nimble, Jack B quick" ''The Times' ...

Lars Kristian Brynildsen Lars Kristian Holm Brynildsen (October 8, 1954 - August 17, 2005) was a Norwegian clarinetist. He was principal clarinet of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979 until his death in 2005 and was a member of the Bergen Woodwind Quintet for 25 y ...

* Nicola Bulfone *

Ovanir Buosi Ovanir Buosi is a Brazilian clarinetist. He plays with the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. Early life and education Buosi was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He studied with Sergio Burgani at the Sao Paulo State University, graduating in 1997. He ...

* Sérgio Burgani *

Louis Cahuzac Louis (Jean Baptiste) Cahuzac (12 July 1880 – 9 August 1960) was a French clarinetist and composer. Cahuzac was an outstanding performer and one of the few clarinetists who made a career as a soloist in the first part of the 20th century. ...

* David Campbell * James Campbell *

Alessandro Carbonare Alessandro Carbonare is an Italian clarinetist. Carbonare started on E clarinet at age 5. At age 21 he became co-principal of the Lyon Opera Orchestra, and later joined the Orchestre National de France. has been the principal clarinetist with the ...

* Ernesto Cavallini *

Florent Charpentier Florent Charpentier (born 1982) is a French clarinetist. Charpentier began playing clarinet at age 8 under Philippe Moinet. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris under Michel Arrignon and Pascal Moraguès, graduating in 2000. He then received ...

* Jonathan Cohler *

Larry Combs Larry Combs (born December 31, 1939) is an American clarinetist and educator. Early life and education Combs was born in South Charleston, West Virginia. He received a bachelor of music degree with distinction as well as the Performer's Certif ...

Jean-Noël Crocq Jean-Noël Crocq (born 15 March 1948 in Rennes) is a French classical clarinetist. Crocq studied at the Conservatoire de Paris. He created ''Le clarinettiste débutant'', a book of sheet music for beginning clarinetists. In 1974, he became the sol ...

* Philippe Cuper * Gervase de Peyer *

Hans Deinzer Hans Deinzer (14 January 1934 – 26 February 2020) was a clarinetist and clarinet teacher who taught at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hannover for thirty years, and retired in 1996. Biography Born in , Deinzer received his first clar ...

* Guy Deplus * Charles Draper *

Stanley Drucker Stanley Drucker (February 4, 1929 – December 19, 2022) was an American clarinetist. For nearly five decades, he was principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. According to Guinness World Records, he achieved the longest career as a c ...

* Eli Eban * Anton Eberst *

Julian Egerton Julian Egerton (24 August 1848 – 22 January 1945) was a British classical clarinetist. Egerton was born in London. Despite contracting polio at the age of eight, he went on to have a lengthy, productive career, performing until the age of ...

* Fredrik Fors * Alan Frank * Rupert Fankhauser * Thomas Friedli * Mariano Frogioni *

Martin Fröst Martin Fröst (born 14 December 1970) is a Swedish clarinetist and conductor. He is principal conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. He is also a developer of multimedia projects with music, choreography and light design, in which he app ...

* Wenzel Fuchs * Peter Geisler * Anthony Gigliotti * Bruno di Girolamo *

Johannes Gmeinder Johannes Gmeinder (born 1976 in Konstanz) is a German clarinetist and academic. Gmeinder studied clarinet at the ''Musikhochschule'' in Trossingen and Berlin. In 1996, he won a scholarship from the Orchesterakademie of the Berlin Philharmonic Orch ...

Jose Gonzalez Granero José González Granero (born February 11, 1985) is a Spanish clarinetist and composer. Since 2010, he is the Principal Clarinet for the San Francisco Opera. Early life and education Granero was born in Iznatoraf, Spain to a family of musicia ...

Ante Grgin Ante Grgin (born 1945) is a Croatian clarinetist and composer. Education Ante Grgin was born in Kaštel Novi, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia, and started his early training at the School of Music in Split. He completed his undergraduate (1969) and ...

* Alan Hacker * Chen Halevi * Burt Hara * Russell Harlow * David Hattner * Richard Haynes * Johann Simon Hermstedt * Johann Hindler *

Helmut Hödl Helmut Hödl (born 16 November 1969, in Oberwart) is an Austrian clarinetist and composer. Hödl first played clarinet at age six. He studied clarinet at the music academies of Vienna and Graz. He has appeared with the Bachkollegium of Stuttgart, ...

* Emma Johnson * Sharon Kam * Reginald Kell * Murray Khouri * Thea King *

Dieter Klöcker Dieter Klöcker (13 April 1936, Wuppertal – 21 May 2011, Freiburg im Breisgau) was a German clarinetist known for rediscovering many forgotten composers of the 18th century. Specifically forgotten music of the clarinet. From 1975 to 2002, Kl� ...

* Howard Klug * Béla Kovács * Wolfgang Kornberger * Kari Kriikku * Alison Lambert *

Andrey Laukhin Andrey Laukhin is a Russian clarinetist. Laukhin is the principal clarinetist of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. As a member of the orchestra, he has been on tour in the United States and Europe Europe is a large peninsula con ...

* Colin Lawson *

Andreas Lehnert Andreas Lehnert is a German clarinetist. Lehnert was born in Augsberg, Germany, and studied at the Colleges of Music in Stuttgart and Detmold. From 1994 to 1995, he was principal clarinet with the Hessian Staatstheater Darmstadt; since 1995, he ...

* Karl Leister * Michel Lethiec * Lorin Levee * Robert Lindemann *

Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr (born April 14, 1936) is an American clarinetist and music educator whose contributions to the Verdehr Trio have resulted in an extensive modern body of work for the clarinet-violin-piano trio medium. Biography Born in Charlo ...

* John Mahon * Jon Manasse * Sebastian Manz * Robert Marcellus * Michele Marelli *

Andrew Marriner Andrew Marriner (born 25 February 1954MARRINER, Andrew Stephen
''Who's Who 2 ...

Pascual Martínez-Forteza Pascual Martínez-Forteza (born 1972) is a Spanish clarinetist. Born in Palma de Mallorca, he became the first Spanish musician in the history of the New York Philharmonic orchestra in 2001. Prior to that he was a member of the Cincinnati Symphon ...

Lawrence Maxey Lawrence S. Maxey (most often Lawrence Maxey or just Larry Maxey) is professor emeritus of clarinet at the University of Kansas School of Music. A native of Indiana, Larry Maxey was a student of Keith Stein at Michigan State University, where he re ...

* Marco Antonio Mazzini * William McColl * Anthony McGill * Ralph McLane *

Jacques Meertens Jacques Meertens (born 16 April 1948) is a Dutch clarinetist. He was the principal clarinetist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from September 1990 until his retirement in April 2013. He plays on a German Reform- Boehm system clarinet. A na ...

Douglas Metcalf Douglas R. Metcalf is an American clarinetist who has garnered acclaim as a performer and educator throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Life Douglas Metcalf was born in Southwick, Massachusetts and studied with Michael Sussman ...

* Paul Meyer *

Sabine Meyer Sabine Meyer (born 30 March 1959) is a German classical clarinetist. Biography Born in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, Meyer began playing the clarinet at an early age. Her first teacher was her father, also a clarinetist. She studied with Ott ...

* Wolfgang Meyer *

Lev Mikhailov Lev Mikhailov (1936―2003) was a Russian clarinetist and saxophonist. He taught clarinet and saxophone at the Moscow Conservatory. Mikhailov performed with the Moscow Radio Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre and the State Symphony ...

Pascal Moraguès Pascal Moraguès is a French clarinetist. Moragues has been the principal clarinetist of the Orchestre de Paris since 1981. He has been a professor at the Conservatoire de Paris since 1995 and a guest professor at the Superior College of Music in ...

Ricardo Morales Ricardo Morales (born 1972) is a classical clarinetist of Puerto Rican descent. Since 2003, he has been the principal clarinetist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Prior to that, he was the principal clarinetist at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. ...

Ivan Mozgovenko Ivan Panteleyevich Mozgovenko (; 13 February 1924 – 31 December 2021) was a Soviet and Russian clarinetist and music teacher. He taught clarinet as a professor at the Gnessin State Musical College. For his participation as a soldier in World W ...

* Richard Mühlfeld * Charles Neidich *

Tale Ognenovski Tale Ognenovski ( mk, Тале Огненовски; April 27, 1922 – June 19, 2012) was a North Macedonia, Macedonian multi-instrumentalist who played clarinet, Recorder (musical instrument), recorder, tin whistle, bagpipe, zurna, and drums. ...

* Sean Osborn * Andreas Ottensamer *

Ernst Ottensamer Ernst Ottensamer (5 October 1955 – 22 July 2017) was an Austrian classical clarinetist. Early life Born in Wallern an der Trattnach in Upper Austria, Ottensamer's father, also named Ernst Ottensamer, was a former mayor of Wallern. Ottensam ...

* Karen Palacios * Edward Palanker * Antony Pay *

Nicolai Pfeffer Nicolai Pfeffer (born 20 September 1985) is a German clarinetist, music editor and ordinary clarinet professor at the "Talent Music Master Courses University of Music" in Brescia, Italy. Training as a clarinetist Born in Fulda, Pfeffer bega ...

* Thomas Piercy * Frank Pilato * George Pieterson * Viktor Polatschek *

Manfred Preis Manfred Preis (born 1954, in Hengersberg) is a German bass clarinetist and saxophonist. Preis studied at the Munich Musikhochschule and the Orchestra Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker. He played clarinet in the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra ...

* Alfred Prinz *

Simon Reitmaier Simon Reitmaier is an Austrian clarinettist. Life Reitmaier was born in Telfs. Reitmaier completed his studies in clarinet performance at the Mozarteum University Salzburg with Alois Brandhofer and at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität ...

Håkan Rosengren Håkan Rosengren is a Swedish clarinet virtuoso, active in the United States and Europe. Colleagues He has worked with: *Esa-Pekka Salonen *Neeme Järvi *Christopher Hogwood *Osmo Vänskä *Jorma Panula *Pascal Verrot *Jan Krenz *Matthias Aeschb ...

* Luis Rossi *

Sergei Rozanov Sergei Vasilievich Rozanov (1870–1937) was a Russian Empire clarinetist and teacher, considered to be the founder of modern Russian clarinet school. In 1886, he entered Moscow Conservatory, where his teacher was Franz Zimmermann (1818–1891), ...

Hubert Salmhofer Hubert Salmhofer (born July 24, 1964) is an Austrian clarinetist and basset horn player. Salmhofer graduated from the Graz Music Academy in 1990. He teaches at the academy and at its specialist music school in Oberschützen, as well as at the Con ...

* Louis Sclavis * Peter Schmidl *

Michael Seaver Michael Seaver (born 1967) is a writer and musician in Ireland. He is the dance critic at '' The Irish Times'' and Irish correspondent with the '' Christian Science Monitor'', as well as principal clarinetist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. He ...

Raphaël Sévère Raphaël Sévère born 15 September 1994 in Rennes, is a French clarinettist and composer. Biography At the age of 12, Raphaël Sévère won 1st prize and the special prize at the Japan Clarinet Society competition in the 18-20 age category (Tok ...

* David Shifrin * Mark Simpson * Vladimir Sokolov *

Nikola Srdić Nikola Srdić (born 1952 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia) is a Serbian clarinetist and Professor of Clarinet at the University of Novi Sad Academy of Arts, Serbia and University of Banja Luka Academy of Arts, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a student of ...

* Anton Stadler * Milenko Stefanović * Karl-Heinz Steffens * Suzanne Stephens * Richard Stoltzman *

Peter Sunman Peter Sunman is an Australian clarinetist, formerly the acting principal clarinetist of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) between 1978 and 1990. He is a state examiner for the Western Australian branch of the Australian Music Examina ...

* Jens Thoben *

Frederick Thurston Frederick John Thurston (21 September 1901 – 12 December 1953) was an English clarinettist. Career From the age of 7 he was taught by his father and he won an open scholarship to the Royal College of Music, becoming a pupil of Charles Drap ...

* Alison Turriff * Annelien Van Wauwe *

Jean-François Verdier Jean-François Verdier is a French clarinetist and conductor. Verdier graduated from the Conservatoire de Paris. He has been a soloist with the Paris Opera The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded ...

* Richard Sidney Walthew *

Bernard Walton Bernard Walton (24 March 1917 – 3 June 1972) was a British classical clarinettist. Biography Walton was born into a musical family. His grandfather was a cellist with the Hallé Orchestra under the eponymous founder Charles Hallé, an ...

David Weber David Mark Weber (born October 24, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He has written several science-fiction and fantasy books series, the best known of which is the Honor Harrington science-fiction series. His first nove ...

* Pamela Weston * Michael Whight * Jörg Widmann * Leopold Wlach * Harold Wright * John Bruce Yeh * Michele Zukovsky

Jazz and pop clarinetists

* Muhal Richard Abrams * George Adams * Sophie Alour (born 1974) *

Lloyd Arntzen Lloyd Arntzen (born 19 September 1927) is a jazz clarinetist, folk singer, and soprano saxophonist from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Arntzen has been an active participant on the New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,

* Georgie Auld *

Nailor Azevedo Nailor Azevedo (also known as Nailor Proveta) is a Brazilian clarinetist and saxophonist. Azevedo is a member of Banda Mantiqueira, which was nominated for a Grammy in 1998. He has performed with Benny Carter and Anita O'Day. He plays Brazilian cho ...

(also known as Proveta) * Paulo Moura *

Buster Bailey William C. "Buster" Bailey (July 19, 1902 – April 12, 1967) was an American jazz clarinetist. Career history Early career Buster Bailey was taught clarinet by classical teacher Franz Schoepp, who also taught Benny Goodman. Bailey gained his s ...

(1902–1967) * Craig Ball * Eddie Barefield * Alan Barnes (born 1959) * Emile Barnes * John Barnes *

Gary Bartz Gary Bartz (born September 26, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has won two Grammy Awards. Biography Bartz studied at the Juilliard School. In the early 1960s, he performed with Eric Dolphy and McCoy Tyner in Charles Mingus' Jazz Works ...

* Alvin Batiste (1932–2007) * Heinie Beau *

Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important Solo (music), soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Armstrong. His ...

(1897–1959) *

Shloimke (Sam) Beckerman Shloimke Beckerman (c. 1884–1974) also known as Samuel Beckerman, was a klezmer clarinetist and bandleader in New York City in the early twentieth century; he was a contemporary of Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein. He was the father of Sid Bec ...

(1883–1974) * Sidney Beckerman (1919–2007) * Han Bennink * Derek Bermel *

Barney Bigard Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone. Biography Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creole parents, Ale ...

(1906–1980) *

Acker Bilk Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk, (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was a British clarinetist and vocalist known for his breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register style, and distinctive appearance – of goatee, bowler hat and striped waistc ...

(1929–2014) * Chris Biscoe * Andy Biskin * Dan Block * Hamiet Bluiett *

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of ...

* Peter Brötzmann * Pud Brown * Sandy Brown * Albert Burbank * Don Byron (born 1958) * Ernie Caceres *

Happy Caldwell Albert W. "Happy" Caldwell (sometimes incorrectly spelled Cauldwell) (July 25, 1903 in Chicago – December 29, 1978 in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Caldwell began on clarinet at age 16, playing in t ...

Harry Carney Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinettist who spent over four decades as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played a variety of instruments but primarily used the baritone saxophon ...

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

* Daniel Carter * James Carter * John Carter * John Casimir * Evan Christopher *

Rod Cless George Roderick Cless (May 20, 1907, in Lenox, Iowa – December 8, 1944, in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, perhaps best known for his work on sixteen Muggsy Spanier tunes for Bluebird Records. Additionally, C ...

Tony Coe Anthony George Coe (born 29 November 1934) is an English jazz musician who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, flute as well as soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. Career Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, Coe started out on clarinet and was self- ...

* Anat Cohen * Randolph Colville * Louis Cottrell Jr. * Hank D'Amico * Eddie Daniels (born 1941) * John Dankworth * Joe Darensbourg * Kenny Davern * Paul Dean (clarinetist) * Buddy DeFranco * Tobias Delius * Big Eye Louis Nelson Deslile * Simon Flem Devold (1929–2015) * Johnny Dodds (1892–1940) * Klaus Doldinger *

Eric Dolphy Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist and flautist. On a few occasions, he also played the clarinet and piccolo. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to ...

(1928–1964) *

Arne Domnérus Sven Arne Domnérus (20 December 1924 – 2 September 2008) was a Swedish jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Career He began to play the clarinet at the age of 11 but had taken up the saxophone by the time he left school and then turned profession ...

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peo ...

(1904–1957) * Tommy Douglas (clarinetist) * Paquito D'Rivera * Gerd Dudek * Paul Dunmall *

Kai Fagaschinski Kai Fagaschinski (born July 10, 1974 in Dannenberg, Lower Saxony) is a Berlin based free improvisational clarinet player and composer. He is self-taught, and his music has been described as "rooted in abstraction, but with an increasingly ins ...

* Wally Fawkes * Irving Fazola * Buddy Featherstonhaugh (1909–1976) *

Giora Feidman Giora Feidman ( he, גיורא פיידמן; born 25 March 1936) is an Argentine-born Israeli clarinetist who specializes in klezmer music. Biography Giora Feidman was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his Bessarabian Jewish parents immigr ...

* John Fernandes *

Pete Fountain Pierre Dewey LaFontaine Jr. (July 3, 1930 – August 6, 2016), known professionally as Pete Fountain, was an American jazz clarinetist. Early life and education LaFontaine was born to Pierre, Sr. and Madeline, in a small Creole cottage-style f ...

(1930–2016) * Bud Freeman *

Chico Freeman Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Awar ...

* Victor Goines *

Jimmy Giuffre James Peter Giuffre (, ; April 26, 1921 – April 24, 2008) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating f ...

* German Goldenshtayn (

Klezmer Klezmer ( yi, קלעזמער or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for l ...

) *

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conce ...

(1909–1986) * Edmond Hall (1901–1967) *

Jimmy Hamilton Jimmy Hamilton (May 25, 1917 – September 20, 1994) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Biography Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in P ...

* Arville Harris *

Bob Helm Robert Marshall Helm (July 18, 1914 – September 1, 2002) was a jazz clarinetist and saxophonist. Helm was born in Fairmead, California and began playing brass instruments when he was young. He later turned to alto saxophone and by the age of 11 ...

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

* Peanuts Hucko * Dink Johnson (1892–1954) * Theo Jörgensmann (born 1948) * David Krakauer * Mustafa Kandirali (1930–2020) *

Doreen Ketchens Doreen Ketchens (born October 3, 1966) is an American jazz clarinetist who performs Dixieland and Trad Jazz. She has performed at concert halls, music festivals, and U.S. embassies, as well as in decades of weekly performances in Dixieland's tradit ...

(born 1966) * John LaPorta *

Prince Lasha William B. Lawsha, better known as Prince Lasha (), (September 10, 1929 – December 12, 2008) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, baritone saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist and English horn player. Life and career He was born in Fort Wort ...

* Margot Leverett * Walt Levinsky (1929–1999) * George Lewis (1900–1969) * Ted Lewis (1891–1971) *

Matt Lavelle Matt Lavelle (born 1970 in Paterson, New Jersey) is a jazz trumpet, flugelhorn, alto clarinet, and bass clarinet player. Career Lavelle began his music career with Hildred Humphries, a swing era veteran who played with Count Basie and Billie Holi ...

(bass clarinet) * Joe Maneri * Michael Marcus * Joe Marsala * Stan McDonald * Hal McKusick (1924–2012) * Mezz Mezzrow * Jean-Christian Michel (born 1938) *

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work as a bassist. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandross ...

(born 1959) *

Gabriele Mirabassi Gabriele Mirabassi is an Italian jazz clarinetist. Career He was born in Perugia and is a graduate of the Morlacchi Conservatory. His teacher told him avoid playing jazz because it would damage his technique, so at home he learned jazz on t ...

* Gussie Mueller * David Murray *

Don Murray Don Murray may refer to: * Don Murray (actor) (1929–2024), American actor * Don Murray (clarinetist) (1904–1929), American jazz musician * Don Murray (drummer) (1945–1996), American drummer and aminator * Don Murray (footballer) Donald Ja ...

(1904–1929) * Phil Nimmons * Jimmie Noone (1895–1944) * Alcide Nunez (1884–1934) *

Sean O'Boyle Sean Michael O'Boyle AM (born 1963) is an Australian composer and conductor. His ''River Symphony'' was performed by the Queensland Orchestra and released on ABC Classics in 2007 on a CD that also included ''Concerto for Didgeridoo'' composed ...

(born 1963) *

* Ivo Papazov *

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known ...

* Ken Peplowski * Sid Phillips (1907–1973) *

Michel Portal Michel Portal (born 27 November 1935) is a French composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He plays both jazz and classical music and is considered to be "one of the architects of modern European jazz". Early life Portal was born in Bayonne on 2 ...

(born 1935) * Doug Richford *

Perry Robinson Perry Morris Robinson (September 17, 1938 – December 2, 2018) was an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He was the son of composer Earl Robinson. Early life and education Robinson was born and grew up in New York City. He attended the Le ...

Leon Roppolo Leon Joseph Roppolo (March 16, 1902 – October 5, 1943) was an American early jazz clarinetist, best known for his playing with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. He also played saxophone and guitar. Life and career Leon Roppolo ( nicknamed "Ra ...

(1902–1943) *

Ned Rothenberg Ned Rothenberg (born September 15, 1956) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer. He specializes in woodwind instruments, including the alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). He is known ...

* Harold Rubin (1932-2020) *

Pee Wee Russell Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and s ...

(1906–1969) * Dan St. Marseille (born 1962) *

Tom Sancton Thomas Alexander Sancton (a.k.a. Tom, Tommy) is an American writer, jazz clarinetist and educator. From 1992 to 2001 he was Paris bureau chief for ''TIME Magazine'', where he worked for 22 years, and he has contributed to numerous publications in ...

* Louis Sclavis *

Tony Scott Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as ''Top Gun'' (1986), ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''Day ...

(1921–2007) *

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

(1910–2004) * Harry Shields (1899–1971) * Larry Shields (1893–1953) * Omer Simeon (1902–1959) * Bill Smith * Chris Speed *

S. Frederick Starr Stephen Frederick Starr (born March 24, 1940) is an American expert on Russian and Eurasian affairs, a musician, and a former president of Oberlin College. Founder and chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, he is fluent in Russian and ...

(born 1940) * Milenko Stefanović (born 1930) * Richard Stoltzman * Wilbur Sweatman (1882–1961) *

Antti Sarpila Antti Juhani Sarpila (born 11 June 1964) is a Finnish jazz clarinetist. He performed in a Benny Goodman-inspired style and studied under Bob Wilber. He was a part of the tribute to Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall in 1988 and played in six America ...

* Monty Sunshine (1928-2010) *

Dave Tarras Dave Tarras (c. 1895 – February 13, 1989) was a Ukrainian-born American klezmer clarinetist and bandleader, a celebrated klezmer musician, instrumental in Klezmer revival. Biography Early life Tarras was born David Tarasiuk in Teplyk, Ukraine ...

(1897–1989) *

Frank Teschemacher Frank Teschemacher (March 13, 1906 – March 1, 1932) was an American jazz clarinetist and alto- saxophonist, associated with the "Austin High" gang (along with Jimmy McPartland, Bud Freeman and others). Early life and education He was born ...

(1906–1932) * Theo Travis (born 1964) * Shankar Tucker * Allan Vache *

Ken Vandermark Ken Vandermark (born September 22, 1964) is an American composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist. A fixture on the Chicago-area music scene since the 1990s, Vandermark has earned wide critical praise for his playing and his multilayered composi ...

Oliver Weindling Oliver Weindling (born 1955) is a British jazz promoter and founder of the Babel jazz record label. Background He came from a family that encouraged his interest in music, being taken to the opera and concerts regularly. Originally an economist by ...

(born 1955) * Michael White * Hans Olof (Putte) Wickman *

Bob Wilber Robert Sage Wilber (March 15, 1928 – August 4, 2019) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and band leader. Although his scope covers a wide range of jazz, Wilber was a dedicated advocate of classic styles, working throughout his car ...

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

* Evan Ziporyn {{Clarinet List Clarinet