List of nicknames of jazz musicians
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jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
musicians.
Nicknames A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
and sobriquets can also sometimes become stage names, and there are several cases of performers being known almost exclusively by their nicknames as opposed to their
given names A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...
. Some of the most notable nicknames and stage names are listed here. Although the term Jazz royalty exists for "Kings" and similar royal or aristocratic nicknames, there is a wide range of other terms, many of them obscure. Where the origin of the nickname is known, this is explained at each artist's corresponding article.


List of jazz nicknames


A

* Abbey:
Abbey Lincoln Anna Marie Wooldridge (August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010), known professionally as Abbey Lincoln, was an American jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress. She was a civil rights activist beginning in the 1960s. Lincoln made a career out of deli ...
* Abbie: Albert Brunies * Ace: Ace Harris * Angry Man of Jazz (The): Charles Mingus * Ananias Garibaldi: A.G. Godley


B

* Babs: Babs Gonzales * Baby: Warren Dodds * Baby Sweets: Walter Perkins * Bags: Milt Jackson * Barney: Barney Bigard * Barney: Barney Wilen * Baron: Charles Mingus * Bass: Ernest Hill * Bean:
Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...
a.k.a. "Hawk" * Bear (The):
Eddie Costa Edwin James Costa (August 14, 1930 – July 28, 1962) was an American jazz pianist, vibraphonist, composer and arranger. In 1957, he was chosen as ''DownBeat'' jazz critics' new star on piano and vibes – the first time that one artist won two ...
* Beaver: Beaver Harris * Betty Bebop: Betty Carter * Benny:
Benny Bailey Ernest Harold "Benny" Bailey (August 13, 1925 – April 14, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bailey briefly studied flute and piano before turning to trumpet. He attended the Cleveland Conserva ...
* Big Babe: Andrew WebbOwlsey, Dennis (2006)
''City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973''
Reedy Press, p. 9. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
* Big Bill: Big Bill Bissonnette * Big Chief: Big Chief Russell Moore * Big Daddy:
Eric Dixon Eric "Big Daddy" Dixon (March 28, 1930 – October 19, 1989) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, flautist, composer, and arranger. Dixon's professional career extended from 1950 until his death in 1989, during which time he was credited ...
Lambert, Eddie; Barry Kernfel
"Dixon, Eric".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
* Big-Eye:
Louis Nelson Delisle "Big Eye" Louis Nelson Delisle (January 28, 1885 – August 20, 1949) was an American early twentieth-century Dixieland jazz clarinetist in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He also played double bass, banjo, and accordion. Early life and ...
* Big Jim: Jim Robinson * Big Joe: Big Joe Turner * Big John: John Patton * Big Mama: Big Mama Thornton * Big Nick:
Big Nick Nicholas George Walker "Big Nick" Nicholas (August 2, 1922 – October 29, 1997) was an American jazz saxophonist and singer. Strongly influenced by his hero, Coleman Hawkins, Nicholas in turn influenced a young John Coltrane to compose his tribute "B ...
* Big Sid:
Sid Catlett Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett (January 17, 1910 – March 25, 1951) was an American jazz drummer. Catlett was one of the most versatile drummers of his era, adapting with the changing music scene as bebop emerged. Early life Catlett was born in Eva ...
* Billie:
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
a.k.a. "Lady Day" * Bing: Bing Crosby * Bird:
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
a.k.a. "Yardbird" * Bix: Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke, though it appears his given names were Leon Bix. * Blood:
James "Blood" Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been called "ragg ...
* Blue: Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell * Blue Lou:
Lou Marini Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothe ...
* Blow It: J. T. Brown aka Nature Boy Brown * Bobo:
Bobo Stenson Bobo Stenson (born Bo Gustav Stenson; 4 August 1944) is a Swedish jazz pianist. The Bobo Stenson Trio, formed in collaboration with Anders Jormin (bass) and Jon Fält (drums), has been in existence for four decades. Career Stenson studied with ...
* Bogey: Wilton Gaynair * Bones: Tom Malone * Boogaloo Joe: Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones * Boogaloo: James "Boogaloo" Bolden * Book: Booker Ervin * Boots: Clifford Douglas * Boots:
Boots Mussulli Henry "Boots" Mussulli (November 18, 1915 in Milford, Massachusetts – September 23, 1967 in Norfolk, Massachusetts) was an Italian-American jazz saxophonist, based chiefly out of Boston. According to the Social Security files, he was born in ...
* Bootsie: Bootsie Barnes * Booty:
Booty Wood Mitchell W. Wood, better known as Booty Wood (December 27, 1919 – June 10, 1987) was an American jazz trombonist. Career Wood played professionally on trombone from the late 1930s. He worked with Tiny Bradshaw and Lionel Hampton in the 1940s ...
* Bops Junior: Oliver Jackson * Bounce:
George Mraz George Mraz (born Jiří Mráz; 9 September 1944 – 16 September 2021) was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephan ...
* Brick: Brick Fleagle * Brother:
Brother Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz er ...
* Brother Ray:
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
, aka "The High Priest" * Brownie: Clifford Brown * Brute (The), Frog:
Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 â€“ September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...
* Bruz: Bruz Freeman * Bu: Art Blakey took the name "Abdullah Ibn Buhaina" after a reported trip to Africa. Friends shortened it to "Bu" * Bubba: Bubba Brooks * Bubber: James "Bubber" Miley * Buck: Leroy BerryDriggs, Frank (2005)
''Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop - A History: From Ragtime to Bebop''
Oxford University Press, p. 59. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
* Buck: Wilbur Clayton * Buck: Buck Hill * Bucky:
Bucky Pizzarelli John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli (January 9, 1926 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz guitarist. He was the father of jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and double bassist Martin Pizzarelli. He worked for NBC as a staffman for Dick Cavett (1971) ...
* Bud: Bud Brisbois * Bud:
Bud Freeman Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet. Biography In 1922, Freeman and some friends from high sc ...
* Bud: Bud Powell * Bud:
Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...
* Budd:
Budd Johnson Albert J. "Budd" Johnson III (December 14, 1910 – October 20, 1984) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who worked extensively with, among others, Ben Webster, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke ...
(not to be confused with
Buddy Johnson Woodrow Wilson "Buddy" Johnson (January 10, 1915 – February 9, 1977) was an American jump blues pianist and bandleader active from the 1930s through the 1960s. His songs were often performed by his sister Ella Johnson, most notably " Since I ...
) * Buddie: Buddie Petit * Buddy: Bernard Anderson a.k.a. "Step-Buddy" * Buddy: Buddy Banks (bassist) * Buddy:
Buddy Banks (saxophonist) Ulysses "Buddy" Banks (October 3, 1909 – September 7, 1991) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, pianist, and bandleader. Career Banks played in Charlie Echols's band in Los Angeles from 1933 to 1937 and remained in the group after it was ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Bolden Charles Joseph "Buddy" Bolden (September 6, 1877 – November 4, 1931) was an African American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of ragtime music, or "jass", which later ca ...
a.k.a. "King" * Buddy: Buddy Catlett * Buddy: Buddy Childers * Buddy: Buddy Clark * Buddy:
Buddy Collette William Marcel "Buddy" Collette (August 6, 1921 â€“ September 19, 2010) was an American jazz flutist, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He was a founding member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Early life William Marcel Collette was born in L ...
* Buddy:
Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...
* Buddy: Buddy Featherstonhaugh * Buddy:
Buddy Johnson Woodrow Wilson "Buddy" Johnson (January 10, 1915 – February 9, 1977) was an American jump blues pianist and bandleader active from the 1930s through the 1960s. His songs were often performed by his sister Ella Johnson, most notably " Since I ...
(not to be confused with
Budd Johnson Albert J. "Budd" Johnson III (December 14, 1910 – October 20, 1984) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who worked extensively with, among others, Ben Webster, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke ...
) * Buddy: Buddy Montgomery * Buddy:
Buddy Morrow Buddy Morrow (born Muni Zudekoff, aka Moe Zudekoff; February 8, 1919 – September 27, 2010) was an American trombonist and bandleader. Career On a scholarship at age 16, Morrow studied trombone with Ernest Horatio Clarke (1865–1947) at Juill ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...
* Buddy:
Buddy Tate George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States, and first played the alto saxophone. According to the website All A ...
* Buddy: Buddy Williams * Bumps:
Robert Blackwell Robert Alexander "Bumps" Blackwell (May 23, 1918 â€“ March 9, 1985) was an American bandleader, songwriter, arranger, and record producer, best known for his work overseeing the early hits of Little Richard, as well as grooming Ray Charle ...
* Bunk:
Bunk Johnson Willie Gary "Bunk" Johnson (December 27, 1879 – July 7, 1949) was an American prominent jazz trumpeter in New Orleans. Johnson gave the year of his birth as 1879, although there is speculation that he may have been younger by as much as a dec ...
* Bunky:
Bunky Green Vernice "Bunky" Green (born April 23, 1935) is an American jazz alto saxophonist and educator. Biography Green was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played the alto saxophone, mainly at a local club called "The Brass Rail". Green's fir ...
* Bunny: Rowland Berigan * Buster: Buster Bailey * Buster:
Buster Bennett James Joseph "Buster" Bennett (March 19, 1914 – July 3, 1980) was an American blues saxophonist and blues shouter. His nickname was "Leap Frog". At various times in his career, he played the soprano saxophone, the alto, and the tenor. H ...
a.k.a. "Leap Frog" Bennett * Buster:
Buster Cooper George "Buster" Cooper (April 4, 1929 – May 13, 2016) was an American jazz trombonist. Career A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, Cooper played in a territory band with Nat Towles in Texas in the late 1940s and with Lionel Hamp ...
* Buster: Buster Harding * Buster:
Buster Smith Henry Franklin "Buster" Smith (August 24, 1904 – August 10, 1991), also known as Professor Smith, was an American jazz alto saxophonist and mentor to Charlie Parker.Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/artic ...
a.k.a. "Professor" * Buster: Buster Williams * Buster: Buster Wilson * Butter: Quentin JacksonMorton, John Fass
''Backstory in Blue: Ellington at Newport '56'', pp. 30, 35, 37, 39. Rutgers University Press, 2008.
At Google Books. Retrieved 5 August.
* Butch: Butch Ballard * Butch: Butch Miles * Butch: Butch Morris * Buzzy: Buzzy Drootin


C

* Cab:
Cab Kaye Nii-lante Augustus Kwamlah Quaye (3 September 1921 – 13 March 2000), known professionally as Cab Kaye, was an English jazz singer and pianist of Ghanaian descent. He combined blues, stride piano, and scat with his Ghanaian heritage. Youth ...
* Cag: Cag Cagnolatti * Cake: Al "Cake" Wichard * Candy:
Otis Finch Otis "Candy" Finch, Jr. was an American jazz drummer. He played and recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Shirley Scott, Milt Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie (1966-9).Feather, Leonard; Ira Gitler (2007)''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. Oxfor ...
* Candy: Floyd "Candy" Johnson * Cannonball: Julian Adderley * Captain:
Captain John Handy Captain John Handy (June 24, 1900 – January 12, 1971), was an American jazz alto saxophonist, who was part of the New Orleans jazz revival. Career Handy was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi, United States. He played clarinet in New Orleans ...
* Cat: William Alonzo Anderson * Cat (The): Jimmy Smith * Chairman of the Board: Frank Sinatra a.k.a. "Ol' Blue Eyes", "The Voice" * Chick: Chick Corea * Chick: Chick Webb * Chico: Alfred "Chico" Alvarez * Chico:
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 Award ...
* Chico:
Chico O'Farrill Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921 – June 27, 2001) was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces a ...
* Chink:
Chink Martin Martin Abraham, better known as Chink Martin (June 10, 1886 in New Orleans – January 7, 1981 in New Orleans) was an American jazz tubist. Career Martin played guitar in his youth before settling on tuba as his main instrument. He played with ...
* Chippie: Bertha Hill * Chu: Leon "Chu" Berry * Chubby:
Chubby Jackson Greig Stewart "Chubby" Jackson (October 25, 1918 – October 1, 2003) was an American jazz double-bassist and band leader. Biography Born in New York City, Jackson began at the age of seventeen as a clarinetist, but quickly changed to bass in ...
* Chummy:
Chummy MacGregor John Chalmers MacGregor (March 28, 1903 – March 9, 1973), better known as Chummy MacGregor, a musician and composer, was the pianist in The Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1936 to 1942. He composed the songs " Moon Dreams", " It Must Be Jelly ('Cau ...
* Cie: Cie Frazier * Cleanhead:
Eddie Vinson Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (born Edward L. Vinson Jr.; December 18, 1917 – July 2, 1988) was an American jump blues, jazz, bebop and R&B alto saxophonist and blues shouter. He was nicknamed Cleanhead after an incident in which his hair was ...
* Clyde: Clyde Lombardi * Conte:
Conte Candoli Secondo "Conte" Candoli (July 12, 1927 – December 14, 2001) was an American jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast. He played in the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Dizzy Gillespie, and in Doc Severinsen's NBC Orc ...
* Coop: Bob Cooper * Cootie: Charles Williams * Corky: Corky Corcoran * Corky: Corky Cornelius * Cornbread:
Hal Singer Harold Joseph Singer (October 8, 1919 – August 18, 2020), also known as Hal "Cornbread" Singer, was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and jazz bandleader and saxophonist. Early life Harold Joseph Singer was born in Greenwood District, Tul ...
* Count:
Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 â€“ April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...
* Count (The):
Conte Candoli Secondo "Conte" Candoli (July 12, 1927 – December 14, 2001) was an American jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast. He played in the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Dizzy Gillespie, and in Doc Severinsen's NBC Orc ...
* Count (The): Steve Marcus * Cow Cow: Charles Edward Davenport * Cozy:
Cozy Cole William Randolph "Cozy" Cole (October 17, 1909 – January 9, 1981) was an American jazz drummer who worked with Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong among others and led his own groups. Life and career William Randolph Cole was born in East Or ...
* Crane: Dave Burns * Crazy: Chris Columbus * Cutty:
Cutty Cutshall Robert Dewees "Cutty" Cutshall (December 29, 1911 – August 16, 1968) was an American jazz trombonist. Cutshall was born in Huntington Co., Pennsylvania, on December 29, 1911. He played in Pittsburgh early in his career, making his first major t ...


D

* Dee: Dee Barton * Dee Dee: Dee Dee Bridgewater * Deedles:
Diane Schuur Diane Joan Schuur (born December 10, 1953), nicknamed "Deedles", is an American jazz singer and pianist. As of 2015, Schuur had released 23 albums, and had extended her jazz repertoire to include essences of Latin, gospel, pop and country music ...
* Dewey:
Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played al ...
* Dicky:
Dicky Wells William Wells (June 10, 1907 – November 12, 1985), known professionally as Dicky Wells (sometimes Dickie Wells), was an American jazz trombonist. Career Dickie Wells is believed to have been born on June 10, 1907 in Centerville, Tennessee, Un ...
* Dink:
Dink Johnson Ollie "Dink" Johnson (1892 – November 29, 1954 was a Dixieland jazz pianist, clarinetist, and drummer. Background Johnson was born in 1892, most likely in New Orleans, although the date is disputed and some sources have cited the place of b ...
* Dink: Harold TaylorSchuller (1989
''The Swing Era''
p. 798.
* Dippermouth: Louis Armstrong a.k.a. "Satchmo", "Pops", "Satchel Mouth", "Dipper Mouth" * Divine One (The): Sarah Vaughan a.k.a. "Sassy" * Diz:
Diz Disley William Charles "Diz" Disley (27 May 1931 – 22 March 2010) was an Anglo-Canadian jazz guitarist and banjoist. He is best known for his acoustic jazz guitar playing, strongly influenced by Django Reinhardt, for his contributions to the UK trad ...
* Dizzy, or Diz: John Birks Gillespie * Dizzy: Dizzy Reece * Django: Jean Baptiste Reinhardt * Doc:
Doc Cheatham Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, better known as Doc Cheatham (June 13, 1905 – June 2, 1997), was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader. He is also the Grandfather of musician Theo Croker. Early life Doc Cheatham was born in Nashv ...
* Doc: Doc Cook * Doc: Doc Evans * Doc: Doc Goldberg * Doc:
Doc Souchon Edmond "Doc" Souchon (October 25, 1897, New Orleans â€“ August 24, 1968, New Orleans) was an American jazz guitarist and writer on music. He was a pivotal figure in the historical preservation of New Orleans jazz in the middle of the 20th ce ...
* Doc:
Doc West Harold "Doc" West (August 12, 1915 – May 4, 1951) was an American jazz drummer. Early life West was born in Wolford, North Dakota. He learned to play piano and cello as a child before switching to drums. Career In the 1930s, West playe ...
* Doctor Miller: Glenn Miller * Dodo: Michael Marmarosa * Dollar: Dollar Brand * Dolo:
Dolo Coker Charles Mitchell "Dolo" Coker (November 16, 1927 – April 13, 1983) was a jazz pianist and composer who recorded four albums for Xanadu Records and extensively as a sideman, for artists like Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Art Pepper, ...
* Duck: Donald Bailey * Dud:
Dud Bascomb Wilbur Odell "Dud" Bascomb (May 16, 1916, Birmingham, Alabama – December 25, 1972, New York City) was an American jazz trumpeter, best known for his tenure with Erskine Hawkins. Yanow, Scott. Dud Bascomb biography AllMusic He was a 1979 ind ...
* Duke: Duke Ellington * Duke: Duke Groner * Duke:
Duke Jordan Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan (April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006) was an American jazz pianist. Biography Jordan was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn where he attended Boys High School. An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regul ...
* Duke (The):
Bennie Green Bennie Green (April 16, 1923 – March 23, 1977) was an American jazz trombonist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and ...
* Duke: Duke Pearson


E

* Eddie Lang: Salvatore Massaro * Eubie:
Eubie Blake James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote '' Shuffle Along'', one of the first B ...
* Ella:
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...


F

* Fat Boy:
Fats Navarro Theodore "Fats" Navarro (September 24, 1923 – July 6, 1950) was an American jazz trumpet player. He was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz improvisation in the 1940s. He had a strong stylistic influence on many other players, including Cl ...
* Fat Girl:
Fats Navarro Theodore "Fats" Navarro (September 24, 1923 – July 6, 1950) was an American jazz trumpet player. He was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz improvisation in the 1940s. He had a strong stylistic influence on many other players, including Cl ...
* Fatha: Earl Hines * Fathead: David Newman * Fats: Jimmy Ponder * Fats:
Fats Sadi "Fats" Sadi Pol Lallemand (23 October 1927, Andenne, Belgium – 20 February 2009, Huy) was a Belgian jazz musician, vocalist, and composer who played vibraphone and percussion. He chose the name "Sadi" because he disliked his last name, which mea ...
* Fats Waller: Thomas Waller * Fatty:
Fatty George Franz Georg Pressler (24 April 1927 – 29 March 1982), known by the stage name Fatty George was an Austrian jazz clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a fl ...
* Fess:
Fess Williams Fess Williams ''(né'' Stanley R. Williams; April 10, 1894 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz musician.''Biography Index, A Cumulative Index to Biographical Material in Books and Magazines, Volume 10: September 1973 — August 1976'', Ne ...
* Fiddler: Claude "Fiddler" Williams * First Lady (The):
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
a.k.a. "the First Lady of Song" * Flip:
Flip Phillips Joseph Edward Filippelli (March 26, 1915 – August 17, 2001), known professionally as Flip Phillips, was an American jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He is best remembered for his work with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic conce ...
, * Foots: Walter "Foots" Thomas * Fox (The): Maynard Ferguson * Frog: Waldren Joseph * Frog:
Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 â€“ September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...
* Fud:
Fud Livingston Joseph Anthony "Fud" Livingston (April 10, 1906 – March 25, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger, and composer. Career In the 1920s, he performed with Ben Pollack and served as his arranger (to summer 1925, and again ...


G

* Gatemouth:
Clarence Brown Clarence Leon Brown (May 10, 1890 – August 17, 1987) was an American film director. Early life Born in Clinton, Massachusetts, to Larkin Harry Brown, a cotton manufacturer, and Katherine Ann Brown (née Gaw), Brown moved to Tennessee when he ...
* Gato: Gato Barbieri * Gator: Willis Jackson * Geechie: Geechie Fields * Geechy: James Robinson (musician) * Gigi:
Gigi Gryce Gigi Gryce (born George General Grice Jr.; November 28, 1925 – March 14, 1983), later Basheer Qusim, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator. While his performing career was relatively short, ...
* Ginger: Ginger Smock * God:
Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in his field. From early in his career, Tatum's technical ability was regarded by fellow musicians as extraord ...
* Great Dane (The):
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...
* Great Dane with the Never-Ending Name (The):
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...
* Groaner (The): Bing Crosby * Groove: Richard Holmes * Guvnor (The):
Ken Colyer Kenneth Colyer (18 April 1928 – 8 March 1988) was an English jazz trumpeter and cornetist, devoted to New Orleans jazz. His band was also known for skiffle interludes. Biography He was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, but grew up i ...


H

* Habao: Joe Texidor * Half-Pint: Frankie Jaxon * Ham: Leonard Davis * Hammond:
Johnny "Hammond" Smith John Robert "Johnny Hammond" Smith (December 16, 1933 â€“ June 4, 1997) was an American soul jazz and hard bop organist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was a renowned player of the Hammond B-3 organ so earning "Hammond" as a nickname, wh ...
* Hamp or Mad Lionel: Lionel Hampton * Hank: Hank Crawford * Hannibal: Hannibal Lokumbe * Happy: Happy Caldwell * Happy: David "Happy" Williams * Hawk:
Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...
a.k.a. "Bean" * Hazy: Hazy Osterwald * Hi De Ho: Cab Calloway * High Priest, The:
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
, a.k.a. "Brother Ray" * High Priest of Bop
Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...
* High Priestess of Soul
Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...
* Hipster (The):
Harry Gibson Harry "The Hipster" Gibson (June 27, 1915 – May 3, 1991), born Harry Raab, was an American jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter. He played New York style stride piano and boogie woogie while singing in a wild, unrestrained style. His music car ...
* Hod:
Hod O'Brien Walter Howard "Hod" O'Brien (January 19, 1936 – November 20, 2016) was an American jazz pianist. O'Brien was born in Chicago. He attended the Hotchkiss School and then studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music (1954â ...
* Hog: Leroy Cooper * Honeybear: Gene Sedric * Hootie:
Jay McShann James Columbus "Jay" McShann (January 12, 1916 – December 7, 2006) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He led bands in Kansas City, Missouri, that included Charlie Parker, Bernard Anderson, Walter Brown, and B ...
* Horacee:
Horace Arnold Horace Emmanuel Arnold, or Horacee Arnold (born September 25, 1937) is an American jazz drummer. He was born in Wayland, Kentucky. Career Arnold first began playing drums in 1957 in Los Angeles while he was in the United States Coast Guard. In ...
* Hoss: Walter Page * Hot Lips:
Henry Busse Henry Busse Sr. (May 19, 1894 – April 23, 1955) was a German-born jazz trumpeter. A 1948 review in ''Billboard'' magazine said that Busse had "a keen sense of musical commercialism". Early life Born May 19, 1894, in Magdeburg, Germany, t ...
* Hot Lips or Lips: Oran Page * Howdy: Howard "Howdy" Quicksell


I

* Illinois:
Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste "Illinois" Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on " Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. Although he was a pioneer of ...
* Ivory: Herman Chittison * Ivory: Harold Ivory Williams


J

* Jabali: Billy Hart * Jabbo:
Jabbo Smith Jabbo Smith (born Cladys Smith; December 24, 1908 – January 16, 1991) was an American jazz musician, known for his virtuoso playing on the trumpet. Biography Smith was born in Pembroke, Georgia, United States. At the age of six he went into ...
* Jaco:
Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. ...
* Jack: Jack Jenney * Jack: Jack Teagarden * Jackie:
Jackie McLean John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their deat ...
* Jaki:
Jaki Byard John Arthur "Jaki" Byard (; June 15, 1922 – February 11, 1999) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. Mainly a pianist, he also played tenor and alto saxophones, among several other instruments. He was known for hi ...
* Jap: Jap Allen * Jaws:
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...
* Jay: Jay Clayton * Jay:
Jay McShann James Columbus "Jay" McShann (January 12, 1916 – December 7, 2006) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He led bands in Kansas City, Missouri, that included Charlie Parker, Bernard Anderson, Walter Brown, and B ...
a.k.a. "Hootie" * Jef: Jef Gilson * Jeep:
Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
a.k.a. "Rab" (short for "Rabbit") * Jeepy: Branford Marsalis a.k.a. "Steepee"/"Steepy"Wild, David; Barry Kernfeld
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,_Branford__".">eepy,_Steepee_[Steepy">"Marsalis_[Jeepy,_Steepee_[Steepy
,_Branford__".''Grove_Music_Online''._Oxford_University_Press._Retrieved_26_November_2022.
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,_Branford__"..html" ;"title="eepy, Steepee [Steepy">"Marsalis [Jeepy, Steepee [Steepy
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, Branford ".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Jelly Roll: Jelly Roll Morton">Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe * Jeru: Gerry Mulligan * Jiggs: Jiggs Whigham * Jiunie: Jiunie Booth * Jiver: Jiver Hutchinson * Joe Blade:
Nick LaRocca Dominic James "Nick" LaRocca (April 11, 1889 – February 22, 1961), was an American early jazz cornetist and trumpeter and the leader of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. He is the composer of one of the most recorded jazz classics of all-time ...
* Johnny Mac: John McLaughlin (musician), John McLaughlin * Josh: Josh Billings (musician), Josh Billings * Judge: Milt Hinton * Jug or Jughead: Gene Ammons * Junior:
Junior Cook Herman "Junior" Cook (July 22, 1934 – February 3, 1992) was an American hard bop tenor saxophone player. Biography Cook was born in Pensacola, Florida. After playing with Dizzy Gillespie in 1958, Cook was a member of the Horace Silver Quin ...
* Junior:
Junior Mance Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early life (1928–1947) Mance was born in Evanston, Illinois. When he was five years old, Mance st ...
* Junior: Junior Raglin * J. R.: J. R. Monterose


K

* Kaiser:
Kaiser Marshall Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall (June 11, 1902 in Savannah, Georgia – January 2, 1948 in New York City) was an American jazz drummer. Marshall was raised in Boston, where he studied under George L. Stone. He played with Charlie Dixon before movin ...
* Kansas: Kansas Fields * Kat: Herbert Cowans * Keg: Keg Johnson * Kermit: Kermit Driscoll * Keter:
Keter Betts William Thomas "Keter" Betts (July 22, 1928 – August 6, 2005) was an American jazz double bassist. Early life and education Born in Port Chester, New York, he was nicknamed "Keter", a short form of the word mosquito. He graduated from Port ...
* Kid:
Kid Howard Avery "Kid" Howard (April 22, 1908, New Orleans, Louisiana - March 28, 1966, New Orleans) was an American jazz trumpeter, associated with the New Orleans jazz scene. Howard began on drums at about age fourteen, but switched to cornet and then tr ...
* Kid:
Kid Ory Edward "Kid" Ory (December 25, 1886 – January 23, 1973) was an American jazz composer, trombonist and bandleader. One of the early users of the glissando technique, he helped establish it as a central element of New Orleans jazz. He was ...
* Kid: Kid Rena * Kid Sheik: Kid Sheik * Kidd: Kidd Jordan * King:
Buddy Bolden Charles Joseph "Buddy" Bolden (September 6, 1877 – November 4, 1931) was an African American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of ragtime music, or "jass", which later ca ...
* King:
Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 â€“ February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...
a.k.a. "Shorty Nadine" * King:
King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician ...
* King:
King Fleming Walter "King" Fleming (May 4, 1922 – April 1, 2014) was an American jazz pianist and bandleader.Freddie Keppard Freddie Keppard (sometimes rendered as Freddy Keppard; February 27, 1890 – July 15, 1933) was an American jazz cornetist who once held the title of "King" in the New Orleans jazz scene. This title was previously held by Buddy Bolden and suc ...
* King: Joe Oliver a.k.a. "Papa Joe" * King:
King Pleasure King Pleasure (born Clarence Beeks; March 24, 1922 – March 21, 1982) was an American jazz vocalist and an early master of vocalese, where a singer sings words to a well-known instrumental solo. Biography Born as Clarence Beeks in Oakdale, Te ...
* King: King Watzke * King Kolax:
King Kolax King Kolax (born William Little, November 6, 1912 – December 18, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Biography William Little was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1912; he misleadingly claimed he was born in 1918 in later ...
* King of the Clarinet:
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 ...
* King of Cool: Dean Martin * King of Jazz:
Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...
* King of the Jazz Guitar:
Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...
* King of the Jukebox: Louis Jordan * King of Swing: Benny Goodman a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "the Professor", "Swing's Senior Statesman" * Klook-Mop or Klook:
Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-ha ...
* Knife (The):
Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...


L

* Lady Day:
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
* Leap Frog:
Buster Bennett James Joseph "Buster" Bennett (March 19, 1914 – July 3, 1980) was an American blues saxophonist and blues shouter. His nickname was "Leap Frog". At various times in his career, he played the soprano saxophone, the alto, and the tenor. H ...
* Lion (The): Willie Smith * Lips or Hot Lips: Oran Page * Little:
Benny Harris "Little" Benny Harris (April 23, 1919 in New York City – May 11, 1975 in San Francisco) was an American bebop trumpeter and composer. A self-taught musician, in the mid-1930s Benny Harris was already playing with Thelonious Monk. In later y ...
* Little Bear:
Chester Zardis Chester Zardis (May 27, 1900, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States - August 14, 1990, New Orleans) was an American jazz double-bassist. Zardis played bass from a young age, and studied without his disapproving mother's knowledge, under Billy M ...
* Little Bird:
Albert Ayler Albert Ayler (; July 13, 1936 â€“ November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer. After early experience playing R&B and bebop, Ayler began recording music during the free jazz era of the 1960s. Howev ...
* Little Bird: Jimmy Heath * Little Brother:
Little Brother Montgomery Eurreal Wilford "Little Brother" Montgomery (April 18, 1906 – September 6, 1985) was an American jazz, boogie-woogie Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, developed in African-American communi ...
* Little Giant:
Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...
* Little Jazz:
Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from ...
* Little Johnny C: Johnny Coles * Little Man: Walter Buchanan * Little Mitch: George Mitchell * Lockjaw:
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...
* Long Tall Dexter:
Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...
* Lord: Chauncey "Lord" Westbrook * Lovie:
Lovie Austin Cora "Lovie" Austin (September 19, 1887 – July 8, 1972) was an American Chicago bandleader, session musician, composer, singer, and arranger during the 1920s classic blues era. She and Lil Hardin Armstrong are often ranked as two of the best ...
* Luckey:
Luckey Roberts Charles Luckyth Roberts (August 7, 1887 – February 5, 1968), better known as Luckey Roberts, was an American composer and stride pianist who worked in the jazz, ragtime, and blues styles. Biography Luckey Roberts was born in Philadelphia, ...
* Lucky:
Lucky Millinder Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910 – September 28, 1966) was an American swing and rhythm-and-blues bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical ...
* Lucky: Eli Thompson


M

* Ma:
Ma Rainey Gertrude "Ma" Rainey ( Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early blues recording artist. Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of s ...
* Mad Lionel: Lionel Hampton a.k.a. "Hamp" * Maffy: Muvaffak "Maffy" Falay * Maggie:
Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...
* Maharaja:
Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...
* Major: Glenn Miller * Man (The): Sam Taylor * Manzie: Manzie Johnson * Mash: Art Blakey * Mex: Paul Gonsalves * Mezz:
Mezz Mezzrow Milton Mesirow (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), better known as Mezz Mezzrow, was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He is remembered for organizing and financing recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier ...
* Mick:
Mick Mulligan Peter Sidney "Mick" Mulligan (24 January 1928 – 20 December 2006) was an English jazz trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his presence on the trad jazz scene. Biography He was born in Harrow, Middlesex, England. Mulligan began playing ...
* Mickey: Mickey McMahan * Midge: Midge Williams * Miff: Miff Mole * Mighty Flea (The):
Gene Conners Eugene Conners (December 28, 1930 – June 10, 2010), known as Gene Conners, was an American trombonist and singer. He was known as the "Mighty Flea". Conners was born in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, and grew up in New Orleans, and may h ...
* Miles:
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...
* Min: Min Leibrook * Minor: Minor Hall * Mohawk: Ted Sturgis * Money: Money Johnson * Monk:
Monk Hazel Arthur Frank Hazel (August 15, 1903, Harvey, Louisiana - March 5, 1968, New Orleans, Louisiana), better known as Monk Hazel, was a jazz drummer and cornetist.Rye, Howard; Barry Kernfeld."Hazel, Monk".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Pres ...
* Monk: Monk McFay * Monk: William Montgomery * Montudie: Ed Garland * Monty: Monty Waters * Moonface, Wurmpth:
Claude Thornhill Claude Thornhill (August 10, 1908 – July 1, 1965) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He composed the jazz and pop standards "Snowfall" and "I Wish I Had You". Early years Thornhill was the son of J. Chester Thornhill ...
* Mouse: Irving Randolph * Mousie or Mousey: Elmer Alexander * Mr. Bongo: Jack Costanzo * Mr. Clock:
Freddie Green Frederick William Green (March 31, 1911 – March 1, 1987) was an American swing jazz guitarist who played rhythm guitar with the Count Basie Orchestra for almost fifty years. Early life and education Green was born in Charleston, South Car ...
* Mr. Five by Five:
Jimmy Rushing James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...
* Mr. Lead: Derek Watkins * Mr. T:
Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion ...
aka "The Sugar Man"NPR's 'Jazz Profiles': "Stanley Turrentine: Saxophone 'Sugar Man'."
NPR. Retrieved 7th December 2022.
* Muffin, The Lamb: Donald Lambert * Muggsy: Muggsy Spanier * Mule:
Major Holley Major "Mule" Holley Jr. (July 10, 1924 – October 25, 1990) was an American jazz upright bassist. Biography Holley was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He attended the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit. Holley played ...
* Munn: Munn Ware * Mutt: Tom Carey a.k.a. "Papa Mutt"


N

* Nappy: Earle Howard * Nappy: Hilton Lamare * Nature Boy: J. T. Brown aka "Blow It" BrownBüttner, Armin; Robert Campbell, and Robert Pruter (2020)
"The Parrot and Blue Lake Labels".
Red Saunders Research Foundation. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
* Newark Flash:
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...
* Newk: Sonny Rollins * NHØP:
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...
* Nick:
Nick LaRocca Dominic James "Nick" LaRocca (April 11, 1889 – February 22, 1961), was an American early jazz cornetist and trumpeter and the leader of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. He is the composer of one of the most recorded jazz classics of all-time ...


O

* O Bruxo (The Sorcerer):
Hermeto Pascoal Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is a significant figure in the history of Brazilian music, mainly known for his abilities in orches ...
* Ol' Blue Eyes: Frank Sinatra a.k.a. "The Voice" * Ool-Ya-Koo: Willie Cook * Osie:
Osie Johnson James "Osie" Johnson (January 11, 1923, in Washington, D.C. – February 10, 1966, in New York City) was a jazz drummer, arranger and singer. Johnson studied at Armstrong Highschool where he was classmates with Leo Parker and Frank Wess. He firs ...


P

* Panama:
Panama Francis David Albert "Panama" Francis (December 21, 1918 – November 13, 2001) was an American swing jazz drummer who played on numerous hit recordings in the 1950s. Early life Francis was born in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1918. His father was ...
* Pancho: Kenny Hagood * Papa:
Papa Celestin Oscar Phillip Celestin (January 1, 1884 – December 15, 1954) better known by stage name Papa Celestin was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Life and career Celestin was born in Napoleonville, Louisiana, to a Creole family, son of a s ...
* Papa: Louis "Papa" Tio * Papa Jack: Papa Jack Laine * Papa Jo: Jonathan David Samuel Jones * Papa Joe:
Joe "King" Oliver Joseph Nathan "King" Oliver (December 19, 1881 – April 8/10, 1938) was an American jazz cornet player and bandleader. He was particularly recognized for his playing style and his pioneering use of mutes in jazz. Also a notable composer, he wr ...
* Papa Mutt: Thomas Carey a.k.a.
Mutt Carey Thomas "Papa Mutt" Carey (September 17, 1891 – September 3, 1948) was an American jazz trumpeter. Early life Carey was born in Hahnville, Louisiana,Kernfedl, Barry, ed. ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. Macmillan, 1994. p. 185. and mov ...
* Pat: Pat Patrick * Patriarch of the Clarinet (the): Benny Goodman a.k.a. "the Professor", "Swing's Senior Statesman", "the King of Swing" * Peanuts: Peanuts Holland * Peanuts:
Peanuts Hucko Michael Andrew "Peanuts" Hucko (April 7, 1918 – June 19, 2003) was an American big band musician. His primary instrument was the clarinet, but he sometimes played saxophone. Early life and education He was born in Syracuse, New York, United St ...
* Peck:
Peck Kelley John Dickson "Peck" Kelley (October 22, 1898 – December 26, 1980) was an American jazz pianist. He was best known for his 1920s band Peck's Bad Boys, which included Jack Teagarden, and Pee Wee Russell. Early life John Dickson "Peck" Kelley w ...
* Pee Wee: H. B. Barnum * Pee Wee:
Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis Alfred James Ellis (April 21, 1941 – September 23, 2021), known as Pee Wee Ellis due to his diminutive stature, was an American saxophonist, composer, and arranger. With a background in jazz, he was a member of James Brown's band in the ...
* Pee Wee:
Pee Wee Erwin George "Pee Wee" Erwin (May 30, 1913 – June 20, 1981) was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography He was born in Falls City, Nebraska, United States. Erwin started on trumpet at age four. He played in several territory bands before joining the gr ...
* Pee Wee: Pee Wee Hunt * Pee Wee:
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 sp ...
* Pee Wee: Leon "Pee Wee" Whittaker * Pepper:
Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...
a.k.a. "the Knife" * Pete:
Pete Candoli Pete Candoli (born Walter Joseph Candoli; June 28, 1923 – January 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played with the big bands of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton and worked in the studios of the recording and television industries. Ca ...
* Pete: Pete Johnson * Pha: Pha Terrell * : Farrell Sanders * Phantom: Joe Henderson * Philly Joe: Joseph Jones * Pinetop:
Pinetop Perkins Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins (July 7, 1913 â€“ March 21, 2011) was an American blues pianist. He played with some of the most influential blues and rock-and-roll performers of his time and received numerous honors, including a Grammy Life ...
(Joseph William Perkins) * Pinetop: Clarence Smith a.k.a. "Pine Top" * Polo:
Polo Barnes Paul D. "Polo" Barnes (November 22, 1901 – April 3, 1981, New Orleans) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist. He was the brother of Emile Barnes and was a mainstay of the New Orleans jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s. Career Bar ...
* Pony: Norwood Poindexter * Pops:
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 soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Armstrong. His erratic tempe ...
* Pops: Louis Armstrong a.k.a. "Satchel Mouth", "Satchmo", "Dipper Mouth" * Pops: George Murphy "Pops" Foster * Pops: Robert Popwell * Porky: Al Porcino * Pretty: Bernard Purdie * Pres (preferred spelling) or Prez (short for "President"):
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 ...
* Prince of Darkness:
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...
* Professor, the: Cab Calloway * Professor (the): Benny Goodman a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "Swing's Senior Statesman", "the King of Swing" * Pud: Pud Brown * Punch: Punch Miller


Q

* Queen: Peggy Lee * Queen of the Jukeboxes:
Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...


R

* Rabbit:
Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
a.k.a. "Rab", "Jeep" * Rap: Leon Roppolo * Ray:
Ray Bryant Raphael Homer "Ray" Bryant (December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 24, 1931. His mother was an ordained minister who had tau ...
* Reb:
Reb Spikes Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes (October 31, 1888 – February 24, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist and entrepreneur. His composition with his brother John, "Someday Sweetheart", has become an often-recorded jazz standard. Biography Spikes w ...
* Red:
Red Allen Henry James "Red" Allen, Jr. (January 7, 1908 – April 17, 1967) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist whose playing has been claimed by Joachim-Ernst Berendt and others as the first to fully incorporate the innovations of Louis Armst ...
* Red: Red Balaban * Red: Tom Brown * Red:
Red Callender George Sylvester "Red" Callender (March 6, 1916 – March 8, 1992) was an American string bass and tuba player. He is perhaps best known as a jazz musician, but worked with an array of pop, rock and vocal acts as a member of The Wrecking Cr ...
* Red:
Red Garland William McKinley "Red" Garland Jr. (May 13, 1923 – April 23, 1984) was an American modern jazz pianist. Known for his work as a bandleader and during the 1950s with Miles Davis, Garland helped popularize the block chord style of playing in jazz ...
* Red:
Red Holloway James Wesley "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 â€“ February 25, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Born in Helena, Arkansas,Daniel E. Slotnik"Red Holloway, Swinger of the Sax, Dies at 84" ''The New York Times'', February 28, 2012 ...
* Red:
Red Ingle Ernest Jansen "Red" Ingle (November 7, 1906 – September 6, 1965) was an American musician, singer and songwriter, arranger, cartoonist and caricaturist. He is best known for his comedy records with Spike Jones and his own Natural Seven sides f ...
* Red:
Red McKenzie William 'Red' McKenzie (October 14, 1899 – February 7, 1948) was an American jazz vocalist and musician who played a comb as an instrument. He played the comb-and-paper by placing paper, sometimes strips from the ''Evening World'', over the ti ...
* Red: Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell * Red: Robert Muse * Red:
Red Nichols Ernest Loring "Red" Nichols (May 8, 1905 – June 28, 1965) was an American jazz cornetist, composer, and jazz bandleader. Biography Early life and career Nichols was born in Ogden, Utah, United States. His father was a college music profes ...
* Red:
Red Norvo Red Norvo (born Kenneth Norville; March 31, 1908 – April 6, 1999) was an American musician, one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone as jazz instruments. His reco ...
* Red:
Red Prysock Wilburt "Red" Prysock (February 2, 1926 – July 19, 1993) was an American R&B tenor saxophonist, one of the early Coleman Hawkins-influenced saxophonists to move in the direction of rhythm and blues, rather than bebop. Career With Tiny Grimes ...
* Red: Red Richards * Red: Red Saunders * Red: Alvin Tyler * Red Rodney:
Red Rodney Robert Roland Chudnick (September 27, 1927 – May 27, 1994), known professionally as Red Rodney, was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he became a professional musician at 15, working in the mid-1940 ...
* Rosy:
Rosy McHargue James "Rosy" McHargue (April 6, 1902 in Danville, Illinois – June 8, 1999 in Santa Monica, California) was an American jazz clarinetist, associated principally with the Dixieland jazz scene. McHargue worked professionally from age 15, with The ...
* Rusty: Rusty Bryant * Rusty: Lyle Dedrick * Rusty: Rusty Jones


S

* Sabby:
Sabby Lewis William Sebastian "Sabby" Lewis (November 1, 1914 in Middleburg, North Carolina – July 9, 1994) was an American jazz pianist, band leader, and arranger. Biography Lewis was born in Middleburg, North Carolina, United States, but was raised in Phi ...
* Santy: Santy Runyon * Sassy: Sarah Vaughan a.k.a. "The Divine One" * Satchmo: Louis Armstrong a.k.a. "Dipper Mouth", "Pops", "Satchel Mouth" * Sax:
Sax Mallard Oett M. Mallard (September 2, 1915 – August 29, 1986), also known as Sax Mallard, was a Chicago-based jazz saxophonist and bandleader. He worked briefly (April–May 1943) with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, as well as with Ellington's Octet ...
* Scoops: Scoops Carey * Scotty: Howard "Scotty" Scott * Scotty:
Kermit Scott Theodore Kermit Scott Jr. (October 18, 1936 – May 26, 2008) was an American Licensed Professional Counselor, counselor and professor of philosophy, was a childhood friend of The Muppets, Muppets creator Jim Henson who was incorrectly presumed to ...
* Scrappy:
Scrappy Lambert Harold "Scrappy" Lambert (May 12, 1901 – November 30, 1987, in New Brunswick, New Jersey) was an American Big band, dance band vocalist who appeared on hundreds of recordings from the 1920s to the 1940s. At Rutgers University he was a cheer ...
* Senator (the):
Eugene Wright Eugene Joseph Wright (May 29, 1923 – December 30, 2020) was an American jazz bassist who was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Career Wright was a cornetist at high school and led the 16-piece band Dukes of Swing in his 20s. He was large ...
* Shadow: Rossiere Wilson * Shake:
Shake Keane Ellsworth McGranahan "Shake" Keane (30 May 1927 – 11 November 1997) was a Vincentian jazz musician and poet. He is best known today for his role as a jazz trumpeter, principally his work as a member of the ground-breaking Joe Harriott Quintet ...
* Sharkey: Joseph Bonano * Shifty:
Shifty Henry John Willie "Shifty" Henry (4 October 1921 – 30 November 1958) was an American musician, most noted as a double bass and bass guitar player, and blues songwriter. He also played flute, violin, viola, saxophone, and oboe and was in demand as a se ...
* Shorty: Harold Baker * Shorty:
Shorty Rogers Milton "Shorty" Rogers (born Milton Rajonsky; April 14, 1924 – November 7, 1994) was an American jazz musician, one of the principal creators of West Coast jazz. He played trumpet and flugelhorn and was in demand for his skills as an arrang ...
* Shorty: Shorty Sherock * Sippie: Sippie Wallace * Sir: Sir Charles Thompson * Sir James: Jimmy NottinghamYanow, Scott (2002)
"Nottingham, Jimmy."
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
* Skeeter: Clifton Best * Skeets: Skeets Herfurt * Skeets: Skeets Tolbert * Skip: Skip Martin * Skippy: Skippy Williams * Skitch:
Skitch Henderson Lyle Russel "Skitch" Henderson (January 27, 1918 â€“ November 1, 2005) was a pianist, conductor, and composer. His nickname "Skitch" came from his ability to "re-sketch" a song in a different key. Bing Crosby suggested that he should use the ...
* Slam:
Slam Stewart Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart (September 21, 1914December 10, 1987) was an American jazz double bass player, whose trademark style was his ability to bow the bass (arco) and simultaneously hum or sing an octave higher. He was a violinist before swi ...
* Slats: Slats Long * Sleepy Hall:
Chick Bullock Charles (Chick) Bullock (September 16, 18981900 U.S. Federal Census, Township #5, Silver Bow, Montana, enumeration district 90, page 5. Bullock's birth date is confirmed by his entries in the Social Security Death Index and the California Death ...
* Slide: Slide Hampton * Slim: Bulee Gaillard * Slim: Alton Moore * Slow Drag:
Alcide Pavageau Alcide Louis "Slow Drag" Pavageau (March 7, 1888 – January 19, 1969) was an American jazz guitarist and double-bassist. Biography Pavageau was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He started his career as a dancer, mastering a dance called the ...
* Smack: Fletcher Henderson * Smith: Smith Ballew * Smitty:
Marvin Smith Marvin "Smitty" Smith (born June 24, 1961) is an American jazz drummer and composer. Marvin Smith was born in Waukegan, Illinois, where his father, Marvin Sr., was a drummer. "Smitty" was exposed to music at a young age, receiving formal musica ...
* Snakehips: Ken Snakehips Johnson * Snap Crackle:
Roy Haynes Roy Owen Haynes (born March 13, 1925) is an American jazz drummer. He is among the most recorded drummers in jazz. In a career lasting over 80 years, he has played swing, bebop, jazz fusion, avant-garde jazz and is considered a pioneer of jaz ...
* Snub: Snub Mosley * Sonny:
Sonny Berman Saul "Sonny" Berman (April 21, 1925 – January 16, 1947) was an American jazz trumpeter. Berman was born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He began touring at age sixteen and performed with Louis Prima, Harry James and Benny Goodman, but ...
* Sonny: Sonny Blount * Sonny: Sonny BrownWaggoner, Andrew.
"Brown, Sonny".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Sonny:
Sonny Clark Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (July 21, 1931 – January 13, 1963) was an American jazz pianist and composer who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom. Early life Clark was born and raised in Herminie, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town east of Pi ...
* Sonny: Sonny Clay * Sonny:
Sonny Cohn George Thomas Cohn (March 14, 1925 – November 7, 2006), known professionally as Sonny Cohn, was an American jazz trumpeter whose career spanned over six decades. After working for fifteen years with Red Saunders (1945–1960), Cohn went on ...
* Sonny:
Sonny Criss William "Sonny" Criss (23 October 1927 – 19 November 1977) was an American jazz musician. An alto saxophonist of prominence during the bebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced by Charlie Parker. Biography William Criss wa ...
* Sonny:
Sonny Dallas Francis Dominic Joseph Dallas (October 27, 1931 – July 22, 2007), also known as Frank "Sonny" Dallas, was an American jazz bassist and singer. Born in Rankin, Pennsylvania, Dallas studied bass with Herman Clements, principal bassist of the Pitt ...
* Sonny:
Sonny Dunham Elmer "Sonny" Dunham (November 16, 1911 – July 9, 1990) was an American trumpet player and bandleader. A versatile musician, he was one of the few trumpet players who could double on the trombone with equal skill. Biography Born in Brockton, ...
* Sonny: Sonny Greer * Sonny: Sonny Henry * Sonny:
Clarence "Sonny" Henry Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a loc ...
* Sonny: Sonny Igoe * Sonny: Sonny Lester * Sonny: Sonny Parker * Sonny: Sonny Payne * Sonny: Sonny Rollins a.k.a. "Newk" * Sonny: Sonny Russo * Sonny:
Sonny Sharrock Warren Harding "Sonny" Sharrock (August 27, 1940 – May 25, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. He was married to singer Linda Sharrock, with whom he recorded and performed. One of only a few prominent guitarists who participated in the fir ...
* Sonny:
Sonny Simmons Huey "Sonny" Simmons (August 4, 1933 – April 6, 2021) was an American jazz musician. Biography Simmons was born on August 4, 1933 in Sicily Island, Louisiana. He grew up in Oakland, California, where he began playing the English horn. (Along w ...
* Sonny: Edward Stitt * Sonny: Sonny White * Sound (the): Stan Getz * Spanky: Spanky Davis * Spanky: Spanky DeBrest * Specs: Gordon Powell * Specs: Specs Wright * Spider: Cyril Haynes * Spike: Spike Heatley * Spike: Spike Hughes * Spike: Spike Robinson * Spike: Spike Wells * Spoon:
Jimmy Witherspoon James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues singer. Early life, family and education Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, and his mot ...
* Spud:
Spud Murphy Miko Stefanovic (August 19, 1908 – August 5, 2005), better known as Lyle 'Spud' Murphy, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, and arranger. Early life Born Miko Stefanovic to Serbian émigré parents in Berlin, Germany, Murphy ...
* Stan: Stan Hasselgård * Steepee (Steepy): Branford Marsalis a.k.a. "Jeepy" * Stix:
Stix Hooper Stix or STIX may refer to: People * Stix Hooper (born 1938), American jazz musician * Gary Stix, American journalist * Thomas H. Stix (1924–2001), American physicist * Christine Stix-Hackl (born 1957), Austrian jurist Arts and entertainment ...
* Stork (the):
Paul Desmond Paul Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld; November 25, 1924 – May 30, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer, best known for his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for composing that group's biggest hit, " Take Five". He ...
* Stuff: Stuff Combe * Stuff:
Stuff Smith Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith (August 14, 1909 – September 25, 1967), better known as Stuff Smith, was an American jazz violinist. He is well known for the song " If You're a Viper" (the original title was "You'se a Viper"). Smith was, al ...
* Stump:
Stump Evans Paul "Stump" Evans (October 18, 1904 – August 29, 1928) was an American musician, who was one of the first jazz saxophonists. Evans experimented with several instruments: alto horn, trombone, and alto saxophone. In the 1920s, he played baritone ...
* Stumpy: Stumpy Brady * Sunny: Sunny Murray * Swee' Pea: Billy Strayhorn * Sweets:
Harry Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 â€“ July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard backi ...
* Swing's Senior Statesman: Benny Goodman a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "the Professor", "the King of Swing" * Sy:
Sy Oliver Melvin James "Sy" Oliver (December 17, 1910 – May 28, 1988) was an American jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader. Life Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. His mother was a piano teacher, and his ...


T

* Tab:
Tab Smith Talmadge "Tab" Smith (January 11, 1909 – August 17, 1971) was an American swing and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist. He is best remembered for the tracks "Because of You" and "Pretend". He worked with Count Basie, the Mills Rhythm Boys a ...
* Tain:
Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...
* Teddy: Teddy Brannon Kennedy, Gary W
"Brannon, Teddy".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Teddy: Teddy Kleindin * Teddy:
Teddy Stauffer Ernst Heinrich "Teddy" Stauffer (2 May 1909 – 27 August 1991) was a Swiss bandleader, musician, actor, nightclub owner, and restaurateur. He was dubbed Germany's " swing-king" of the 1930s. He formed the band known as the Teddies (also know ...
* Teo: Teo Macero * Terry:
Terry Gibbs Terry Gibbs (born Julius Gubenko; October 13, 1924) is an American jazz vibraphonist and band leader. He has performed or recorded with Tommy Dorsey, Chubby Jackson,Theroux, Gary"Gibbs, Terry".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. R ...
Theroux, Gary
"Gibbs, Terry".
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
* Tex:
Tex Beneke Gordon Lee "Tex" Beneke ( ; February 12, 1914 – May 30, 2000) was an American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader. His career is a history of associations with bandleader Glenn Miller and former musicians and singers who worked with Miller. H ...
* Tex:
Herschel Evans Herschel "Tex" Evans (9 March 1909 – 9 February 1939) was an American tenor saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. He also worked with Lionel Hampton and Buck Clayton. He is also known for starting his cousin Joe McQueen's i ...
* The Ghost: Earl Washington * The Sugar Man:
Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion ...
aka "Mr. T" * Tiger: Tiger Haynes * Tina:
Tina Brooks Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer best remembered for his work in the hard bop style. Early years Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, an ...
* Tiny:
Tiny Davis Ernestine Carroll Davis, (born 1909 or 1910 РJanuary 30, 1994) better known as Tiny Davis, was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. Early life and education Carroll was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Born to George and Leanna (n̩e Whit ...
* Tiny:
Tiny Grimes Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes (July 7, 1916 â€“ March 4, 1989) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He was a member of the Art Tatum Trio from 1943 to 1944, was a backing musician on recording sessions, and later led his own bands, including a rec ...
* Tiny:
Tiny Hill Tiny may refer to: Kane Places * Tiny, Ontario, a township in Canada * Tiny, Virginia, an unincorporated community in the US * Tiny Glacier, Wyoming, US Computing * Tiny BASIC, a dialect of the computer programming language BASIC * Tiny Encryp ...
* Tiny: Tiny Kahn * Tiny: Tiny Parham * Tiny: Tiny Taylor * Tiny: Tiny Winters * Tito: Tito Burns * Toby: Scoville Browne * Toby:
Otto Hardwick Otto James "Toby" Hardwicke (May 31, 1904 – August 5, 1970) was an American saxophone player associated with Duke Ellington. Biography Hardwick began on string bass at the age of 14, then moved to C melody saxophone and finally settled o ...
* Tom:
Tom Archia Ernest Alvin Archia, Jr. (November 26, 1919 – January 16, 1977) known as Tom Archia, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Early life Archia was born in Groveton, Texas, moving with his family as a child to Rockdale and then Baytown, ...
* Tootie: Albert "Tootie" Heath * Toots: Toots Mondello * Toots:
Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans, was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for his chromatic harmonica playing, as well as his guitar and whistl ...
* Tram: Frank Trumbauer * Trane:
John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 â€“ July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...
* Tricky Sam: Joe Nanton * Truck:
Truck Parham Charles Valdez "Truck" Parham (January 25, 1911 – June 5, 2002) was an American jazz double-bassist. Parham was born in Chicago and was first a professional sportsman: he was a boxer and played football with the Chicago Negro All Stars. He pl ...
* Trummy:
Trummy Young James "Trummy" Young (January 12, 1912 – September 10, 1984) was an American trombonist in the swing era. He established himself as a star during his 12 years performing with Louis Armstrong in Armstrong's All Stars. He had one hit with his v ...
* Trump: Trump Davidson * Tubby: Tubby Hall * Tubby: Tubby Hayes a.k.a. "Tubbs" * Tuff:
Tuff Green Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock co ...
* Turk:
Turk Murphy Melvin Edward Alton "Turk" Murphy (December 16, 1915 – May 30, 1987) was an American trombonist and bandleader, who played traditional and Dixieland jazz. Biography He was born in Palermo, California, United States. Murphy served in the Nav ...
* Turk: Turk Van Lake * Tuts:
Tuts Washington Isidore "Tuts" Washington (January 24, 1907 – August 5, 1984) was an American blues pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He taught himself to play the piano at age 10 and studied with the New Orleans jazz pianist Joseph Louis "R ...
* Tutti:
Tutti Camarata Salvador "Tutti" Camarata (May 11, 1913 – April 13, 2005) was an American composer, arranger, trumpeter, and record producer. Also known as "Toots" Camarata. Early life and career Camarata, born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, United States, and s ...


V

* Velvet Fog (The): Mel Tormé * Vice Prez:
Paul Quinichette Paul Quinichette (May 17, 1916 – May 25, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known as the "Vice President" or "Vice Prez" for his emulation of the breathy style of Lester Young, whose nickname was "The President", or simply "P ...
* Voice (The): Frank Sinatra a.k.a. "Ol' Blue Eyes" * Vonski:
Von Freeman Earle Lavon "Von" Freeman Sr. (October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) was an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Freeman as a young child was exposed to jazz. His father, George, a city policeman, was a ...


W

* Wah Wah: Wah Wah Watson * Wes:
Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a dist ...
* Whitey: Gordon "Whitey" Mitchell * Wig (The):
Gerald Wiggins Gerald Foster Wiggins (May 12, 1922 – July 13, 2008) was an American jazz pianist and organist. Early life Wiggins was born in New York City on May 12, 1922.Vacher, Pete"Wiggins, Gerry" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'' (2nd edition). G ...
* Wild:
Wild Bill Davis Wild Bill Davis (November 24, 1918 â€“ August 17, 1995) was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis. He is best known for his pioneering jazz electric organ recordings and for his tenure with t ...
* Wild: Bill Davison * Wingy: Joseph Manone * Wooden: Wooden Joe Nicholas


Y

* Yank: Yank Lawson * Yardbird:
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
a.k.a. "Bird" * Yellow: Alcide Nunez


Z

* Ziggy: Ziggy Elman * Zinky: Zinky Cohn * Zoot: Jack Sims * Zutty: Zutty Singleton


See also

* Jazz royalty * List of best-selling music artists *
List of honorific titles in popular music When describing popular music artists, honorific nicknames are used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often religious, familial, or (most frequently) royal and aristocratic titles, used met ...
*
List of stage names This list of stages lists names used by those in the entertainment industry, alphabetically by their stage name's surname, followed by their birth name. Individuals who dropped their last name and substituted their middle name as their last nam ...
* List of nicknames of blues musicians *
Lists of nicknames This is a list of nickname-related list articles on Wikipedia. A nickname is "a familiar or humorous name given to a person or thing instead of or as well as the real name." A nickname is often considered desirable, symbolising a form of acceptance ...
– nickname list articles on Wikipedia


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicknames Of Jazz Musicians Jazz culture Lists of jazz musicians
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...