Occupation-Musician-Jazz
Jimmy Smith (1928 – 2005)
Jazz keyboardist James Oscar (Jimmy) Smith was born on December 8, 1928, in Norristown, Pennsylvania to Willie and Agnes Smith...
First World Festival of Negro Arts (1966- )
In April 1966, The First World Festival of Negro Arts, which is now known as FESMAN, launched its debut as...
Salome Bey (1933-2020)
Salome Bey was an American-born, Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actress who, after emigrating to Toronto, became known as “Canada’s first...
Olly Woodrow Wilson, Jr. (1937-2018)
Olly W. Wilson, Jr. was an African American composer of contemporary classical music, a pianist, double bassist, musicologist, and educator....
Thomas James Ladnier (1900–1939)
Jazz trumpeter Thomas “Tommy” Ladnier was born in Florenville/Mandeville, Louisiana, on May 28, 1900. His father was Alfred Ladnier, and...
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela (1939-2018)
As one of the most popular and influential jazz musicians from Africa, Hugh Masekela’s life reflects the creative ways of...
Fela Kuti (1938-1997)
Fela Kuti was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria in the year 1938 as Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-KutFela Anikuplap Kuti. He later...
Cecil Young (ca. 1920-ca. 1975)
Pianist Cecil Young’s quartet exploded onto the Seattle jazz scene in 1950, introducing the rhythmic fire of bebop to an...
Horace Tapscott (1934-1999)
Pianist, bandleader, and social activist Horace Tapscott committed his life to the empowerment of his South Central Los Angeles community. ...
