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Ruby Braff
Ruby Braff
American musician
1
Mundell Lowe
Mundell Lowe
American jazz guitarist (1922-2017)
2
Harry Edison
Harry Edison
American trumpeter
3
Ralph Sutton
Ralph Sutton
American pianist
4
Buddy DeFranco
Buddy DeFranco
American jazz clarinetist and bandleader
5
Howard Alden
Howard Alden
American jazz guitarist
6
Joe Newman
Joe Newman
American musician
7
Dick Hyman
Dick Hyman
American jazz pianist and composer
8
Art Ryerson
Art Ryerson
American musician
9
Roland Hanna
Roland Hanna
American pianist
10
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
American musical duo, collaboration
11
Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae
American jazz musician and actress
12
Marty Paich
Marty Paich
American pianist, composer, arranger, record producer, music director and bandleader (1925-1995)
13
Billy Kyle
Billy Kyle
Jazz pianist
14
Michael Moore
Michael Moore
American jazz bassist
15
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
American jazz singer
16
Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie Orchestra
American big band led by Count Basie
17
Alvin Stoller
Alvin Stoller
American musician
18
Al Grey
Al Grey
American jazz musician
19
Jake Hanna
Jake Hanna
American drummer
20
Teddy Wilson
Teddy Wilson
American pianist (1912-1986)
21
George Masso
George Masso
American musician
22
Ernie Caceres
Ernie Caceres
American musician
23
Gus Johnson
Gus Johnson
American musician
24
Bill Doggett
Bill Doggett
American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist
25
Beverly Peer
Beverly Peer
American musician
26
Benny Powell
Benny Powell
American jazz trombonist
27
Bill Charlap
Bill Charlap
American jazz pianist
28
Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton
American musician
29
Don Abney
Don Abney
American musician (1923-2000)
30
Jeri Southern
Jeri Southern
American singer
31
Joe Williams
Joe Williams
American jazz singer
32
Wendell Culley
Wendell Culley
American jazz trumpeter
33
Pete Candoli
Pete Candoli
American musician (1923-2008)
34
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
American jazz singer
35
Nick Fatool
Nick Fatool
American musician
36
Benny Morton
Benny Morton
American musician
37
Thad Jones
Thad Jones
American jazz trumpeter
38
Don Elliott
Don Elliott
jazz musician
39
Paul Smith
Paul Smith
jazz pianist from the United States
40
Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan
American jazz pianist
41
Nat Pierce
Nat Pierce
American musician
42
Herb Ellis
Herb Ellis
American jazz guitarist
43
Barry Galbraith
Barry Galbraith
American guitarist
44
Joe Comfort
Joe Comfort
American musician
45
Britt Woodman
Britt Woodman
American jazz trombonist
Ellis Larkins
American recording artist; jazz pianist

Ellis Larkins

Intro
American recording artist; jazz pianist
Genres
Record Labels

Ellis Larkins (May 15, 1923 – September 30, 2002) was an American jazz pianist born in Baltimore, Maryland, known for his two recordings with Ella Fitzgerald: the albums Ella Sings Gershwin (1950) and Songs in a Mellow Mood (1954). He was also the pianist on the first solo sides by singer Chris Connor on her album Chris (1954).

Larkins was the first African American to attend the Peabody Conservatory of Music, an institute in Baltimore. He began his professional playing career in New York City after moving there to attend the Juilliard School. While still at Juilliard, Larkins performed jazz piano with guitarist Billy Moore at Café Society Uptown and over the next ten years in his own groups, or in support of, clarinetist Edmond Hall and singers Helen Humes and Mildred Bailey. He recorded with Coleman Hawkins, and Dicky Wells in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Ruby Braff, and Beverly Kenney. His 1960s work included recordings or performances with Eartha Kitt, Joe Williams, Georgia Gibbs and Harry Belafonte.

Though he was best known as an accompanist, Larkins recorded several solo albums in the 1950s. In the 1970s, he performed regularly at several New York venues, including Gregory's, a small bar on the Upper East Side.