0
Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker
American flugelhorn and trumpet player (1945-)
1
Philip Bailey
Philip Bailey
American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter, percussionist and actor
2
Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera
Cuban musician
3
Bruce Forman
Bruce Forman
American musician
4
Ronnie Cuber
Ronnie Cuber
American musician
5
Marcus Miller
Marcus Miller
American jazz musician
6
Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets
American jazz fusion band
7
Frank Foster
Frank Foster
American jazz musician and bandleader
8
Steve Coleman
Steve Coleman
American saxophonist
9
Peter King
Peter King
British musician
10
Bob James
Bob James
smooth jazz keyboardist and composer
11
Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
American musician
12
Don Grusin
Don Grusin
American musician
13
Jay McShann
Jay McShann
American blues, jazz, and swing bandleader, pianist and singer
14
Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard
English musician
15
Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves
American jazz singer
16
Ernie Watts
Ernie Watts
American jazz musician
17
Lyle Mays
Lyle Mays
American jazz musician
18
George Shearing
George Shearing
British-American jazz pianist
19
The Police
The Police
English rock band
20
Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny
American jazz musician
21
Joe Williams
Joe Williams
American jazz singer
22
Dave Grusin
Dave Grusin
American composer, arranger, producer, and pianist
23
Chick Corea
Chick Corea
American jazz and fusion pianist, keyboardist, and composer
24
David Sanborn
David Sanborn
American saxophonist
25
Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, composer and actor
26
Pepper Adams
Pepper Adams
American saxophonist
27
The Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters
American vocal group from Oakland, California
28
John Scofield
John Scofield
American jazz guitarist and composer
29
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
American jazz saxophonist and composer
30
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson
American jazz singer, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi
31
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
British rock band
32
Kenny Garrett
Kenny Garrett
American musician
33
Count Basie
Count Basie
American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer (1904-1984)
34
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
American band
35
Maurice White
Maurice White
American musician, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire
36
Woody Shaw
Woody Shaw
American musician
37
Jean Toussaint
Jean Toussaint
jazz musician
38
John Purcell
John Purcell
American jazz saxophonist
39
Tom Harrell
Tom Harrell
American composer, arranger, jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist
40
The Rippingtons
The Rippingtons
band
41
Lee Ritenour
Lee Ritenour
American jazz guitarist, session musician, and composer
42
Omar Hakim
Omar Hakim
musician
43
Bill Evans
Bill Evans
American jazz saxophonist
44
Lenny White
Lenny White
American drummer
45
Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton
American musician
46
The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer
American vocal music group
47
Paul McCandless
Paul McCandless
American musician
48
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Japanese American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, band master (1929-)
49
Cedar Walton
Cedar Walton
American hard bop jazz pianist
50
John Robinson
John Robinson
American drummer (*1954)
51
The Jazz Butcher
The Jazz Butcher
52
Dave Holland
Dave Holland
British musician
53
Patrick Williams
Patrick Williams
American composer, arranger, and conductor who works in many genres of music, and in film and television (1938-2018)
54
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (born 1960)
55
Mark Murphy
Mark Murphy
American singer
56
Brian Lynch
Brian Lynch
American musician
57
Maura O'Connell
Maura O'Connell
Irish singer
58
Marc Johnson
Marc Johnson
American jazz bass player, composer and band leader
59
Jimmy McGriff
Jimmy McGriff
American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader (1936-2008)
60
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
American singer-songwriter
61
Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd
American jazz drummer, percussionist, and session musician
62
Manolo Badrena
Manolo Badrena
Puerto Rican musician
63
Jon Faddis
Jon Faddis
Jazz trumpet player
64
Wendy Melvoin
Wendy Melvoin
American guitarist and singer-songwriter
65
Black Uhuru
Black Uhuru
Jamaican reggae group
66
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
American blues musician
67
Don Sickler
Don Sickler
American musician
68
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
American singer-songwriter and actress
69
Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge
American vocal group
70
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
English drummer (born 1957)
71
Bob Belden
Bob Belden
American musician
72
Kenny Kirkland
Kenny Kirkland
American musician
73
Geoffrey Keezer
Geoffrey Keezer
American musician
74
Joe Zawinul
Joe Zawinul
Austrian composer and pianist
75
James Mtume
James Mtume
American jazz and R&B musician, songwriter, record producer, activist and radio personality
76
Mark Levine
Mark Levine
American musician
77
Dazz Band
Dazz Band
American funk band
78
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center (born 1961)
79
Don Pullen
Don Pullen
American jazz pianist and organist
80
Jesper Lundgaard
Jesper Lundgaard
Danish musician
81
Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
American guitarist, singer and composer
82
Terry Williams
Terry Williams
Welsh drummer
83
Sheila E.
Sheila E.
American singer and percussionist
84
Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer
American singer
85
James Blood Ulmer
James Blood Ulmer
American jazz and blues guitarist and singer
86
Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae
American jazz musician and actress
87
Ron Carter
Ron Carter
American jazz bassist, cellist, and composer
88
Derek Smith
Derek Smith
British musician
89
Bobby Shew
Bobby Shew
American musician
90
Miles Davis
Miles Davis
American jazz musician (1926-1991)
Intro
Genres
Music

Rare Silk was an American vocal jazz group that was active during the 1980s.

MaryLynn Gillaspie and her sister, Gaile, grew up in southern California. Their father played trumpet, and from an early age they heard big band music and Ella Fitzgerald. In 1978, they were working as waitresses in Boulder, Colorado, with Gaile also singing at a local club. After they met another singer, Marguerite Juenemann, they formed Rare Silk. They sang on a local radio station and in clubs, sometimes dressed like the Andrews Sisters.

In 1980, they were the opening act for Benny Goodman at the 1980 Playboy Jazz Festival. They recorded their first album, New Weave, in 1983. This album was nominated for two Grammy Awards. It was followed by American Eyes, which was released in 1985, and Black and Blue, in 1986.

Juenemann left the group and was replaced by Barbara Reeves and then by Jamie Broumas. The band broke up in 1988.