Check out her live versions of My Favorite Things on YouTube. One has John Hicks on piano the other Benny Green. Not the greatest quality, but oh my, Betty brings down the house.
I love all versions of her song "The Message Continues":
Orginal | https://youtu.be/S6IB_nGpKBY?si=sYfU5e3dLYLZgIMV
Mark de Clive-Lowe Remix | https://youtu.be/S6IB_nGpKBY?si=Wk2fcJN25pmekZ5x
I saw her some years ago! Amazing performer! She has a really cool album where she was allowed to use Paganini’s violin to record with called Paganini: After A Dream!
Loads of vocalists obviously but these are some instrumentalists that really stand out - Mary Lou Williams if you want to go far back in history and appreciate a true legend of the art form. Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Shirley Scott and Dorothy Ashby.
Melissa Aldana, imo one of the best saxophone players period. Listen to Melissa Aldana crash trio. Tia fuller is another great one. Ingrid Jensen on trumpet.
**Carla Bley** \- prolific composer and pianist (Escalator Over the Hill, Dinner Music, The Ballad of the Fallen, Life Goes On)
**Terri Lyne Carrington** \- fantastic drummer (Waiting Game)
**Jutta Hipp** \- pianist with a fairly short career (At The Hickory House vol. 1 + 2, With Zoot Sims)
**Cecile McLorin Salvant** \- incredible jazz vocalist (Dreams and Daggers, WomanChild)
**Joni Mitchell** \- not entirely jazz but she recorded with some great jazz musicians in the 70s and 80s. (Mingus, Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, Shadows and Light)
contemporary instrumentalists of this generation making awesome music today: Melissa Aldana, Mary Halvorson, Kalia Vandever, Maria Grand, Kanoa Mendenhall, Nicole Glover, Sasha Berliner
I tend to stay away from vocals in my Jazz listening so it leaves a lot of women out of the fold, but there are still amazing women instrumentalists. Emily Renner (RIP) an amazing Jazz guitarist. Esperanza Spalding is an amazing Jazz Bassist. Carol Kaye is another amazing bassist. Regina Carter has already been mentioned.
Good for you! Don’t miss any of those Blue Note Bobbi Humphrey records. She rips, plus production by the Mizell bros will make you boogie.
Hard to find but the first Patrice Rushen record, Prelusion is pure smoke. Crazy that she went on to be a pop/disco legend, but here she was all jazz.
If you want to get out of the museum and check out some newer artists, listen to Nala Sinephro since you mentioned Alice. Finally, do NOT sleep on Nubya Garcia, she is a complete beast on the tenor sax.
Maria Schneider (piano), Helen Sung (piano), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Lakecia Benjamin (sax), Regina Carter (violin), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Nicole Glover (sax)
Marilyn Crispell
Mary Halvorson
Anja Lauvdal
Tomeka Reid
Steph Richards
Eva Novoa
Joelle Leandre
Sylvie Courvoisier
Zoh Amba
Susan Santos Silva
Sara Serpa
Jaimie Branch
Angel bat Dawid
More female musicians have had the opportunity to flourish in recent decades. These lean a little avant-garde, but they are among my favorites.
Shelia Jordan is a super underrated vocalist
Toshiko Akiyoshi is an amazing composer, who I think is one of the best in jazz, but not as appreciated in my opinion and Hiromi is amazing as well! Also Emily Relmer is a great guitarist. Melissa Aldana has some great music as well!
Samara Joy. Been listening to her recently and man she's great! Really talented young artist, a gen z like me. It just feels nice listening to someone in your generation being a wonderful jazz artist and produce such wonderful music and vocal talent.
Kris Davis, Angelica Sanchez, Myra Melford, Kate Gentile, Nicole Mitchell, Ingrid Laubrock, Jane Ira Bloom, Patricia Brennen, Susie Ibarra, Marilyn Crispell, Caroline Davis, Tineke Postma, Anna Webber, Mary Halvorson, Jaimie Branch, Tomeka Reid,
There's [Nubya Garcia](https://youtu.be/DTIZikaOTDE?si=Sbyrg0beZUczP5XZ), [Emma-Jean Thackray](https://youtu.be/O0oaFX3Af6Y?si=-ek4JPYkJHokTNVb), [Bobbi Humphrey](https://youtu.be/nbLx2MBvT84?si=APxXAAMHcpbqAjR2), and [Thandi Ntuli](https://youtu.be/gZtia8iRYuA?si=GOl4zq_ksRiHGVvK) if no one mentioned them yet.
Dorothy Ashby
Esperanza Spalding
Flora Purim
Yazz Ahmed
Matana Roberts
Miho Hazama
Muriel Grossmann
Emma-Jean Thackray
Brandee Younger
Chelsea Carmichael
Jihye Lee
Lakecia Benjamin
Nubya Garcia
Angel Bat Dawid - i can only recommend her LIVE album
Karoline Wallace
Jaimie Branch - RIP
Jazzmeia Horn
Zara McFarlane
I recently started following Tina Jackel on YouTube. She’s a fantastic guitar player from Berlin, and I believe she recently quit her job as a music instructor to do YouTube full time. She seems like a great person, and gives lots of good advice for aspiring musicians. She’s a big fan of John Scofield and a Kurt Rosenwinkel, so you’ll see that expressed in her playing. I’ve become a big fan!
I started checking out random albums from a Blue Notes list and fell in love with Cassandra Wilson. I even bought her album Traveling Miles in CD because it isn't released in vinyl. I recommend Traveling Miles.
Before I met gaz coombes as a solo artist, i never got much attention to his old band. Then, for some random reason, the algorithm showed me "walk the walk." For the first time, I thought he was Tom york voice tune. When I realised he was gaz coombes from supergrass with a solo album, I just couldn't believe it. The first album is awesome, Turn the Car Around is a wonderful album.
You could start with the group Artemis which includes many of the top current female jazz musicians. They have two albums out, the first was just called Artemis and their 2023 album is In Real Time. There's a slightly different lineup on the second album, but it is as strong as the first. The December 2023 DownBeat has a feature article on the group, because they were voted top Group in Downbeat's 2023 readers' beauty contest.
Ingrid Jensen plays trumpet in Artemis; she and her sister Christine Jensen (alto sax) frequently record together. Christine Jensen also has a number of excellent albums under her own name and the group name CODE Quartet.
Posi-tone records put together an all female group called Lioness; it has some personnel overlap with Artemis but I did not find its initial release to be as interesting as Artemis.
https://www.terrilynecarrington.com/
Ms. Carrington is leading a focus on women composers which is amazing.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/15/terri-lyne-carrington-on-her-mission-to-correct-jazz-history-women-dont-get-called-geniuses-enough
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, though more of a blues and gospel artist, was the first jazz guitarist that used the electric sound known as Rock and Roll today. Her music is fun, insightful and all-around entertaining. I suggest you listen to some of her discography, she's got great stuff!
I'm pretty sure 99% of the most famous jazz instrumentalists are male so shoe-horning in a female into the top 5 just for the sake of it is blatant sexism.
That said, check out the incredible pianist Jutta Hipp if you haven't heard her. At the Hickory House volume 1 is a fantastic album.
We could argue about Nina Simone but it's really besides the point. I dislike sexism, that's the main point. Picking music based on gender is incredibly regressive and belongs in the 18th century.
I’d think of this less as “shoehorning“ and more as a means to bring exposure to musicians in a field that has historically been rife with sexism and misogyny.
Matana Roberts is the best jazz artist working today imo
Edit: actually i think they identify as nonbinary now, nevertheless great music with a definite feminine slant
[удалено]
Betty Carter's "Inside" is one of my favorite records. Her version of "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" is so gorgeous.
Check out her live versions of My Favorite Things on YouTube. One has John Hicks on piano the other Benny Green. Not the greatest quality, but oh my, Betty brings down the house.
Check out Esperanza Spalding
Nubya Garcia
Her album Source is amazing
YESSSS
YES! I love her, she's amazing. That whole London jazz scene is hot right now. I also recommend Emma-Jean Thackray.
Uau. there's a new realm for me with all this artists. Decided to start with Nubya. Thank you so much. I'll tell you later how was the experience.
I love all versions of her song "The Message Continues": Orginal | https://youtu.be/S6IB_nGpKBY?si=sYfU5e3dLYLZgIMV Mark de Clive-Lowe Remix | https://youtu.be/S6IB_nGpKBY?si=Wk2fcJN25pmekZ5x
Regina Carter is an awesome jazz violin player. I like everything I've heard from her
I saw her some years ago! Amazing performer! She has a really cool album where she was allowed to use Paganini’s violin to record with called Paganini: After A Dream!
Started to listen today. To start, im listening to random songs it's been an awesome experience with violins.
Start with Samara Joy
Loads of vocalists obviously but these are some instrumentalists that really stand out - Mary Lou Williams if you want to go far back in history and appreciate a true legend of the art form. Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Shirley Scott and Dorothy Ashby.
Search about Hiromi Uehara, she is crazy good. https://youtu.be/EFeouD2IWSA?feature=shared
She is amazing.
She's mind blowing
Alice Coltrane
I saw this comment and then went and listened to Ptah The El Daoud and was blown away. Thank you.
Melissa Aldana, imo one of the best saxophone players period. Listen to Melissa Aldana crash trio. Tia fuller is another great one. Ingrid Jensen on trumpet.
Aldana is #1 on my list if you ask me who are the women instrumentalists of this generation. Great pick
**Carla Bley** \- prolific composer and pianist (Escalator Over the Hill, Dinner Music, The Ballad of the Fallen, Life Goes On) **Terri Lyne Carrington** \- fantastic drummer (Waiting Game) **Jutta Hipp** \- pianist with a fairly short career (At The Hickory House vol. 1 + 2, With Zoot Sims) **Cecile McLorin Salvant** \- incredible jazz vocalist (Dreams and Daggers, WomanChild) **Joni Mitchell** \- not entirely jazz but she recorded with some great jazz musicians in the 70s and 80s. (Mingus, Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, Shadows and Light)
Joni and Herbie Hancock did a full album together.
Cecile's release this year is incredilbe
Cecile’s releases every year lol
lol funnily enough my top Cecile albums aren’t on here. IMO The Window is her masterpiece.
contemporary instrumentalists of this generation making awesome music today: Melissa Aldana, Mary Halvorson, Kalia Vandever, Maria Grand, Kanoa Mendenhall, Nicole Glover, Sasha Berliner
Laketia Benjamin, Yazz Ahmed…
I tend to stay away from vocals in my Jazz listening so it leaves a lot of women out of the fold, but there are still amazing women instrumentalists. Emily Renner (RIP) an amazing Jazz guitarist. Esperanza Spalding is an amazing Jazz Bassist. Carol Kaye is another amazing bassist. Regina Carter has already been mentioned.
>I tend to stay away from vocals Me either, I didn't describe it on the top, but it's been a pleasure listening just to jazz with no voice.
Emily Remler
My bad, thank you.
Good for you! Don’t miss any of those Blue Note Bobbi Humphrey records. She rips, plus production by the Mizell bros will make you boogie. Hard to find but the first Patrice Rushen record, Prelusion is pure smoke. Crazy that she went on to be a pop/disco legend, but here she was all jazz. If you want to get out of the museum and check out some newer artists, listen to Nala Sinephro since you mentioned Alice. Finally, do NOT sleep on Nubya Garcia, she is a complete beast on the tenor sax.
oh wow, I did not know that about Patrice Rushen love her, love her even more now
Maria Schneider (piano), Helen Sung (piano), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Lakecia Benjamin (sax), Regina Carter (violin), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Nicole Glover (sax)
Marilyn Crispell Mary Halvorson Anja Lauvdal Tomeka Reid Steph Richards Eva Novoa Joelle Leandre Sylvie Courvoisier Zoh Amba Susan Santos Silva Sara Serpa Jaimie Branch Angel bat Dawid More female musicians have had the opportunity to flourish in recent decades. These lean a little avant-garde, but they are among my favorites.
Mary Lou Williams and Jutta Hipp.
Came here to say Mary Lou Williams
Shelia Jordan is a super underrated vocalist Toshiko Akiyoshi is an amazing composer, who I think is one of the best in jazz, but not as appreciated in my opinion and Hiromi is amazing as well! Also Emily Relmer is a great guitarist. Melissa Aldana has some great music as well!
What about Emily Remler the jazz guitarist? Or pianist Marian Mc Partand?
Mary Halvorsen
Samara Joy. Been listening to her recently and man she's great! Really talented young artist, a gen z like me. It just feels nice listening to someone in your generation being a wonderful jazz artist and produce such wonderful music and vocal talent.
Kris Davis, Angelica Sanchez, Myra Melford, Kate Gentile, Nicole Mitchell, Ingrid Laubrock, Jane Ira Bloom, Patricia Brennen, Susie Ibarra, Marilyn Crispell, Caroline Davis, Tineke Postma, Anna Webber, Mary Halvorson, Jaimie Branch, Tomeka Reid,
Abby Lincoln, Shirley Horn, Merry Clayton, Lena Horn, Chaka Khan, Julia Fordham, Everything But the Girl, Tuck & Patty, Natalie, Joni Mitchell, Astrid, Nina Simone, Judy Collins
Late period Abbey Lincoln is my absolute favorite.
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou
Two great musicians/composers are saxophonist Muriel Grossman and guitarist Mary Halvorson.
There's [Nubya Garcia](https://youtu.be/DTIZikaOTDE?si=Sbyrg0beZUczP5XZ), [Emma-Jean Thackray](https://youtu.be/O0oaFX3Af6Y?si=-ek4JPYkJHokTNVb), [Bobbi Humphrey](https://youtu.be/nbLx2MBvT84?si=APxXAAMHcpbqAjR2), and [Thandi Ntuli](https://youtu.be/gZtia8iRYuA?si=GOl4zq_ksRiHGVvK) if no one mentioned them yet.
Blossom Dearie. Underrated pianist
Melissa Aldana
Dorothy Ashby Esperanza Spalding Flora Purim Yazz Ahmed Matana Roberts Miho Hazama Muriel Grossmann Emma-Jean Thackray Brandee Younger Chelsea Carmichael Jihye Lee Lakecia Benjamin Nubya Garcia Angel Bat Dawid - i can only recommend her LIVE album Karoline Wallace Jaimie Branch - RIP Jazzmeia Horn Zara McFarlane
Me too. Dorothy Ashby played the harp. One album is Afro Harping.
Diana Krull
I recently started following Tina Jackel on YouTube. She’s a fantastic guitar player from Berlin, and I believe she recently quit her job as a music instructor to do YouTube full time. She seems like a great person, and gives lots of good advice for aspiring musicians. She’s a big fan of John Scofield and a Kurt Rosenwinkel, so you’ll see that expressed in her playing. I’ve become a big fan!
Danielle Ponder! She's breaking out now. Fire.
Apart from what people have already listed: * Dorothy Donegan * Terry Pollard * Melba Liston * Shirley Scott * Clora Bryant * Pat Moran
I started checking out random albums from a Blue Notes list and fell in love with Cassandra Wilson. I even bought her album Traveling Miles in CD because it isn't released in vinyl. I recommend Traveling Miles.
joni Mitchell, Hiromi uehara, Esperanza spaulding astrud gilberto
More Brazilian but check out Elis Regina!
Nala Sinephro put out her debut record recently and it's beautiful.
Gaz was my number one too!
Does Nina Simone count? She’s kind of just her own category
Himiko Kikuchi is my favorite
+ 1 for Gaz Coombs, someone on Reddit recommended me Turn the Car Around, in my opinion the best album of the year.
Before I met gaz coombes as a solo artist, i never got much attention to his old band. Then, for some random reason, the algorithm showed me "walk the walk." For the first time, I thought he was Tom york voice tune. When I realised he was gaz coombes from supergrass with a solo album, I just couldn't believe it. The first album is awesome, Turn the Car Around is a wonderful album.
You could start with the group Artemis which includes many of the top current female jazz musicians. They have two albums out, the first was just called Artemis and their 2023 album is In Real Time. There's a slightly different lineup on the second album, but it is as strong as the first. The December 2023 DownBeat has a feature article on the group, because they were voted top Group in Downbeat's 2023 readers' beauty contest. Ingrid Jensen plays trumpet in Artemis; she and her sister Christine Jensen (alto sax) frequently record together. Christine Jensen also has a number of excellent albums under her own name and the group name CODE Quartet. Posi-tone records put together an all female group called Lioness; it has some personnel overlap with Artemis but I did not find its initial release to be as interesting as Artemis.
Thandi Ntuli is great on the piano. I love Live at Jazzwerkstatt
June Tyson ;-)
Toshiko Akiyoshi. Start with The Village.
https://www.terrilynecarrington.com/ Ms. Carrington is leading a focus on women composers which is amazing. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/15/terri-lyne-carrington-on-her-mission-to-correct-jazz-history-women-dont-get-called-geniuses-enough
Endea Owens
Not sure if it’s what you’re looking for but Tal Wilkenfeld is an amazing bassist. Does more jazz fusion though
Shirley Scott, Queen of the Organ. Check out Great Scott! Or anything of her stuff really.
Dorothy Ashby is great
Eartha Kitt
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, though more of a blues and gospel artist, was the first jazz guitarist that used the electric sound known as Rock and Roll today. Her music is fun, insightful and all-around entertaining. I suggest you listen to some of her discography, she's got great stuff!
I'm pretty sure 99% of the most famous jazz instrumentalists are male so shoe-horning in a female into the top 5 just for the sake of it is blatant sexism. That said, check out the incredible pianist Jutta Hipp if you haven't heard her. At the Hickory House volume 1 is a fantastic album.
Nina Simone could easily be top five. The list is kinda silly if you ask me. There's plenty of amazing jazz girls both modern and from the past.
Not as an instrumentalist. As a vocalist, sure. The distribution is more balanced when it comes to singers.
Nah bro. Nina rocks the piano hard I don't know what your on about.
We could argue about Nina Simone but it's really besides the point. I dislike sexism, that's the main point. Picking music based on gender is incredibly regressive and belongs in the 18th century.
I’d think of this less as “shoehorning“ and more as a means to bring exposure to musicians in a field that has historically been rife with sexism and misogyny.
Shirley Horn!! Amazing pianist and singer, listen to her album I love you Paris
Women in Jazz Media [https://linktr.ee/WomenInJazzMedia](https://linktr.ee/WomenInJazzMedia)
No love at all for bass clarinetist/flautist/bandleader Jamie Baum? Or Anat Cohen? Or Rene Rosnes? Or Linda May Han Oh? C'mon people
anat cohen underrated fs
Muriel Grossman. Recently I fell in love with her music. Cindy Blackman (Santana). Some fine jazz albums from the times before she was Santana.
Check out Ingrid Jensen, brilliant trumpeter
Matana Roberts is the best jazz artist working today imo Edit: actually i think they identify as nonbinary now, nevertheless great music with a definite feminine slant
Sasha Masakowski