2026 is a year of celebration as several important jazz artists would have turned 100 years old this year. The two most famous of these artists are John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Two lesser known artists are Melba Liston and Julie London. I was not aware of these celebrations until my student teacher informed me of them. I don’t stay in the loop for milestones like these as I use too. I am thankful they could remind me of this oversight.

John Coltrane the late saxophonist and composer worked with Miles Davis in the 1960’s as part of the “First Great Quintet” playing on A Kind of Blue and Milestones. This work eventually led Coltrane to develop his own band and write/perform his own music. Coltrane’s work post Davis is as brilliant and esoteric as Davis’ work. Charts like Giant Steps, Naima, Ole, and arrangements of My Favorite Things and Summertime are a few hallmarks of Coltrane’s creative musical vision.

A couple of decades ago I acquired The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings by Coltrane for a steal. The box set includes many outtakes and alternate recordings of classics. I have never been a huge jazz saxophone fan, but Coltrane eclipses my bias with his creative playing. This collection of recordings is worth the price. It is hallmark of the sound of jazz in the 1960’s.

Sadly Coltrane passed away at the age of 40 from liver cancer. His lifestyle and addictions to heroin and alcohol contributed to his early death. His fire burned brighter than most and his awakening happened too late to keep that fire stoked for future work.

Miles Davis would have also turned 100 this year. His career was incredibly diverse and experimental. His moves into modal or cool jazz, fusion, and even pop/rock moved the genre of jazz to different zip codes far from their initial homes. As a brass player I found Davis far earlier than Coltrane. I also found his creativity far more interesting than his trumpet tone.

The earlier recordings are where Davis’ sound sparkles. His habits and addictions had yet to take their toll on his sound. His records on Impulse and Columbia labels all adorn my record collection. A few have been replaced over the years as I wore them out. Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool, and Sketches of Spain have all been replaced once or in the case of KoB a third time. Davis’ textural development helped me develop a way of listening that I call vertical listening(earlier blog.) Davis’ later work is driven by orchestration, space, silence, and texture. The harmon mute helped hide deficiencies within his sound caused by smoking and drug use.

I recently found a copy of The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions that was gently used. These recordings capture the texture, orchestration, and spacial characteristics that I write about above in the most eloquent way. These recordings give the pretext of everything that follows musically. As I listened to these recordings I would find myself drifting along with the music completely oblivious to the world around me. Davis managed to help me flow into his universe 35 years after his death.

Miles Davis passed away in 1991 after suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage. Health issues related to his past substance abuse problems took him away from us at the age of 65. I was a senior in college when this took place. Davis was the second most famous musical figure to pass away during my collegiate career. Leonard Bernstein was the first.

Melba Liston is one of the many famous African-American women of jazz that no one really recognizes as an equal to the men at the time. Liston was primarily a self taught trombonist, arranger, and composer from Kansas City, MO. She worked with Dexter Gordon, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, and Billie Holiday.

Liston’s performances on trombone were warm, lyrical, and inviting. Her arrangements and compositions with Randy Weston led to decades long collaborations with several bands. Sadly much of her work was ghost written as a woman during her lifetime was not given much credit.

Sadly, Liston left this world at the age of 73 in 1999 after suffering a series of strokes. Her discography is primarily as a side musician with numerous band leaders. There are several performances of her work on social media. If only we could have had the privilege of having her compose and perform as a band leader.

The final musician here is Julie London. I was introduced to London’s music after seeing her perform on her former husband’s (Jack Webb) television series Emergency with her then husband Bobby Troup. London was primarily known for singing and acting. She did not compose or arrange music. She was an excellent performer with a smoky contra-alto voice. The smoky quality increased over the years due to her tobacco smoking habit.

Her recordings of Sway, Route 66, and Feeling Good are all favorites of mine. She recorded 29 studio albums in her career and she won a golden globe for her portrayal of Nurse Dixie McCall in Emergency. She achieved great successes compared to Melba Liston as being a white woman in jazz received more respect and equal treatment than an African American woman. Liston was far more skilled in the art of jazz than London (my subjective opinion.) The opposites of these two careers mirror the Civil Rights issues of the time.

London passed away in 2000 at the age of 74 from cardiac arrest. The health issues she suffered in her later years were a result of chain smoking since her teens. London will always be remembered for excellent torch singing and tasteful presentations of jazz standards with her husband Bobby Troup and other band leaders.

2026 is a milestone year for jazz musicians of our past. If you have a chance please listen to one or more of these artists and enjoy their work. It is a product we can all enjoy!

…so it goes…