ColaJazz Foundation

Frank Sinatra, known as the “Chairman of the Board” and "Ol' Blue Eyes," was born to Italian immigrants in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Nat King Cole began his remarkable journey as a jazz pianist in the late 1930s when he founded The King Cole Trio.

Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, was a revolutionary jazz vocalist known for her unique and emotional phrasing.

Dave Brubeck was a prominent composer and pianist in cool jazz, celebrated for his innovative use of time signatures. His songs like "Take Five" helped to bring jazz into the mainstream.

Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, born Stanley Gayetski on February 2, 1927, was nicknamed "The Sound" due to his warm, lyrical tone

Chesney Henry Baker Jr., better known as Chet Baker, was born on December 23, 1929. He became renowned for his lyrical trumpet playing and soft vocal style, earning the nickname "Prince of Cool" for his innovations in cool jazz.

Bud Powell, born during the Harlem Renaissance, was a pioneering pianist and composer who significantly contributed to the development of bebop music.

Visionary trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis pioneered multiple jazz styles throughout his five-decade career.

Composer and pianist Thelonious Monk’s eccentric style and innovative harmonies redefined jazz. His numerous contributions to the jazz repertoire include classics such as "'Round Midnight," "Blue Monk," "Straight, No Chaser," and more. He is the second-most recorded jazz composer, following Duke Ellington.

Saxophonist Charles Parker Jr., born August 29, 1920, nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird," was one of the architects of bebop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuosic technique, and advanced harmonies.