Oscar Pettiford

A major transitional figure in jazz, Oscar Pettiford was a primary innovator on the bass, bridging the swing era and bebop. Alongside Duke Ellington's bassist Jimmy Blanton, he was one of the first to establish the bass as a solo, melodic instrument. He was also a pioneer of the jazz cello. He played with a who's-who of jazz giants, including Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk, and his advanced harmonic sense and technical facility made him a foundational figure of modern jazz.