Oscar Pettiford

Biography

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 co-led an early bop group with *Dizzy Gillespie* and played with a who's-who of jazz giants, including *Thelonious Monk* and *Coleman Hawkins*. His advanced harmonic sense and technical facility, showcased on albums for #Bethlehem# and #ABC-Paramount#, made him a foundational figure of modern jazz.