Improvisational Jazz has featured at one time or another nearly every conceivable instrument known to man. In the solo spotlight, we witness competent musicians exploring every quality of the instrument, in effect, paying homage to it while looking into its subtle nuances [ex. Bill Evans] and pushing its limitations to the near breaking point [ex. Cecil Taylor]. I'd just like to hear some opinions on what the definitive jazz solo instrument is to different people -- how the instrument has played a role in their life perhaps, how they prefer its tonal qualities over other instruments, how the instrument sits among other Jazz instruments in a group setting, etc...


To start things off, I feel that the piano has played a tremendous role in every manifestation of Jazz throughout the past century and as such, is the definitive Jazz instrument to me. The breadth of sounds that can be produced from a simple piano [not to mention electric organs, keyboards and the like] lend an incredible amount of variety to Jazz structures.

I'd add more to my comments on the piano but I'm running late, but I think you get the idea.

[Also -- I feel this forum needs a lot more attention then it's getting. The paltry number of posts here is upsetting to me, so I'm going to try and post here as much as possible...there is as much to say about Jazz as Rock and look how many posts are under Rock!]

Your ideal Jazz solo instrument:

My ideal solo instrument for jazz would be the trumpet. I'm really found of chet baker, i love him!! With trumpet you can make like little conversations with the music, it's almost like singing, well like chet does it anyway. My other fav is Louis armstrong, but I like his voice more, so I think you can see the voice as an instrument too!

personally i prefer woodwinds over brass... i think my favorite solo instrument is the flute... i'm also quite partial to the clarinet... i just got one before moving and it's being shipped up this weekend... now i just have to learn how to put it together so i can learn how to play it... heheheh

French Horn!! just my personal favorite. it has the range, the sublte nuances in tone, ect. a great instrument.

I've never heard any jazz french horn. Can you recommend artists/albums to check out?

As for my vote, I've got to go with trumpet. Without the contributions of musicians like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis, jazz wouldn't exist.

it has to be the piano.

So much variety!

My selections hmm, I really have a problem selecting only one instrument so I will pick one that doesn't get enough exposure. Violin played by Stuff Smith love Grappelli but thats still really retro Jazz Smith was a progressive in his time.
Later

I suppose I am biased because I am naturally a drummer, but I believe the drums are quite expressive in their own. Just imagine what most of the jazz greats used; mostly a minimal drum set to make the gods of huge drum sets look shameful...But then again, Buddy Rich was one of the first to use the double bass pedal...

personally i think the trumpet has such a perfect tone for jazz, and a range too. but sax is good also. the interesting ways that people have used their voices in jazz is also a good point. there's something really touching when a jazz vocalist jams with the rest of a band, it adds a unique quality.

I feel that the Trombone is highly underrated as a solo instrument. It is hard to learn, but when played by someone who really knows what they're doing, the ranges of tone and pitch shifts one can only achieve with a slide are amazing. I've found that the trombone's deep and mellow tone is often easier for an audience to listen to over a long period of time than a trumpet or sax. The Trombone has really changed the way I look at music, before I started playing 4 years ago, I (being a child of the 90's a terrible time for music) saw music as a way that people who could talk fast or whine loudly became famous, as I delved into the back rows of books in music stores I discovered the Beatles, who have, in their own way, changed my life, and jazz, which has since then become the only thing I do in life.