Featured In
ALBUMTeddy's Jazz CafeTeddy Wilson
Albums by Teddy Wilson
ALBUMTeddy's Jazz CafeTeddy Wilson
ALBUMI Love a PianoTeddy Wilson, Mel Powell & Mary Lou Williams
ALBUMBeen a WhileTeddy Wilson
ALBUMTeddy Wilson PlaysTeddy Wilson
ALBUMSolo Teddy Wilson Big Band Vol 8, Part 2Teddy Wilson
ALBUMSolo Teddy Wilson Big Band Vol 8, Pt. 1Teddy Wilson
ALBUMSolo Teddy Wilson Big Band Vol. 7, Pt. 1Teddy Wilson
ALBUMSolo Teddy Wilson Big Band Vol. 7, Pt. 2Teddy Wilson
ALBUMSolo Teddy Wilson Big Band Vol. 2, Part 2Teddy Wilson
ALBUMSolo Teddy Wilson Big Band Vol. 3Teddy Wilson
Artist Playlists
Teddy Wilson Essentials
Billie Holiday's longtime pianist was soulfully restrained.
Artist Biography
A naturally restrained musician, Wilson’s fleet playing and the elegant poise of his striding solos combined to make him an influential figure in the development of jazz piano. Although influenced by Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, Wilson was a highly distinctive performer in his own right. He made history in the 1930s, when he joined Benny Goodman's big band, making him the first African-American to join a white band; his performances with Goodman provided a brilliantly intuitive counterpoint to the famed bandleader's playing. He made a succession of outstanding recordings with Benny Carter in the early-30s, and his work with Billie Holiday produced a number of jazz masterpieces. The earlier sessions, when Holiday’s talent was still unpolished, are object lessons in their deceptive simplicity.
Hometown
Austin, TX, United States
Genre
Jazz