Many people consider jazz to be background music in an elevator. I am about to prove to you that jazz is much more than that. It is a beautiful explosion of sound, color and emotion. When I listen to jazz, I can close my eyes and I am transported to a place that is unimaginably beautiful. Jazz has changed my life, and it has changed the way I look at the world. Jazz is always beautiful, whether it has a tragic, melancholic, mellow or joyous feel to it. When I listen to jazz, everything about life is beautiful in it's own way. Life can sometimes feel like a tangled mess of emotions all happening at once: love, loathing, heartbreak, euphoria and misery. Only jazz can understand.The avant-garde composition of jazz is in sync with life.

The following is a list of my favorite artists and a little background information about them and their music.

Duke Ellington

Born in 1899 in Washington D.C., Duke Ellington is often claimed to be the father of jazz. He was a bandleader, pianist, composer, conductor and songwriter. Since Duke Ellington was a jazz pioneer, his music also falls into the genre of swing and orchestral jazz. Duke Ellington began his music career in 1920 and was an active musician for 50 years!

Personally, Ellington's music makes me want to dance! It is upbeat and very merry. Ellington's music is known as "Big Band Jazz," since his orchestras were made up of many people. Many of the jazz players who came after Duke Ellington were inspired by him, making Ellington's music a gift that keeps giving.

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk was born in 1917 in North Carolina. He moved to New York City when he was a kid and took piano lessons. He became a jazz pianist and composer. His albums were released in the 1950s and 1960s. Since Thelonious Monk is a jazz pianist, the piano is central to his music.

Listening to Thelonious Monk will heal your sorrows. When I listen to Thelonious Monk, I feel as if I am being transported to a land where life's problems are simply a part of life, small pests in the background. Monk's beautiful, delicate piano makes me feel less alone. His music is soft as silk, yet warm as fleece. Monk's music is as soothing as a warm cup of tea when your tummy is upset. It is upbeat, yet understanding. Thelonious Monk's music is truly the sound of beauty.

Miles Davis

Miles Davis was born in Illinois in 1926. He played the trumpet, piano, flugelhorn, organ, and synthesizer. He was raised in Illinois but only began performing in 1940 in New York alongside Charlie Parker. Miles Davis' albums were released in the 1950s and 1960s.

Miles Davis' music is peaceful and as beautiful as silence. His music escalates smoothly from a gentle rhythm or a soft drumming to a beautiful array of instruments playing in unison. When Miles Davis plays the trumpet, I feel as if I can see the imprint the sound left behind. Sometimes, I like to play Miles Davis's album "Kind of Blue" as I fall asleep at night.

Miles Davis' song "In a Silent Way" sparked my interest in jazz. I first heard a re-make of the song when I was about 10 years old, and I will never forget how beautiful it sounded to me.

Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker was born in Kansas in 1920. He played alto saxophone and tenor saxophone. He was a leading figure in the development of bebop, which is a type of jazz made up of complex rhythms.

Charlie Parker's music is a bit more lively and radical than Miles Davis' or Thelonious Monk's tracks. Listening to Charlie Parker is thoroughly enjoyable and stirs up a lot of positive emotions! His music is carefree and warm, almost like driving down a tree-lined street on a sunny afternoon.

Even though Charlie Parker's music is fun and beautiful to listen to, he suffered from a heroin addiction. When heroin was not available to him, he would turn to alcohol to satisfy his craving for heroin. Charlie Parker died in New York at the young age of 34.

Chet Baker

Chet Baker was born in 1929 in Oklahoma. He was a trumpeter, flugelhornist and vocalist. Most of his music was released in the 1950s and 1960s.

Chet Baker's music is smooth, much like laying on a raft at sea and letting the waves take you deeper and deeper into a meditative state. When Chet Baker plays the Flugelhorn, I can feel his love for the instrument. Chet Baker wanted to play music more than anything in the world. There is a mournful and longing depth to Chet Baker's music that makes his music unique to other jazz players.

Chet Baker lived a dangerous life because he was in and out of jail for drug related causes and was often beat up by drug dealers for unpaid debts. His addiction was so great that he often pawned his instruments in order to buy drugs. Chet Baker began using heroin in 1957 and he was an addict until he died in 1988 in Amsterdam. He died by falling from a two story window; heroin and cocaine were found in his bloodstream when an autopsy was performed on him.

Charles Mingus

BEWARE OF MINGUS!

Charles Mingus was born on a US army base in Arizona in 1922. He played double bass, piano and cello. Charles Mingus was nicknamed "The Angry Man of Jazz" because of his temperament.

Listening to Charles Mingus is an adventure. It is like riding a roller coaster. There are ups and downs and crazy changes in direction. Mingus is suspenseful, and his music will leave you sitting at the edge of your seat. You may find yourself coming up with crazy ideas, and realize you're slowly beginning to lose your mind as you listen to Charles Mingus' masterpiece music. One minute you may feel like you are sailing down a calm river, and the next minute you may feel like you are rolling down a rocky cliff! Mingus takes his listeners on an unforgettable adventure. His listeners can definitely feel his wrath because his fury is shocking. I would strongly advise listeners to not make any important decisions while listening to Charles Mingus, so put those phones away!

My favorite album by Charles Mingus is "The Clown." I am passionate about this album because when I listen to it, my creativity is ignited. The album tells a story about a clown whose only desire in the world was to make people laugh. This idea of desire genuinely makes me question my desires. What is really and truly the only thing I want out of this world? I recommend listening to this album on full volume through loud speakers!

When Charles Mingus gets crazy, I get crazy.

Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie was born in 1917 in South Carolina. He was a trumpeter, pianist and vocalist. He is considered to be one of the greatest trumpeters of all time.

If Dizzy Gillespie was alive in the 21st century, I think he would have been diagnosed with ADHD. Dizzy Gillespie is not afraid to be everywhere at once. He is simultaneously up and down. It seems to me that Dizzy Gillespie makes music the same way Jackson Pollock made his art: with a madness that comes from deep, deep down. It is amazing to watch Dizzy play the trumpet because it looks like his cheeks are going to explode!

One of Gillespie's most well known song is "Salt Peanuts." This song is the sound of ADHD if it had one, and it's absolutely brilliant!

John Coltrane

John Coltrane was born in 1926 in North Carolina. He played the saxophone. His music was most popular in the 1950s and 1960s.

John Coltrane's music is grand and majestic. His music is as elegant as Barack Obama's articulate speeches, with a touch of mischief. John Coltrane's music has a holistic feel to it. When he plays, there is a great sense of purpose in his music. His music feels complete, like a circle. It is so fine, and perfectly in tune with his technique, which is why John Coltrane is always on point. His music also makes for a great soundtrack for completing important tasks that take a great amount of concentration. I get so wrapped up in his music that I feel sad when a song ends! Thank goodness for replay!

There is so much to learn from jazz. Jazz is timeless and infinitely robust! Listening to jazz can be a healing experience. It is important for humans to be surrounded by beauty, and not only visual beauty. What is special about jazz is that it's beauty enters through the ears, allowing our minds to create images for the sounds. It can stimulate our senses without any manipulation or brain washing. Jazz is the story of love and struggle, plus a lot of passion; and the story always ends in beauty.