Teddy Wilson

Swing-era piano virtuoso Teddy Wilson’s significance in jazz history has earned him comparisons to both Mozart and Jackie Robinson—the latter because of Wilson’s significance as one of the first Black jazz performers to rise to prominence in a white band. Born in 1912 in Austin, Texas, Wilson entered the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama when he was six and began studying music the following year. He was exposed to jazz as a teenager, and after a short stint at university, he moved to the Midwest to pursue a music career. In the early ’30s, Wilson guested with Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines’ bands before being recruited by John Hammond to play with Benny Carter—a gig that necessitated a move to New York City. In 1935, Wilson’s biggest career landmark came with the debut of the Benny Goodman Trio, one of the most popular small jazz ensembles of the pre-bebop era. On that group’s recordings, Wilson’s refined technique is on full display in his nuanced articulation of melodies and sensitive comping. During this time, he also made a landmark series of recordings with Billie Holiday. The ’40s found the pianist leading his own band at New York’s Café Society and teaching at Juilliard in the summers, making him one of the earliest jazz educators at the school. Wilson recorded and performed consistently in his trademark small-ensemble-oriented swing style until his death in 1986.