Abstract Anthony Braxton (b. 1945) is an American composer, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher known for his innovative work in avant-garde music, improvisation, and jazz. His papers contain scores and parts for his musical compositions beginning in 1968, including the completed portions of the Trillium opera complex, as well as extensive writings that detail the philosophical frameworks of his music. The collection also contains materials from courses that Braxton...

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Eric Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flautist, and bass clarinetist. The collection consists of manuscript scores, sketches, parts, and lead sheets for works composed by Dolphy and others.

Abstract Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) was a popular and highly-respected American jazz and pop vocalist and recording artist. The Ella Fitzgerald Collection chiefly consists of musical arrangements made for her by more than fifty arrangers and orchestrators. Arrangers whose works are found in this collection include Buddy Bregman, Benny Carter, Frank DeVol, Russ Garcia, Billy May, Marty Paich, Nelson Riddle, and Gerald Wilson. The arrangements consist of a combination of full scores and parts, and are...

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Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and actor. The collection contains materials documenting his life and work, including biographical materials, correspondence, photographs, programs, clippings, business papers, scripts, awards, and honors. The collection also contains music composed by Gordon and others, including manuscript, holograph manuscript, printed, and photocopied scores, lead sheets, parts, and fragments of pieces. Many of the items are annotated.

Abstract Gerry Mulligan (1927-1996) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. The collection chiefly consists of scores, sketches, lead sheets, and instrumental parts for original compositions by Mulligan as well as for works by other composers. In many instances, there are multiple versions of Mulligan's best-known works. These music materials include manuscripts, holograph manuscripts, printed items, and reproductions. In addition, the collection includes a small amount...

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John D. Reid was a collector of early jazz sound recordings and memorabilia. The collection highlights jazz recordings and musicians in the 1930s and 1940s, with Sidney Bechet prominently featured.

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Max Roach was an American jazz drummer, composer, educator, and activist. The collection includes music manuscripts, writings, correspondence, business papers, photographs, programs, sound recordings, and other materials related to his career. It also contains a variety of materials pertaining to vocalist Abbey Lincoln and countless other jazz artists, including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, and Charlie Parker.

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Gunther Schuller (1925-2015) was a composer, arranger, conductor, educator, author, arts administrator, and publisher, among other roles. The collection contains music composed by Schuller and music he arranged, edited, or transcribed, as well as music by other composers, much of it annotated, that Schuller studied and conducted.

Abstract Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and lyricist. He is prominently known as the leading arranger for the Duke Ellington Orchestra, a position that he held for nearly three decades. The collection chiefly contains scores, sketches, lead sheets, and parts for original compositions and arrangements by Strayhorn and Ellington, as well as business papers, photographs, scripts, and other materials pertaining to Strayhorn's life and the posthumous...

Abstract Billy Taylor was an American jazz pianist, composer, educator, broadcaster, lecturer and advocate. The collection contains materials related to his life and career, including music manuscripts, correspondence, writings by and about Taylor, business papers, promotional and publicity materials, clippings, scripts, programs, photographs, awards, honorary degrees and plaques. The music materials chiefly consist of manuscript scores, lead sheets and parts, by Taylor and other jazz composers and...

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The Glenda Abdoo and Ken Crawford papers from the Kurt Weisbecker collection consists of correspondence, greeting cards, photographs, and other material highlighting the relationship between Pittsburgh-area jazz fans/collectors Glenda Abdoo and Ken Crawford, and notable jazz performers from the 1950's and 1960s.