8. Harry Beckett
Born in Barbados in 1935, Beckett began playing the trumpet as a part of the local Salvation Army band. He moved to London at 19 to pursue music, playing with Jamaican trumpeter Leslie “Jiver” Hutchinson. Beckett quickly became known in the London scene for his one-of-a-kind tone, described by his fans as “a kind of chastened happiness”—lyrical and light, without losing any intensity. He remained a sideman for the majority of his career, spending a decade in British bassist Graham Collier’s band before becoming a force in just about every free jazz group in London during the 70’s and 80’s. He even played with Charles Mingus on the soundtrack for the 1963 film All Night Long. His last album, The Modern Sound of Harry Beckett, showcased the reggae and dub influences that had been a part of many of his earlier compositions, with contributions from reggae vocalist Junior Delgado and producer Adrian Sherwood—listen below: