Eddie Lang / Эдди Лэнг
A crucial architect in the evolution of big band swing guitar (he played in Paul Whiteman’s and Bing Crosby’s large ensembles in the early 30s), Lang (born Salvatore Massarro) earns his place among the world’s best jazz guitarists thanks to the pivotal role he played in getting the guitar accepted as a viable jazz instrument (replacing the traditional banjo). A huge influence on Django Reinhardt, Eddie Lang is rightly hailed as the “father of the jazz guitar.”