All those cool jazz guys. Brubek, Getz, Randolph, Farlow, Tristan, Desmond....
And, even as a kid, I really liked Brubek's approach to piano, even though I didn't play like him.
He was one of one.

But being born in 1931, he was still a grade schooler at the peak of BB & swing.
He got into cool jazz during late HS through his army years.

After the War he went to college on GI Bill to major in music. He was a great musician but a bad student. He met my mom who was on a piano scholarship, got married and I was born. He then joined the Navy to be in the Navy Band. During off hours, he formed his own 13 piece band to play gigs. I found stacks of sheet music of his arrangements, done by hand.

He eventually worked for the Post Office, but kept up with his musical avocation. If an entertainer came to town (Bob Hope, etc) and they needed a band, my father always got the call to be in it.

What instrument did your dad play?

My niece was a reed player.
She played bass clarinet in the school orchestra for the biggest HS around here.
I can play the flute a bit, but I have no understanding of reed embrochure. I'd be useless on those instruments.