Saturn-Uranus Combinations in Jazz Musicians

Saturn and Uranus working together aren't generally thought of in terms of their ability to vibe artistically. Venus and Neptune are often given credit for that alone And I think those two are very important, especially for a certain style of art (that Astrologers tend to personally prefer), absolutely all the planets have a place in artistic creation. Western Art History is often taught in terms of cycles in which styles swing back and forth between a formal Classical style and an informal Romantic style. It's interesting that the Classical Style is generally connected with Realism and Naturalism and Form and Shape. That would be what I would maybe at first connect with Saturn and Uranus. But, Jazz is generally connected with Baroque music which is Romantic and often more improvisational.

Since Jazz is considered the one of the only true innovations that America has created in the Arts, I think it's very important to take a look at its creators. I am proposing that Saturn-Uranus combinations are extremely prominent in the charts of the innovators in Jazz music, maybe more than Neptune is. Saturn rules Rhythm and Uranus I suppose would rule Syncopation, anything Offbeat. The complex chords and dissonance certainly aren't music to Neptune's ears which prefers a sweeter more ethereal sound.

Since transiting Saturn and Uranus are opposing each other I suppose I was wondering in general how this opposition will affect the Arts. In the charts of the Jazz Musicians that I looked at, often these two are strongly connected with Neptune but just as often they are connected with Pluto. This probably reflects the types of personalities needed to survive social prejudice, I don't know. Neptune, alone, isn't going to cut through that torture; it will run away, or worse. Venus will kill herself. Both Venus and Neptune give the ability to refine spirit and to dissolve into the universe, but they aren't really innovators. They can't talk about the shadows. They dispell reality as ugly or inferior. Their job is to merge but they don't provide creative force and the desire to grow.

In the end, the Arts are open to all influences right down to Moon (Memory) and Mercury (mind) and Mars (creative drive) and of course Sun (Ego, the Bigger the Better). Different styles "swing" in and out of fashion.

I noticed something else that may or may not be true. It may be that the Saturn-Uranus aspects are major in many of the first innovators in Jazz and sort of "water down" to minor aspects in 2d and 3d generation musicians. Since my search isn't comprehensive and is based on eyeballing any of these gross generalizations I come up with are open to statistical proof down the line. The 1920s was when Jazz really took off. Uranus was in Pisces and then moved in to Aries. Uranus seems to be a much stronger influence in Jazz Musicians than Saturn.

Neptune's around in the charts, but I tend to think that Jupiter/Sagittarius is just as prominent, if not more so. Often they are found in aspect with each other. Jazz, after all, is a very social art form. Neptune needs isolation in order to create. I've discussed in other artist's charts Jupiter/Sagittarius' relation with Abstraction (and also unbridled Joy). I personally associate it with Broadway musicals but that's probably just coincidence with the Sadge's I've met.

Another interesting point is how important Mars' influence is either through aspect or through Dispositorship. And Mercury's influence is also extremely prominent, especially in Virgo. And often Venus is found in her own signs of Taurus or Libra (eyeballing, of course).

Neptune's influence will come back very strong once he rolls in to Pisces in a few years. My list is limited and I tried to focus on Saturn and Uranus only (but got distracted a couple of times).

Venus often is considered in Astrology to co-rule the Arts with Neptune but it really doesn't have relation with Neptune in these charts. More often it appears to share aspects with Uranus (which is in Pisces in a whole lot of the charts so Neptune really is involved). It's amazing in how many of the charts Uranus is involved in a Grand Trine. This could help an individual to harness its energy and to enjoy good fortune through it.

A very interesting note is that one or the other of these planets is often connected with Pluto. Saturn is often involved with Pluto. Saturn and Pluto working together are generally given a negative interpretation in Astrology. One hears words like "corporate" "Industrial" "Selfish" "Materialistic." The truth is Saturn rules Form and Substance and Pluto is farther out in the Solar System than Neptune even and hoards very deep, rich secrets, even its association with Death and fear of Death. Both planets are related to the creative force. They are forceful and sometimes not refined like Neptune, but they can confront the shadow side. They can also create magic from the real world. The two are very prominently working together in a whole lot of these charts. They also can show the magic of the Real World whereas Neptune wants to avoid all forms of Reality.

Something else that's ignored here is the influence of Mercury, both through Gemini and Virgo. The harmonies are very complex and mental. Compared with Classical Western Music there is no hierarchy, no set form. Scattered and experimental like Gemini. The musicians play with each other, improvising conversational style like Gemini. The Virgo influence is very strong. The players let things happen, don't try to control the outcome. There is no emphasis on limelight. They play as a community which I would associate once again with the Uranus influence. The musicians humbly perform their solos which is much different from the spotlight seeking Classical musicians. And, of course, the opposite relation of the opposite sign, Pisces is very present, especially since Jazz is so related to Neptune's transit throught Virgo.

Venus is very prominent through dispositorships. She often aspects Neptune but just as often doesn't. And seems to aspect Uranus just as much. Just looking at the charts it seems that Mars stands out much more than Venus. I had no idea that Thelonious Monk and Dizzie Gillespie were both Libra Suns born within a couple of weeks of each other.

Here's what I've got if anyone cares to take a look. If there is a direct relation of Saturn to Uranus by aspect or by placement of planet in sign ruled by planets I will put a YES after the musician's name. Down below the birth info I'll say what the relationship is. It's so much fun to talk about Trines and Dissonances in relationship to Musicians!! This list is my own and I certainly don't have the greatest knowledge of all Jazz musicians. This is a very rough study.

All Birth Info Thanks to Astrotheme except for Wayne Shorter, Art Farmer and Freddie Hubbard. I can't read my writing on some of the birth towns so may be mis-spelled.

Just as I was sitting down to finally try to write this I read that Freddie Hubbard had passed that day. (Dec. 29). My brother plays trumpet so I've had a lot of exposure to Freddie Hubbard's Ballades which are awesome. May his Soul Rest in Peace. He didn't have a Saturn-Uranus relationship in his chart, by the way. I suspect there was some strong Neptune...

Count Basie - YES, Saturn disposits to Uranus
b. Aug. 21, 1904 Red Bank, MD
Sun 29 Leo; Moon Sagittarius or Capricorn; NN 20 Virgo

Saturn 17 Aquarius so in Uranus' sign. Saturn trines Pluto in Gemini.
Uranus 27 Sagittarius in a Grand Trine with Jupiter 1 Taurus trine Sun 29 Leo
Neptune 8 Cancer sextile Venus Virgo

Duke Ellington - YES, Saturn and Uranus both in Sagittarius dispositing to same planet, Jupiter
b. Apr. 29, 1899 1:25 am Washington, DC
Sun 9 Taurus; ASC 9 Aquarius; Moon 24 Sagittarius; MC 29 Scorpio; NN 3 Capricorn

Saturn and Uranus both in same sign, Sagittarius.
Saturn opposing Neptune-Pluto in Gemini.
Uranus rules the chart and is in a Grand Trine with to Venus in Aires and Mars in Leo. Uranus opposes Pluto but not Neptune.

Miles Davis - YES - Trine
b. May 25, 1926 5 am Alton, IL (astrotheme)
Sun 4 Gemini; ASC 8 Gemini; Moon 9 Scorpio; MC 15 Aquarius; NN 19 Cancer

Saturn 22 Scorpio trine Uranus 29 Pisces and trine Pluto
Neptune 23 Leo trine Venus 21 Aries
Grand Trine: Mars Pisces trine Pluto Cancer trine Moon-Saturn Scorpio
Grand Square: Mercury 22 Taurus opposing Saturn Scorpio square Jupiter 27 Aquarius opposing Neptune Leo.

John Coltrane - YES - Trine
b. Sept. 23, 1926 5pm Hamlet, NC
Sun 1 Libra; AS 4 Pisces; Moon 30 Aries, MC 14 Sagittarius; NN Cancer

Saturn Scorpio trine Uranus Pisces
Saturn trine Pluto Cancer and in Grand Square with Mars, Jupiter and Neptune

Charlie Parker - YES? (10 degree opposition)
b. Aug. 29, 1920 Kansas City, MO
Sun 7 Virgo; Moon Aquarius or Pisces, NN 10 Scorpio

Saturn 14 Virgo
Uranus 4 Pisces

Wayne Shorter - YES Saturn disposits to Uranus
b. Aug. 25, 1933 Newark, NJ
Sun 2 Virgo; Moon Libra or Scorpio; NN 29 Aquarius

Saturn 12 Aquarius
Uranus 28 Aries opposing Mars and squaring apex Pluto 25 Cancer

Bill Evans - NO
b. Aug. 16, 1929 Plainfield, NJ
Sun 24 Leo; Moon Capricorn; NN 17 Taurus

Saturn 25 Sagittarius trine Sun-Neptune Leo-Virgo
Uranus 12 Aries

Ornette Coleman - YES Saturn square Uranus
b. Mar. 9, 1930 Fort Worth, TX
Sun 19 Pisces; Moon Gemini or Cancer; __NN

T-square between apex Uranus 11 Aries square Saturn 11 Capricorn opposing Pluto Cancer
Neptune 2 Virgo in t-square opposing Mercury 30 Aquarius-Mars 25 Aquarius and squaring apex Jupiter Gemini

Billie Holiday - NO, but Uranus is in its own sign, rules the Chart and the North Node
b. April 7, 1915 Philadelphia, PA
Sun 17 Aries; Moon 23 Capricorn; MC 25 Scorpio; NN 24 Aquarius

Saturn 27 Gemini c. Pluto 1 Cancer (squaring Mars 23 Pisces)
Uranus 15 Aquarius
Neptune opposing Moon, Mercury-Mars and Venus all in Pisces

SATCHMO - Louis Armstrong - NO, But Saturn in its own sign and c. MC
August 4, 1901 New Orleans, LA
Sun 13 Leo; ASC 19 Aries; Moon 14 Aries; MC 12 Capricorn; NN 19 Scorpio
Saturn in Capricorn conjunct MC and Jupiter
Uranus 14 Sagittarius
Neptune 1 Cancer opposing Jupiter 1 Capricorn, nifty Aries Point Action

Coleman Hawkins - YES, Saturn disposits to Uranus
b. Nov. 21, 1904 Saint Joseph, MO
Sun 30 Scorpio; Moon Taurus; NN 15 Virgo

Saturn 16 Aquarius trine Pluto Gemini
Uranus 29 Sagittarius opposing Pluto in Gemini-Neptune in Cancer, More Aries POint Action
Venus in Capricorn also opposing Pluto and Neptune

Thelonious Monk - YES, Opposition and Uranus in its own sign
B. Oct. 10, 1917 9:15 pm Rocky Mount, NC
Sun 18 Libra; ASC 24 Gemini; Moon 22 Leo; MC 4 Pisces; NN 6 Capricorn

Saturn 13 Leo c. Neptune, Moon, Mars Leo and Opposing Uranus in Aquarius
Neptune 7 Leo in easy aspect to Venus in Scorpio, Mercury in Libra, Jupiter in Gemini

Dizzie Gillespie - YES, opposition, plus Uranus in its own sign
b. Oct. 21, 1917 Cheraw, SC
Sun 28 Libra; Moon 4 Sagittarius or Capricorn; NN 5 Capricorn

Saturn (c. Mars) in Leo opposinig Uranus 20 Aquarius
Saturn conjunct Neptune Leo in easy aspect to Venus in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Gemini
Uranus in a Grand Trine to Mercury in Libra and Jupiter in Gemini

Lester Young - YES, t-square with Neptune
b. Aug. 27, 1909 Woodmill, MS
Sun 4 Virgo; Moon Capricorn; NN 14 Gemini

Saturn in Aries apex to t-square with Uranus in Capricorn opposing Neptune in Cancer
Venus in Libra
Neptune sextile Mercury-Jupiter in Virgo

Oscar Peterson - WELL? (minor aspect, sesquiquadrate)
b. Aug. 15, 1925 Montreal, Canada
Sun 23 Leo; Moon Gemini or Cancer; NN 4 Leo
Saturn 9 Scorpio trining Pluto, maybe Moon
Uranus in Pisces opposing Venus in Virgo, inconjunct Neptune-Sun, quintile Jupiter

Charles Mingus - YES - in a Yod with Neptune
b. Apr. 22, 1922 21 h 30 m; Nogales, AZ
Sun 3 Taurus; ASC 6 Sagittarius; Moon 18 Pisces; MC 16 Virgo; NN Libra

Saturn 3 Libra inconjunct Uranus Pisces
Uranus in Pisces apex to Yod to Saturn in Libra nd Neptune in Leo
Neptune in Leo squaring Venus in Taurus

Dexter Gordon WELL? (minor aspect, inconjunct)
b. Feb. 27, 1923 Los Angeles, CA
Sun 9 Pisces; Moon 24 Cancer; NN Virgo

Saturn 20 Libra inconjunct Uranus in Pisces
Uranus 14 Pisces conjunct Sun and in a Grand Trine with Jupiter in Scorpio and Pluto in Cancer

Max Roach - WELL? (minor aspect, sesqui-quadrate)
Jan 10, 1924 4 pm Newland, NC
Sun 20 Capricorn; ASC 6 Cancer; Moon 15 Pisces; MC 17 Pisces, NN 5 Virgo

Saturn Scorpio sesqui-quadrate to Uranus 15 Pisces and quintile Neptune in Leo
Uranus 15 Pisces trining Pluto in Cancer
Venus in Aquarius opposing Neptune in Leo

Art Farmer - YES, trine
b. Aug. 21, 1928 Council Bluffs, Iowa
Sun 29 Leo; Moon Scorpio; NN _____

Saturn 13 Sagittarius trining Uranus 7 Aries
Venus 13 Virgo, square Saturn, trine Chiron-Jupiter 11 Taurus

Freddie Hubbard - NO
b. Apr. 7, 1938 Indianapolis, Indiana
Sun 18 Aries; Moon Cancer; NN 28 Scorpio

Saturn 10 Aries
Uranus 13 Taurus in stellium with Mars, Mercury, Venus and trining Neptune in Virgo

Chet Baker - YES, square
b. Dec. 23, 1938 Yale, OK
Sun 1 Capricorn; ASC 5 Libra; Moon 4 Libra; MC 6 Cancer; NN 10 Taurus

Saturn 3 Capricorn c. Sun and squaring Uranus 8 Aries
Neptune Virgo trining Mars, Sun and Saturn
Venus 21 Sagittarius inc. Pluto Cancer

Nat Adderley - YES, t-square with Pluto
b. Nov. 25, 1931 8:08am Tampa, FL
Sun 3 Sagittarius; ASC 17 Sagittarius; Moon 6 Gemini; MC 28 Virgo, NN 3 Aries

Saturn 20 Capricorn squaring Uranus Aries and opposing Pluto in Cancer
Uranus Aries trining Mars-Mercury-Venus in Saigttarius trining Jupiter Leo
Neptune 8 Virgo apex to t-square to Sun Sagittarius opposing Moon Gemini

Cannonball Adderly - YES, trine
b. Sept. 15, 1928 4:45 pm Tampa, FL
Sun 23 Virgo; ASC 18 Aquarius; Moon 15 Libra; MC 1 Sagittarius

Saturn 14 Sagittarius trine Uranus
Uranus 6 Aries opposing Venus-Moon in Libra
Neptune 30 Leo