Strongly influenced by his tutor Coleman Hawkins, Illinois was star soloist in the most famous swing bands of Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Lionel Hampton and many others. Illinois Jacquet's musicality is wide ranged and is defined by his passionate, impulsive and almost ecstatic way of playing. But also the feeling for Blues flows through the originally creole artist's veins.

He achieved international fame with his red hot star solo "Flyin' Home", with which he wrote jazz history. The impulsive Showman was also one of the main attractions of the worldwide Jazz at the Philharmonic-tours. His life and work was documented in Arthur Elgort's film "Texas Tenor - The Illinois Jacquet Story".