Top 10 jazz tracks of all times

Music Room
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Here’s my 10 - not a list of greatest ever jazz tracks, just some of my favourites off the top of my head (and there are many more).

George Russell - Ezz-Thetics

John Coltrane - Blues Minor

Sonny Rollins/Max Roach - Valse Hot

Dizzy Gillespie/Gil Fuller - Things To Come

Miles Davis/Gerry Mulligan - Jeru

Lee Morgan - Gary’s Notebook

Tubby Hayes - Trenton Place

Miles Davis - Madamoiselle Mabry

Charlie Parker - Now’s The Time

Joe Henderson - Black Narcissus

Plus - got to add, Stan Tracey - Starless and Bible Black.

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I thought to re-wind a little and see what I might re-discover! Great music back there. Obviously impossible to cover it all but a lot of fun just having a look!

I believe all these tracks are currently available on youtube!

Dallas Blues - Wilbur Sweatman’s Original Jazz Band. (1918- Columbia). Columbia sold a lot of Sweatman’s hits before the Big Bands flourished.
Written by Hart Wand (published in 1912)

Chimes Blues - King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band (1923 Gennett Records)
Written by King Oliver.
Joe “King” Oliver – Cornet, Louis Armstrong – Second cornet (his 1st recorded solo)

Tight Like This - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five (1928- Okeh)
Written By - Curl

Blue & Sentimental - The Count Basie Orchestra (1938- Decca)
Written by: Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, and Mack David.
Arranger: Eddie Durham

Kitty On Toast - Horace Henderson and His Orchestra (1940- Vocalion)
Written and Conducted by Fletcher Henderson.

Elegy (Elegie on youtube) - Art Tatum broadcast recording 1940.
Written by Massenet

Ko-Ko - Charlie Parker,aka Bird. (1940- Savoy)
Written by Charlie Parker

Take The ‘A’ Train - Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra (1940 Hollywood, 1941- Victor).
Written in 1939 by Billy Strayhorn who discarded the draft which was luckily found by Mercer (Duke’s Son)!

A Night In Tunisia (aka Interlude)- Dizzy Gillespie (1946- RCA Victor)
Written by D. Gillespie.

Embraceable You - Live At Carnegie Hall 1949 (1955- Clef)
Written by: G. Gershwin
Alto Saxophone, Charlie Parker
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips, Lester Young
Trombone – Tommy Turk
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Bass – Ray Brown
Piano – Hank Jones
Drums – Buddy Rich

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My other top 10 favourites, built around acoustic jazz where bass and drums are the stars:

  1. Ray Brown Trio — Take the A Train — Ray Brown’s bass is the lead voice, not the background
  2. Oscar Peterson Trio — Night Train — Brown again on bass, with Ed Thigpen’s brushwork front and center
  3. Paul Chambers — Whims of Chambers — a rare album where the bassist leads; deep and resonant
  4. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers — Moanin’ — Blakey’s drums drive everything; hard bop at its most propulsive
  5. Max Roach — Freedom Day — Roach was as melodic on drums as most pianists are on keys
  6. Bill Evans Trio — Waltz for Debby (Live) — Scott LaFaro’s bass lines are almost a second melody
  7. Sonny Rollins — St. Thomas — the calypso rhythm locks the bass and drums into something you feel physically
  8. Charles Mingus — Goodbye Pork Pie Hat — Mingus plays bass like a composer; this is his elegy for Lester Young
  9. John Coltrane — Mr. P.C. — named for Paul Chambers, a showcase for bass and drummer Elvin Jones
  10. Dave Brubeck Quartet — Take Five — Joe Morello’s drum solo is the centrepiece; the bass holds the odd time perfectly
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Not ranked in order. Hard to choose only 10. Admittedly eclectic:

Pharaoh Sanders - You’ve Got To Have Freedom

Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage

Sergio Mendes - Mas Que Nada

Miles - So What!

Lonnie Liston Smith - Expansions

Milton Nascimento - Tudo O Que Voce Podia Ser

James Mason - Sweet Power, Your Embrace

Donald Byrd - Places and Spaces

Coltrane - Naima

Bill Evans - Symbiosis, First Movement

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Great list. I could have picked any of those.

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Today, I am in the mood of listening to contemporary jazz, post 2000, across acoustic, electronic, and genre-crossing styles:

  1. Kamasi Washington - The Rhythm Changes
  2. Robert Glasper Experiment - Afro Blue
  3. Norah Jones - Don’t Know Why
  4. Brad Mehldau - Resignation
  5. Ambrose Akinmusire - Roll call for Those Absent
  6. GoGo Penguin - Hopopono
  7. Tigran Hamasyan - Vardavar
  8. Snarky Puppy - Lingus
  9. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Encryption
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And one for the Bank Holiday:

Et al

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