Since it is difficult to quickly come up with a definitive list of the best jazz musicians, here's a short selection I support.
Many famous artists' names appear whenever we try to profile those who’ve shaped the development of good music.
Recently I was in the hospital for a medical procedure. The outstanding operating room doctor asked which was my favorite music. As my wife was leaving, she replied JAZZ.
The doctor played Miles in the background as I recalled meeting him, Dizzy, Mongo, Blakey, and others during my career.
I thought about many others who I have met over the years. as I faded away in the most relaxing space I have experienced.
Once I woke up, my wonderful wife was there with her gorgeous smile ready to gently feed me what I like to call Chinese Churros.
With an outstanding and impressive career, this wonderful doctor told us that in all the years and after the enormous number of patients treated, no loving spouse had ever prepared such post-operating room treats for their partner.
After receiving the lab results and hearing our physician share the good news, we have decided to offer the doctor and spouse Margaritas by the shore on City Island, while we listen to some of the following tunes.
- 1. Miles Davis, “So What”
- 2. Dave Brubeck, “Take Five”
- 3. Duke Ellington, “Take The A Train”
- 4. Thelonious Monk, “Round Midnight”
- 5. John Coltrane, “My Favorite Things”
- 6. John Coltrane, “A Love Supreme (Acknowledgment)”
- 7. Miles Davis, “All Blues”
- 8. Weather Report, “Birdland”
- 9. Benny Goodman, “Sing, Sing, Sing”
- 10. Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me To The Moon”
- 11. Dave Brubeck, “Blue Rondo A La Turk”
- 12. Oliver Nelson, “Stolen Moments”
- 13. Billie Holiday, “God Bless The Child”
- 14. Fats Waller, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
- 15. John Coltrane, “Bye Bye Blackbird”
The Duke was known as the leader of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ellington is the most recorded, and arguably greatest, jazz composer in history, with tunes like Satin Doll, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Mood Indigo, and hundreds of other jazz standards to his name.
This other guy doesn’t offer the same kind of obvious instrumental pyrotechnics of someone like Art Tatum, he was also a highly important jazz pianist whose percussive, minimal playing influenced Thelonious Monk, chucho valdés, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqg5O8OSatU and too many others to list here.
In addition to his dozens of famous Orchestra recordings – Ellington at Newport, The Sacred Concerts, The Far East Suite, etc. – he made a number of great small group recordings, highlighting his folkloric yet surprisingly modern-sounding piano
| Henry "Red" Allen– | Pleasin' Paul | |
| Albert Ammons And Pete Johnson– | Boogie Woogie Jump | |
| Louis Armstrong– | High Society | |
| Louis Armstrong– | Rockin' Chair | |
| Buster Bailey, John Kirby– | Night Whispers | |
| Mildred Bailey– | Georgia On My Mind | |
| Charlie Barnet– | Between 18th And 19th On Chestnut Street | |
| Count Basie– | South | |
| Count Basie– | Money Is Honey | |
| Sidney Bechet– | Nobody Knows The Way I Feel Dis Mornin' |