Comments - Greatest Jazz Top Ten Songs.
December 19, 2004 thru March 27, 2005. |
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coleman hawkins: where's all the things you are? that's a great song!
miles Davis: milestones and on green dolphin street?! not on it!
Duke: how could u forget round midnight
?
- Sunday, March 27, 2005 at 21:06:21 (EST)
Alex, Chameleon has started to become my favorite Herbie tune. But
this is a list on greatness, not personal favorites. I apreciate your
recomendation though.
Alvin
- Saturday, March 26, 2005 at 23:00:42 (EST)
Chameleon is Herbie's best tune not Watermelonman
Alex
vfg, gfgf gfgf - Friday, March 25, 2005 at 10:19:01 (EST)
jazzwank
buggedout
- Monday, March 21, 2005 at 15:21:45 (EST)
(Note - I'm putting this on all of the jazz pages [even though it
ain't that big of a deal])
I've been doing a lot of the 'favorites of ddd' lists. So far I have
done
Miles Davis (Added to the site)
Charles Mingus (Added to the site)
Louis Armstrong
Milt Jackson
Duke Ellington
That's 5. We're aloud to do 6. I can't decide between these 2. Lee
Morgan and Clifford Brown. I was gonna ask you guys which one I
should do. What do you think?
Alvin
- Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at 23:58:15 (EST)
u smell
pooo
- Sunday, March 13, 2005 at 20:53:35 (EST)
What's the criteria?
Better put Autumn In NY in Billie's box somewhere.
woody
- Saturday, March 12, 2005 at 00:07:21 (EST)
Duke Ellington
1 A Train
2 Satin Doll
3 Sentimental Mood
4 Sophisticated Lady
5 Solitude
6 Prelude To Kiss
7 Mood Indigo
8 Black & Tan
9 Come Sunday
10 Sacred
woody
- Saturday, March 12, 2005 at 00:03:21 (EST)
Steve, perhaps Charlie Parker is included in your staple collection,
but take a look at his Dial and Savoy Recordings. Also, I highly
recommend you also look at the Modern Jazz Quartet, especially their
album PYRAMID.
Also also, buy Duke Ellington's MONEY JUNGLE. It's Duke with Charles
Mingus on bass and Max Roach on drums ... one of the trio recordings
ever assembled.
wolfman
- Monday, February 28, 2005 at 02:48:18 (EST)
Steve, I would get Song for my Father by Horace Silver. Another good one is
'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis. Hope you like them.
Alvin
- Sunday, February 27, 2005 at 22:22:24 (EST)
I am a long time blues fan who has been recently getting into jazz. I
have the staples (Davis, Coltrane, Adderley) but wondered if anyone
could suggest which way to go next. I also ahve some Monk and Bill
Evans Trio. My favorites so far are "Blue Trane" and
Cannonball's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Steve D.
White Plains, NY - Sunday, February 27, 2005 at 20:33:56 (EST)
the man, Yardbird Suite is already on there.
Alvin
- Friday, February 25, 2005 at 20:48:59 (EST)
Oh and also, Cannonball Adderly should get a list all to himself,
because he is the man.
the man
- Saturday, February 19, 2005 at 14:18:29 (EST)
I'm a big fan of Passport, Ornithology and Yardbird Suite. Let's see
some Parker changes.
the man
- Saturday, February 19, 2005 at 14:17:26 (EST)
Stan Getz
1. The Girl From Ipanema
2. Desafinado
3. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
4. Doralice
5. Night and Day
6. My Funny Valentine (With J.J. Johnson)
7. Stella by Starlight
8. Con Alma
9. Soul Eyes
10. Blood Count
by STAN GETZ?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!??! fuck.
jon
- Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 08:47:05 (EST)
Why isnt Sinatra up there?
Bleys
- Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 21:29:50 (EST)
Retroflow, I'll add Goodbye somewhere. As for Strange Fruit, I'm not sure you
really heard/read the lyrics and know what they're about. Maybe you do, but I
really suggest looking up the lyrics, find out the time period (1939) and find out
what she's talking about. If you still need a discribtion, feel free to come back
here and ask. Thanks for the Benny Goodman suggestion though, I think I had
it on there but than replaced it with "Flyin' Home".
Alvin
- Sunday, February 06, 2005 at 18:19:52 (EST)
Why isn't Wes Montgomery part of the greatest jazz artists? Or
Django Reinhardt?
Jon
- Saturday, February 05, 2005 at 00:10:58 (EST)
Benny Goodman - "Goodbye". Lovely song. Closing Them Song for himin
fact. I'm not too surprised to see "Who?" on here as it was featured on
the Ken Burns compilation, as was "Goodbye". But the Ken Burns version
is a later Live version. The older, original studio cut was somewhat
better. Ca. 1935 I think. And you left out the double-whammy: "Why
Don't You Do Right", which was Peggy Lee's debut hit as Benny's new
vocalist after Helen Forrest walked out. She was an untried singer, and
it paid off. So sassy!
I'm still unsure about "Strange Fruit" as #1 aside from it's
Socially-Concious value. It's a good song, but so are the others. And
"Solitude" was a great one too.
Retroflow
USA - Friday, February 04, 2005 at 03:29:36 (EST)
Parker: Relaxin' at Camarillo instead of Star Eyes
Holiday: Sophisticated Lady at #9
Miles: something from Filles de Kilimanjaro, such as Frelon Brun or
Madamoiselle Mabry, instead of In a Silent Way
Miles: Freedom Jazz Dance (from Miles Smiles) instead of Freddie
Freeloader
Trane: Spiritual instead of Chasin' the Trane
Lester: These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You) inserted at #2 or #3
Getz must stay
Mike Shafto
Menlo Park, CA America - Wednesday, January 12, 2005 at 21:42:59 (EST)
Why isn't "Lover Man" on Lady Day's list? It's definatly her best song.
KJ
- Tuesday, January 11, 2005 at 16:16:49 (EST)
Should I add "Easy Living" to Billie Holiday's top 10?
Alvin
- Sunday, January 09, 2005 at 11:57:38 (EST)
Glen Miller man!
dAVE
- Friday, January 07, 2005 at 04:26:17 (EST)
Alvin,
"Moanin" is from Mingus' BLUES AND ROOTS from 1959.
wolfman
- Tuesday, January 04, 2005 at 00:25:11 (EST)
I also forgot to include "Autumn in New York" on Billie Holliday's list. I'll
definently fix that.
Maria, I've never heard the Charles Mingus version of "Moanin", what album is
it from?
Alvin
- Sunday, January 02, 2005 at 13:25:03 (EST)
I think you should put Moanin' on the Mingus list if you think it's the top ten, just
making sure it's brought to your attention.
I also think that Sonnymoon for Two should be higher but those are both
personal ideas.
I love this list!
Maria
maria
boston area, mass USA - Friday, December 24, 2004 at 19:33:38 (EST)
The thing with these lists is that they're not surprising. Obviously,
you need to have, for example, "So What" or "Watermelon Man" but it
would be great if at least the lower half of the list for many artists
would be a little more engaging. Like with Herbie, I would have "Hang
Up Your Hang Ups" from his Manchild album there along with "Hornets"
from his Sextant album.
Aten
- Friday, December 24, 2004 at 11:06:22 (EST)
I say expand the list to the Top 25 and include all 4 of them and
leave Bechet in place. I think he deserves to be recognized.
CG
- Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 15:16:06 (EST)
Yeah, I know I forgot about Ysabel's Table Dance. When I sent in that Mingus
page months ago, I had a list of Mingus's top 20 compositions, and Ysabel's
Table Dance was like...numer 9? I don't know but it's a great song that I forgot.
Bird Calls is definently being removed, personally I don't like it as much as the
other "Mingus Ah Um" songs, but I thought everyone else loved it and
considered it one of his best. Hampton is being highly considerable and I
already got Sarah Vaughan taking Bechets place and may raise up later. But
who should be number 20?
Lionel Hampton (Played the 1st ever recorded vibraphone solo)
Dave Brubeck (Created a new style in jazz, made one of the best albums ever)
Django Reinhardt (Created a guitar song on the spot, with only 3 fingers)
Fletcher Henderson (Great Big Band Leader of the early 1900's)
I would like it if I got everyone's opinion because picking between these 4 guys
is pretty hard. And some people think differently than other jazz listeners
Alvin
- Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 14:16:03 (EST)
I think the 5 songs you have at the top of Mingus's list are his best
5 songs. I've listened to a lot of his other stuff, and nothing
moves me like them. These are supposed to be lists of greatest
songs, not samplers. Besides, those 5 songs do constitute a sampler -
- they run the gamut from almost delicate ballad to raucous gospel or
soul-baseds stompers. It's not like he was recording the same song 5
times. I saw him at Carnegie Hall in the early 70's and I remember
him doing Rockefeller at Attica. It's striking because the musicians
stop playing and yell out "Remember Rockefeller at Attica." That
made it memorable but did it make it great jazz? I could see
substituting Yzabel for Bird Calls.
CG
- Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 12:06:10 (EST)
Alvin, jazz is the one genre that I don't know that much about, and
that doesn't really excite me. Some stuff is pleasant enough, but
there's nothing that really touches me like rock and roll, R & B, and
other stuff does.
Bruce
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 22:54:28 (EST)
Ha, Alvin, I was gonna mention Mingus, but I didn't want to sound
over-critical in my first post about this page! I didn't want to ruin
your confidence! Anyway, if any track off of Bitches Brew should be
on Miles' top ten, it should be the title track or 'Spanish Key.'
Those are the two best tracks that show Miles vision in my opinion.
Peter the great
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 22:36:02 (EST)
But don't kick off anything from Miles' BITCHES BREW, Alvin!!!
Released in 1969, that album is consider one of the most revolutionary
albums in the entire jazz history, literally creating jazz-rock, and
shaping the way jazz was to follow for the next decade.
As for Mingus, I was going to let your choices slide, since you were
mindful enough to include "Hatian Fight Song". Others I can recommend
include "Remember Rockefeller at Attica" from CHANGES ONE or
perhaps "Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi U.S.A." from CHANGES TWO.
Also, "Ysabel's Table Dance" from TIJUANA MOODS is a certain classic.
I'd definitely add Hampton, the man is known to everybody
as 'godfather of the vibes', and literally played with everyone.
If you need more extensive help with this, I'd love to offer my
services. My specialty is acoustic small group from the 50s to 70s.
I have never sent in a list before, but if you would like me to help
out, ask away. When you continue revising this list, i suggest you
try to be as expansive as possible, because with artists such as
Mingus or Davis, their careers are too revolutionary to focus upon
their compositions in solely 1959 (KIND OF BLUE -- davis; BLUES AND
ROOTS, MINGUS AH UM -- Mingus).
Let me know how I can help more extensively. Thanks.
wolfman
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 19:53:53 (EST)
Regarding the Miles "Kind of Blue" top 4, you think that's too many songs from
that album? I'm suprised I haven't gotten any comments on Charles Mingus's
top 5, all from "Mingus Ah Um". Again I have forgotten some obvious songs,
and these are the songs I was gonna add.
Louis Armstrong
"Mack the Knife" (replacing "What a Wonderful World", trading places with
"Hello, Dolly!")
Duke Ellington
"Caravan" (replacing "Black Beauty")
Miles Davis
"Boplicity" (replacing "Flamenco Sketches")
"Someday My Prince Will Come" (replacing "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down")
Dizzy Gillespie
"Flamingo" (replacing "One Bass Hit, No. 1)
Thelonious Monk
"Well, You Needn't (replacing "I Surrender, Dear" and trading places with
"Green Chimneys")
Charles Mingus
"Solo Dancer" (replacing "Bird Calls")
More updates as well, such as new names and a few other songs that I'm
gonna have to research. I'm gonna need to new who's gonna replace Getz and
Bechet. Should I make the list out of 30 people or should I keep it at 20. If you
want me to make it bigger (maybe to 30), than who should I add. Sarah
Vaughan is definently going to be added, but who else?
Bruce, that's pretty cool. I'll check out that list in a minute. I think I'm going to
take "What a Wonderful World" off the ballad list too (although people would
think I'm stupid after arguing that much about it. I'll be back later today and
have more things to say. In the mean time, tell me what you all think about the
up-coming revision.
Alvin
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 13:58:17 (EST)
I see I'm not the first to notice that Vaughan needs to be here :-)
Bruce
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 11:20:45 (EST)
Alvin, Lew told me to check out your list here, especially the labels,
because my grandfather was Herman Lubinsky, the owner of savoy Records.
I have to question the ranking of "What A Wonderful World" for
Armstrong. It's not a jazz record, and I don't think it belongs here.
It's a pop song by a former jazz artist. I considered it for the top
100 of 1968, but it didn't make it.
http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_songs50-69.html
I did put "April In Paris" by Basie on the top 100 for 1955. I'm
sure "Hello Dolly" and "The Girl From Impanema" will make the 1964
list when I get to it. I only plan to include a couple of jazz items
that went mainstream pop on these lists, as they are primarily rock
and other related genres.
Most of the other stuff looks good, although I don't see "Mack The
Knife" as the top Ella cut. She has a great record from 1938, "Rock It
For Me," that I'd try and get on to her top ten.
I'd also get Sarah Vaughan on here, probabbly ahead of Hancock.
Bruce
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 11:18:07 (EST)
Something else I want to point out Alvin. There's not a single track
off of Mingus' "Black Sinner and the Saint Lady" in his top ten, and
Ornette Coleman's monumental "Free Jazz" is missing in his top ten.
Peter the great
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 11:17:19 (EST)
Monk -- personal favorites of mine: Well, You Needn't; Little Rootie
Tootie; Misterioso.
CG
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 09:42:01 (EST)
No prob Alvin. Ha, this is kind of funny. Pointing out your mistake
on the Miles top ten reinvigorated my interest in 'Kind of Blue.' It
truly is an amazing thing. You almost can't explain what makes it so
incredible. The album has such a mystique, such a beauty, that words
alone can't describe the listening experience to one who hasn't
delved into it's cave.
Peter the great
- Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 00:00:26 (EST)
wolfman, I'm definently going to replace Stan Getz and maybe Sidney Bechet.
Some new people I had in mind were
Dave Brubeck
Lionel Hampton
Sarah Vaughan
Fletcher Henderson
Django Reinhardt
I'll add Boplicity, I don't know why I forgot to do that.
Peter, the thing about that list is Lew decided to keep that as a "subpage" list,
which means there won't be any updates or anything like that, although I might
do what you requested. Thanks.
Alvin
- Monday, December 20, 2004 at 21:10:17 (EST)
Also Alvin, on your top columbia albums list, you may want to
replace "Satch Plays Fats." A fine tribute album, but that's exactly
what it was: a tribute album. I recommend something like "Monk's
Dream" as it's replacement.
Peter the great
- Monday, December 20, 2004 at 20:13:34 (EST)
why are there no jazz guitarists on this list?
tough critic
- Monday, December 20, 2004 at 09:35:50 (EST)
Also, one vibraphonist in this list would it complete. Try rolling
around Lionel Hampton in your mind.
wolfman
- Monday, December 20, 2004 at 02:48:22 (EST)
That's a very good call, Peter. For as exapnsive as Miles' repertoire
remains, having half of the listed songs from only one album is too
limited. And no mention of anything from BIRTH OF THE COOL!!!
Alvin,
Highly recommend that you add "Boplicity" to the list, perhaps
replacing "Blue in Green". I also recommend to his list "Miles Ahead"
(from MILES AHEAD) and "Concierto de Aranjuz" (SKETCHES OF SPAIN).
Truly, attempting to encapsulate/recommend an artist in terms of 10
songs is challenging and perhaps should not be approached. Having
their 10 greatest albums aligned with them is certainly helpful, but I
understand your wanting to post an original list with selections that
haven't been named previously in other lists (i.e. Greatest Jazz
Albums, whatever).
Great artist selections though, especially the ever controversial
Ornette Coleman. If you were to get even more radical, I would
applaud an Cecil Taylor mention ... however, he stands in a class all
in his own, and without very much influence sadly (the man who truly
created the avant-garde).
I'm such a MONEY JUNGLE fan, that I have to give a shout out for
Ellington's "Caravan" to make the list. Truly, a song that made
Ellington set lists for years, but on that particular album, the Duke
really stood up to his upstart sidemen.
Also, while certainly a 'crowd-pleaser', I would not mention "Mack the
Knife" twice (w/ Satchmo and Ella). In fact, I would not mention it
all. While uplifting (oddly considering the lyrics), this is a jazz
list, so I would not mention songs that Bobby Darin made famous.
But not a bad start Alvin. Continue onwards!
wolfman
- Monday, December 20, 2004 at 02:45:58 (EST)
I just noticed I forgot to include "Mack the Knife" in Louis Armstrong's top 10.
Alvin
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 22:58:38 (EST)
Peter, glad you like the list. I was wondering about Miles top 6 too. I might take
"Flamenco Sketches" off and replace it with "Someday My Prince Will Come".
Glad you like the record label list too.
Alvin
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 16:39:37 (EST)
Also, I love the record companies list. I had actually been
contemplating what labels were the best, and you completely read my
mind Alvin!
Peter the great
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 15:56:50 (EST)
FINALLY a top song list for each artist. Overral, a very nice start
Alvin, now all we have to do is refine it around the edges.
The one main problem I see is artists being contained by their most
legendary album. The best example is my man Miles. Five out of the
top six selections are from 'Kind of Blue,' with the top four all
belonging to that monumental album. Now, we all know Kind of Blue is
the greatest Jazz album of all time, but to take an artist like Miles
and confine his top songs to that sole album is very limited.
Granted, he is by far the toughest artist to confine to ten songs,
but I'd recommend giving him the same treatment you gave 'Trane.
Overlook all his albums and innovations, and what songs defined that.
Peter the great
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 15:50:48 (EST)
Although Dave Brubeck is another consideration for replacement.
Alvin
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 13:16:16 (EST)
Chris, thanks! I was thinking about Sarah Vaughan and Flecther Henderson
myself. I would probably replace Stan Getz and MAYBE Bechet. But you would
need to help me with Fletcher Henderson's 10 greatests, although I can
probably pull off Sarah Vaughan. Thanks again.
Alvin
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 13:00:40 (EST)
Alvin,
Great List!You did a great job at picking 20 Jazz greats that really
define the sound. Your top 10 for Holiday and Benny Goodman is
basically exactly what I would have chosen. The only artist that I
would say is missing is Sarah Vaughan , but then again who she could
replace is hard to say. Excellent job!
Chris F.
- Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 12:39:53 (EST)
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