Results for "Top Ten List"

The Ten Best Jazz Christmas Albums Of All Time

by Peter J. Hoetjes
December 5, 2023

As temperatures drop and days grow short, Winter is once again upon us. For those looking to listen to the sounds of the season without resorting to December's relentless slew of glossy, generic cash-grabs, jazz can be a breath of fresh, wintry air. You won't find (many) singers on this list, since most people already know ...

Top Ten Lee Morgan Recordings

by Jason Innocent
September 3, 2023

These albums represent a diverse range of Lee Morgan's musical output and showcase his virtuosity, innovation, and contribution to jazz trumpet. The Sidewinder Blue Note Records 1963 Morgan's most famous and commercially successful release is this album. It features the catchy title track, which became a major hit and ...

Duke Ellington's Top Ten Albums

by DIG 9000
July 29, 2023

Duke Ellington, the legendary jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader, released numerous albums throughout his illustrious career. It's challenging to narrow down his extensive discography to just ten, but here are some essential Duke Ellington albums that showcase his incredible talent and contribution to jazz: Ellington at Newport Columbia Records 1956 ...

Jazz For The Serious Connoisseur

by Phillip A. Haynes
March 1, 2023

In tackling this top ten list for serious students of jazz, the focus was on works that shocked and intrigued upon first and successive listens, striving to understand their meaning, materials, historical context, and influence on contemporary improvisation. “Blackbird" (1980) by Bobby McFerrin, The Voice (Elektra, 1984) When released, McFerrin's astounding virtuosity ...

Dan McClenaghan's Top Jazz Recordings of 2022

by Dan McClenaghan
December 5, 2022

The top jazz recordings of 2022, in no particular order. Justin MorellExit Music For Intelligent Life On Earth Sonic Frenzy Records A provocative and beautiful guitar and drums album. Guitarist Justin Morell has teamed with drummer Mark Ferber (see postscript concerning Ferber at the end of this article) to construct ...

Bill Frisell As Leader: A Beginner's Guide

by Ian Patterson
March 16, 2022

To celebrate the publication of Bill Frisell, Beautiful Dreamer (Faber & Faber, 2022), Irish journalist Philip Watson's definitive biography of the Denver guitarist, All About Jazz presents this beginner's guide to Frisell's discography as leader. Half a dozen other albums could easily have made the list, but these selections attempt primarily to highlight the range of ...

Pat Martino Top Ten Albums: More Than Meets The Eye

by Ian Patterson
December 27, 2021

Hugely admired by his peers, guitarist Pat Martino never really enjoyed the high profile accorded the likes of John McLaughlin, John Abercrombie, Pat Metheny or John Scofield, though in that esteemed company the Philadelphian guitarist, who passed away in 2021, surely belongs. In a sixty-year career, interrupted for the guts of a decade by ...

Chris Greco

Born: July 19, 1959

Award-winning composer and performer Chris Greco has followed a path in music of discovery and accumulation. He has composed and performed a broad and diverse range of jazz music, classical chamber, and concert hall music. He draws from the music traditions of the past and the present within the worlds of jazz, non-western music, twentieth century music, American popular music, and the classical music traditions.

As a composer and multi-instrumentalist Greco's development was shaped in Los Angeles. Guided by a broad approach he explored a variety of jazz styles, groups, and changing instrumental formats; duo, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, and large ensembles

Dan McClenaghan's Best Jazz Recordings of 2021

by Dan McClenaghan
December 3, 2021

The top jazz recordings of 2021, in the order in which they were encountered... Aki Takase / Christian Weber / Michael Griener Auge Intakt Records The ever mercurial Japanese-born, Berlin-based pianist Aki Takase presents her take on the piano trio. Teaming with bassist Christian Weber and drummer Michael Griener, she ...

Top Jazz-Rock Fusion Recordings

by Douglas Groothuis
April 27, 2021

The emergence of jazz-rock fusion in American music in the late 1960s was controversial. To some, those who played it were traitors to the cause of jazz. Others thought it has saved jazz from extinction. Sometime in the 1960s, rock had eclipsed jazz in popularity in America, and many jazz aficionados were none too happy about ...