The Best Jazz Music Ever
Listen to the best jazz music ever created by some of the most talented musicians in the world.
Introduction
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression.It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals,
polyrhythms and improvisation.
The Best Jazz Songs of All Time
Jazz is a musical style that first originated in the African-American communities in the early 20th century. Jazz has since then gone on to become one of the most popular and influential musical genres in the world. Jazz is characterized by aunique and complex blend of improvised melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. If you’re a fan of Jazz music, then you’re in for a treat. In this article, we will be counting down the best Jazz songs of all time.
“Mood Indigo” by Duke Ellington
“Mood Indigo” is a 1933 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Barney Bigard and Irving Mills. One of the first vocal recordings to become a jazz standard, it was sung by Ivy Anderson on Ellington’s October 2, 1933 recording. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
The tune was originally entitled “Dreamy Blues”, and was first recorded by Ellington and his Washingtonians on February 2, 1930. The first recording under the name “Mood Indigo” was made by Ellington and his orchestra on October 2, 1933, with vocals from Ivie Anderson. It was released as a single (Victor 24624) in 1934, backed with “Soothe Me”. The song became one of Ellington’s signature tunes and one of the most popular songs of the 1930s. It sold over a million copies, and was featured in several films such as “Birth of the Blues” (1941) and “Cabin in the Sky” (1943).
“Take the ‘A’ Train” by Billy Strayhorn
“Take the ‘A’ Train” is a jazz standard composed by Billy Strayhorn that was first recorded by Duke Ellington and his orchestra in 1941. The song is considered one of the most recognizable and iconic tunes in all of jazz, and has been covered by countless artists over the years. It remains an essential part of the jazz repertoire and continues to be performed regularly by both professional and amateur musicians alike.
“All Blues” by Miles Davis
All Blues is a composition by Miles Davis first appearing on the seminal 1959 album Kind of Blue. It is harmonically based on the twelve-bar blues progression and is famous for its use of modality in place of chord changes. Slightly over six minutes in length, “All Blues” is one of the longest tracks on the album. The piece features solos by each member of the sextet: Davis, alto saxophonist Paul Chambers, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and bassist Wynton Kelly.
“So What” by Miles Davis
“So What” is a jazz composition by Miles Davis first appearing on the 1958 Miles Davis album Kind of Blue. The piece is written in the 32-bar form and composed by Miles Davis with arrangement by Gil Evans. It features modal jazz, something that Davis had begun to explore with his ensemble on the album Milestones (1958).
The structure of “So What” is based around two different chord progressions. The A section is based around D−7, G7, C7, and D−7, while the B section is based around E♭−7, A♭7, D♭7, and E♭−7. The melody for “So What” was originally conceived as a scat solo for improvisation.
While both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley play tenor saxophone on “So What”, only Adderley’s part was recorded. Recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder placed Adderley’s microphone in front of Coltrane’s amplifier to capture some of his spill; this can be heard most prominently on the opening bars.
“My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane
Considered one of the most influential saxophonists of all time, John Coltrane was at the forefront of the jazz world in the 1960s. His seminal record “My Favorite Things” is a perfect example of his unique style and skill, and has become one of the most well-known jazz songs of all time.
The Best Jazz Albums of All Time
Jazz is a genre of music that originated in the African-American communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jazz music is characterized by swung notes, syncopated rhythms, and a call and response structure. Jazz has been called the “purest expression of American democracy”.
“Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis
Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” is not only one of the best jazz albums of all time, but also one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time. The album was recorded in 1959 and released in 1960, and it features legendary jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, and Paul Chambers. “Kind of Blue” is considered to be one of the most influential jazz albums ever recorded, and it has been cited as a major influence by many subsequent jazz musicians.
“Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane” by Thelonious Monk
One of the all-time great jazz albums, “Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane” is a essential part of any jazz collection. Recorded in 1957, the album features Monk on piano and Coltrane on saxophone, along with Wilbur Ware on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums. The foursome tackle a mix of Monk originals and standards, with Highlights including “Monk’s Mood,” “Hackensack,” and “Blue comet.”
“A Love Supreme” by John Coltrane
“A Love Supreme” is considered by many to be one of the best jazz albums of all time. Recorded in December 1964, the album features John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums.
The album is a suite divided into four parts: “Acknowledgement”, “Resolution”, “Pursuance”, and “Psalm”. Each part is a different movement within the suite, and each displays a different facet of Coltrane’s musical personality.
“Acknowledgement” is an up-tempo piece that starts with a motif that is stated four times by Coltrane before he launches into his solo. This motif serves as the foundation for the rest of the piece, which features some of Coltrane’s most inspired improvising.
“Resolution” is a ballad that starts with a solo piano introduction by McCoy Tyner. Tyner’s playing sets the mood for the rest of the piece, which features some beautiful interplay between Coltrane and Garrison.
“Pursuance” is another up-tempo piece, this time featuring a great solo from Jimmy Garrison. Garrison’s solo is followed by an equally impressive one from Coltrane, after which the band takes the piece out in exciting fashion.
“Psalm” rounds out the album with a beautiful arrangement of beds besides being one of several tracks to feature only one member of the band playing at any given time giving each musician room to shine.”
“Miles Smiles” by Miles Davis
Miles Davis’ “Miles Smiles” is widely considered to be one of the best jazz albums of all time. Released in 1966, the album features Davis’ quintet of the time, which included saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams.
The album is noted for its use of modal jazz, a type of jazz that uses modes instead of chord progressions. This allowed the musicians to have more freedom in their improvisations. “Miles Smiles” is also notable for its use of electronic instrumentation, which was still relatively new at the time.
If you’re a fan of jazz, or simply looking to get into the genre, “Miles Smiles” is definitely an album you need to check out.
“Blue” by Miles Davis
“Blue” is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, released on August 26, 1958 by Columbia Records. Recorded while Davis was recovering from a severe addiction to heroin, “Blue” marked his return to music after several years away from the spotlight. The album is notable for its sparse, atmospheric sound, which foreshadowed the musician’s later work in electronica and showns influence from contemporary avant-garde composers such as John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen.
The album was well-received by critics upon its release and has since been viewed as one of the essential recordings of the post-bop era. It is one of Davis’ best-selling albums, with sales of over four million copies in the United States alone. In 2003, “Blue” was ranked number 54 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best jazz music ever created is a highly subjective topic. What one person may consider to be the best, another may not. However, there are certain tunes and artists that are widely considered to be among the best in the genre. This list includes some of those tunes and artists.
