Top Ten List
The Infinite Groove: Top 10 Classic Jazz Marathons
by Michael Ricci
Classic Jazz | Prog Rock While the “3-minute single" was the rule for radio, the jazz world of the mid-20th century operated on a different internal clock. With the arrival of the Long Play (LP) record, jazz musicians finally had the “room" to let their ideas breathe. This era gave birth to the extended jam, often referred to as a “blowing session," where the primary goal was to capture the spontaneous telepathy of a group of virtuosos. These ...
Continue ReadingThe Grand Sonic Journey: Top 10 Progressive Rock Epics of All Time
by Michael Ricci
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a musical revolution occurred when rock musicians decided the standard three-minute pop format was no longer enough. Enter progressive rock--a genre characterized by boundless ambition, virtuosic musicianship, and a sheer fearlessness when it came to track length. Bands fused rock and roll with classical structures, jazz improvisation, and avant-garde experimentation to create sprawling, multi-part suites that often required an entire side of a vinyl record. These extended compositions, typically running anywhere ...
Continue ReadingThe Ten Best Jazz Christmas Albums Of All Time
by Peter J. Hoetjes
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 and have records by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Karen Carpenter, and more. Instead, I've put together jazz's greatest Christmas albums from the ...
Continue ReadingBest Jazz Christmas Songs Of All-Time
by Ken Hohman
While moldy Christmas songs and great jazz seem as compatible as egg nog and Tanqueray, there have been instances where the planets have aligned to create songs that display the best of both genres. Ten instances, to be exact, and you'll find them below. Do you agree? Then post your holiday toast to my list. Don't agree? Post the all-time best Christmas jazz songs of your choice in the comments section below. I will save a special lump of coal ...
Continue Reading50 Years Later: 10 Jazz Albums from 1975 That Deserve Another Spin
by Kyle Simpler
1975 was a landmark year for music, marked by several outstanding album releases. Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks (Columbia), Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (Swan Song), Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here (Harvest), Frank Zappa's One Size Fits All (DiscReet) and Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow (Epic) were just a few of the titles that have since become classic albums. The year, however, was not entirely dominated by rock albums. 1975 was also an essential year for jazz. ...
Continue ReadingVersioning: The Top Ten Songs for Asking Someone “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?"
by Dean Nardi
Tin Pan Alley is on West 28th in NYC, between 5th and 6th Avenues, but it references much more than a location and a few buildings that are now designated as landmarks. This is where the magic was created by songwriters composing for the live theater on Broadway. The term “Tin Pan" was slang at the time for a “decrepit old piano." Almost all of the songwriters used the piano as their writing instrument as guitars were mainly for rhythm ...
Continue ReadingThe Timeless Sounds of Chet Baker: A Look at the Trumpeter and Vocalist’s Top Ten Songs
by AAJ Staff
Chet Baker, a name synonymous with cool jazz, left an indelible mark on the world of music with his evocative trumpet playing and hauntingly beautiful vocals. His career, spanning from the early 1950s until his untimely death in 1988, produced a wealth of recordings that continue to resonate with audiences today. In celebrating Baker's legacy, it's essential to highlight some of his most influential and beloved recordings. Here's a look at the top ten recordings that showcase the depth and ...
Continue ReadingTop Ten Lee Morgan Recordings
by Jason Innocent
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 is now considered a jazz standard. Cornbread Blue Note Records 1965 This album showcases Morgan's exceptional ...
Continue ReadingDuke Ellington's Top Ten Albums
by AAJ Staff
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 This live album is one of Ellington's most famous and significant recordings, featuring the iconic performance of “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" with an ...
Continue ReadingJazz For The Serious Connoisseur
by Phillip A. Haynes
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 represented the first revolution in scat since Ella Fitzgerald. His entertaining and breathtaking “man chorale" approach utilizes rapidly juxtaposed tessituras, changeable vocal characters, integrated ...
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