Search results
People also ask
What are the top 100 Jazz Songs of all time?
Are jazz songs still classics today?
What is the best-selling jazz record of all time?
What is the most recorded jazz standard of all time?
Sep 22, 2020 · There may be hundreds of incredible jazz songs out there, but most jazz fans and musicians would agree that a select group of those appear more often than most. In this article, we’ve chosen a selection of the most famous or, dare we say it, best jazz songs of all time with a classic and modern listening tip for each.
- 15 min
- Duke Ellington – Take the A Train. Written by Billy Strayhorn in 1940, who was inspired to compose the song after he wrote down directions of how to get to Harlem using New York’s subway system, “Take The A Train” was one of Duke Ellington’s biggest hits and also became his signature tune.
- Miles Davis – So What. The opening track on legendary trumpeter Miles Davis’ landmark 1959 album Kind Of Blue is one of the best-known examples of modal jazz.
- John Coltrane – Giant Steps. Most fans would agree John Coltrane’s classic LP is 1964’s suite-like A Love Supreme. His fifth album Giant Steps, however, was his first to feature all self-composed material and it remains a must-have record for all serious jazz fans.
- Charlie Parker – All The Things You Are. One of bebop’s prime architects, Kansas City-born Charlie Parker was famed for his lightning-fast alto saxophone solos but showed a more restrained side on this Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein tune he performed with Dizzy Gillespie in 1945.
NPR'S TOP 100 JAZZ SONGS OF ALL TIME · Playlist · 101 songs · 3.5K likes.
- 18 min
- 43
- Dave Brubeck, “Take Five” Dave Brubeck - Take Five. This song gets its name from the unusual 5/4 meter it’s written in. Brubeck’s saxophonist, Paul Desmond, wrote the song in 1959, in an era when most jazz was written in 4/4 or 3/4 time, making this a truly groundbreaking song.
- Miles Davis, “So What” Miles Davis - So What (Official Audio) One of the most famous and easily recognizable jazz songs, Davis and his band recorded all the tracks of this song in one take, after practicing the new song for only two days.
- Duke Ellington, “Take The A Train” Duke Ellington, "Take the A Train" Ellington, a standout of the Harlem Renaissance, penned this with collaborator Billy Strayhorn at the same time that the new A train subway line was pumping people and ideas all around Manhattan Island.
- Thelonious Monk, “Round Midnight” Thelonious Monk - 'round Midnight. Monk’s hit is the most recorded jazz standard of all time. Supposedly penned when he was just 18, Monk and his band recorded it eight years later.
- “Caravan” by Juan Tizol. “Caravan” is an American jazz song composed by Juan Tizol and infamous jazz legend Duke Ellington. While there are lyrics, written by Irving Mills, they are rarely sung.
- “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday. “Strange Fruit” was written by Lewis Allen and performed by Billie Holiday in 1939. Considered a classic in the jazz world, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its historical significance.
- “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone. “Feeling Good” was originally written for a musical, titled The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd. It was performed on stage in the UK in 1964, producing many famous songs, such as “The Joker” and “Who Can I Turn To?”.
- “My Funny Valentine” by Chet Baker. Another song originally created for a show, “My Funny Valentine” was composed for coming-of-age musical Babes in Arms.
Apr 5, 2019 · 1. Take Five. Dave Brubeck. 05:23. 2. So What (feat. John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley & Bill Evans) Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans. 09:22. 3. Take The "A" Train. Duke...
Apr 30, 2024 · 34 episodes Last updated on Apr 30, 2024. Get ready to relax and unwind to the best jazz music of all time! Our Top 100+ Jazz Classics Playlist features the greatest hits from legendary...
