NFR -- Attention jazz addicts

[HatterDon]

I know you're out there. So, here's a questionnaire to fill in.

Who is the best EVER performer in these categories:

Trumpet/cornet
Baritone Sax
Trombone
Tenor Sax
Alto Sax
Soprano Sax [anyone who picks Kenny G will be reported to the Lack of Taste Ministry]
Clarinet
Upright Bass
Guitar
Violin
Piano
Organ
Vibes
Male vocalist
Female vocalist
Vocal Group
Small group/combo [formed before 1950]
Small group/combo [formed after 1950]
Big band [formed before 1950]
Big band [formed after 1950]

I'll be intrigued to see your entries. I certainly hope there are some.

[ImperialWhite]

I'd say I was more "jazz curious" (or "jazz hopeful") than a "jazz addict" but I'll certainly contribute to get some discussion going/inspiration to what to listen to next.

I've had Blue Train on loop this past week, so I humbly suggest:

Tenor sax - John Coltrane

I also love Django Reinhardt so:

Guitar - Django Reinhardt
Violin - Stéphane Grappelli

[HatterDon]

Here's mine:

Trumpet/cornet -- Louis Armstrong [Honorable mention to Miles Davis and Ziggy Elman]

Baritone Sax -- Gerry Mulligan

Trombone -- Bob Brookmeyer

Tenor Sax -- John Coltrane

Alto Sax -- Charlie Parker

Soprano Sax [anyone who picks Kenny G will be reported to the Lack of Taste Ministry] -- John Coltrane

Clarinet -- Benny Goodman [Honorable mention to Artie Shaw and Buddy DeFranco]

Upright Bass -- tie between Ray Brown and Charles Mingus

Guitar -- Barney Kessell or Charlie Byrd [depending on the day of the week]

Violin -- Stephane Grapelli

Piano -- Art Tatum or Thelonius Monk [I love Errol Garner, but he wasn't in their class]

Organ -- Jimmy Smith

Vibes -- Milt Jackson [honorable mention to Cal Tjader and Lionel Hampton]

Male vocalist -- Johnny Hartman [honorable mention to Nat Cole and Mel Torme]

Female vocalist -- Ella Fitzgerald. Sarah Vaughn is a close second, Billie Holiday is a close third. Nobody else anywhere NEAR those three

Vocal Group -- it's among the Hi-Los; Lambert, Hendrix, and Ross; the Mills Brothers, and the Pied Pipers

Small group/combo [formed before 1950] -- Benny Goodman Quartet/Quintet

Small group/combo [formed after 1950] -- MJQ or Miles Davis Nonette

Big band [formed before 1950] -- Tommy Dorsey Orchestra [with Harry James]

Big band [formed after 1950] -- Stan Kenton's Brass Choir

[sipwell]

I'd say I was more "jazz curious" (or "jazz hopeful") than a "jazz addict" but I'll certainly contribute to get some discussion going/inspiration to what to listen to next.

I've had Blue Train on loop this past week, so I humbly suggest:

Tenor sax - John Coltrane

I also love Django Reinhardt so:

Guitar - Django Reinhardt
Violin - Stéphane Grappelli

I second that. Always good to pick a Belgian, innit.

Trumpet: Dave Douglas
Male vocalist: Louis Armstrong

Female vocalist: Ella Fitzgerald

Piano: Uri Caine (currently still playing and brilliant) (older: Dave Brubeck)

Small Group (before 1950) Benny Goodman

Small Group after 1950: Masada


I am more into gypsy jazz than anything else. You have some pretty amazing stuff.

[TonyGilroy]

I'm not doing best but I'll give my favourites


Trumpet/cornet.....................Lee Morgan
Baritone Sax.........................Leo Parker
Trombone............................Vic Dickinson
Tenor Sax............................Dexter Gordon
Alto Sax..............................Charlie Parker
Soprano Sax........................Sidney Bechet
Clarinet...............................Sidney Bechet
Upright Bass........................Charles Mingus
Guitar................................Django Reinhardt
Violin..................................Claude Williams
Piano.................................Thelonious Monk
Organ................................Bill Doggett
Vibes.................................The damn thing makes an attrocious noise.
Male vocalist.......................Joe turner
Female vocalist...................Billie Holiday
Vocal Group.........................In Jazz? - They should all be drowned with the vibes player
Small group/combo [formed before 1950]....................Kansas City 6
Small group/combo [formed after 1950]......................John Coltrane's early 60s quartet.
Big band [formed before 1950]...................................Count Basie
Big band [formed after 1950]....................................Are there any?



 

[sipwell]

Big band [formed after 1950]....................................Are there any?



 

Brussels Jazz Orchestra is one. They do a lot of recordings of original scores nowadays for Hollywood productions

[HatterDon]

I'm shocked to see your choice for Tenor Sax, TG.

As for big band since 1950 -- Pete Rugolo, Young Thundering Herd, any of Stan Kenton's ensembles.

[TonyGilroy]

I'm sure there are modern big bands but none I've bothered listening to unless Gil Evans collaborations with Miles count.

Choosing favourites is fun - choosing best is a nonsense IMO.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I won't pretend that I know enough about Jazz to say who is the best ever. I'll happily submit my favorites for the instruments for which I have favorites.

Trumpet/cornet - Miles
Baritone Sax -
Trombone -
Tenor Sax - John Coltrane
Alto Sax - Charlie Parker
Soprano Sax [anyone who picks Kenny G will be reported to the Lack of Taste Ministry] - John Coltrane
Clarinet
Upright Bass - Mingus, but Jaco sure did wonders with the electric
Guitar - Sonny Sharrock
Violin
Piano - Ellington, Monk, Chick
Organ - Herbie Hancock
Vibes
Male vocalist - Hartman; and I really enjoyed Jack Bruce's work with Kip Hanrahan
Female vocalist - Ella Fitzgerald <----- I will say "best" here.
Vocal Group
Small group/combo [formed before 1950]
Small group/combo [formed after 1950] - Coltrane's bands, Miles' bands', Headhunters, Return to Forever
Big band [formed before 1950]
Big band [formed after 1950]

I hope we can credit the drummers as well - Max Roach and Elvin Jones come to mind immediately. Oooh! Buddy Rich! <------absolutely awesome!

I wish that I knew enough to feel qualified to name bests in all these categories.

[OldBrownShoe]

Oh not another one! Have not long done the annual Downbeat Readers' poll.

Favourites rather than best:

trumpet  louis armstrong, miles davis but also clark terry, paolo fresu
tenor dexter gordon, stan getz, john coltrane (when with miles)
alto  charlie parker, cannonball adderley, paul desmond, phil woods
baritone gerry mulligan
clarinet buddy de franco, benny goodman, anat cohen
guitar wes montgomery, django,kenny burrell, grant green, peter bernstein, herb ellis, barney kessel
trombone wycliffe gordon, bob brookmeyer
piano bill evans, thelonious monk, kenny barron,  chick corea, herbie hancock, oscar peterson
organ jimmy smith, barbara dennerlein
drums  jack dejohnnette, joe morello
bass ron carter, paul chambers
vibes milt jackson, gary burton
violin regina carter, stephane grapelli
male vocalist Jon Hendriks, mark murphy,gregory porter
female vocalist Billie, Sarah, Ella, cassandra wilson, dee bridgewater, dianne reeves

big band formed before 1950 count basie
favourite small groups dave brubeck quartet and miles davis quintets

[WhiteJC]

Who is the best EVER performer in these categories:

Trumpet/cornet

Baritone Sax
Trombone
Tenor Sax
Alto Sax
Soprano Sax [anyone who picks Kenny G will be reported to the Lack of Taste Ministry]
can I just say sax? -- Charlie Parker

Clarinet
Upright Bass -- mainly known for electric bass -- Stanley Clark
Guitar -- Larry Carlton
Violin
Piano
Organ -- Chick Corea
Vibes
Male vocalist -- Michael Franks -- you've got to hear his album dragonfly summer
Female vocalist
Vocal Group -- the inkspots
Small group/combo [formed before 1950] -- Dave Brubeck
Small group/combo [formed after 1950] --- Pat Metheny, I would also give an honourable  to Steely Dan but I know you'd cry foul but they are jazz inspired if not out and out jazz
Big band [formed before 1950]
Big band [formed after 1950]

[jms]

Greatest ever female vocalist.....Ella
Greatest living female jazz vocalist......Claire Martin

Now lets see who the 'real' jazz fans are  :dft012:

[NogoodBoyo]

Nice try, Big D, but what I know about jazz could be written on a corn flake.
Nogood "but I do know that scat comes from animals rear ends though, isit" Boyo

[Cambridge Pete]

Agree with HatterDon except for where is Roland Kirk

[HatterDon]

Agree with HatterDon except for where is Roland Kirk

I was going to have a category that read: Best player of several instruments at once, but then I figured he might be the only one.

[OldBrownShoe]

HatterDon, Does your House have lions? I love Roland Kirk. i bought my first album of his, a vinyl compilation, entitled Hip when I was about fifteen or sixteen. I completely wore it out. For a long time it was hard to get CDs of his here but that has been put right and I have about fifteen of the little treasures now with I am sure a few more to follow.

I made my list in a bit of a hurry and with about four thousand jazz CDs I don't fhink I did justice to some of my favourites. Often it depends upon the mood I am in. I have pretty much got every Miles Davis record commercially released and a good many concert or club recordings only found on the internet. Similarly with Bill Evans and Dave Brubeck. Current favourites are Roland Kirk and Thelonious Monk.

It is good to know there are quite a bunch of us jazzers in FOF!

[Crita]

I know you're out there. So, here's a questionnaire to fill in.

Who is the best EVER performer in these categories:

Just my favourites, I'm not as well listened as a lot of you, so I wouldn't begin to try to pick the best ever...

Trumpet/cornet - Miles Davis
Baritone Sax - Gerry Mulligan
Trombone - ?
Tenor Sax - John Coltrane
Alto Sax - Cannonball Adderley / Maceo Parker
Soprano Sax [anyone who picks Kenny G will be reported to the Lack of Taste Ministry] - ha ha, I think Kenny G is talented, but point taken
Clarinet - Benny Goodman
Upright Bass - Mingus. I recently bought an electric upright and man, my respect for these guys has gone up exponentially! Special mention to John Clayton and Christian McBride as my two favourite current players.
Guitar - George Benson / Anthony Wilson
Violin - ?
Piano - Bill Evans
Organ - Paul Schaffer?
Vibes - ?
Male vocalist - Harry Connick Jr
Female vocalist - Carmen McRae / Diana Krall
Vocal Group - ?
Small group/combo [formed before 1950] - Dave Brubeck Quartet
Small group/combo [formed after 1950] - Diana Krall - lineup changes a bit
Big band [formed before 1950] - Benny Goodman Orchestra
Big band [formed after 1950] - Harry Connick Jr Big Band

Any reason drummer wasn't listed as a category? I would have answered Buddy Rich or Gene Krupa.

That was fun - thanks for posting the questions HatterDon!  065.gif