I was very surprised to see Billie Holiday at #9, then I reevaluated the title of this video, she's a jazz singer and not musician, so good she made the list at all. She's definitely the best female jazz singer ever
Excellent list Watchmojo. I know most people aren't interested in a list about jazz music. But I appreciate this list as a huge fan of jazz music. Thanks for doing this!!
We do these lists knowing that they wont get HUGE numbers, but we like doing something nice for the minority of fans who are really passionate and appreciative. Signed, KG
Sometimes people don't realise how influential prior musicians are. If they give this list a watch I bet their ears will pick up sounds, music and songs that they recognise but had no idea how or where from. Until now.
Speaking the Truth Yeah. I am glad to see people at my school doing Jazz Band. I really like playing and listening to Jazz myself. Most of my friends think that Jazz is just a ton of noise, or that all Jazz is like Smooth Jazz. I like Smooth Jazz but there are many different subgenres of Jazz; you just have to find the type that you like most.
Speaking the Truth It really depends on the type of jazz in my opinion. Modern jazz is often arcane. I personally think Charlie Parker and Coltrane are very over-rated. While Blue Train is decent Giant steps is really not my cup of tea. There is a reason Lee Morgan and Duke Ellington enjoyed more mainstream popularity. They captured the essence of jazz while remaining melodic, rhythmic, and above all simplistic.
Bailey Glassford Haha. Coltrane is my fav of all time ! overrated, no. He got so many classics: Giant Steps, My Favorite Things, A Love Supreme. Also Olé Coltrane and Blue Train. But my favorite one is definitely Coltrane's Sound. So underrated. And Charlie Parker, pioneer of be-bop. But yeah it's true, it depends of the type. People often dislike brass instrument. Free Jazz also I guess.
Damn. Through my father, the first musical genre I was introduced to was jazz, and it has been with me all of my life. Miles, Baker, Coltrane, Mingus, Wynton, Parker, Dizzy, NHØP, Petersen, Garland, Jarret, Corea, Hancock, Petrucianni and so on, genuinely changed my life. However, even though Mojo's list is excellent, and I am genuinely excited about you doing a jazz list, you have omitted one person, who ought not to be omitted. Bill Evans.
GeoCoppens half the soul!! Tuh Billie Holliday couldn’t express the feeling of love that or heartbreak the way Ella could. Billie was amazing she had a interesting phrasing and a bittersweet tone but it just doesn’t compare to Ella’s. She beat every jazz singer on the charts and won awards and accolades for her artistry. She was Frank Sinatra’s female singer, Bing Crosby said “Man, woman or child Ella is the greatest of the all” he’s been around to hear many greats, Peggy Lee said “The greatest jazz singer of our time. The standard by which each of us are measured”. This praise isn’t just given it’s earned. Billie has a lot of praise too but I feel like she is over praised by people nowadays, sometimes as if she was the only jazz singer of the 20th century when everyone who lived then knew better!
Pedro Bertolucci right. He did record a couple tunes on alto, but the tenor and soprano was his claim to fame. I’m sure he played the flute and piano because he was a musical God.
This list isn't bad. But Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Mary Lou Williams deserve some mention on this list. ALso Herbie should be a lock for top 10. He has had 3 genre defining hits throughout his career.
I personally would like to see Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock on this list, but I guess the question is who do you take out? Both are incredibly influential on modern jazz, with Herbie's influence stretching as into funk and hip-hop.
As a former musician, I'm with some of the others here. No Goodman, no Prima, no Miller, no Ella, no Krupa, not even Herb Alpert or Al Hirt. I get that jazz has so many influential folks to narrow down and I'll agree on Ellington and Louie, but even Basie didn't make the cut. How Basie not make the cut?
The thing I don't like about this list, is that jazz in it's diversity is not really justified by a list about ALL jazz. I would prefer a separation between swing jazz, hot jazz, cool jazz etc. There could easily be separate lists for pianists, reeds, brass players, male singers and female singers. We are not doing justice to these great people in the list, and that didn't make the list.
The one mistake I noted: John Coltrane played tenor sax (as well as soprano), not alto. Loved this however, Pops definitely deserves the #1 spot for his influence.
John Coltrane is known for his tenor saxophone AND soprano saxophone play, not alto. Also Ella Fitzgerald deserves at least a honorable mention here . Thanks for the list.
My Top 10: 1. Miles Davis 2. Duke Ellington 3. Nina Simone 4. Luis Armstrong 5. Charles Mingus 6. Billie Holiday 7. John Conltrane 8. Charlie Parker 9. Max Roach 10. Oscar Peterson
Andre Daniel Fair enough, but I wasn't listing the top 10, I was listing my top 10. I agree that in musical circles, Luis is considered more influential that Miles, Duke and Nina, but I was listing the top 10 jazz musicians who influenced my tastes in music. In that list, Miles Davis is #1. In fact, as a bass player, I'd say it was hard to put Luis Armstrong ahead of Charles Mingus. Out of curiosity, what would your top 10 be?
1. Louis Armstrong 2. Miles Davis 3. Charlie Parker + Dizzie Gillespie (cause both have important contribution for bebop) 4. Benny Goodman 5. John Coltrane 6. Bill Evans 7. Duke Ellington 8. Ella Fitzgerald 9. Oscar Peterson 10. Dave Brubeck + Paul Desmond (both were like peas & carrot) That pretty much it :)
Kenny M I completely agree she’s a legendary artist but then again they didn’t put sonny Rollins, count Basie, dexter Gordon, or frank Sinatra who are also legends in there own rights
I agree with your point and would add that Armstrong's great musical ability and pioneering use of improvised solos help make him deserving of the #1 position.
Nat king Cole shouldn't even be in this list!!! u guys r crazy. Stan Getz, Charlie Mingus, Anthony braxton, , Bill Evans, Wynton Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, Albert Ayler....Lester Bowie, Duke Ellington, Jaco Pastorius, Count Basie.....just to name a few u seem to have forgotten!!!!!!
Actually, I really don't care if I couldn't agree with watchmojo rankings, I am just happy and thankful you guys did this list. Because the best jazz musician depends on the listener in my opinion as there are so many good contributors on the various styles of jazz that who's the first doesn't really matter.
Thank you so much for this list. I am an obsessed fan of all thing jazz, and i just really appreciate this list for those just being introduced to this important music.
How could guys not include Django Reinhardt in this list? He is one of the best guitar players of all time, he was the first influential European jazz musician and he set the standard for jazz guitar.
Lol django was a jazz guitar virtuoso, but they forgot the inventor jelly roll morton and dounder of jazz buddy bolden. They have no clue about jazz , this yt channel…😂😂😂😂😂😂
@Carter. What I think watch mojo is trying to refer to is superimposition of standard chord changes. Though trying to explain superimposition to the general public is like the equivalent of explaining rocket science. So I guess "playing multiple chords at once" is the dumbed down version of superimposition.
super imposition is not rocket science. Rocket science is highly complicated. Super imposition is not. Can you lay a transparent blanket on a bedsheet? Then you can grasp imposition.
WatchMojo.com i believe he's talking about his name being lois armstrong and he plays jazz then there's lace armstrong who is a famous bicyclist and then there was neil armstrong the famous astronaut on the moon landing.
LinktoLinkGamer I think this is the nicest apology I've ever gotten, and for a comment that wasn't rude at all. :) Don't worry, I was very happy to see that at least one person got the reference, and I couldn't answer as quickly. :)
I feel Art Blakey should get an honorable mention because he trained a lot of the younger guys and turned then into legends. Same goes for Ben Pollack. Also I think Fletcher Henderson and Glenn Miller should be here too. Watch Mojo please do a biggest jazz acts list? Thanks.
I love Louis with all my heart and soul, and he's without a doubt worthy of all the praise he's gotten, but if you ask me, Miles Davis should've been number 1. He changed the face of jazz. Twice. From "Kind of Blue" taking cool and modal jazz to the front lines to further stretching the bounds with "In A Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew" with psychedelic sounds, solidifying jazz fusion as a genre. He without a doubt is one of the most, if not the most, versatile musicians in the jazz world. That's my opinion.
1.parker 2.miles 3.Coltrane 4.monk 5.bill evens 6.duke Ellington 7.oscer Peterson 8.chick 9.herbie 10.art Blakey and the Jazz messengers (as a collective) A bit of rough list but I personally think this is more accurate
Good list, shocked that Ella didn't make it (for those wondering she just missed the cut at 11 on the poll) Might i suggest a second list. It might fill out the portrait of jazz better as well as remove the sting of seeing Ella, Nina Simone and Dave Brubeck not make it
Of course it's incomplete, but here's my shot at a list: 1. Louis Armstrong 2. Charlie Parker 3. Duke Ellington 4. Miles Davis 5. John Coltrane 6. Lester Young 7. Thelonious Monk 8. Dizzy Gillespie 9. Herbie Hancock 10. Coleman Hawkins
In no particular order where were Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, Sarah Vaughn, Lionel Hamilton, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, and most importantly where was ELLA FITZGERALD!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
This is the best top 10 list ive ever seen in Watchmojo. Damn that was fantastic. well, Im not really a fan of jazz music, i just started listening to them, but this list makes me wanna know a whole lot of jazz music. THank you for that. :)
My top ten most important composer/musicians in order of their contribution to the music known as Jazz: 10- Buddy Bolden 09- Louis Armstrong 08- Duke Ellington 07- Benny Goodman 06- Django Reinhardt 05- Charlie Parker 04- Dizzy Gillespie 03- Thelonious Monk 02- Dave Brubeck 01- Miles Davis
Hi! My Name is Mud If you're into guitar jazz Lenny Breau, Joe pass, Django Reinhardt Both 3 completely different jazz artists but very amazing in their own way.
Sounds great, if you want to be impressed even more be sure to check them out, (more then one song, don't be that person who checks one song then gives up lol.)
Why is there is no Bill Evans ?do you know how he creates such wonderful harmony voicings and how his techniques are timeless and are still useful and an influence for the young musicians up to this day..
Jaco Pastorius - Maybe the last great original jazz musician and composer to have influenced the whole jazz scene, and basically inventing how to play the fretless electric bass and opening new doors to fusion and big band...
It's Louis not Louie. Kind of Blue was not the start of cool jazz, it was Birth of the Cool nearly 10 years prior to Kind of Blue. Coltrane played the tenor and soprano sax not the alto. You really could've left Nat Cole off the list and included Mingus, Nat was more of a pop artist.
Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Andrew Hill, Bill Evans, Mc Coy Tyner, Sonny rollins, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Grant Green, Joe Henderson, Wes Montgomery, Jackie Mclean, Art Blakey and the gods Miles Davis and John Coltrane
Yutthapol Lim It is. thanks Trev Rank for replying. we will slowly but surely up that to 4-5, then 5-6 until we do 10 per day - whua-hahahahahah! Signed Mr X
Not only was this a highly enjoyable list, this was one of the few times I enjoyed looking through the comments in the comment section. Cheers, my friends.
