Top Ten Jazz Composers

[Pete C]

Interesting thread, but I'm amazed that the name Tadd Dameron was not mentioned more prominently. And no Count Basie?

Dameron, yes, but the Basie book had contributions and charts from lots of writers, and I don't know if Basie stands out as a writer.

[clinthopson]

Basie gets author or co-author credit on One O'clock Jump, John's Idea, Don't You Miss Your Baby, Every Tub, Blue and Sentimental, Jumpin' At The Woodside, Shorty George.

From what I've read, most of the early band's lines were heads.

I don't think he composed much after the rebirth.

[clinthopson]

At last count, there were 3,258,789 lines based on the changes to I Got Rhythm so George Gershwin has to be considered the greatest jazz composer.

Who could ask for anything more?

Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard come in second.

[John L]

nobody thinks bird was a composer?! really?

It's just that composing came too easy to Bird. He didn't even have to sit down and do it. That is no fair.

[rollhead]

Of those who haven't been mentioned yet:

Tom Harrell
Don Byron
Taylor Ho Bynum

[baksheesh]

Of those who haven't been mentioned yet:

Tom Harrell
Don Byron
Taylor Ho Bynum

I've never heard of any of those guys rollie.

What gives?

[Vince Kargatis]

What gives?

I dunno - there must be some odd lack of a network of interconnected computers over there that might otherwise fill you in. ; )

[randalljazz]

It's just that composing came too easy to Bird. He didn't even have to sit down and do it. That is no fair.

touché!

@ baksheesh...tom harrell is a fine trumpet player who seems to write much of what he plays...no newcomer, really...

from wiki:


Tom Harrell was born in Urbana, Illinois, and began playing the trumpet at age eight. He soon moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, and was gigging with local bands by age thirteen. In 1969 he graduated from Stanford University with a music composition degree[1] and joined Stan Kenton's orchestra, touring and recording with them throughout 1969.

After leaving Kenton, Harrell played with Woody Herman's big band (1970–1971), Azteca (1972), the Horace Silver[2] Quintet (1973–1977), the Sam Jones big band, the Lee Konitz Nonet (1979–1981), George Russell, the Mel Lewis Orchestra (1981), and Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra. In addition, he recorded albums with Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Ronnie Cuber, Bob Brookmeyer, Lionel Hampton, Bob Berg, Bobby Shew, among others. From 1983-1989 he was a pivotal member of the Phil Woods Quintet, with whom he toured the world and made many recordings.

Since 1989 Harrell has led his own groups; usually quintets but occasionally expanded ensembles such as chamber orchestra with strings and big bands. He has appeared at virtually every major jazz club and festival, and recorded under his own name for such record labels as Pinnacle, Blackhawk, Criss Cross, SteepleChase, Contemporary Records, Chesky, and RCA and Highnote. He received a Grammy nomination for his big band album, Time's Mirror.

Harrell is a prolific arranger and composer. He arranged for Vince Guaraldi's work on Peanuts, Carlos Santana, Arturo O'Farrill, Metropole Orchestra, Danish Radio Big Band, and Elisabeth Kontomanou, among others.

lots of youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=859DK...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiG1X...eature=related

[Xavier]

I was going to post Miles, but didn't, solely because he didn't actually write that much, although a lot of the stuff that he did write was brilliant - i.e. Solar, Donna Lee, Milestones, Circle etc.

Chuck Wayne wrote Solar - I believe that's described in Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz. Apparently, there's a recording of Wayne and Sonny Berman playing the tune long before Miles decided to put his name on it. I'd have to check the details. In any case, sounds like Miles was a bit of a klepto with jazz tunes - there are other cases.

[Pete C]

In any case, sounds like Miles was a bit of a klepto with jazz tunes - there are other cases.

Blue in Green, for one. But even Monk gets credit for tunes he didn't write, like Eronel.

See this thread.

http://speakeasy.jazzcorner.com/spea...read.php?t=853

[Jazzooo]

"At last count, there were 3,258,789 lines based on the changes to I Got Rhythm so George Gershwin has to be considered the greatest jazz composer."


Ah, so HE'S the reason jazz hasn't moved forward.

[Roland51]

Well I remember making a list out of boredom, but here are my top ten composers per instrument.

Saxophone

Wayne Shorter
Billy Harper
Bobby Watson
Charles Lloyd
Davide Binney
David Liebman
Miguel Zenon
Pharoah Sanders
Jan Garbarek
John Zorn

Guitar

Al Di Meola
John McLaughlin
John Scofield
Bela Fleck
Bill Frisell
Egberto Gismonti
John Abercrombie
Ralph Towner
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Pat Metheny

Bass

Charles Mingus
Omer Avital
Charlie Haden
Dave Holland
Eberhard Weber
Marcus Miller
Miroslav Vitous
Steve Swallow
Jaco Pastorius
Stanley Clarke

Piano

Herbie Hancock
Alice Coltrane
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Carl Bley
Gil Evans
Hermeto Pascoal
Joanne Brackeen
Horace Silver
Joe Zawinul
Maria Schneider
McCoy Tyner

Drums

Jack Dejohnette
Brian Blade
Eric Harland
Manu Katche
Marilyn Mazur
Max Roach
Paul Motian
Wolfgang Haffner
Tony Williams
Ginger Baker

Trumpet

Dave Douglas
Don Cherry
Kenny Wheeler
Miles Davis
Terence Blanchard
Tom Harrell
Freddie Hubbard
Lee Morgan
Wynton Marsalis
Charles Tolliver

[Pete C]

Well I remember making a list out of boredom, but here are my top ten composers per instrument.

I don't understand the rationale for the taxonomy.

[LennyH]

Apparently, there's a recording of Wayne and Sonny Berman playing the tune long before Miles decided to put his name on it.

I doubt that Miles had anything to do with it (although admitting that I don't know whether there might be evidence to the contrary). Labels were very sloppy about such things.

Another example: Sonny Rollins should not have gotten credit for St. Thomas. He fully admits that he didn't write it.

[Roland51]

I don't understand the rationale for the taxonomy.

I can fill my entire top ten with only pianists but I have a lot of favorite composers who play different instruments. And Since each musician approaches their compositions on how they play I like this way better so I can see the differences in each individual player (If that makes any sense)

[clinthopson]

Nice list Roland51, but omitting Bill Evans and Antonio Carlos Jobim diminishes it.

[Roland51]

Yeah, I know, I am sure when I get a chance to listen to some of their records, my list will change

[Sergio Zamora]

Dunno about top ten, but Gianluigi Trovesi should certainly be in some list of great jazz composers.

[Uli]

Dunno about top ten, but Gianluigi Trovesi should certainly be in some list of great jazz composers.

He is on some list:

Henry Threadgill
Cecil Taylor
Anthony Braxton
Krzysztof Komeda
Edward Vesala
Gianluigi Trovesi
Leszek Kulakowski
Roscoe Mitchell
Charlie Mingus
Louis Moholo-Moholo

[walto]

Well I remember making a list out of boredom, but here are my top ten composers per instrument.


Piano

Herbie Hancock
Alice Coltrane
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Carl Bley
Gil Evans
Hermeto Pascoal
Joanne Brackeen
Horace Silver
Joe Zawinul
Maria Schneider
McCoy Tyner

I think that's eleven.

[Sergio Zamora]

He is on some list:

Indeed. Good list by Dennis (though never heard of Kulakowski)

How about John Carter?

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

He is on some list:

listS:

Duke Ellington/ Billy Strayhorn (it's the Duke's late work that puts him on top)
Thelonious Monk
Charles Mingus
Sun Ra
Ornette Coleman
Cecil Taylor
Anthony Braxton
John Zorn
Henry Threadgill
Gianluigi Trovesi

[randalljazz]

a list of guitar composers without wes? really?!

[walto]

A lot of my favorites have been mentioned. But I don't think I've seen Lenny Tristano.

[Xavier]

Jelly Roll Morton
James P. Johnson
Benny Golson
Tadd Dameron

[Xavier]

I doubt that Miles had anything to do with it (although admitting that I don't know whether there might be evidence to the contrary). Labels were very sloppy about such things.

Another example: Sonny Rollins should not have gotten credit for St. Thomas. He fully admits that he didn't write it.

I imagine Chuck Wayne would have appreciated the royalties on Solar, considering its "standard" status.

[Xavier]

Not only the royalties but also the recognition. It might have helped his career more than a bit.

[randalljazz]

a list of guitar composers without wes? really?!

as jake would say "i'm not in the habit of quoting myself", but...

if compositions that have become "jazz standards" is a measure of any worth, no other guitarist/composer is even in the running.

four on six
road song
west coast blues
jingles
full house
movin' wes

all covered by non-guitarists, and

far wes
cariba
bumpin'
twisted blues
D natural blues
leila
doujie
mr. walker
wes' tune

just sayin'...

[Pete C]

A past master often overlooked: Cal Massey
A present master often overlooked: Mario Pavone

[CraigP]

A past master often overlooked: Cal Massey
A present master often overlooked: Mario Pavone

I guess I need to listen to more of Pavone's work. I've heard his latest, Arc Suite, and thought it was well-crafted but not especially transcendent.