This summer, we asked our listeners to answer a difficult question: Who is your favorite jazz artist of all time? Over 900 answers came in from all over the U.S, Canada, and Mexico, and as well as from places like Ghana, Serbia and Iran.
The top five artists with the most votes were very deserving of adoration: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck and Pat Metheny. Other well-loved performers included vocalist and trumpeter Chet Baker, pianist Thelonious Monk, and trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong.
Miles Davis
Experiencing his centennial this year, Miles Davis is a jazz trumpeter and composer widely considered to be one of the most influential figures in jazz music. He was known for his understated approach to trumpet improvisation, his innovative compositions, and his assemblage of legendary bands. Davis’ music, like Kind of Blue (1959), is many people’s first exposure to the music.
Those who responded with Davis as their favorite artist were spread across the world, conveying the broad impact of his music.
John Coltrane
Saxophonist, composer and bandleader John Coltrane would’ve also marked his 100th birthday this year. And, like Davis, he is one of the most iconic musicians associated with jazz, but his style differed dramatically. He was known for his intensity, as well as his prodigious technique that allowed for rapid lines and ear-stretching harmonies. Much of his work, particularly his boundary-pushing record A Love Supreme (1965) helped to define jazz and push it forward.
Based on the responses that came from multiple continents, he remains one of the most revered jazz musicians in the world.
Ella Fitzgerald
Vocalist Ella Fitzgerald is also a favorite of Jazz24 listeners. Known as the “First Lady of Song,” Fitzgerald performed for nearly 60 years with countless iconic bands and artists including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie. With a pristine, clear voice, excellent intonation, and a virtuosic ability to scat, or improvise with her voice, she continues to be a much-studied and appreciated icon of the style.
Fitzgerald’s fans are scattered all over the world. Some respondents conveyed their intimate knowledge of her work by simply submitting “Ella.”
Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck, the great “West Coast jazz” pianist and composer known for his song “Take 5,” which is written with an unusual meter that gave it a jaunty feel. Declared a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress before his death in 2012, Brubeck’s distinctive rhythmic and harmonic approaches helped popularize jazz in the 1950s and 1960s.
Listeners who responded with Brubeck’s name live everywhere from Amsterdam to Brazil.
Pat Metheny
In 1975, guitarist and composer Pat Metheny released his debut record, Bright Size Life, reshaping the tradition of jazz guitar with his lyrical playing and harmonically rich compositions. By far the most modern jazz musician on this list, Metheny is still recording and touring with a wide array of collaborators, from jazz musicians like Ornette Coleman, Jim Hall, and Herbie Hancock to pop icon David Bowie.
Metheny entries came from Jazz24 listeners from all across the globe — even more so than some of the jazz giants with more votes. Votes for Metheny spanned North America, Europe, and South America.
Bridging diverse locations and cultures, Davis, Coltrane, Fitzgerald, Brubeck, and Metheny transcend musical and geographic boundaries. Their far-reaching popularity shows just how universal a language jazz can be.
More about Jazz24:
A service of KNKX Public Radio, Jazz24 is a 24/7 jazz streaming service, playing a diverse range of jazz artists, including foundational luminaries like Miles Davis and Billie Holiday, as well as contemporary greats like Diana Krall and Wynton Marsalis.
Jazz24 is accessible via Jazz24.org, the Jazz24 mobile app, third-party apps including TuneIn, myTuner, Airable, and Grace Digital, as well as your smart speaker. Jazz24 is made possible by the generous support of listeners.
