What are your top 5 favorite jazz songs (standards or other) of all time?

Question

...Or at least a few of the most memorable tunes that first come to mind -- not based on the performer, but more based on the lyrics and melody line. I'm starting a small jazz combo and it would be great to have a better idea of which songs people would really love to hear!

Answer 1

Red Clay- Freddie Hubbard

Lonnies Lament- John Coltrane

Cantalope Island- Freddie Hubbard

Fingerprints- Wayne Shorter

Take Five- Dave Brubeck

Answer 2

OK, so you want 5 crowd favorites then, right? These should be melodic and recognizable and at the same time, within a jazz idiom. These are the ones that I think work best, under 3 separate categories:

Standards for vocals/lyrics:
All of Me
Autumn Leaves
Body and Soul
How High the Moon
Have You Met Miss Jones

Instrumentals:
Blue Bossa
Four
I Can't Get Started
There Will Never Be Another You
Someday My Prince Will Come

Advanced:
A Night in Tunisia
All The Things You Are
Just Friends
On Green Dolphin Street
Invitation

Answer 3

God Bless The Child - Billie Holiday
Turn Me On - Norah Jones
A Tisket A Tasket - Ella Fitzgerald
Anything by Eva Cassidy
Good Morning Heartache - Billie Holiday

There are many more and some people may say these are not PURE jazz, but if you're in a band - this is the kind of stuff people LOVE to hear. Good Luck

Answer 4

Only five? What a tough question! Heres five of them.
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five
Duke Ellington - Take The A Train
Billie Holliday - God Bless The Child
Django Reinhart - Nuages
John Coltrane - In A Sentimental Mood

Want five more? Just kidding.

Answer 5

Watermelon Man
Maiden Voyage
Eyes of the Veiled Temptress
Nubian Woman
Bitches Brew

Answer 6

it can vary from time to time, but these 5 always do it for me:

1. "Angels" by Albert Ayler.

2. "Spanish Key" by Miles Davis.

3. "Bill's Hit Tune" by Bill Evans
(the pianist, not the sax player).

4. "Conference of the Birds" by Dave Holland.

5. "Meditations on Integration" by Charles Mingus.

there could, certainly, be others easily substituted/many more. these were what came to mind clearest/quickest at this moment in time. sorry if the above doesn't quite answer your question...

Answer 7

At this very moment, I would say...

1. Ghetto Lights, Bobby Hutcherson. this song is so amazing to me. As soon as I red your question I thought of two songs. This was the first one I thought of. Amazing band on this song, and the whole album is great too.

2. Orange Was the Color of Her Dress Then Blue Silk, Charles Mingus. the version on The Great Concert of Charles Mingus album is amazing. Jaki Byard and Mingus are telepathic with each other on that song.

3. The Inflated Tear, Roland Kirk. Kirk plays 3 saxophones at one time on this song, but its great to hear him play just one. He was a great soloists, and this song is a showcase for his soloing.

4. Spectrum, Andrew Hill. Hill was a real adventurous explorer of jazz, this song shows it. Eric Dolphy is great on it.

5. Florette Africane (the African Flower), James Newton. Great song. Great band. Great flute solo.

Answer 8

Pennies From Heaven
Robin's Nest
Star Eyes (it does have a version with lyrics)
Dinji
Sunny Side of the Street

Answer 9

I prefer Latin Jazz,the best:
1) Afro-cuban jazz suite(Chico O'Farrill)
2)Machito forever(Tito Puente)
3)Oye como va(Tito Puente)
4)For once in my life
5)Night and Day(Cole Porter)

Answer 10

In terms of vocal standards,
1.) "I'm in the Mood for Love"
2.) "Do Nothing Till you Hear from Me"
3.) "The Girl from Ipanema"
4.) "Our love is here to stay"
5.) "All of Me"

In terms of instrumental standards
1.) "Take Five"
2.) "Song for My Father"
3.) "All Blues"
4.) "Corcovado" ("Quiet Nights")
5.) "Take the A-Train"