Richard Gilbert-Cross, Author at Best of Jazz

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All posts by “Richard Gilbert-Cross”

The Best Charles Mingus Albums

Is there another jazz legend with a discography as far-reaching and ambitious as Charles Mingus? His influence extended beyond traditional jazz, reaching into other genres like avant-garde, experimental, and contemporary classical music. Not to mention his powerful political songs, blues-tinted bops and gospel-tinged classics.

The 10 Best British Jazz Albums

Jazz is an American art form, and its roots are deeply embedded in the history and culture of the United States. However, across the pond, there has long been a thriving jazz scene, played out in smoky bars from The Shim Sham to The Flamingo Club and Ronnie Scott’s. From the swinging sounds of the 1960s to the jazz fusion revival of recent years, these 10 best British jazz albums reflect the depth and diversity of the British jazz scene, showcasing the immense talent and originality of some of its renowned musical stars.

The Best Thelonious Monk Albums

Thelonious Sphere Monk was a pioneer of modern jazz music. Known for his eccentricity and improvisational impishness, Monk’s performances said as much with their silences as the raw chords that dominated some of the more stripped-back ballads.

Monk was also one of the most prolific composers in the history of jazz. Throughout his career, he recorded albums for labels including Blue Note, Prestige Records, and Riverside Records. Somehow, we’ve managed to unpick all of those releases to find The Mad Monk’s 10 of the best.

The 10 Best Bill Evans Albums

Bill Evans’ greatest talent was his unparalleled ability to convey emotion through his music. What stands out most about listening to his records today is the emotional breadth his piano reaches. Evans had depth in a way no other jazz musician did. His mature style, nuanced touch and widely imitated sound have left an indelible mark on the jazz landscape. Today, we revisit the 10 albums that put Bill Evans on the jazz map forever.

The 10 Best Jazz Pianists

Here we celebrate the virtuosity, innovation and (sometimes frustrating) brilliance of jazz pianists. Throughout over a century of the genre, the piano has been a canvas for former child prodigies, creative geniuses and unconventional boundary pushers.

There have been so many incredible jazz pianists who have left an enduring mark on the genre over the years. Therefore, it is very difficult to leave out masters of the craft such as Bill Evans, Bud Powell, Fats Waller, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, plus countless others.

One, then, must resort to personal preference. It is with this that we present 10 of the very best jazz pianists to have graced the ivories.

The 10 Best Jazz Bassists

The bass has a unique and crucial role in the world of jazz. It’s not just about providing the foundation for the rhythm section; the bass must be a beating pulse for the sound, adding melody and crafting narratives whilst redefining the boundaries of the instrument.

In this list, we pay tribute to 10 of the best jazz bassists ever to pluck the four strings.

Best of Miles Davis Albums

Miles Davis was a transformative figure in the world of jazz, pushing boundaries and frequently reinventing the genre throughout his career. From his early bebop recordings in the 1940s to his groundbreaking explorations of modal jazz, fusion, and electronic music in the following decades, Davis constantly challenged conventions and created innovative and influential music.

His talent as a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader, combined with his restless spirit of experimentation, solidified his status as one of the most important and iconic figures in the history of jazz.

Here we tackle the most unenviable of tasks: the 10 best Miles Davis albums.

Best of John Coltrane Albums

John Coltrane, a towering figure in the realm of jazz, left an indelible mark on the music world with his revolutionary approach and boundless creativity. From his early days as a sideman with luminaries like Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis to his prolific career as a bandleader, Coltrane pushed the boundaries of jazz and redefined its possibilities.

The 9 Best Jazz Clubs in New York

The Big Apple and jazz music go together like Paris and expressionist art. New Yorkers have listened to jazz in smoky late-night clubs since the early 1900s. While cigarette smoke may have vacated the premises in 2002, jazz in The City That Never Sleeps is still going strong, having endured now for over a century.

African Americans led the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, birthing musicians such as Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong. Spots such as The Cotton Club and Carnegie Hall survived prohibition, mob rule, and segregation to deliver jazz to flappers, gangsters, budding musicians, tourists, and of course, late-night revelers looking to dance.

Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool

When Miles Davis began recording Birth of the Cool he was only twenty-one years old. Recorded in the sacred period between the post-hard bebop era and the ‘cool jazz’ movement, the album is a listening necessity. Yet, the record was actually recorded eight years before its timely release. Seen as a key piece of recorded music at the end of the 1940s, the seminal record actually had a massive influence on the period of jazz music that followed its release in 1957.