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Top Big Band albums of all time

Separate: live, archival, soundtracks and scores
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Updated: 21 May
Average Ratings Reviews
Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music, Cover art
Let My Children Hear Music
Charles Mingus
4.06 7k 7,306 64 64
February 1972 Album
Third Stream Experimental Big Band
instrumental avant-garde energetic complex dense improvisation technical progressive
7k Ratings 64 Reviews 4.06 Average
渋さ知らズ [Shibusashirazu] - 渋星 (Shibuboshi), Cover art
渋星 (Shibuboshi)
Shibusashirazu 渋さ知らズ
3.98 3k 3,078 23 23
18 January 2004 Album
Experimental Big Band Jazz Fusion
Free Jazz Post-Bop Brutal Prog Jazz-Rock
epic dense chaotic manic complex rhythmic instrumental technical
3k Ratings 23 Reviews 3.98 Average
Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington's Far East Suite, Cover art
Duke Ellington's Far East Suite
Duke Ellington
3.93 4k 4,018 56 56
June 1967 Album
Big Band Progressive Big Band
Third Stream Progressive Big Band
suite instrumental energetic acoustic complex warm lush rhythmic
4k Ratings 56 Reviews 3.93 Average
The Sonny Criss Orchestra - Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool), Cover art
Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool)
The Sonny Criss Orchestra
3.94 1k 1,279 18 18
1968 Album
Progressive Big Band Post-Bop
Avant-Garde Jazz Modal Jazz
energetic melodic instrumental improvisation acoustic mysterious complex hypnotic
1k Ratings 18 Reviews 3.94 Average
The Jazz Composer's Orchestra - The Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Cover art
The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
3.92 2k 1,972 18 18
1968 Album
Experimental Big Band Free Jazz
Third Stream Conducted Improvisation Modern Creative
dense chaotic avant-garde complex instrumental ominous improvisation suspenseful
2k Ratings 18 Reviews 3.92 Average
Duke Ellington - Ellington at Newport, Cover art
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
3.89 3k 2,600 57 57
September 1956 Album
Big Band
Swing
energetic acoustic passionate instrumental nocturnal playful rhythmic party
3k Ratings 57 Reviews 3.89 Average
Duke Ellington - The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse, Cover art
The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse
Duke Ellington
3.85 947 947 10 10
February 1976 Album
Big Band
Progressive Big Band
suite instrumental acoustic uplifting melodic technical warm nocturnal
947 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.85 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.86 579 579 9 9
1958 Album
Vocal Jazz Big Band Standards
Swing Tin Pan Alley
playful lush romantic love orchestral soothing
579 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.86 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Ellington Uptown, Cover art
Ellington Uptown
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.84 2k 1,974 29 29
February 1953 Album
Big Band
Swing Progressive Big Band Hard Bop
acoustic instrumental urban technical playful energetic dense lush
2k Ratings 29 Reviews 3.84 Average
Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet - The Chicago Octet/Tentet, Cover art
The Chicago Octet/Tentet
Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet
3.86 210 210 3 3
1997 Album
Experimental Big Band European Free Jazz
instrumental improvisation manic energetic complex dense avant-garde noisy
210 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.86 Average
Gil Evans - The Individualism of Gil Evans, Cover art
The Individualism of Gil Evans
Gil Evans
3.81 913 913 12 12
September 1964 Album
Progressive Big Band Post-Bop
Cool Jazz Third Stream
atmospheric instrumental mysterious mellow suspenseful lush acoustic
913 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.81 Average
Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Vol. 1, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Vol. 1
Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington
3.81 858 858 17 17
1957 Album
Vocal Jazz Big Band
Standards
warm nocturnal improvisation rhythmic bittersweet passionate acoustic urban
858 Ratings 17 Reviews 3.81 Average
Duke Ellington - New Orleans Suite, Cover art
New Orleans Suite
Duke Ellington
3.81 799 799 13 13
May 1971 Album
Big Band
Swing
suite instrumental uplifting
799 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.81 Average
Carla Bley & Paul Haines - Escalator Over the Hill, Cover art
Escalator Over the Hill
Carla Bley & Paul Haines
3.77 2k 2,045 35 35
December 1971 Album
Experimental Big Band Third Stream
Jazz-Rock Opera Vocal Jazz Experimental Rock Progressive Rock
avant-garde surreal eclectic ominous quirky chaotic epic dissonant
2k Ratings 35 Reviews 3.77 Average
Sam Rivers - Crystals, Cover art
Crystals
Sam Rivers
3.79 1k 1,283 20 20
September 1974 Album
Free Jazz Experimental Big Band
Post-Bop Conducted Improvisation Jazz-Funk
improvisation chaotic energetic instrumental dense dissonant avant-garde passionate
1k Ratings 20 Reviews 3.79 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - ...and His Mother Called Him Bill, Cover art
...and His Mother Called Him Bill
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.80 1k 1,078 13 13
May 1968 Album
Big Band Swing
Third Stream
instrumental acoustic death mellow nocturnal complex melancholic improvisation
1k Ratings 13 Reviews 3.80 Average
Music Inc. - Music Inc., Cover art
Music Inc.
Music Inc.
3.82 186 186 4 4
April 1971 Album
Progressive Big Band Post-Bop
instrumental playful energetic improvisation triumphant complex uplifting technical
186 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.82 Average
Charlie Haden - Liberation Music Orchestra, Cover art
Liberation Music Orchestra
Charlie Haden
3.77 2k 1,702 29 29
January 1970 Album
Experimental Big Band
Third Stream Latin Jazz Flamenco Jazz Free Jazz Spiritual Jazz
avant-garde political protest complex triumphant martial improvisation passionate
2k Ratings 29 Reviews 3.77 Average
Horace Tapscott Conducting The Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra - The Call, Cover art
The Call
Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra
3.79 426 426 4 4
1978 Album
Experimental Big Band
Progressive Big Band Spiritual Jazz Vocal Jazz
energetic passionate dense mysterious rhythmic complex improvisation acoustic
426 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.79 Average
The Gil Evans Orchestra - Out of the Cool, Cover art
Out of the Cool
The Gil Evans Orchestra
3.77 2k 1,662 25 25
February 1961 Album
Progressive Big Band Cool Jazz
Third Stream
atmospheric instrumental mysterious acoustic eclectic technical improvisation playful
2k Ratings 25 Reviews 3.77 Average
Cecil Taylor Segments II (Orchestra of Two Continents) - Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants), Cover art
Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants)
Cecil Taylor Segments II (Orchestra of Two Continents)
3.79 426 426 2 2
1985 Album
Free Jazz Experimental Big Band
dissonant dense chaotic instrumental improvisation manic acoustic eclectic
426 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.79 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington, Cover art
Masterpieces by Ellington
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.75 1k 1,480 26 26
1951 Album
Big Band
Vocal Jazz Progressive Big Band
romantic acoustic mellow melodic melancholic technical improvisation lonely
1k Ratings 26 Reviews 3.75 Average
Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Orchestra - Out to Lunch, Cover art
Out to Lunch
Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Orchestra
3.75 1k 1,209 10 10
11 December 2005 Album
Experimental Big Band
EAI Onkyo Free Jazz Post-Bop
complex noisy dissonant instrumental energetic improvisation rhythmic avant-garde
1k Ratings 10 Reviews 3.75 Average
Duke Ellington - Blues in Orbit, Cover art
Blues in Orbit
Duke Ellington
3.76 756 756 8 8
May 1960 Album
Big Band
Swing
acoustic playful instrumental improvisation meditative mysterious melodic nocturnal
756 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.76 Average
Image blocked in settings
Electric Bath
The Don Ellis Orchestra
3.75 1k 1,280 21 21
1967 Album
Experimental Big Band Third Stream
Samba-jazz Spiritual Jazz Swing
instrumental passionate uplifting complex uncommon time signatures progressive warm orchestral
1k Ratings 21 Reviews 3.75 Average
Dizzy Gillespie & Machito - Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods, Cover art
Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods
Dizzy Gillespie & Machito
3.76 477 477 5 5
September 1976 Album
Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band
Bebop Jazz Fusion
dense complex technical summer warm rhythmic tropical instrumental
477 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.76 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Such Sweet Thunder, Cover art
Such Sweet Thunder
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.75 1k 1,065 17 17
1957 Album
Big Band
Swing Progressive Big Band
warm nocturnal instrumental passionate playful concept album romantic melancholic
1k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.75 Average
Studio Jazzowe Polskiego Radia / Jan "Ptaszyn" Wróblewski - Sprzedawcy glonów, Cover art
Sprzedawcy glonów
Studio Jazzowe Polskiego Radia / Jan "Ptaszyn" Wróblewski
3.77 246 246 1 1
1973 Album
Progressive Big Band
Jazz Fusion Experimental Big Band Free Jazz
instrumental lush complex progressive avant-garde
246 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.77 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Ellington Indigos, Cover art
Ellington Indigos
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.76 376 376 11 11
1958 Album
Big Band
Swing
mellow nocturnal acoustic warm melodic improvisation soothing lonely
376 Ratings 11 Reviews 3.76 Average
渋さ知らズ [Shibusashirazu] - 渋夜旅 (Shibu-yotabi), Cover art
渋夜旅 (Shibu-yotabi)
Shibusashirazu 渋さ知らズ
3.75 267 267 7 7
7 March 2010 Album
Experimental Big Band
Jazz-Rock Jazz Fusion
triumphant playful lush energetic chaotic dense noisy eclectic
267 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.75 Average
Kenny Wheeler - Music for Large and Small Ensembles, Cover art
Music for Large and Small Ensembles
Kenny Wheeler
3.75 206 206 3 3
1990 Album
Big Band Progressive Big Band ECM Style Jazz
Avant-Garde Jazz
mellow melancholic lush sentimental improvisation romantic bittersweet orchestral
206 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.75 Average
Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra - Blu Blu Blu, Cover art
Blu Blu Blu
Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra
3.75 212 212 4 4
28 December 1991 Album
Experimental Big Band Modern Creative
Free Jazz
complex avant-garde
212 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.75 Average
Don Ellis - Soaring, Cover art
Soaring
Don Ellis
3.73 468 468 5 5
1973 Album
Experimental Big Band Progressive Big Band
Jazz Fusion Third Stream
uncommon time signatures instrumental complex passionate lush melodic rhythmic uplifting
468 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.73 Average
Janko Nilovic - Rythmes contemporains, Cover art
Rythmes contemporains
Janko Nilovic
3.72 903 903 14 14
1974 Album
Jazz Fusion Jazz-Funk Library Music
Third Stream Progressive Big Band Psychedelic Rock
energetic instrumental rhythmic warm orchestral lush progressive psychedelic
903 Ratings 14 Reviews 3.72 Average
Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra - Afro, Cover art
Afro
Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra
3.72 1k 1,018 13 13
1954 Album
Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band
Bebop
acoustic instrumental energetic tropical warm rhythmic
1k Ratings 13 Reviews 3.72 Average
Art Pepper - Art Pepper + Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics, Cover art
Art Pepper + Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics
Art Pepper
3.73 350 350 4 4
February 1960 Album
Cool Jazz Big Band
Standards Bebop
lush acoustic energetic improvisation rhythmic instrumental
350 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.73 Average
Thad Jones & Mel Lewis - Consummation, Cover art
Consummation
Thad Jones & Mel Lewis
3.75 182 182 5 5
October 1970 Album
Big Band
Jazz-Funk Bebop
182 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.75 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Piano in the Background, Cover art
Piano in the Background
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.73 371 371 5 5
1960 Album
Big Band
Swing
instrumental acoustic technical melodic
371 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.73 Average
Duke Ellington - Latin American Suite, Cover art
Latin American Suite
Duke Ellington
3.73 313 313 5 5
July 1972 Album
Big Band
Bossa nova Rhumba
rhythmic instrumental hypnotic atmospheric progressive complex uplifting improvisation
313 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.73 Average
Buddy Rich - The Roar of '74, Cover art
The Roar of '74
Buddy Rich
3.72 417 417 10 10
January 1974 Album
Big Band Jazz-Funk Swing
Post-Bop Soul Jazz
energetic rhythmic raw technical melodic epic playful instrumental
417 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.72 Average
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Soundtracks

  • Valve Studio Orchestra - Fight Songs: The Music of Team Fortress 2, Cover art
    Fight Songs: The Music of Team Fortress 2
    2017 Album
    2k Ratings 12 Reviews 3.98 Average
    3.98 2k 1,569 12 12
  • Michel Legrand - Les demoiselles de Rochefort, Cover art
    Les demoiselles de Rochefort
    1967 Album
    375 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.95 Average
    3.95 375 375 8 8
  • Carl Stalling - The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958, Cover art
    The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958
    1990 Album
    385 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.93 Average
    3.93 385 385 8 8
  • Kristofer Maddigan - Cuphead, Cover art
    Cuphead
    2017 Album
    1k Ratings 7 Reviews 3.83 Average
    3.83 1k 1,478 7 7
  • Justin Hurwitz - Whiplash, Cover art
    Whiplash
    2014 Album
    860 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.70 Average
    3.70 860 860 7 7
    • See all 47 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Anthony Braxton - Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978, Cover art
    Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978
    1995 Album
    616 Ratings 5 Reviews 4.02 Average
    4.02 616 616 5 5
  • Horace Tapscott With The Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra - Live at the I.U.C.C, Cover art
    Live at the I.U.C.C
    1979 Album
    294 Ratings 6 Reviews 4.00 Average
    4.00 294 294 6 6
  • The Thelonious Monk Orchestra - The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall, Cover art
    The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
    1959 Album
    367 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.94 Average
    3.94 367 367 4 4
  • Zappa - Wazoo, Cover art
    Wazoo
    2007 Album
    324 Ratings 16 Reviews 3.92 Average
    3.92 324 324 16 16
  • Dizzy Gillespie - At Newport, Cover art
    At Newport
    1957 Album
    484 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.88 Average
    3.88 484 484 7 7
    • See all 100 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • Benny Goodman - The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, Cover art
    The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert
    1950 Album
    617 Ratings 18 Reviews 3.83 Average
    3.83 617 617 18 18
  • Duke Ellington - The Great Paris Concert, Cover art
    The Great Paris Concert
    1973 Album
    130 Ratings 5 Reviews 4.07 Average
    4.07 130 130 5 5
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