Best General

Oscar Peterson and his six-piece combo are all business on Peterson's 1995 Christmas recording, extolling the virtues of Peterson's intelligent and seductive keyboard work as well as those of his knowing sidemen. Peterson can be as sentimental as anyone , for example, on "White Christmas," while also slowing a down-tempo melody even more to create an intoxicating vista.

An aptly named album if ever there was one, Not for Kids Only combines the talents of two legendary performers, the late Jerry Garcia, singer-guitarist of the Grateful Dead , and David Grisman, mandolinist and father of "dawg music," a melding of bluegrass, jazz, swing, Latin, and Jewish klezmer sounds. On this 1993 recording, the two devoted friends make seemingly effortless music, adapting traditional and old-time folk into a personalized sound so "homemade" (with jew's-harp and tambourine) as to inspire any child, young or old, to pick up whatever's at hand to play along.

When alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley culled together this quartet, he grabbed three champions from seemingly disparate schools to complement his flinty solos: Miles Davis , the king of cool; Art Blakey , the thundering force of hard bop; Hank Jones , a veteran of swing; and Sam Jones, a versatile bassist adaptable to nearly any setting.

Oscar Peterson and his six-piece combo are all business on Peterson's 1995 Christmas recording, extolling the virtues of Peterson's intelligent and seductive keyboard work as well as those of his knowing sidemen. Peterson can be as sentimental as anyone , for example, on "White Christmas," while also slowing a down-tempo melody even more to create an intoxicating vista.

The classic hits of Frank Sinatra are presented with style and grace in an intimate jazz trio setting.

Maiden Voyage is a masterpiece of the school, with Hancock's enduring compositions like "Maiden Voyage" and "Dolphin Dance" mingling creative tension and calm repose with strong melodies and airy, suspended harmonies that give form to his evocative sea imagery.

While many of Morgan's later sessions for Blue Note would find him paired with saxophonist Hank Mobley , The Sidewinder features then up-and-coming tenor player Joe Henderson , plus Detroit pianist Barry Harris , bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins.

Darren, whose voice is a closer match to Tony Bennett 's than to Sinatra's, is supported by an excellent orchestra, a cast of A-list arrangers including Alan Broadbent , Sammy Nestico , and Marty Paich , and a top-to-bottom collection of great songs.

Unreleased until 1997, these tapes were recorded during two stops on Sinatra's brief Australian tour of 1959, during which he was backed by the quintet of jazz vibraphonist Red Norvo.

This is the perfect setting for acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh, playing strong melodies (including such standards as "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," "Laura," "Mona Lisa" and "Two for the Road") while joined by strings and several horns in an orchestra arranged and conducted by Dave Mathews.

Maiden Voyage is a masterpiece of the school, with Hancock's enduring compositions like "Maiden Voyage" and "Dolphin Dance" mingling creative tension and calm repose with strong melodies and airy, suspended harmonies that give form to his evocative sea imagery.