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Top 100 Cat Cuts

142 essential jazz recordings spanning swing to contemporary jazz, each verified against Spotify's catalog with a real link to listen.

Play the full list on Spotify Watch the full list on YouTube
How this list is built: This is a curated selection of canonical jazz recordings across the genre's history — not a streaming chart. We'd love to hear from you - what's missing, what shouldn't be on this list, what should be ranked higher rather than lower. Write us at info@jazzprofiles.com!
1
Take the a Train — Duke Ellington
In The Mood - Big Band Magic (2008)
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2
Giant Steps — John Coltrane
Giant Steps (1960)
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3
Mood Indigo — Duke Ellington
The Duke: The Columbia Years (1927-1962) (2000)
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4
My Favorite Things — John Coltrane
My Favorite Things (1961)
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5
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) — Duke Ellington
The Essential Duke Ellington (2007)
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6
A Love Supreme, Pt. I – Acknowledgement — John Coltrane
The Impulse Story (2006)
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7
So What — Miles Davis
Kind Of Blue (1959)
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8
Blue Train — John Coltrane
Trane's Blues (1999)
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9
Freddie Freeloader — Miles Davis
The Perfect Miles Davis Collection (1956)
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10
Caravan - Original — Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington And His Orchestra Selected Hits Vol. 1 (2006)
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11
Round Midnight — Thelonious Monk
Thelonius Sphere Monk (2008)
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12
Watermelon Man — Herbie Hancock
Head Hunters (1973)
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13
Straight, No Chaser — Thelonious Monk
Straight, No Chaser (1967)
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14
Cantaloupe Island — Herbie Hancock
Cantaloupe Island (1994)
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15
In a Sentimental Mood — Duke Ellington
Milestones of Jazz Legends - Duke Ellington and the His Vocalists, Vol. 3 (2019)
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16
All Blues — Miles Davis
BD Music Presents Kind of Blue (2021)
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17
Impressions — John Coltrane
Gold (2006)
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18
What A Wonderful World - Single Version — Louis Armstrong
All Time Greatest Hits (1994)
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19
Ornithology — Charlie Parker
Birdology (2012)
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20
My Funny Valentine - Remastered — Chet Baker
Love's Greatest Hits (2006)
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21
Now's The Time - Original — Charlie Parker
The Immortal Charlie Parker (Reissue) (1955)
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22
Alone Together — Chet Baker
Chet Baker Sings Again (1986)
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23
West End Blues — Louis Armstrong
This Is Jazz #1 (1996)
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24
Naima — John Coltrane
Giant Steps (Deluxe Edition) (1960)
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25
Blue in Green (feat. John Coltrane & Bill Evans) — Miles Davis
Kind Of Blue (Legacy Edition) (1959)
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26
Solitude — Duke Ellington
Masterpieces By Ellington (Uncut Concert Arrangements) (1951)
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27
Chameleon — Herbie Hancock
Electric Jazz (2013)
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28
Blue Monk — Thelonious Monk
On Riverside: Thelonious Monk (2023)
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29
IN THE MOOD - Original — Glenn Miller
Super Tracks & Great Bands Vol. 7 (2012)
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30
Strange Fruit - Remastered — Billie Holiday
The Perfect Soul of Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit (Remastered) (2017)
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31
Summertime — Ella Fitzgerald
Top 10 - Ella Fitzgerald (2005)
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32
A Night In Tunisia — Dizzy Gillespie
Afro (1954)
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33
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy — Cannonball Adderley
Jazz Profile: Cannonball Adderley (1997)
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34
Footprints - Remastered — Wayne Shorter
Adam's Apple (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (1967)
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35
Desafinado — Stan Getz
King Of The Four Brothers (2006)
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36
Peace Piece — Bill Evans
Late Night Tales - Bonobo (2013)
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37
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat — Charles Mingus
Mingus Ah Um (1959)
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38
Feeling Good — Nina Simone
The Very Best 100 Jazz Essentials & Greatest Jazz Hits - The No.1 Classic Jazz Collection (2013)
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39
Unforgettable — Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole - Unforgettable (2011)
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40
Fly Me To The Moon — Frank Sinatra
Ultimate Sinatra: The Centennial Collection (2015)
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41
The Look Of Love — Diana Krall
An Intimate Night (2010)
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42
Last Train Home — Pat Metheny Group
Still Life (Talking) (1987)
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43
Breezin' — George Benson
Breezin' (Expanded) (1976)
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44
Django (1954) — The Modern Jazz Quartet
A Night in Tunisia 1952 - 1957 (2023)
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45
Blue Bossa — Joe Henderson
DRIVING JAZZ～ドライブにおすすめのジャズ50選 (2025)
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46
Bags' Groove — The Modern Jazz Quartet
Great Classics (2013)
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47
Recorda Me — Joe Henderson
Page One (1963)
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48
This Masquerade — George Benson
Essential Jazz Guitar (2017)
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49
Minuano (Six Eight) — Pat Metheny Group
Still Life (Talking) (1987)
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50
Cry Me A River — Diana Krall
The Look Of Love (2001)
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51
The Way You Look Tonight - Remastered ) [The Frank Sinatra Collection] — Frank Sinatra
Nothing But The Best [The Frank Sinatra Collection] (2008)
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52
L-O-V-E — Nat King Cole
The World Of Nat King Cole (2005)
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53
My Baby Just Cares for Me (2013 - Remaster) — Nina Simone
Little Girl Blue (2013 - Remaster) (1959)
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54
Better Git It in Your Soul — Charles Mingus
Mingus Ah Um (1959)
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55
Nardis — Bill Evans
You're Gonna Hear From Me (1988)
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56
The Girl From Ipanema — Stan Getz
Getz/Gilberto (1964)
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57
Speak No Evil — Wayne Shorter
The Classic Blue Note Recordings: Wayne Shorter (2002)
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58
Autumn Leaves — Cannonball Adderley
Cannonball Adderley: Only the Best (Remastered Version) (2012)
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59
Manteca — Dizzy Gillespie
The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1995)
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60
Dream a Little Dream of Me — Ella Fitzgerald
Golden Hits (2022)
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61
God Bless the Child — Billie Holiday
Songs Performed By American Idols (2008)
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62
Moonlight Serenade — Glenn Miller
Ultimate Big Band Collection: Glenn Miller (2010)
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63
Well, You Needn't — Thelonious Monk
Piano Solo (1954)
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64
Maiden Voyage — Herbie Hancock
Dedication (1974)
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65
Sophisticated Lady — Duke Ellington
Masterpieces By Ellington (Uncut Concert Arrangements) (1951)
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66
Bitches Brew — Miles Davis
Bitches Brew (1970)
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67
Equinox — John Coltrane
Naima (2018)
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68
When The Saints Go Marching In — Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong Of New Orleans (1989)
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69
But Not for Me — Chet Baker
Classic Jazz Archive (2013)
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70
Confirmation - Original — Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker Selected Hits Vol. 1 (2006)
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71
One O'Clock Jump — Count Basie
The Greatest Swing Dance Hits of All Time (2011)
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72
April in Paris — Count Basie Orchestra
April in Paris (2002)
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73
Sing, Sing, Sing — Benny Goodman
The Essential Benny Goodman (2007)
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74
Begin The Beguine - Original — Artie Shaw
Sounds Of Music : Golden Oldies (2006)
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75
Ain't Misbehavin — Fats Waller
1934-1943 - Ain't Misbehavin (1990)
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76
Body and Soul — Coleman Hawkins
Body & Soul (1996)
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77
Lester Leaps In — Lester Young
38 Essential Jazz Standards By Lester Young (2011)
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78
Salt Peanuts — Dizzy Gillespie Quintet
An Electrifying Evening With The Dizzy Gillespie Quintet (1999)
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79
Un Poco Loco — Bud Powell
The Amazing Bud Powell (1952)
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80
St. Thomas — Sonny Rollins
Saxophone Colossus (1957)
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81
Moanin' — Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Moanin' (Expanded Edition) (1959)
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82
Song For My Father — Horace Silver
Song For My Father (1964)
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83
The Sidewinder (Remastered) — Lee Morgan
Beginners Guide To Jazz (2012)
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84
Red Clay — Freddie Hubbard
Red Clay (1970)
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85
Cheese Cake — Dexter Gordon
The Best Of Dexter Gordon (1988)
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86
The Incredible Jazz Guitar: Four on Six — Wes Montgomery
Three Classic Albums Plus (The Wes Montgomery Trio / Montgomeryland / The Incredible Jazz Guitar)(Digitally Remastered) (2011)
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87
Idle Moments — Grant Green
Idle Moments (2000)
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88
The Sermon — Jimmy Smith
The Sermon ! (Original Jazz Sound) (1958)
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89
Take Five — Dave Brubeck
Music For Cruizin'- Easy Cruizin' (2013)
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90
Blue Rondo à la Turk — The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Time Out (1959)
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91
Linus And Lucy — Vince Guaraldi Trio
Peanuts Portraits (2010)
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92
Waltz for Debby — Bill Evans Trio
New Jazz Conceptions (2013)
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93
Passion Dance — McCoy Tyner
The Real McCoy (Remastered / Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (1967)
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94
Hat And Beard — Eric Dolphy
Out To Lunch (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (1964)
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95
Misty — Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan's Golden Hits (1958)
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96
Don't Know Why — Norah Jones
Come Away With Me (2002)
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97
Sway — Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé (2003)
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98
Fever — Peggy Lee
Things Are Swingin' (1958)
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99
At Last — Etta James
Etta James Top Ten (2011)
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100
Birdland — Weather Report
The Best Of Weather Report (2002)
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101
Spain — Chick Corea
Light As A Feather (1998)
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102
Birds of Fire — Mahavishnu Orchestra
Birds Of Fire (1973)
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103
Portrait of Tracy — Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius (1976)
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104
Mister Magic — Grover Washington, Jr.
Mister Magic (1974)
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105
Angela (Theme from Taxi) — Bob James
The Genie: Themes & Variations From The TV Series (1983)
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106
Morning Dance — Spyro Gyra
Morning Dance (1979)
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107
Truth — Kamasi Washington
Truth (2017)
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108
Afro Blue — Robert Glasper
Black Radio (2012)
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109
Black Gold — Esperanza Spalding
Black Gold (special guest: Algebra Blessett) (2012)
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110
Lingus — Snarky Puppy
We Like It Here (2014)
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111
Liquid Spirit — Gregory Porter
Feelgood Jazz (2018)
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112
Blackbird — Brad Mehldau
The Art of the Trio, Vol. 1 (1997)
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113
K.K.P.D. — Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Yesterday You Said Tomorrow (2010)
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114
Spark — Hiromi
Spark (2016)
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115
Wives and Lovers — Cécile McLorin Salvant
For One to Love (2015)
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116
Nature Boy — Kurt Elling
The Messenger (1997)
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117
Oye Como Va — Tito Puente
Carnaval De Exitos (2001)
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118
Wave — Antônio Carlos Jobim
Working Jazz (2019)
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119
Poinciana (The Song of the Tree) — Ahmad Jamal Trio
Pavanne For Ahmad (1951)
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120
The In Crowd — Ramsey Lewis Trio
Lo Mejor Del Soul Vol.2 (2010)
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121
Compared To What? — Les McCann
Black Power (Jazz Club) (2009)
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122
Memphis Underground — Herbie Mann
Memphis Underground (1969)
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123
Love Theme From 'Spartacus' — Yusef Lateef
Eastern Sounds (1961)
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124
Bright Moments — Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Kirkatron (2005)
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125
Straight Life — Art Pepper
Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section (OJC Remaster) (1957)
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126
Line For Lyons — Gerry Mulligan
Walkman Jazz : Gerry Mulligan (1987)
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127
Hymn to Freedom — Oscar Peterson
Hymn to Freedom (1960)
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128
Misty — Erroll Garner
Plays Misty (1955)
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129
Cherokee — Wynton Marsalis
Jazz Time (2015)
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130
Emperor Jones — Joe Lovano
Symphonica (2008)
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131
Köln, January 24, 1975, Part I — Keith Jarrett
The Köln Concert (1975)
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132
My Funny Valentine — Keith Jarrett Trio
Up For It (2003)
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133
The Creator Has A Master Plan — Pharoah Sanders
Karma (1969)
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134
Journey In Satchidananda — Alice Coltrane
Journey in Satchidananda (1971)
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135
Space Is the Place — Sun Ra
HORIZON (2008)
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136
Lonely Woman — Ornette Coleman
Les Incontournables du Jazz - Ornette Coleman (2008)
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137
Here's To Life — Shirley Horn
Here's To Life (1992)
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138
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie — Louis Jordan
Somebody Up There Digs Me (1956)
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139
Minnie The Moocher — Cab Calloway
BD Jazz: Cab Calloway (2010)
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140
Minor Swing (1937) — Django Reinhardt
Retrospective 1934-1953 (2007)
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141
Tea for Two — Art Tatum
Piano Starts Here (1933)
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142
Killer Joe — Benny Golson
The Best of Benny Golson (2009)
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