# Your comments on the Greatest Imaginary Jazz Big Band Of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 12, 2001, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133 "2001-02-12T10:50:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Watermelon\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/22d042/32.png) [@Watermelon\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Watermelon_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/1 "2001-02-12T10:50:21Z")
Trumpets: Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gileespie, Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis Trombones: J.J.Jonson, Roswell Rudd, Ray Anderson Alto Sax: Frank Morgan, Charlie Parker Tenor Sax: Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Baritone Sax: Pepper Adams Guitar: Pat Metheny Piano: Herbie Hancock Bass: Charlie Haden Drums: Jack DeJohnette Percussion: Tito Puente, Nana Vasconcelos I know the lineup represents my subjective decision - my favorite musicians within my narrowest choice of jazz - you know the deserted island stuff… But I would like to hear the comments of other jazz fans too! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/2 "2001-02-12T17:35:00Z")
The trouble with this sort of All-Star band is that the musicians you choose are all great soloists, and not necessarily the best sidemen and ensemble players. Who’s to say they’ll all sound good together? (Also, no fair sticking in an extra tenor…standard big band saxes are AATTB!) Okay, here’s mine…a nice big fat Stan Kenton-size ensemble: Trumpets: Bix Beiderbecke, Henry “Red” Allen, Bunny Berrigan, Roy Eldridge, Don Ellis Trombones: Jack Teagarden, J.C. Higginbotham, J.J. Johnson, Bob Brookmeyer F Horn: Julius Watkins Tuba: Bill Barber Flute: Herbie Mann Clarinet: Buddy de Franco Stritchophone: Rahsaan Roland Kirk Alto Sax: Johnny Hodges, Sonny Stitt Tenor Sax: Lester Young, Sonny Rollins Baritone Sax: Serge Chaloff Guitar: Grant Green Vibes: Milt Jackson Piano: Phineas Newborn, Jr. Bass: Paul Chambers Drums: Max Roach Percusion: Chano Pozo Vocals: Sarah Vaughan, Jimmy Rushing ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/3 "2001-02-12T17:56:52Z")
Definitely Bix Beiderbecke on trumpet—but let’s put Buddy Bolden in, too, just so we can finally hear what he SOUNDED like! Oh, don’t forget Bob Burns on the bazooka! ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/4 "2001-02-12T18:56:28Z")
Ike’s got a good group going, but I’d like to see Louie Bellson on drums, Stan Getz as one of the tenors, and Ray Brown on base. Whoa! ---
**Author:** ![PharmBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@PharmBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PharmBoy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/5 "2001-02-13T00:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoom Pity \* > \*\* > > Great idea for a thread, altho I must disagree (in a gentlemanly way) with some of your choices. > Trumpets: Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gileespie, Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis > > Please, please,please replase the merely adequate Freddie Hubbard with the Great Louie Armstrong or Clifford Brown > > Trombones: J.J.Jonson, Roswell Rudd, Ray Anderson > Tommy Dorsey has to be in here > Alto Sax: Frank Morgan, Charlie Parker > > Tenor Sax: Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, > Baritone Sax: Pepper Adams > Guitar: Pat Metheny > > Pat Metheny is not (IMHO) a jazz guitarist. My vote would be for Charlie Christian. > > Piano: Herbie Hancock > > Herbie is too much into the fusion thing. Teddy Wilson would be my first choice. Besides Teddy, you could put in Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, or Art Tatum. A “young lion” of today is Benny Green; he’s terrific. > > Bass: Charlie Haden > > Since I’m a bassist myself, this is my favorite… > Haden is adequate, but I think Ray Brown would go ahead of > him. After RB, my line-up would be: > 1)Scott LaFaro > 2)Niles Henning Orsted-Pedersen > 3)Jimmy Blanton > 4) Christian McBride > > Drums: Jack DeJohnette > > What, no Gene Krupa!?! no Louie Bellson!? > Percussion: Tito Puente, Nana Vasconcelos > > Clarinet > > the Great BG, Artie Shaw, Eddie Gomez > > I know the lineup represents my subjective decision - my favorite musicians within my narrowest choice of jazz - you know the deserted island stuff… > > But I would like to hear the comments of other jazz fans too! \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Revedge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@Revedge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revedge)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/6 "2001-02-13T07:48:43Z")
Don’t forget Lionel Hampton on Vibes! ---
**Author:** ![Watermelon\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/22d042/32.png) [@Watermelon\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Watermelon_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/7 "2001-02-13T07:58:15Z")
Ike: I am pretty sure if the guys I lined up were to share a stage, they probably couldnt play as a coherent band! But just imagine what it would be ike if they just managed to do it right! As for your your lineup…You came up with an even more eclectic choice of musicians there…:)) And a very interesting combination I am sure!! Jake: Louie Bellson on drums is actually a great idea!! He is my favorite drummer alond with Jack De Johnette… THanks for reminding me, cuz if I had thought of h,s name while typing the post I would have spent a lot of time trying to decide which one! Pharm Boy: RE: Freddie Hubbard…Well he is IMHO a bit more than adequate - definitely no match in greatness to louis Armstrong, but its just a matter of taste…I like the guy RE: Pat Metheny… If you listen to his 1991 album Question and Answer, you will think differently about whether he is a jazz musician or not. Thanks for all these posts guys, I was about to lose hope:))) ---
**Author:** ![PharmBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@PharmBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PharmBoy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/8 "2001-02-15T01:36:51Z")
The one guy no one mentioned was Wynton for trumpet. Why? Well, I didn’t because, altho he’s a great player, technique-wise, I think he’s a little mechanical. What do you think? Re: Freddie Hubbard, he can play, no question, I guess I wouldn’t put him at the top, that’s all. Re: Metheny, well you’re right, he can play jazz when he wants to, it just seems to me that he doesn’t want to very often… ---
**Author:** ![Watermelon\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/22d042/32.png) [@Watermelon\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Watermelon_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/9 "2001-02-15T09:50:31Z")
Wynton’s musical ideas dont seem to be attractive to me. All right the guy can play trumpet as well as any name we can come up with, but so what… Al DiMeola can play 17 notes a second, but he is not among the all time greats of anything for good reason. Pat Metheny was put in the band not because I think he is the greatest jazz guitar player of all time, just that with his inconspicuous style he would fit well in that kind of an all star big band. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/10 "2001-02-15T14:57:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PharmBoy \* > **The one guy no one mentioned was Wynton for trumpet. Why?** I’ll put Wynton in MY band…either as the Public Relations man or the head of the Marketing Office. If he tries to get up and play the trumpet along with Bix and Red and Bunny and Roy and Don, though, I’ll plink his little round head so hard it’ll fall off his shoulders. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/11 "2001-02-15T16:10:16Z")
Please, Wynton IS one of the all-time great trumpet players. Why not Django Reinhardt on guitar? Duke Ellington? Thelonious Monk? I am not sure that in terms of technical skill they compare with say Art Tatum, but they are clearly two of the greatest jazz minds and composers ever. ---
**Author:** ![Watermelon\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/22d042/32.png) [@Watermelon\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Watermelon_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2001, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-comments-on-the-greatest-imaginary-jazz-big-band-of-all-time/54133/12 "2001-02-16T07:54:43Z")
Tretiak: I will say no to both Duke and Monk… Duke is the premier name in the concept of jazz big bands, and whatever the line up, if he is there it will be a Duke Ellington Band!! That is of course a great great thing, but steals away from the originality of the idea of a bunch of barely compatible great musicians trying to play together in a big band!! As for Monk, I didn’t put my #1 favorite jazz musician in there: Ornette Coleman… There are some names that I just can’t fit within the Big Band concept. Monk is one of them… Which just means he wont be in MY big band:) Anyone else is more than welcome to use him, I sure would be delighted to hear him play in a big band format!