The Groove

The greatest avant-garde jazz artists of all time

7 artists ranked by the Groove — music.nw’s own measure of renown. Not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. Why?

This board is decided by who has rated so far. That is not a verdict on this corner of the record — it is the shape of who has voted. Rate what you love and the number moves.

No. 1

Miles Davis

United States of America · 1926–1991 · jazz

7.060

Why this number?

The full board

2 Eric Dolphy

United States of America · 1928–1964 · avant-garde jazz 2.109

3 Charles Mingus

United States of America · 1922–1979 · jazz 0.674

John Coltrane

United States of America · 1926–1967 · jazz 0.662

5 Naked City

United States of America · 1988–1993 · free jazz 0.567

6 Ornette Coleman

United States of America · 1930–2015 · jazz 0.400

7 Mr. Bungle

United States of America · 1985– · experimental rock 0.366