The Groove

The greatest jazz artists of all time

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

No. 1

Miles Davis

United States of America · 1926–1991 · jazz

172.160

Why this number?

The full board

John Coltrane

United States of America · 1926–1967 · jazz 45.825

3 Norah Jones

United States of America · 1979– · jazz 29.970

4 Jamiroquai

United Kingdom · 1992– · acid jazz 29.420

5 Charles Mingus

United States of America · 1922–1979 · jazz 14.320

6 Keith Jarrett

United States of America · 1945– · jazz 12.460

7 John McLaughlin

United States of America · 1942– · jazz 12.010

8 Herbie Hancock

United States of America · 1940– · jazz 12.000

9 Buena Vista Social Club

Cuba · 1996–2015 · afro-cuban jazz 10.560

10 シートベルツ

Japan · 1998– · jazz 9.790

11 菅野よう子

Japan · 1964– · jazz 9.790

12 The Dave Brubeck Quartet

United States of America · 1951–1967 · jazz 8.800

13 Tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar

Iceland · jazz 8.600

14 Nina Simone

United States of America · 1933–2003 · jazz 8.550

15 Bohren & der Club of Gore

Germany · 1992– · dark jazz 8.500

16 目黒将司

Japan · 1971– · jazz 7.200

17 Al Di Meola

United States of America · 1954– · jazz 6.370

18 Paco de Lucía

Spain · 1947–2014 · jazz 6.370

19 Ornette Coleman

United States of America · 1930–2015 · jazz 5.600

20 Tony Bennett

United States of America · 1926–2023 · vocal jazz 5.200

21 Snarky Puppy

United States of America · 2004– · jazz 4.980

22 Thelonious Monk

United States of America · 1917–1982 · jazz 4.980

23 Eric Dolphy

United States of America · 1928–1964 · avant-garde jazz 4.920

24 Frank Sinatra

United States of America · 1915–1998 · vocal jazz 4.620