100 Greatest Jazz Ballads
Criteria: These jazz ballads were chosen based on influence, originality, impact, dedication, beauty, and if it became a multiple-recorded standard by different jazz artists. (Two Versions to Compare, N/A = Only One Version)
Greatest Jazz Ballads
1. Strange Fruit
(Billie Holliday, Cassandra Wilson)
2. What a Wonderful World
(Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton)
3. Round' Midnight
(Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis)
4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(Charles Mingus, Stanley Clarke)
5. Mood Indigo
(Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus)
6. Naima
(John Coltrane, Woody Herman)
7. Body and Soul
(Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon)
8. Willow Weep for Me
(Dexter Gordon, Clifford Brown)
9. I Remember Clifford
(Lee Morgan, Dizzy Gillespie)
10. Summertime
(Sidney Bechet, Herbie Hancock / Joni Mitchell)
(Billie Holliday, Cassandra Wilson)
2. What a Wonderful World
(Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton)
3. Round' Midnight
(Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis)
4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(Charles Mingus, Stanley Clarke)
5. Mood Indigo
(Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus)
6. Naima
(John Coltrane, Woody Herman)
7. Body and Soul
(Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon)
8. Willow Weep for Me
(Dexter Gordon, Clifford Brown)
9. I Remember Clifford
(Lee Morgan, Dizzy Gillespie)
10. Summertime
(Sidney Bechet, Herbie Hancock / Joni Mitchell)
11. Unforgetable
(Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole)
12. Black and Blue
(Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington)
13. Time After Time
(J.J. Johnson, Sonny Stitt)
14. Lush Life
(Joe Henderson / Billy Strayhorn, Chick Corea)
15. Darn that Dream
(Dexter Gordon, Billie Holliday)
16. I'm Old Fashioned
(John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald)
17. Moon River
(Louis Armstrong, Art Blakey)
18. Autumn in New York
(Billie Holliday, Charlie Parker)
19. Blue In Green
(Miles Davis / Bill Evans, Charlie Haden)
20. Mona Lisa
(Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby)
21. Easy Living
(Clifford Brown, Billie Holliday)
22. At Last
(Etta James, Glenn Miller)
23. Georgia On My Mind
(Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong)
24. My One and Only Love
(John Coltrane, Joe Henderson)
25. My Funny Valentine
(Chet Baker, Miles Davis)
26. Lover Man
(Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley)
27. Sophisticated Lady
(Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine)
28. When I Fall In Love
(Miles Davis / Red Garland, Blue Mitchell)
29. Misty
(Erroll Garner, Sarah Vaughan)
30. Chelsea Bridge
(Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald)
31. Don't Explain
(Billie Holliday, Dexter Gordon)
32. (By The) Sleepy Lagoon
(Harry James, Al Hirt)
33. Drume Negrita
(Arturo Sandoval, Manuel Valera)
34. God Bless the Child
(Billie Holliday, Stanley Turrentine)
35. Ceora
(Lee Morgan, Joey DeFrancesco)
36. Portrait of Jennie
(J.J. Johnson, Freddie Hubbard)
37. Someone to Watch Over Me
(Art Tatum, Stanley Turrentine)
38. I'm a Fool to Want You
(Frank Sinatra, Dexter Gordon)
39. Park Avenue Pitite
(Art Farmer / Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell)
40. Prelude to a Kiss
(Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald)
41. What's New?
(Modern Jazz Quartet, Louis Armstrong)
42. Poor Butterfly
(Sonny Rollins, Benny Goodman)
43. Love Letters
(Stanley Turrentine, Diana Krall)
44. You Don't Know What Love Is
(Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey)
45. Greensleeves
(John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins)
46. That's My Desire
(Louis Armstrong / Jack Teagarden, Ella Fitzgerald)
47. This Masquerade
(George Benson, Red Garland)
48. Parker's Mood
(Charlie Parker, Max Roach)
49. I Surrender, Dear
(Thelonious Monk, Artie Shaw)
50. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(Larry Young / Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan)
51. Answer Me, My Love
(Nat King Cole, Gene Ammons)
52. Guess I'll Let My Tears Out To Dry
(Dexter Gordon, Wynton Marsallis)
53. I Can't Get Started
(Al Hirt, Billie Holliday)
54. Flamingo
(Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus)
55. Everything Must Change
(George Benson, Quincy Jones)
56. But Beautiful
(Gene Ammons, Freddie Hubbard)
57. Flamenco Sketches
(Miles Davis, Joe Henderson)
58. Born to be Blue
(Grant Green, Wes Montgomery)
59. Love Is Here To Stay
(Lionel Hampton / Oscar Peterson, Ben Webster)
60. Something I Dreamed Last Night
(Miles Davis, John Coltrane)
61. Little Girl Blue
(Grant Green, Jimmy Smith)
62. My Romance
(Houston Person, Stan Getz)
63. I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(Oscar Peterson, Cannonball Adderley)
64. How Deep is the Ocean?
(Miles Davis, Chet Baker)
65. Imagination
(Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Dorsey)
66. Please Be Kind
(Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan)
67. Coral
(Marilynn Seits, David Sanchez)
68. In a Sentimental Mood
(John Coltrane / Duke Ellington, Grover Washington Jr.)
69. Peace
(Horace Silver / Blue Mitchell, Joe Zawinul)
70. My Foolish Heart
(Masabumi Kickuchi, John McLaughlin)
71. Black Beauty
(Duke Ellington, Hotsy Totsy Gang)
72. When Sunny Gets Blue
(Jimmy Heath, Stan Kenton)
73. Search For Peace
(McCoy Tyner, Frank Morgan)
74. Eternal
(Branford Marsalis, N/A)
75. The Sand and the Sea
(Nat King Cole, N/A)
76. To You
(Duke Ellington / Count Basie, Gene Harris)
77. Angel Eyes
(Wes Montgomery, Gene Ammons)
78. Skylark
(Art Blakey, Paul Desmond)
79. Yesterdays
(Art Tatum, Bud Powell)
80. Crystal Silence
(Chick Corea / Gary Burton, Mark Murphy)
81. Fall
(Miles Davis, Fred Hersch)
82. Here's That Rainy Day
(Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell)
83. Whatever Possessed Me?
(Elvin Jones, N/A)
84. Dont Know Why
(Norah Jones, Pat Metheny)
85. You're Mine You
(J.J. Johnson, Chet Baker)
86. Ernie's Tune
(Dexter Gordon, N/A)
87. Lillie
(Modern Jazz Quartet, Cannonball Adderley)
88. Strange Meadow Lark
(Dave Brubeck, N/A)
89. You've Changed
(Dexter Gordon, Frank Morgan)
90. Self Portrait in Three Colors
(Charles Mingus, N/A)
91. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven)
(Ray Charles, Bing Crosby)
92. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald)
93. Time
(Richie Powell / Clifford Brown / Max Roach, Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
94. Laura
(Sonny Stitt, J.J. Johnson)
95. It Could Happen to You
(Erroll Garner, Kenny Dorham)
96. Infant Eyes
(Wayne Shorter, Joe Lovano)
97. Lament
(J.J. Johnson / Kai Winding, Miles Davis)
98. Then I'll Be Tired of You
(Stanley Turrentine, Coleman Hawkins)
99. Dear Ann
(Paul Chambers, N/A)
100. Song for the Lonely Woman
(Art Blakey, N/A)
(Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole)
12. Black and Blue
(Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington)
13. Time After Time
(J.J. Johnson, Sonny Stitt)
14. Lush Life
(Joe Henderson / Billy Strayhorn, Chick Corea)
15. Darn that Dream
(Dexter Gordon, Billie Holliday)
16. I'm Old Fashioned
(John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald)
17. Moon River
(Louis Armstrong, Art Blakey)
18. Autumn in New York
(Billie Holliday, Charlie Parker)
19. Blue In Green
(Miles Davis / Bill Evans, Charlie Haden)
20. Mona Lisa
(Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby)
21. Easy Living
(Clifford Brown, Billie Holliday)
22. At Last
(Etta James, Glenn Miller)
23. Georgia On My Mind
(Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong)
24. My One and Only Love
(John Coltrane, Joe Henderson)
25. My Funny Valentine
(Chet Baker, Miles Davis)
26. Lover Man
(Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley)
27. Sophisticated Lady
(Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine)
28. When I Fall In Love
(Miles Davis / Red Garland, Blue Mitchell)
29. Misty
(Erroll Garner, Sarah Vaughan)
30. Chelsea Bridge
(Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald)
31. Don't Explain
(Billie Holliday, Dexter Gordon)
32. (By The) Sleepy Lagoon
(Harry James, Al Hirt)
33. Drume Negrita
(Arturo Sandoval, Manuel Valera)
34. God Bless the Child
(Billie Holliday, Stanley Turrentine)
35. Ceora
(Lee Morgan, Joey DeFrancesco)
36. Portrait of Jennie
(J.J. Johnson, Freddie Hubbard)
37. Someone to Watch Over Me
(Art Tatum, Stanley Turrentine)
38. I'm a Fool to Want You
(Frank Sinatra, Dexter Gordon)
39. Park Avenue Pitite
(Art Farmer / Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell)
40. Prelude to a Kiss
(Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald)
41. What's New?
(Modern Jazz Quartet, Louis Armstrong)
42. Poor Butterfly
(Sonny Rollins, Benny Goodman)
43. Love Letters
(Stanley Turrentine, Diana Krall)
44. You Don't Know What Love Is
(Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey)
45. Greensleeves
(John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins)
46. That's My Desire
(Louis Armstrong / Jack Teagarden, Ella Fitzgerald)
47. This Masquerade
(George Benson, Red Garland)
48. Parker's Mood
(Charlie Parker, Max Roach)
49. I Surrender, Dear
(Thelonious Monk, Artie Shaw)
50. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(Larry Young / Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan)
51. Answer Me, My Love
(Nat King Cole, Gene Ammons)
52. Guess I'll Let My Tears Out To Dry
(Dexter Gordon, Wynton Marsallis)
53. I Can't Get Started
(Al Hirt, Billie Holliday)
54. Flamingo
(Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus)
55. Everything Must Change
(George Benson, Quincy Jones)
56. But Beautiful
(Gene Ammons, Freddie Hubbard)
57. Flamenco Sketches
(Miles Davis, Joe Henderson)
58. Born to be Blue
(Grant Green, Wes Montgomery)
59. Love Is Here To Stay
(Lionel Hampton / Oscar Peterson, Ben Webster)
60. Something I Dreamed Last Night
(Miles Davis, John Coltrane)
61. Little Girl Blue
(Grant Green, Jimmy Smith)
62. My Romance
(Houston Person, Stan Getz)
63. I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(Oscar Peterson, Cannonball Adderley)
64. How Deep is the Ocean?
(Miles Davis, Chet Baker)
65. Imagination
(Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Dorsey)
66. Please Be Kind
(Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan)
67. Coral
(Marilynn Seits, David Sanchez)
68. In a Sentimental Mood
(John Coltrane / Duke Ellington, Grover Washington Jr.)
69. Peace
(Horace Silver / Blue Mitchell, Joe Zawinul)
70. My Foolish Heart
(Masabumi Kickuchi, John McLaughlin)
71. Black Beauty
(Duke Ellington, Hotsy Totsy Gang)
72. When Sunny Gets Blue
(Jimmy Heath, Stan Kenton)
73. Search For Peace
(McCoy Tyner, Frank Morgan)
74. Eternal
(Branford Marsalis, N/A)
75. The Sand and the Sea
(Nat King Cole, N/A)
76. To You
(Duke Ellington / Count Basie, Gene Harris)
77. Angel Eyes
(Wes Montgomery, Gene Ammons)
78. Skylark
(Art Blakey, Paul Desmond)
79. Yesterdays
(Art Tatum, Bud Powell)
80. Crystal Silence
(Chick Corea / Gary Burton, Mark Murphy)
81. Fall
(Miles Davis, Fred Hersch)
82. Here's That Rainy Day
(Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell)
83. Whatever Possessed Me?
(Elvin Jones, N/A)
84. Dont Know Why
(Norah Jones, Pat Metheny)
85. You're Mine You
(J.J. Johnson, Chet Baker)
86. Ernie's Tune
(Dexter Gordon, N/A)
87. Lillie
(Modern Jazz Quartet, Cannonball Adderley)
88. Strange Meadow Lark
(Dave Brubeck, N/A)
89. You've Changed
(Dexter Gordon, Frank Morgan)
90. Self Portrait in Three Colors
(Charles Mingus, N/A)
91. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven)
(Ray Charles, Bing Crosby)
92. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald)
93. Time
(Richie Powell / Clifford Brown / Max Roach, Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
94. Laura
(Sonny Stitt, J.J. Johnson)
95. It Could Happen to You
(Erroll Garner, Kenny Dorham)
96. Infant Eyes
(Wayne Shorter, Joe Lovano)
97. Lament
(J.J. Johnson / Kai Winding, Miles Davis)
98. Then I'll Be Tired of You
(Stanley Turrentine, Coleman Hawkins)
99. Dear Ann
(Paul Chambers, N/A)
100. Song for the Lonely Woman
(Art Blakey, N/A)
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Edited By: Alvin, Lew
Last Updated: 2017-04-08