100 Greatest Live Jazz Albums
Criteria: These 'live' jazz albums were chosen for the influence, originality, impact, and song choice for their recorded gig they gave us. Some of the best jazz albums were live albums, so I recommend all of these. This list does not include compliations, "greatest hits", or live jazz 'vocal' albums.
Jazz has had the broadest perspective of all genre's in music since it's first note to the present day. It is for that reason that this list is presented in the same manner, with respect to all the myriad forms & interpretations of Jazz that exist today.
Jazz has had the broadest perspective of all genre's in music since it's first note to the present day. It is for that reason that this list is presented in the same manner, with respect to all the myriad forms & interpretations of Jazz that exist today.
Greatest Live Jazz Albums
1. Ellington At Newport 1956
Duke Ellington
2. The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
3. Smokin' at the Half Note
Wes Montgomery / Wynton Kelly
4. Live in Lausanne 1962
Bud Powell
5. Bird at Birdland
Charlie Parker
6. My Funny Valentine 1964
Miles Davis
7. Live at Birdland
John Coltrane
8. Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Bill Evans
9. Diz and Bird at Carnegie Hall
Dizzy Gillespie / Charlie Parker
10. At Newport
Dizzy Gillespie
Duke Ellington
2. The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
3. Smokin' at the Half Note
Wes Montgomery / Wynton Kelly
4. Live in Lausanne 1962
Bud Powell
5. Bird at Birdland
Charlie Parker
6. My Funny Valentine 1964
Miles Davis
7. Live at Birdland
John Coltrane
8. Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Bill Evans
9. Diz and Bird at Carnegie Hall
Dizzy Gillespie / Charlie Parker
10. At Newport
Dizzy Gillespie
11. In Person at the Blackhawk Vol. 1
Miles Davis
12. Live at the Lighthouse
Lee Morgan
13. Miles and Monk at Newport
Miles Davis / Thelonious Monk
14. Night in Tunisia
Dizzy Gillespie
15. At the Montreux Jazz Festival
Bill Evans
16. Thelonious in Action
Thelonious Monk
17. Live at the Plugged Nickel
Miles Davis
18. A Night at Birdland Vol. 1
Art Blakey / Clifford Brown
19. In Washington, D.C. 1956 Vol. 4
Lester Young
20. Take Five
Dave Brubeck
21. Mercy Mercy Mercy! : Live at "The Club"
Cannonball Adderly
22. At the Village Vanguard
Sonny Rollins
23. Live at the Lighthouse 1966
The Jazz Crusaders
24. Complete Jazz at Massey Hall
Charlie Parker / Dizzy Gillespie
25. Live at the Jazz Workshop
Thelonious Monk
26. At the Kosei Nenkin
Milt Jackson
27. Between Nothingness and Eternity
Mahavishnu Orchestra
28. Live at Filmore: It's About that Time
Miles Davis
29. Live! At the Five Spot
Eric Dolphy
30. A Night at Birdland Vol. 2
Art Blakey / Clifford Brown
31. Live at the Village Vanguard
John Coltrane
32. Footprints Live
Wayne Shorter
33. European Concert
Modern Jazz Quartet
34. Mingus at Antibes
Charles Mingus
35. Live-Evil
Miles Davis
36. Live at the Golden Circle
Ornette Coleman
37. New Oreleans Jazz Heritage
Lee Dorsey
38. Quartet Plus 2 Live at the Blackhawk
Thelonious Monk
39. A Love Supreme Live in Concert
John Coltrane
40. At Newport
Ray Charles
41. Newport Rebels
Eric Dolphy/Roy Eldridge
42. Miles and Quincy Live at Montreux
Miles Davis / Quincy Jones
43. The Hague Live at the Northsea Jazz Festival
Oscar Peterson
44. Live at Carnegie Hall
Dexter Gordon
45. Friday Night at San Francisco
John McLaughlin
46. Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall
Herbie Hancock / Micheal Brecker / Roy Hargrove
47. Trio Live
Pat Metheny
48. Live in Tokyo
Weather Report
49. Quintergy: Live at the Village Vanguard
Jay Jay Johnson
50. Live at Yoshi's
Pat Martino
51. Last Nite
Larry Carlton
52. Live at Donte's
Lenny Breau
53. Vienna Concert
Keith Jarrett
54. Right Now Live at the Jazz Workshop
Charles Mingus
55. Live in Swing City: Swingin' With Duke
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra / Wynton Marsalis
56. At Newport
Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Labratory / Cecil Taylor Quartet
57. After the Riot at Newport
The Nashville All-Stars
58. Jazz at the Oberlin
Dave Brubeck
59. Jam Gems: Live at the Left Bank
Freddie Hubbard / Jimmy Heath
60. The Great Chicago Concert
Duke Ellington Orchestra / Django Reinhardt
61. Newport in New York '72
Herbie Mann / Les McCann
62. Take 8
The Concord All-Stars
63. Live at the Connecticut Jazz Party
Bobby Timmons
64. Live at the Blue Note
Lionel Hampton
65. Live at the Lighthouse
Grant Green
66. At the Opera House
Jay Jay Johnson / Stan Getz
67. Live at the Sands
Count Basie
68. Live at the Club
Thelonious Monk
69. People Time
Stan Getz / Kenny Barron
70. Live and Unreleased
Weather Report
71. Very Live at Buddy's Place
Buddy Rich
72. Plays John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard
McCoy Tyner
73. Live at the Montreux
Bobby Hutcherson
74. Dave Brubeck Quartet at Carnegie Hall
Dave Brubeck
75. Friends and Neighbors: Live at Prince Street
Ornette Coleman
76. Vsop: Live Under the Sky
Herbie Hancock
77. Live 1976-1977
Stanley Clarke
78. Sonny, Sweets, and Jaws: Live at Bubba's - Sonny Stitt / Harry "Sweets" Edison / Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
79. Live in Montreux
Chick Corea / Joe Henderson
80. 10-4 at the 5 Spot
Pepper Adams
81. Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Roy Ayers
82. Live at Sweet Basil
Art Farmer
83. This Time the Dreams On Me
Chet Baker
84. Live from the Cafe Rouge 1940
Glenn Miller
85. Live at Mintons
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis / Johnny Griffin
86. Extended Play/Live at Birdland
Dave Holland
87. All the Way Live
Jimmy Smith / Eddie Harris
88. Live-Montreux '77
Tommy Flanagan
89. Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival
John Handy
90. Live Around the World
Miles Davis
91. At Minton's Playhouse
Charlie Christian
92. Live at the Whitney
Duke Ellington
93. Smokin' in the Pit
Steps Ahead
94. Live in Europe
Kenny Drew
95. Doin' the Thing: At the Village Gate
Horace Silver
96. At Montreux
Stan Getz
97. At the New York Jazz Festival
Django Reinhardt
98. Live at the Berlin Philharmonie
Gerry Mulligan / Dave Brubeck
99. The Early Years
George Benson
100. Live in Stuttgart 1964
Charles Mingus
101. Live from San Fransisco
Maynard Ferguson
102. At the Tallinn Jazz Festival In the Soviet Union
Charles Lloyd
103. Centerpiece: At the Kosei Nenkin Vol. 2
Milt Jackson
104. Standards: Live at the Village Vanguard
JJ Johnson
105. Honestly Solo
Jaco Pastorius
106. Concert by the Sea
Errol Garner
107. The Great Paris Concert
Duke Ellington
108. All Star Road Band Vol. 1
Duke Ellington
Miles Davis
12. Live at the Lighthouse
Lee Morgan
13. Miles and Monk at Newport
Miles Davis / Thelonious Monk
14. Night in Tunisia
Dizzy Gillespie
15. At the Montreux Jazz Festival
Bill Evans
16. Thelonious in Action
Thelonious Monk
17. Live at the Plugged Nickel
Miles Davis
18. A Night at Birdland Vol. 1
Art Blakey / Clifford Brown
19. In Washington, D.C. 1956 Vol. 4
Lester Young
20. Take Five
Dave Brubeck
21. Mercy Mercy Mercy! : Live at "The Club"
Cannonball Adderly
22. At the Village Vanguard
Sonny Rollins
23. Live at the Lighthouse 1966
The Jazz Crusaders
24. Complete Jazz at Massey Hall
Charlie Parker / Dizzy Gillespie
25. Live at the Jazz Workshop
Thelonious Monk
26. At the Kosei Nenkin
Milt Jackson
27. Between Nothingness and Eternity
Mahavishnu Orchestra
28. Live at Filmore: It's About that Time
Miles Davis
29. Live! At the Five Spot
Eric Dolphy
30. A Night at Birdland Vol. 2
Art Blakey / Clifford Brown
31. Live at the Village Vanguard
John Coltrane
32. Footprints Live
Wayne Shorter
33. European Concert
Modern Jazz Quartet
34. Mingus at Antibes
Charles Mingus
35. Live-Evil
Miles Davis
36. Live at the Golden Circle
Ornette Coleman
37. New Oreleans Jazz Heritage
Lee Dorsey
38. Quartet Plus 2 Live at the Blackhawk
Thelonious Monk
39. A Love Supreme Live in Concert
John Coltrane
40. At Newport
Ray Charles
41. Newport Rebels
Eric Dolphy/Roy Eldridge
42. Miles and Quincy Live at Montreux
Miles Davis / Quincy Jones
43. The Hague Live at the Northsea Jazz Festival
Oscar Peterson
44. Live at Carnegie Hall
Dexter Gordon
45. Friday Night at San Francisco
John McLaughlin
46. Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall
Herbie Hancock / Micheal Brecker / Roy Hargrove
47. Trio Live
Pat Metheny
48. Live in Tokyo
Weather Report
49. Quintergy: Live at the Village Vanguard
Jay Jay Johnson
50. Live at Yoshi's
Pat Martino
51. Last Nite
Larry Carlton
52. Live at Donte's
Lenny Breau
53. Vienna Concert
Keith Jarrett
54. Right Now Live at the Jazz Workshop
Charles Mingus
55. Live in Swing City: Swingin' With Duke
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra / Wynton Marsalis
56. At Newport
Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Labratory / Cecil Taylor Quartet
57. After the Riot at Newport
The Nashville All-Stars
58. Jazz at the Oberlin
Dave Brubeck
59. Jam Gems: Live at the Left Bank
Freddie Hubbard / Jimmy Heath
60. The Great Chicago Concert
Duke Ellington Orchestra / Django Reinhardt
61. Newport in New York '72
Herbie Mann / Les McCann
62. Take 8
The Concord All-Stars
63. Live at the Connecticut Jazz Party
Bobby Timmons
64. Live at the Blue Note
Lionel Hampton
65. Live at the Lighthouse
Grant Green
66. At the Opera House
Jay Jay Johnson / Stan Getz
67. Live at the Sands
Count Basie
68. Live at the Club
Thelonious Monk
69. People Time
Stan Getz / Kenny Barron
70. Live and Unreleased
Weather Report
71. Very Live at Buddy's Place
Buddy Rich
72. Plays John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard
McCoy Tyner
73. Live at the Montreux
Bobby Hutcherson
74. Dave Brubeck Quartet at Carnegie Hall
Dave Brubeck
75. Friends and Neighbors: Live at Prince Street
Ornette Coleman
76. Vsop: Live Under the Sky
Herbie Hancock
77. Live 1976-1977
Stanley Clarke
78. Sonny, Sweets, and Jaws: Live at Bubba's - Sonny Stitt / Harry "Sweets" Edison / Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
79. Live in Montreux
Chick Corea / Joe Henderson
80. 10-4 at the 5 Spot
Pepper Adams
81. Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Roy Ayers
82. Live at Sweet Basil
Art Farmer
83. This Time the Dreams On Me
Chet Baker
84. Live from the Cafe Rouge 1940
Glenn Miller
85. Live at Mintons
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis / Johnny Griffin
86. Extended Play/Live at Birdland
Dave Holland
87. All the Way Live
Jimmy Smith / Eddie Harris
88. Live-Montreux '77
Tommy Flanagan
89. Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival
John Handy
90. Live Around the World
Miles Davis
91. At Minton's Playhouse
Charlie Christian
92. Live at the Whitney
Duke Ellington
93. Smokin' in the Pit
Steps Ahead
94. Live in Europe
Kenny Drew
95. Doin' the Thing: At the Village Gate
Horace Silver
96. At Montreux
Stan Getz
97. At the New York Jazz Festival
Django Reinhardt
98. Live at the Berlin Philharmonie
Gerry Mulligan / Dave Brubeck
99. The Early Years
George Benson
100. Live in Stuttgart 1964
Charles Mingus
101. Live from San Fransisco
Maynard Ferguson
102. At the Tallinn Jazz Festival In the Soviet Union
Charles Lloyd
103. Centerpiece: At the Kosei Nenkin Vol. 2
Milt Jackson
104. Standards: Live at the Village Vanguard
JJ Johnson
105. Honestly Solo
Jaco Pastorius
106. Concert by the Sea
Errol Garner
107. The Great Paris Concert
Duke Ellington
108. All Star Road Band Vol. 1
Duke Ellington
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Edited By: Rick Varner
Last Updated: 2005-03-07Newly added names are in Red