i have randomly created my own 64-artist bracket for jazz music. i'm sure i left some people out, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. just ask dick vitale. the matchups were picked randomly and there is no seeding in place. i chose people from a myriad of styles and influences, and considered their advancement upon a few criteria; popularity in the general public, contribution of tunes and concepts, unique prowess as a performer, international presence, and trails blazed for new frontiers in jazz. i chose most of the winners and, when i got stuck, consulted my jazz students with whom i'm performing a live soundtrack to the tennessee williams iconic play "a streetcar named desire". i took the photos of my brackets in that same space, explaining the colorful hues.
there are several interesting characters on this sheet, including current artists whose appearance may be surprising.
this is arguably the most stacked bracket, complete with some tough first round pairings. no room for cinderella here.
rahsaan is my darling pick, but goes down effortlessly to the wild-eyed piano phenom tatum. basie over satchmo is based upon his longevity and inclusion of other artists. nat cole handles jimmy smith and gets past basie because of his style and musicianship (dig the piano trio sessions). mingus is a serious contender and, in my opinion, is the favorite to emerge from this sheet. blakey thankfully disposes of McRib while bird narrowly edges out tony, with parker sliding past buhaina en route to the sweet sixteen.
i love bill evans, but love paul motian even more. dolphy is all over the crooning elling but is really no match for duke (with a nod to strayhorn). those who know me are surprised that frisell lost to ella but fully expect to see ornette advance past she and holland. herbie over django is easy, but wayne vs. dizzy isn't. charisma + musicianship = a win for dizzy, although that may be the most controversial pick thus far. it becomes a moot point as herbie gets past gillespie.
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