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Who Are the Best Young Lions of Jazz Today?

The Wynton Marsalis thread got me to thinking. Some consider him the best jazz artist today. I actually don't know who the best jazz artist is today or who the best jazz artists are since I'm steeped in the past listening to Hard Bop like a mad man. The jazz I love, the musicians I love, the heroes and gods for me are guys like Miles, Monk, Sonny Rollins, Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Horace Silvers, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Fredie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley and others. My wife gets aggravated since I repeatedly play these giants.

I don't pay much attention to contemporary / modern jazz artists with the exception of John Scofield, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Pat Metheny, all who I've seen multiple times and love.

I've listened to Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride and have enjoyed their work. I've heard a little of Marsalis.

Who are the best of the Young Lions of Jazz? I know Marsalis is "in the conversation."
foster_9

Showing 1 response by duanegoosen

duanegoosen
355 posts
 
The question seems to ask who is rehashing the old young lions. Hope I'm wrong about this since it's a lot more interesting to hear artists who are stretching themselves and finding something that works. There's a difference between a player w/rote technical prowess and someone who is working at the edge of what they know, (age doesn't necessarily mean your stuck in the mud as a musician)...Here are a few to chew on:
Ken Vandermark
Jason Kao Hwang
John Hollenback
Lucas Niggli
Miriodor
Kevin Norton
Rich Halley
Tony Malaby
Ben Goldberg
Ellery Eskelin
David Fiuczynski
Tim Berne
Marc Ducret
Pierre Labbe
Hamid Drake
Akineton Retard
Fortunately there are a hell of a lot more.
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