TopTenREVIEWS top band of 1940s is Bunk Johnson

Top Bands of 1940s

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Bands are ranked according to overall score

1	Bunk Johnson	4.000	Blues, Jazz, Pop	12/1941	19	1.Last Testament 2.Bunk Johnson: 1944-1947 3.Bunk and the New Orleans Revival 1942-1947 4.Song Of The Wanderer See all Bunk Johnson album rankings
2	Thelonious Monk	3.1449	Jazz, Misc., New Age	10/1947	112	1.Brilliant Corners 2.Monk's Music 3.Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 4.Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 See all Thelonious Monk album rankings
3	Lee Konitz	3.1259	Broadway & Vocalists, Classical, Classical: Instrumental	01/1949	62	1.Subconscious-Lee 2.Live at the Half Note 3.The Lee Konitz Duets 4.Konitz See all Lee Konitz album rankings
4	Bud Powell	3.1096	Jazz, Misc., Pop	01/1947	65	1.The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1 2.The Genius of Bud Powell, Vol. 1 3.The Complete Blue Note and Roost Recordings 4.The Best of Bud Powell on Verve See all Bud Powell album rankings
5	Lester Young	2.8978	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz	07/1942	88	1.The Complete Aladdin Sessions 2.The Complete Lester Young on Keynote 3.The Kansas City Sessions 4.Prez Conferences See all Lester Young album rankings
6	Wardell Gray	2.8861	Jazz, Pop	11/1946	15	1.Wardell Gray Memorial, Vol. 1 2.Wardell Gray Memorial, Vol. 2 3.Masters of Jazz Vol 02 1946 4.Volume 3 See all Wardell Gray album rankings
7	Charles Brown	2.8861	Blues, Misc., Opera & Vocal Music	09/1945	41	1.Driftin' Blues: The Best of Charles Brown 2.All My Life 3.Please Come Home for Christmas 4.One More for the Road See all Charles Brown album rankings
8	Dizzy Gillespie	2.8861	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Interna.	02/1945	176	1.At Newport 2.Shaw Nuff 3.Birk's Works: Verve Big Band Sessions 4.The Complete RCA Victor Recordings: 1937-1949 See all Dizzy Gillespie album rankings
9	Miles Davis	2.8861	Alt. Rock, Blues, Classical	04/1945	291	1.Sketches of Spain 2.'Round About Midnight 3.Milestones 4.Miles Ahead See all Miles Davis album rankings
10	Billy Eckstine	2.8861	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz	05/1945	45	1.Mister B and the Band 2.Everything I Have Is Yours: The Best of the M-G-M Years 3.Billy's Best! 4.Mister B. and the Band: The Savoy Sessions See all Billy Eckstine album rankings
11	Dexter Gordon	2.8465	Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz, Misc.	10/1945	102	1.Go 2.Dexter Rides Again 3.The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions 4.Body & Soul See all Dexter Gordon album rankings
12	Coleman Hawkins	2.8116	Blues, Folk, Jazz	04/1927	115	1.Body & Soul 2.Rainbow Mist 3.Desafinado: Bossa Nova & Jazz Samba 4.In a Mellow Tone See all Coleman Hawkins album rankings
13	Flip Phillips	2.8116	Blues, Jazz, Pop	09/1944	14	1.A Melody From the Sky 2.Flip Wails: The Best of the Verve Years 3.Real Swinger 4.Flip Phillips Collates, Vol. 1 See all Flip Phillips album rankings
14	Stan Kenton	2.8116	Classical, Jazz, Misc.	11/1943	181	1.The Complete Capitol Studio Recordings of Stan Kenton 1943-1947 2.New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm 3.The Innovations Orchestra 4.Retrospective See all Stan Kenton album rankings
15	Jay Mcshann	2.8116	Blues, Jazz, Pop	04/1941	28	1.Blues from Kansas City 2.Going to Kansas City 3.Paris All-Star Blues: A Tribute 4.Hot Biscuits:essential Jay Mcshann See all Jay Mcshann album rankings
16	Turk Murphy	2.8092	Jazz, Pop	12/1947	13	1.Turk Murphy's Jazz Band Favorites, Vol. 2 2.Turk Murphy's Jazz Band Favorites 3.Sentimental Journeys: The Best of Turk Murphy's San Francisco Jazz Band 4.Turk Murphy's San Francisco Jazz Band See all Turk Murphy album rankings
17	Milt Jackson	2.5857	Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz, Misc.	04/1948	68	1.Milt Jackson 2.Sunflower 3.Plenty, Plenty Soul 4.The Prophet Speaks See all Milt Jackson album rankings
18	Babs Gonzales	2.5857	Jazz, Pop, Misc.	02/1947	7	1.Weird Lullaby 2.1947-1949 3.Tales Of Manhattan 4.A Proper Introduction to Babs Gonzales: Real Crazy See all Babs Gonzales album rankings
19	Fats Navarro	2.5857	Jazz, Pop, Misc.	01/1947	20	1.The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol. 1 2.The Fats Navarro Story 3.Fats Navarro Vol.01 4.Vol 02 1946-1947 See all Fats Navarro album rankings
20	Stan Getz	2.5857	Alt. Rock, Broadway & Vocalists, Classical	12/1945	164	1.The Bossa Nova Years 2.Quartets 3.Roost Quartets 4.Stan Getz with Guest Artist Laurindo Almeida See all Stan Getz album rankings
21	Django Reinhardt	2.5857	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Classical	12/1934	138	1.Jazz Tribute No. 39: The Indispensable Django Reinhardt, 1949-1950 2.First Recordings 3.Djangology, Vol. 1: 1934-35 4.Crazy Rhythm See all Django Reinhardt album rankings
22	Claude Thornhill	2.5112	Jazz, Pop	03/1941	11	1.1948 Transcription Performance 2.Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra - 1947 3.Original Studio Radio Transcriptions 4.1947 Transcription Performances See all Claude Thornhill album rankings
23	Stephane Grappelli	2.5112	Classical, Classical: Instrumental, Interna.	02/1941	77	1.Live in London 2.1941-1943 3.Vintage Grappelli 4.Stephane Grappelli Is Jazz See all Stephane Grappelli album rankings
24	Gene Krupa	2.5112	Blues, Jazz, Misc.	05/1938	50	1.Best of Big Bands: Drum Boogie 2.Drum Crazy 3.Drummin' Man 4.Drummer Man See all Gene Krupa album rankings
25	Lu Watters	2.5112	Jazz, Misc., Pop	12/1941	13	1.Dawn Club Favorites: San Francisco Style, Vol. 1 2.Doing The Hambone At Kelly's, Vol. 2 3.1937-1943, Vol. 1 4.Good Time Music: San Francisco Style See all Lu Watters album rankings
26	Johnny Mercer	2.5112	Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz, Opera & Vocal Music	04/1942	18	1.Capitol Collectors Series 2.Johnny Mercer: Some Of The Best 3.Johnny Mercer: More Of The Best 4.Songbook:blues In The Night See all Johnny Mercer album rankings
27	Jo Stafford	2.5112	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Christian & Gospel	10/1943	46	1.Coming Back Like a Song: 25 Hits 1941-47 2.Capitol Collectors Series 3.Jo + Jazz 4.The Magic of Jo Stafford See all Jo Stafford album rankings
28	Nat King Cole	2.5112	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Christian & Gospel	12/1942	222	1.Jazz Encounters 2.The Christmas song 3.Jumpin' at Capitol 4.Penthouse Serenade See all Nat King Cole album rankings
29	Illinois Jacquet	2.5089	Blues, Jazz, Pop	12/1947	36	1.The Black Velvet Band 2.The Blues: That's Me! 3.The Soul Explosion 4.Flying Home: The Best of Verve Years See all Illinois Jacquet album rankings
30	Les Paul	2.2854	Jazz, Pop, Rock	02/1948	20	1.The Legend & the Legacy 2.Les Paul Now! 3.V-Disc Recordings 4.The Jazz Collector Edition: Les Paul Trio See all Les Paul album rankings
31	Wild Bill Davison	2.2109	Jazz, Pop	11/1943	27	1.Wild Bill Davison and His Jazz Band, 1943 2.Rompin' 'n' Stompin' 3.After Hours 4.Surfside Jazz See all Wild Bill Davison album rankings
32	Frank Sinatra	2.2109	Alt. Rock, Blues, Broadway & Vocalists	12/1944	329	1.Come Fly with Me 2.Songs for Swingin' Lovers! 3.In the Wee Small Hours 4.Come Dance with Me! See all Frank Sinatra album rankings
33	Les Brown	2.2109	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz	05/1941	45	1.Best of the Big Bands 2.Les Brown Songbook 3.The Essence of Les Brown 4.V-Disc Recordings See all Les Brown album rankings
34	Slim Gaillard	2.2109	Jazz, Pop, R&B & Soul	05/1938	22	1.Cement Mixer, Putti, Putti 2.Siboney 3.Complete Columbia Master 4.Slim Gaillard Rides Again See all Slim Gaillard album rankings
35	Paul Whiteman	1.6101	Jazz, Pop, Dance & DJ	08/1921	17	1.The King of Jazz 2.The Complete Capitol Recordings 3.Paul Whiteman & His Chesterfield Orchestra 4.Best of the Big Bands See all Paul Whiteman album rankings
36	Tommy Dorsey	1.6101	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Jazz	10/1935	82	1.Yes, Indeed! 2.The Carnegie Hall V-Disc Session 3.The Best of Tommy Dorsey 4.Stop, Look & Listen See all Tommy Dorsey album rankings
37	Duke Ellington	0.1236	Blues, Broadway & Vocalists, Classical	11/1924	423	1.Ellington Uptown 2.The OKeh Ellington 3.Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. 1 4.The Best Of The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition See all Duke Ellington album rankings
38	Sarah Vaughan	0.0576	Broadway & Vocalists, Classical, Interna.	05/1946	170	1.At Mister Kelly's 2.The Complete Sarah Vaughan on Mercury, Vol. 1 3.Sarah Sings Soulfully 4.Sassy Swings the Tivoli See all Sarah Vaughan album rankings

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