EMusic Jazz MP3s and More

If we don't have the mp3 you're looking for, try searching at eMusic. You can download 25 mp3s for free by signing up for a free trial subscription. If you decide to sign up for a paid membership, eMusic's low rates offer an economical way to build a great classical music collection.

But eMusic has more than just classical music, you'll find music in every style. Here are some of our classic jazz favorites and recommendations for more interesting music:

Download just about all of Coltrane's 1950s recordings for Prestige, including classics such as Soultrane, Lush Life, Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane, and Standard Coltrane. There's the recent Pablo 7-CD set Live Trane: The European Tours. A few of Trane's Impulse albums are also available: Living Space and Transition.

Emusic has a good selection of Miles Davis's recordings for the Prestige label in the late 50s, including Conception, Blue Haze, and the amazing set of four albums featuring John Coltrane, Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and Steamin'.

Ellington classics like Featuring Paul Gonsalves, Duke Meets Coleman Hawkins, and Piano Duets with Billy Strayhorn are available, plus later works like the Second Sacred Concert.

The bassist and composer is can be heard on many emusic albums, including Mingus At The Bohemia, Mingus Plays Piano, and the Debut Rarities series.

Monk's Complete Riverside Recordings is comprised of 15 CDs worth of classic Monk albums. There is also a live concert from 1963 In Japan.

The leading figure in Bebop is represented by a number of live and studio recordings: Bird At St. Nick's, Bird On 52nd Street, Jumpin' At The Roost 1948-1949, The Best Of The Dial Years, and Charlie Parker's Jam Session. Don't miss The Quintet live at Massey Hall, a bebop all-star group with Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach.

The blues selection includes classic Chicago-style blues on the Chess label and others, featuring greats Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, and John Lee Hooker. Also look for albums by Koko Taylor, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley.

The Shanachie label offers a wealth of folk and traditional music, from Klezmer to Celtic artists such as Clannad to Afro-pop stars like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. You'll find Native American music from R. Carlos Nakai and others, and reggae greats like Bob Marley, Eek-A-Mouse and Bunny Wailer.

There is also a variety of South Asian music, including Qawwali music by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan; Dhrupad by the Dagar Brothers; North Indian (Hindustani) classical music from Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Imrat Khan; and Carnatic music by Dr. N. Ramani, Trichy Sankaran, and others.

The list goes on and on, but be sure to try Persian classical music; Javanese and Balinese gamelan music; and the amazing Tuvan throat-singing of Huun-Huur-Tu.

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