The best jazz versions of classical pieces

For my tastes, you can’t beat the Ellington Nutcracker.

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Ellington’s Peer Gynt suite is also pretty wonderful.

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This one has inspired some remixing from me.

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Django Reinhardt has a swinging take on Bach.

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Everybody and their mother has taken a crack at Satie’s First Gymnopedie. Here’s Eddie Daniels’ version.

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Oliver Nelson does a version of Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-Down.”

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Miles Davis does a mostly straight-ahead reading of Joaquín Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.”

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Chick Corea also quotes this piece at the beginning of “Spain.”

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Wayne Shorter does Sibelius’ “Valse Triste.”

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I’m especially partial to Eumir Deodato’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra.”

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Uri Caine has done some very adventurous readings of Bach, Mozart and Mahler. Here’s his take on Mahler’s Symphony No.2 Resurrection – Andante moderato.

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There are a lot of jazz tunes that quote or otherwise derive from classical pieces. Most famously, Miles Davis’ “So What” and John Coltrane’s “Impressions” both draw on Morton Gould’s Pavanne.

As always, hit me in the comments if you feel I missed something critical.

Original post on Quora