Dig in with Qobuz: 1970s Big Bands


A partnership between JAZZIZ Magazine and Qobuz.com, Dig In with Qobuz playlists bring you expertly curated music from the editors of JAZZIZ, programmed using the world’s largest catalog of streaming hi-res audio. Experience the music of your favorite artists as it was meant to be heard. 

This playlist dials back the years to a specific point on the jazz timeline. Today’s destination: the 1970s, a decade of bell bottoms, big hair and even bigger bands. In jazz, fusion was all the rage, but just below that frequency, big bands were having themselves a renaissance. Not only were the famous orchestras of Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Duke Ellington still swinging,  but ensembles led by the likes of trumpeter Maynard Ferguson and drummer Buddy Rich were capturing the attention of broader audiences by incorporating elements of funk, rock and, yes, even disco into their hard-grooving repertoires.

At the same time, left-of-center jazz innovators like Charles Mingus and Don Ellis were conducting their own big band experiments by applying the spirit of free-jazz to the structures of the traditional jazz orchestra, producing mind-bending results in the process. This playlist has a taste of it all. Keep on keepin’ on, listeners.

Qobuz is your source for the best sound quality and unlimited listening, anytime, everywhere, on all your devices, offering music in studio quality high-resolution audio. Interested in exploring the largest and most comprehensive hi-fi catalog in the world? Visit on.qobuz.com/JAZZIZPL to explore your options.

Join Our Newsletter
Join thousands of other jazz enthusiasts and get new music, artists, album, events and more delivered to your inbox.

The Authoritative Voice in Jazz