1998 Traditional Jazz and Ragtime Poll

Here are the favorites chosen in the first-ever Mississippi Rag Trad Jazz and Ragtime Poll, conducted via an entry form in our 25th Anniversary Issue (November 1998). The results were first announced in our August 1999 issue. Comments? Suggestions? E-mail: editor@mississippirag.com.

FAVORITE LIVING MUSICIANS

Trumpet/Cornet
1. Bob Schulz
2. Ruby Braff
3. Ed Polcer
4. Peter Ecklund
5. Jim Cullum

Trombone
1. Dan Barrett
2. Bob Havens
3. Tom Bartlett
4. Bill Allred
5. Jim Snyder

Clarinet
1. Kenny Davern
2. Allan Vaché
3. Ken Peplowski
4. Bobby Gordon
5. Kim Cusack

Soprano Sax
1. Bob Wilber
2. Jim Galloway
3. George Probert
4. Kenny Davern
5. Stan McDonald

Alto Sax
1. John Otto
2. Billy Novick
3. Bob Wilber
4. Benny Carter
5. Phil Woods

Tenor Sax
1. Scott Hamilton
2. Rick Fay (died after poll taken)
3. Ken Peplowski
4. Harry Allen
5. Flip Phillips

Baritone/Bass Sax
1. Vince Giordano
2. Scott Robinson
3. Paul Woltz
4. Russ Whitman
5. John Barnes

String Bass
1. Bob Haggart
(died after poll was taken)
2. Milt Hinton
3. Mike Duffy
4. Greg Cohen
5. Vince Giordano

Tuba
1. Eli Newberger
2. Mike Walbridge
3. Vince Giordano
4. Bill Carroll
(died after poll was taken)
5. Red Lehr

Guitar
1. Marty Grosz
2. Howard Alden
3. Bucky Pizzarelli
4. Frank Vignola
5. James Chirillo

Banjo
1. Jimmy Mazzy
2. Cynthia Sayer
3. Howard Elkins
4. Scott Anthony
5. Eddie Erickson

Washboard
1. Ralf Reynolds
2. Bob Raggio
3. Mike Schwimmer
4. Gerard Bagot
5. Pete Devine

Drums
1. Hal Smith
2. Wayne Jones
3. Joe Ascione
4. Butch Miles
5. Ed Metz, Jr.

Jazz Piano
1. Dick Hyman
2. Ralph Sutton
3. Johnny Varro
4. John Sheridan
5. Mark Shane

Ragtime Piano
1. Max Morath
2. Dick Hyman
3. Terry Waldo
4. Tex Wyndham
5. Bob Milne

Violin
1. Andy Stein
2. Johnny Frigo
3. Claude "Fiddler" Williams
4. Dick Wetmore
5. Ray Landsberg

Misc. Instruments: Vibes
1. Peter Appleyard
2. Lionel Hampton
3. John Cocuzzi
4. Red Norvo
(died after poll taken)
5. Duane Thamm

Misc. Instrument: Others
1. Scott Robinson (variety)
2. Jackie Coon (flugelhorn)
3. Betty O'Hara (euphonium, others)
4. Rick Fay (whistle)
(died after poll taken)
5. Pete Devine and Ira Sullivan (tie)

Male Vocalist
1. Marty Grosz
2. Jimmy Mazzy
3. Bob Schulz
4. Tony Bennett
5. Joe Williams
(died after poll taken)

Female Vocalist
1. Carol Leigh
2. Rebecca Kilgore
3. Banu Gibson
4. Pat Yankee
5. Terry Blaine

Emerging Musician
1. Duke Heitger
2. Evan Christopher
3. Clint Baker
4. Joe Ascione
5. John Pizzarelli

OTHER FAVORITES IN TRAD JAZZ & RAGTIME

Historic Big Band
1. Artie Shaw
2. Benny Goodman
3. Duke Ellington
4. Count Basie
5. Tommy Dorsey

Current Big Band
1. Royal Society Jazz Orchestra
2. Vince Giordano's Nighthawks
3. Spitfire Band
4. Count Basie Band
5. Crazy Rhythm, Hot Tomatoes, San Francisco Starlight Orchestra (3-way tie)

Established Jazz Band
1. Jim Cullum Jazz Band
2. Grand Dominion Jazz Band
3. New Black Eagle Jazz Band
4. Original Salty Dogs
5. Buck Creek Jazz Band

New (Emerging) Jazz Band
1. Roadrunners
2. Brahmin Bellhops
3. Bob Schulz Jazz Band
4. Allan Vaché Sextette
5. Clint Baker Jazz Band, Boilermakers, Magnificent VII (3-way tie)

Jazz Composer
1. Jelly Roll Morton
2. Duke Ellington
3. Fats Waller
4. George Gershwin
5. Cole Porter

Ragtime Composer
1. Scott Joplin
2. James Scott
3. Joseph Lamb
4. Jelly Roll Morton
5. David Thomas Roberts

Ragtime Orchestra/Ensemble
1. Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra
2. Royal Society
3. New Leviathan Fox-Trot Orchestra
4. St. Louis Ragtimers
5. New England Ragtime Ensemble

Jazz Record Label
1. Arbors
2. Stomp Off
3. Jazzology
4. GHB
5. Concord

Ragtime Record Label
1. Stomp Off
2. Jazzology
3. GHB
4. Arbors
5. Archive

Jazz Journalist
1. Floyd Levin
2. Whitney Balliett
3. Tex Wyndham
4. Dan Morgenstern
5. George Buck

Ragtime Journalist
1. David Reffkin
2. Max Morath
3. Dick Zimmerman
4. Bill Mitchell, David Jasen (tie)
5. Trebor Tichenor

HALL OF FAME All Time Favorites (Living or Dead)
1. Louis Armstrong 2. Bix Beiderbecke 3. Jack Teagarden 4. Jelly Roll Morton 5. Benny Goodman	6. Wild Bill Davison 7. Sidney Bechet 8. Fats Waller 9. Bobby Hackett 10. Turk Murphy

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