Best jazz albums list

The Best Jazz Albums of All Time (Essential Listening Guide)

booking jazz gigs

How To Book Jazz Gigs (step-by-step guide)

Famous Saxophone Players cover

The Most Famous Saxophone Players in Jazz History

DIY publicity for a new jazz release

Releasing New Music Without A Publicist?

About Jazzfuel

Jazzfuel was started in 2016 by European booking agent Matt Fripp as a way to share tips and resources with independent jazz musicians. It’s evolved into a team of writers and music industry specialists who aim to produce the best content for both fans and professional players.

Alongside our weekly newsletter, we also work more hands-on to support artists as publicists for new album releases, and through our private Jazzfuel PRO community.

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Matt Fripp portrait square (2024)

For Jazz Fans

Jazz music may have existed for only a little over a century, but its history is rich and varied. The ever-growing collection of articles on this site aim to highlight the best musicians, essential jazz albums and hidden stories in the genre. Whether you’re a total newcomer, or lifelong devotee, we hope you’ll find something which catches your ear!

Latest articles

The letter Z

Jazz Songs with the Letter “Z” (because why not?!)

With so much great jazz music out there—and more coming each week—we’re always in need of reminders of tunes that …
Summer wind

Summer Wind: 6 Brilliant Versions Of This Underrated Jazz Classic

Originally a German tune from 1965, Summer Wind was given new life when legendary lyricist Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics …

Nina Simone Interview – 6 Things We Learned

In a short interview filmed for the BBC in the 1990s, Nina …

Charlie Byrd Albums: Bossa Nova Guitar and Beyond

From a quick glance at his discography, you could be forgiven for …

11 Iconic Nat King Cole Songs

Nat King Cole wasn’t just a jazz star—he was a genre-defying icon. …

Stan Kenton – Dividing The World of Big Band Music

Before there was fusion, before conservatories taught jazz as art music, there …

Reinventing the Hammond Organ In Jazz – 8 Jimmy Smith Albums

Before Jimmy Smith, the organ was largely considered a background instrument—churches, bars, …

The $3 Jazz Record That Held a 70-Year-Old Secret

Every jazz fan knows the feeling: you’re digging through crates of old …

2025 Grammy Awards – The Jazz Winners

The results are in from the 2025 Grammy awards! The jazz winners …

For Jazz Musicians

Working as a jazz musician in 2024 – whether independently or with a team – is not easy! Whilst there are no easy shortcuts to success, we’ve pulled together more than 2 decades of industry experience to share resources, tips and guides on topics such as booking gigs, releasing new music and promoting yourself.

Looking for more support? Check out our services page for more information on how we can work together.

Latest Industry Articles

emma rawicz interview

Behind the scenes with saxophonist and composer Emma Rawicz

There’s no shortage of incredible musicianship on the international jazz scene today, but when it’s paired with a serious drive …
Nicolas Pommaret Radio France photo

Au Cœur du Jazz: Interview with Nicolas Pommaret

As host of France Musique’s daily jazz show Au Cœur du Jazz, Nicolas Pommaret has the ear of millions of …

Promoters Trust Promoters

Just when you think you’ve found the perfect place for a holiday, …

Gig Pitching in the Sunshine

If, like most jazz musicians, ‘gigging and touring more’ is near the …

Lead Magnets for Music Teachers: 101

In this short guide, we’re going to look at how offering a …

First you imitate, then you innovate..

Alongside all the great music, Miles Davis also gave us a fair …

FAQ: Should You Include Side-Musicians in Your Gig Pitching Emails?

Assuming you’re reaching out to a promoter who you are not yet …

Interview with Jarek Kowal of Jazz Jantar Festival

One of the longest-running and famous European jazz festivals, Jazz Jantar in …

9 Reasons Club & Festival Promoters Ignore Your Emails

As I’ve already mentioned when I wrote about things I wish I’d …

Instrument Guides

We’ve enlisted the help of professional musicians and teachers on the most popular jazz instruments to round up everything you need to know about learning, choosing, maintaining or upgrading your playing experience. Choose your category below to get started…

Piano articles

Piano

everything saxophone

Saxophone

Guitar articles

Guitar

Drum articles

Drums

Trumpet articles

Trumpet

jazz singer articles

Singers