I'm a giant Coltrane fanboy, but Mingus's "Black Saint and The Sinner Lady" is impressive and made a huge impact on me. It's like what Hendrix would do if he played jazz. What a ride.
I loved Mingus. So many great albums. But was he truly influential? Some folks are so unique that they carve a path totally their own. Thoughts, anyone?
I would definitely mention Keith Jarrett. His solo improvisations are unique and some of the longer pieces are unbelievable in their improvisation. The Köln concert is a must. If you want to stretch a little to the other side of the pond I could imagine having Esbjorn Svensson Trio in there.
A Love Supreme is, in my humble opinion, not only one of the greatest JAZZ albums of all time, but one of the greatest MUSIC experiences of all time, on my personal list with Bach's Brandenburg concerti, Beethoven's 9th symphony, Led Zeppelin's 4th album ("symbols") and a few others that would be in my 'desert island' music collection.
Paul Gonsalves and Bobby Hackett both studied guitar with my grandfather Joe Petteruti in Providence, RI during the 1930s at our family music store Twin City Music.
"10 Best" can presented in different contexts. I like very much that you presented your "best" list in an historical context. Please, more presentations with an historical approach.
Nice video! I guess for someone like me who grew up listening to rock (and pop in the 70s), albums like "Heavy Weather", "Spectrum", "Inner Mounting Flame" and "Headhunters" were examples of ones that opened my ears and probably more important made me curious enough to start to look at the connection people like Herbie Hancock or Wayne Shorter or Joe Zawinul had to the music that preceded (and influenced) them.
I think those all would be descendants of Bitches Brew IMO. I am a bigger fan of those you mentioned but they all start with Bitches Brew, or In A Silent Way which he didn’t mention, but I think having those AND Bitches Brew would be redundant.
I agree with most of these selections. I think for early jazz, you need to listen to Sidney Bechet to get a broader perspective. The next era, Count Basie was a major contributor. And the Bebop era was Thelonious Monk. Monk along with Charlie Rouse brought it to another level. For the modern era, Wynton and Branford Marsalis kept things going. Black Codes From The Underground is a staple.When it goes to other side of more popular Jazz, David Sanborn was the king of modern Sax. I recently saw him with Bob James playing the songs from the album Double Vision. That is the one modern jazz album everyone should listen to.
Thanks for the list. For fun I came up with my list. I was going for some alternate directions. Hard to argue top 10 style choices for a player vs a listener. Armstrong - Hot 5 and 7 Blanton Webster band- Ellington Love Supreme - Coltrane Ahmad’s Blues - Ahmad Jamal Quintet live at Massey Hall Koln Concert - Keith Jarrett Monks Music - Thelonious Monk Miles - Nefertiti Jimmy Guiffre 3 Miles- Kind of Blue
Great podcast. Thanks! However, significant misses Thelonious Monk - Monk’s Music (1957) Charles Mingus - Ah Um (1959) Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder (1964) Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Getz / Gilberto (1964) Weather Report - Heavy Weather (1977) Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Live! (1986)
I'm a jazz writer and I prodiluced a jazz documentary series for the cultural center of a public library. I really like this video. Great informative job!
Great job giving a quick overview of Jazz History. The representative albums is a very good way of showing the history. I have never heard of the last artist. I need to listen to him.
I would nominate 'Louis and Ella' from 1956, they were backed by Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Buddy Rich. 'Blue Rose', also from the mid '50, has Billy Strayhorn playing piano for a youthful Rosemary Clooney, joined by the Ellington Orchestra. 'Diggin Up Bones' has John, Martin and Bucky Pizzarelli, Rebecca Kilgore and other jazz musicians joining The West Texas Tumbleweeds for jazz treatments of country tunes. 'Old Sock', with Eric Clapton displaying a charming voice on some jazz standards. 'Happy Feet' with Emilie Claire Barlow doing some Canadian Scat.
Coltrane’s Ballad album is awesome. Easily digestible as opposed to Giant Steps. Early swing players like Charlie Christian and Lester Young are great places to start
I'm not sure which Nat "King" Cole album I'd recommend, but you should consider him a really important innovator in Jazz piano. He invented the left hand chord comp style. I'd also give a nod to French Jazz composer Claude Bolling and the album "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio" solely for the song "Baroque and Blue." It's a delightful mix of Jazz and Classical music that lifts the spirits. And, while it's not innovative or particularly inspirational comparatively to other better albums, Vince Guaraldi's "The Charlie Brown Christmas" album is extremely important for the simple reason it introduced and popularized Jazz music to a huge segment of the population that had never listened to Jazz before.
I cannot argue with any of these, and it's hard to come up with a list of just 10. Here are some that I think you could include. 1) Cannonball Adderley's 'Somethin' Else" As I'm writing this, I see that the comment below mine mentions the same album. The version of Autumn Leaves on here is my personal favorite. This album came before Kind of Blue, and I definitely hear Adderley and Miles exploring ideas that they would later develop on Kind of Blue. It's such a great album. 2) Other people also named some Mingus albums. I think "Ah Um" or "Blues & Roots" were pretty influential early albums. 3) Thelonius Monk's "Straight No Chaser"... or maybe one of his earlier albums. 4) I know that you already included 2 Miles albums. Personally, I think that while "Bitches Brew" is worth including just because it was overtly different from earlier jazz with its fusion style, I think that "Miles Smiles" is more interesting compositionally and harmonically. I guess I don't really know for sure what influences modern jazz musicians, but I think that the second Miles Davis Quintet and "Miles Smiles" were extremely influential on modern jazz. 5) "Getz/Gilberto" and Bossa Nova were pretty ground breaking and innovative. Maybe it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it was very influential. Maybe you could pick the earlier Getz "Jazz Samba" instead because it was earlier. As a pianist, I feel like Art Tatum should make it on this list, but the format of making music albums wasn't the same in the 1930s as it was later in the 1950s, and all the Tatum that I heard is later compilations of bits of his music that were recorded throughout his career -- not really cohesive albums. Other people on here list Sonny Rollins and Lester Young. Great players -- incredible -- but I wouldn't say that they were as ground breaking as some of the others on your list.
I agree that "Ah Um" should be a given, but how was Lester Young-one of the most "ground breaking" players in jazz history-not "ground breaking?" While he may not make many "top 10" LP lists, Prez was as historically significant and regarded by his peers as Bird and Trane. After all, "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" was not a tribute to Kenny G.
Pretty good though predictable list till you included Rosenwinkel, who imho breaks the Ellington golden rule of jazz (“don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing”) Instead you should include Bill Evans - the vanguard sessions. Evans and his trio rewrote the book on jazz piano.
As a list of albums by jazz styles and development, it’s good Giant steps is there but if I would put a list of best albums for getting into jazz, Blue train would have the be on it! It’s probably my favorite jazz album, it’s just perfect and Moments notice is a masterpiece!
One thing I find so intriguing is that 'Trane influenced as many, if not more, guitarists, particularly rock/pop guitarists, than sax players. The Byrds' Roger McGuinn has mentioned that the intro solo and solo in Eight Miles High was inspired by Coltrane.
Does anyone consider Man from Two Worlds by Chico Hamilton, Gary McFarland and Bill Evans at Town Hall, Art Pepper Meets The Rythym Section for starters?
I think that Clifford Brown is more influential than Lee Morgan in modern jazz trumpet. My personal favourite among his albums is "C. Brown and M.Roach at Basin Street ", (with Sonny Rollins on tenor), but if you wanted to include a Messenger´s recording, a good choice is "A night at Birdland" with Blakey and Brown.
Lee Morgan is my favorite jazz musician but I would agree with this. I think if Clifford Brown didn’t pass away young, he would have surpassed Lee Morgan and definitely would’ve competed Miles for the top spot.
Understandable that there are only 10 spots and you can't include everything but Clifford Brown deserves a mention at least in some way. Don't know if he has a complete album that has that much influence as those here but his playing definitely is up there in terms of quality and influence.
As an a.person whose only been into jazz for a few years , in my fifties its freakin awesome i have a hundred years or more of albums /performers to explore , all new to me, ill never get caught up but it will be fun
Armstrong-Bechet-Ellington-Parker-Coltrane-Monk-Miles. Are 'universal' This is in 'synthesis', with this we already go far.Always subject to caution when we do this 'kind of thing', it is my choice by observation, there are other possibilities in addition, but in less I ask to see.Concerning the recordings you can 'type' in all these names you will never be disappointed.Thanks for the video
1. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue 2. Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit 3. Jimmy Smith - The Sermon 4. Charlie Parker - Carnegie Hall 5. Johnny Heartmen & John Coltrane 6. Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald 7. Dave Brubek - Take Five 8. Duke Ellington - Hot Summer Dance: Live recording. The improvisation of the opening of Take the A Train.... unforgettable 9. Count Basie - Jumpin' At The Woodside 10. Clifford Brown - Best Coast Jazz
I have been watching YT for Jazz videos of this nature. Yours is incredibly informative with great suggestions for jazz listening. My only disappointment was no mention of the greatest jazz guitarist, Wes Montgomery. However, I am now a subscriber and look forward to more of your material.
I’ll go ahead and rattle off some jazz albums that have helped me be a better drummer: Sonny Stitt- Blows The Blues John Coltrane- Crescent John Coltrane- Black Pearls Joe Henderson- In Japan Joe Henderson- Power To The People Freddie Hubbard- Red Clay Ornette Coleman- The Empty Foxhole Sonny Rollins- Saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins- Tenor Madness Lee Morgan- Cornbread
For a jazz guitar player, I would include Django Rheinhardt and Wes Montgomery, and if you venture from jazz into bossanova I would add Baden Powell. For a piano player, I would include Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk. Singers almost need to listen Ella Fitzgerald and dare I say Sinatra? The record that finally got me into jazz was "My favorite things" by Coltrane. The mellow accessibility of it broke my resistance against the intrinsic aggressiveness and intellectuality of the genre.
Crucial albums missing: Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream Charles Mingus - Ah Um Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Cecil Taylor - Jazz Advance Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Lee Morgan - Search for the New Land
Aargh!! The only 'Best' jazz album is the one you, personally, find yourself playing over & over again. This is art, folks. It's bad enough when people make top ten lists of their favorite sports stars; but at least in that field they can attempt to justify their picks with their scoring & win stats-of-choice. In the arts, all you can do is cite sales numbers, or prices fetched by visual works, etc. 'Best' in the arts is all a left-brain after-the-fact construction (usually proclaimed by non-artists). Explore the rich bounty of all eras of jazz, and decide what _YOU_ like - nothing else matters.
@@normanhall8435 The discussion may be fun, but Bests and Top Ten lists and G.O.A.T.s etc drive me batty. It's like: we've been brain-washed to think we need some kind of rational structure in order to _justify_ our tastes and attractions and sensibilities - _aargh!_ And vice-versa: In this culture, when we really like something, we feel compelled to pronounce it The Best, in some fashion, as if just personally enjoying it is somehow incomplete.
I will say that the Ornette Coleman is **hard work** so newbs be aware. The most 'fun' jazz album for me is Charles Mingus 'Mingus Ah Um'. It's got 'Good Bye Pork Pie Hat on it and is in the US National Recording Registry along with others from this list.
my personal sphere of interest in Jazz is Art Blakey's Moanin album in fact most Blue Note era, Hard Bop and later Modal, post bop it seems. Thanks for a great lesson!
Everybody puts "Kind of Blue"on these lists.I really think the 5 albums, with the quintet that preceded it, get overlooked. I love Red Garland and Philly Joe Jones on those recordings. Best band ever!
The first record by that first quintet was the very first jazz record that I totally soaked up, to the point where I could hum all the solos, etc. Mega group, with young John and the great Paul Chambers as well.
Kind of Blue needs to be everyones list …especially if they are trying to immerse themselves in jazz and don’t have any background in the genre. Like me! It really opened my ears and made other recordings…..more listenable to a kid.
It's amazing how many of those albums that you named were "recorded" in 1959: Kind of Blue, Giant Steps, Time Out, The Shape of Jazz, Ah Um. Also on another note, an important album in regards to Cool Jazz is none other than Miles Davis "Birth of Cool" which had Garry Mulligan on it. It was recorded in 49-50 but came out much later. But like fusion, Miles Davis spawned the sub genre allowing others to forge it.
Excellent list. I know you were covering genres and applying an album to each. But man, if I were just listing great albums, would be hard to make a list with out Chet Baker's "Chet" (call that best ballads maybe) and Bill Evans' "Live at the Village Vanguard" (best live record). But great list and great explanations.
I am NOT a musician but a lifelong lover of music, especially jazz! I found your video very informative. The only area I would call into question is your "modern jazz" entry as I personally would have included Pat Metheny and possibly Keith Jarrett. Both have been incredibly influential both inside and outside of the jazz genres and probably have crossed over into various places more than any other of their contemporaries much like Miles did.
Great list, some of the early jazz picks are now definitely on my 'wish list'. But if I may I would like to mention: Miles Davis Quintet's 'E.S'P.', 'Miles Smiles', 'Sorcerer' and 'Nefertiti', Miles Davis Quintet 'In Person: Live At The Black Hawk - The Complete and restored reissue, Bill Evans' 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' Herbie Hancock's 'Maiden Voyage'.
You cite "Satin Doll" and "Take the 'A' Train" in reference to Duke Ellington. Both were written by Billy Strayhorn. The Newport album is fine, but it by no means represents the best of Ellington. His music from the end of the '30s and into the '40s is supreme, and for a late work you can't do better than "The Far East Suite," which does include collaborations with Strayhorn.
I've never heard of the expression "modern jazz" used for music that is after 1985. I have read a lot about jazz and "modern jazz" has always referred to the music from 1945 to 1960 such as bebop, hard bop and cool jazz. Also post-bop is a style of playing and composition developed by Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock in the 1960's It's kind of impossible to list what are the greatest jazz albums but these come to mind: Miles Smiles, Charlie Parker, the Savoy Recordings, Duke Ellington Masterpieces Vol. 2, Mingus Ah Um, Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil, Oliver Nelson's The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Monk's Dream, Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch, Keith Jarrett's Facing You and John Abercrombie's Timeless. In early recordings there are often different iterations of "Albums" since they are compiling recordings from the era before the advent of the long playing LP record (1953) and these were often recompiled onto CD recordings. Now the concept of the album may be fading away as we rely more on playlists, apple music compilations and just surfing around to watch videos and old film footage,
Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage & Oliver Nelson, The Blues and The Abstract Truth, Les Mc Cann/Eddie Harris, Swiss Movement, Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing, Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers, the Big Beat.
This is wonderful. outlook on Jazz Music, I'm impressed with the way you give the student the history, of the different areas of Jazz Music. suggestion would teach more about Horace Silver when you talk about Hard Bop Art Blakey and Horace Silver invented, Hard Bop alone with Benny Golson.
THX for including Ellington at Newport. As a 72 y/o former jazz radio DJ, I'm surprised a recording that is as significant as Kind of Blue, and Love Supreme is missing from other so-called "all-time" lists. Regarding "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue," the crowd was up and dancing in the aisles, supposedly fired up as much by by a woman dancing enthusiastically in a black evening dress as much as they were by Gonsalves' solo.
Great video...and info...would like to mention Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters....Return to Forevers Whwew have ive known you before...Weather Reports Sweetnighter....Billy Cobhams Spectrum....also artists Wes Montgomery...John McLachlan. ..I know these lists are opinion based and salute to you job well done...
My favourite jazz album goes back to mid fifteen when I was a boy now an old man it still is my favourite and it is Henry Mancini soundtrack for the tv series of that time Peter Gunn.
Minor correction you said post bop followed bebop but that’s not really true. After bebop faded from dominance the next dominant genre of jazz was hard bop, post bop then followed hard bop later.
I'm curious, as to anyone who would like to share thoughts....When I think of Free Jazz I think of tings like Coltrane's Interstellar Space or Ascension., Sun Ra's Strange Strings, or The Free Jazz Posse. It seems like Ornette's The Shape of Jazz To Come isn't lacking structure or many cases rhythm or anything that I associate with Free Jazz, but is put into the free Jazz category. So what are the keys to crossing into the "free jazz" realm from traditional or say slightly more experimental? Thanks Jazz lovers. :)
Hey all, love the additions in the comments to this list of 10! We also have a podcast episode that goes over the top 25 jazz albums you need to know. Definitely give it a listen www.learnjazzstandards.com/ljs-podcast/25-jazz-albums-every-jazz-musician-needs-to-know/
A top ten list is hard. I'd have put Sun Ra on there somewhere, dropped the last guy from the eighties. Maybe use on of Sun Ra's seventies records like space is the place.
I was surprised how much I agreed with this list. I didn't have a quibble with any of the first seven selections, and only disagreed with the choice of Giant Steps because I would have put Blue Train there, but then it's my favorite jazz album by anybody. Giant Steps may be more representative of Coltrane's development, but Blue Train is just better to listen to, if for nothing else because of Lee Morgan. Coltrane supposedly said that it was his favorite of the albums he did as a leader, and I wonder where he would have ranked Kind of Blue among albums he was on. (I don't really count the Hot Five and Hot Seven collection as an album, because then arguably it would be in there with Blue Train, and maybe even have the edge.) I'm not crazy about Bitches Brew, or about late Miles Davis in general; that's partly because I never cared much for fusion, and I also thought that Davis became increasingly contemptuous of his audience during his latter period. I have seen Kurt Rosenwinkel at the Vanguard a few times and you are right, he's terrific. So nine out of ten - I'm not arguing that Giant Steps isn't a great choice - isn't bad.
I think Monk’s albums and Lester Young’s albums have been more influential than Take Five. But making a limited 10 albums list is so tricky - and this list is as good as any.
Wayne Shorter was also with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for four years (but as you mentioned not on Moanin). I thought Coltrane's Love Supreme could have been listed as its a spiritual jazz standard. Also the piano trios that have been legendary such as the Oscar Peterson trio, Bill Evans trio, Kieth Jarrett trio, Chick Corea trio, Hiromi trio project. Art Tatum!!!
Hi, after the 60' quite difficult to chose. But in my humbling opinion the most relevant fussion is with latin music. Bosanova has huge influence. You also have Santana from Mexico, and many caribean musicians, difficult to chose one...
I'm surprised that Basie and Monk aren't included! Also, Pat Metheny is missing: he's the biggest influence on modern jazz guitarists, including Rosenwinkle
An interesting view is from someone like me who is not a pure jazz fan, I'm a soul boy from England who heard Herbie, Roy Ayres, Charles earland , Donald Byrd, even sonny Rollins in the hey day of soul/disco 77 to 1980 but always wanted to hear more of their origins, now I'm all in on hard bop, for my journey I started with miles, kind of blue, Coltrane, love supreme, Herbie, empyrean isles, Rollins sax colossus, Charles earland black talk, monk criss cross, I've just discovered Kenny dorham, hank mobley, must also include Charles mingus and Lee Morgan,most any lp from these guys I would include, and I love Bobby hutcherson and Eric dophy
I have all of those albums except the Louis Armstrong and Ornette Coleman ones. I never could get into Ornette's thing. Still, not bad! I've been playing jazz for over 40 years, although the bulk of my income comes from playing pop music. Unfortunately, it's pretty difficult to make a living playing jazz for most practitioners.
Alright! Performer names and tunes I recognize !!! I will make myself a list of the album names. For me he seems to be channeling Marian McPartland, except this time I'm listening to what is said instead of being annoyed nothing is being played.
i notice a mistake. The top 10 should be per organ eg SAX/TRUMPET yes COLTRANE PARKER DAVIS et Guitar BENSON MONTGOMERY GREEN REINHARDT etc Drums RICH BLAKEY etc Pianos TATUM EVANS MONK HANCOCK
As a young saxophonist, I was told to listen to Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else". Worked for me.
Really important album!
That’s an important album for any kind of musician. Fantastic line up also.
I’m gonna check that out
It's my fav jazz album
Worth to listen to for Davis eaten alive.
I'm a giant Coltrane fanboy, but Mingus's "Black Saint and The Sinner Lady" is impressive and made a huge impact on me. It's like what Hendrix would do if he played jazz. What a ride.
I loved Mingus. So many great albums. But was he truly influential? Some folks are so unique that they carve a path totally their own. Thoughts, anyone?
😊
I would definitely mention Keith Jarrett. His solo improvisations are unique and some of the longer pieces are unbelievable in their improvisation. The Köln concert is a must. If you want to stretch a little to the other side of the pond I could imagine having Esbjorn Svensson Trio in there.
There are many great albums that weren’t mentioned - but the album he mentions have been more influential. He is mainly referring to influence.
And if Jarrett should be noted then his model for style Paul Bley deserves two mentions.
Solo Monk by Thelonius Monk. Free For All by Art Blakey. Karma by Pharoah Sanders.
Brubeck’s Time Out & Coltrane’s Giant Steps for sure belongs on this list! Coltrane’s A Love Supreme deserves mention!
Coltrane Plays The Blues also deserves mention.
@@billdang3953 thank you, I’m gonna listen to it!
@@billdang3953 thank you for the recommendation. I’m listening to it now.
A Love Supreme is, in my humble opinion, not only one of the greatest JAZZ albums of all time, but one of the greatest MUSIC experiences of all time, on my personal list with Bach's Brandenburg concerti, Beethoven's 9th symphony, Led Zeppelin's 4th album ("symbols") and a few others that would be in my 'desert island' music collection.
Kind of Blue, Giant Steps, Time Out. And as a dark horse, The Nightfly. The real cool Jazz starter collection.
How is Giant Steps related to Cool Jazz ?
I saw Miles Davis in concert in the 1980s. It was around the time of his Tutu album release. His back up band were very funky.
Paul Gonsalves and Bobby Hackett both studied guitar with my grandfather Joe Petteruti in Providence, RI during the 1930s at our family music store Twin City Music.
Wow that’s amazing Tom! Thanks for sharing that.
"10 Best" can presented in different contexts. I like very much that you presented your "best" list in an historical context. Please, more presentations with an historical approach.
Thank you for the feedback!
Nice video! I guess for someone like me who grew up listening to rock (and pop in the 70s), albums like "Heavy Weather", "Spectrum", "Inner Mounting Flame" and "Headhunters" were examples of ones that opened my ears and probably more important made me curious enough to start to look at the connection people like Herbie Hancock or Wayne Shorter or Joe Zawinul had to the music that preceded (and influenced) them.
I think those all would be descendants of Bitches Brew IMO. I am a bigger fan of those you mentioned but they all start with Bitches Brew, or In A Silent Way which he didn’t mention, but I think having those AND Bitches Brew would be redundant.
Also, please check out Pat Metheny's first; Bright Size Life. Amazing record.
I agree with most of these selections. I think for early jazz, you need to listen to Sidney Bechet to get a broader perspective. The next era, Count Basie was a major contributor. And the Bebop era was Thelonious Monk. Monk along with Charlie Rouse brought it to another level. For the modern era, Wynton and Branford Marsalis kept things going. Black Codes From The Underground is a staple.When it goes to other side of more popular Jazz, David Sanborn was the king of modern Sax. I recently saw him with Bob James playing the songs from the album Double Vision. That is the one modern jazz album everyone should listen to.
Thanks for the list. For fun I came up with my list. I was going for some alternate directions. Hard to argue top 10 style choices for a player vs a listener. Armstrong - Hot 5 and 7
Blanton Webster band- Ellington
Love Supreme - Coltrane
Ahmad’s Blues - Ahmad Jamal
Quintet live at Massey Hall
Koln Concert - Keith Jarrett
Monks Music - Thelonious Monk
Miles - Nefertiti
Jimmy Guiffre 3
Miles- Kind of Blue
I was glad you mentioned Art Blakey. Thelonious Monk for me is essential, you have to have Monk's Dream on here.
Great podcast. Thanks! However, significant misses
Thelonious Monk - Monk’s Music (1957)
Charles Mingus - Ah Um (1959)
Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder (1964)
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Getz / Gilberto (1964)
Weather Report - Heavy Weather (1977)
Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Live! (1986)
Yeah, there are just SO MANY damned fine jazz albums. Getz/Gilberto is on my list of 10 "Desert Island" albums. So is Giant Steps and Kind of Blue.
I'm a jazz writer and I prodiluced a jazz documentary series for the cultural center of a public library. I really like this video. Great informative job!
Thank you!
Great job giving a quick overview of Jazz History. The representative albums is a very good way of showing the history. I have never heard of the last artist. I need to listen to him.
I would nominate 'Louis and Ella' from 1956, they were backed by Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Buddy Rich. 'Blue Rose', also from the mid '50, has Billy Strayhorn playing piano for a youthful Rosemary Clooney, joined by the Ellington Orchestra. 'Diggin Up Bones' has John, Martin and Bucky Pizzarelli, Rebecca Kilgore and other jazz musicians joining The West Texas Tumbleweeds for jazz treatments of country tunes. 'Old Sock', with Eric Clapton displaying a charming voice on some jazz standards. 'Happy Feet' with Emilie Claire Barlow doing some Canadian Scat.
Coltrane’s Ballad album is awesome. Easily digestible as opposed to Giant Steps. Early swing players like Charlie Christian and Lester Young are great places to start
Which album are you reffering RL as his ballad album?
I'm not sure which Nat "King" Cole album I'd recommend, but you should consider him a really important innovator in Jazz piano. He invented the left hand chord comp style.
I'd also give a nod to French Jazz composer Claude Bolling and the album "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio" solely for the song "Baroque and Blue." It's a delightful mix of Jazz and Classical music that lifts the spirits.
And, while it's not innovative or particularly inspirational comparatively to other better albums, Vince Guaraldi's "The Charlie Brown Christmas" album is extremely important for the simple reason it introduced and popularized Jazz music to a huge segment of the population that had never listened to Jazz before.
Penthouse Serenade for Nat Cole piano
Good set-list. Very difficult to pick up a top ten, but I think you made it. Greetings from Argentina.
Mulligan meets Monk was one my favourites , tremendous Mulligan solos on that album.
Great topic and informative overview. Thanks.
Glad you found it helpful!
I cannot argue with any of these, and it's hard to come up with a list of just 10.
Here are some that I think you could include.
1) Cannonball Adderley's 'Somethin' Else" As I'm writing this, I see that the comment below mine mentions the same album. The version of Autumn Leaves on here is my personal favorite. This album came before Kind of Blue, and I definitely hear Adderley and Miles exploring ideas that they would later develop on Kind of Blue. It's such a great album.
2) Other people also named some Mingus albums. I think "Ah Um" or "Blues & Roots" were pretty influential early albums.
3) Thelonius Monk's "Straight No Chaser"... or maybe one of his earlier albums.
4) I know that you already included 2 Miles albums. Personally, I think that while "Bitches Brew" is worth including just because it was overtly different from earlier jazz with its fusion style, I think that "Miles Smiles" is more interesting compositionally and harmonically. I guess I don't really know for sure what influences modern jazz musicians, but I think that the second Miles Davis Quintet and "Miles Smiles" were extremely influential on modern jazz.
5) "Getz/Gilberto" and Bossa Nova were pretty ground breaking and innovative. Maybe it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it was very influential. Maybe you could pick the earlier Getz "Jazz Samba" instead because it was earlier.
As a pianist, I feel like Art Tatum should make it on this list, but the format of making music albums wasn't the same in the 1930s as it was later in the 1950s, and all the Tatum that I heard is later compilations of bits of his music that were recorded throughout his career -- not really cohesive albums.
Other people on here list Sonny Rollins and Lester Young. Great players -- incredible -- but I wouldn't say that they were as ground breaking as some of the others on your list.
I agree that "Ah Um" should be a given, but how was Lester Young-one of the most "ground breaking" players in jazz history-not "ground breaking?" While he may not make many "top 10" LP lists, Prez was as historically significant and regarded by his peers as Bird and Trane. After all, "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" was not a tribute to Kenny G.
Pretty good though predictable list till you included Rosenwinkel, who imho breaks the Ellington golden rule of jazz (“don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing”) Instead you should include Bill Evans - the vanguard sessions. Evans and his trio rewrote the book on jazz piano.
As a list of albums by jazz styles and development, it’s good Giant steps is there but if I would put a list of best albums for getting into jazz, Blue train would have the be on it! It’s probably my favorite jazz album, it’s just perfect and Moments notice is a masterpiece!
Blue Train is definitely an important album!
One thing I find so intriguing is that 'Trane influenced as many, if not more, guitarists, particularly rock/pop guitarists, than sax players. The Byrds' Roger McGuinn has mentioned that the intro solo and solo in Eight Miles High was inspired by Coltrane.
True!
Does anyone consider Man from Two Worlds by Chico Hamilton, Gary McFarland and Bill Evans at Town Hall, Art Pepper Meets The Rythym Section for starters?
Great video, I've had some trouble getting into pre-50's jazz so I appreciate you shining a light on those periods too.
I think that Clifford Brown is more influential than Lee Morgan in modern jazz trumpet. My personal favourite among his albums is "C. Brown and M.Roach at Basin Street ", (with Sonny Rollins on tenor), but if you wanted to include a Messenger´s recording, a good choice is "A night at Birdland" with Blakey and Brown.
Lee Morgan is my favorite jazz musician but I would agree with this. I think if Clifford Brown didn’t pass away young, he would have surpassed Lee Morgan and definitely would’ve competed Miles for the top spot.
Understandable that there are only 10 spots and you can't include everything but Clifford Brown deserves a mention at least in some way. Don't know if he has a complete album that has that much influence as those here but his playing definitely is up there in terms of quality and influence.
Thanks for this video, certainly expandes my own library. And one heck of a conversation starter! 😁
Love that the guitar in the video functions as a visual prop.
Great content and presentation!
As an a.person whose only been into jazz for a few years , in my fifties its freakin awesome i have a hundred years or more of albums /performers to explore , all new to me, ill never get caught up but it will be fun
Armstrong-Bechet-Ellington-Parker-Coltrane-Monk-Miles. Are 'universal'
This is in 'synthesis', with this we already go far.Always subject to caution when we do this 'kind of thing', it is my choice by observation, there are other possibilities in addition, but in less I ask to see.Concerning the recordings you can 'type' in all these names you will never be disappointed.Thanks for the video
1. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
2. Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
3. Jimmy Smith - The Sermon
4. Charlie Parker - Carnegie Hall
5. Johnny Heartmen & John Coltrane
6. Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
7. Dave Brubek - Take Five
8. Duke Ellington - Hot Summer Dance: Live recording. The improvisation of the opening of Take the A Train.... unforgettable
9. Count Basie - Jumpin' At The Woodside
10. Clifford Brown - Best Coast Jazz
I have been watching YT for Jazz videos of this nature. Yours is incredibly informative with great suggestions for jazz listening. My only disappointment was no mention of the greatest jazz guitarist, Wes Montgomery. However, I am now a subscriber and look forward to more of your material.
I’ll go ahead and rattle off some jazz albums that have helped me be a better drummer:
Sonny Stitt- Blows The Blues
John Coltrane- Crescent
John Coltrane- Black Pearls
Joe Henderson- In Japan
Joe Henderson- Power To The People
Freddie Hubbard- Red Clay
Ornette Coleman- The Empty Foxhole
Sonny Rollins- Saxophone Colossus
Sonny Rollins- Tenor Madness
Lee Morgan- Cornbread
For a jazz guitar player, I would include Django Rheinhardt and Wes Montgomery, and if you venture from jazz into bossanova I would add Baden Powell. For a piano player, I would include Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk. Singers almost need to listen Ella Fitzgerald and dare I say Sinatra?
The record that finally got me into jazz was "My favorite things" by Coltrane. The mellow accessibility of it broke my resistance against the intrinsic aggressiveness and intellectuality of the genre.
As far as singers go I would have to include the incomparable Billie Holiday and many more. Nina Simone? Etta James??
@@deveryshepardson3640 Mark Murphy, Kurt Elling.
Django ? Naaaah."Minor swing", they said...
Crucial albums missing:
Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream
Charles Mingus - Ah Um
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Cecil Taylor - Jazz Advance
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Lee Morgan - Search for the New Land
Thank you. Ah um also came out in 1959, but he gets no mention.
Aargh!! The only 'Best' jazz album is the one you, personally, find yourself playing over & over again. This is art, folks. It's bad enough when people make top ten lists of their favorite sports stars; but at least in that field they can attempt to justify their picks with their scoring & win stats-of-choice. In the arts, all you can do is cite sales numbers, or prices fetched by visual works, etc. 'Best' in the arts is all a left-brain after-the-fact construction (usually proclaimed by non-artists). Explore the rich bounty of all eras of jazz, and decide what _YOU_ like - nothing else matters.
The commentator was just getting the ball bouncing. He spurred comments and opinions like yours. It's fun and informative.
@@normanhall8435 The discussion may be fun, but Bests and Top Ten lists and G.O.A.T.s etc drive me batty. It's like: we've been brain-washed to think we need some kind of rational structure in order to _justify_ our tastes and attractions and sensibilities - _aargh!_ And vice-versa: In this culture, when we really like something, we feel compelled to pronounce it The Best, in some fashion, as if just personally enjoying it is somehow incomplete.
Hey man, have been following þhis channel for sometime now... I really like your content, very informative for jazz musicians. Keep it up 🙂
Thank you!
Thank the lord for this video. So hard getting 'standard' recordings for learning this genre.
Glad you found it helpful!
I will say that the Ornette Coleman is **hard work** so newbs be aware. The most 'fun' jazz album for me is Charles Mingus 'Mingus Ah Um'. It's got 'Good Bye Pork Pie Hat on it and is in the US National Recording Registry along with others from this list.
I love that album too!
Great one. Mingus has so many terrific albums
Ah um is better than Coleman's
Thanks again for sharing
my personal sphere of interest in Jazz is Art Blakey's Moanin album in fact most Blue Note era, Hard Bop and later Modal, post bop it seems. Thanks for a great lesson!
Everybody puts "Kind of Blue"on these lists.I really think the 5 albums, with the quintet that preceded it, get overlooked. I love Red Garland and Philly Joe Jones on those recordings. Best band ever!
The first record by that first quintet was the very first jazz record that I totally soaked up, to the point where I could hum all the solos, etc. Mega group, with young John and the great Paul Chambers as well.
The version of Salt Peanuts on Steamin' is what made me fall in love with bebop
Kind of Blue needs to be everyones list …especially if they are trying to immerse themselves in jazz and don’t have any background in the genre. Like me! It really opened my ears and made other recordings…..more listenable to a kid.
Bag’s Groove would be one of them 🎉
Yea, the Milestones LP is amazing as well. Miles Davis 2nd Quintet was amazing as well.
It's amazing how many of those albums that you named were "recorded" in 1959: Kind of Blue, Giant Steps, Time Out, The Shape of Jazz, Ah Um. Also on another note, an important album in regards to Cool Jazz is none other than Miles Davis "Birth of Cool" which had Garry Mulligan on it. It was recorded in 49-50 but came out much later. But like fusion, Miles Davis spawned the sub genre allowing others to forge it.
Is that the recent why I love Jazz so ,much?
Excellent video and very informative . Your explanation of the evolutionary timeline of Jazz was most enlightening. Thank you.
This list could include many more of Miles Davis’ albums. Sketches of Spain, in a Silent Way, etc etc etc.
Excellent list. I know you were covering genres and applying an album to each. But man, if I were just listing great albums, would be hard to make a list with out Chet Baker's "Chet" (call that best ballads maybe) and Bill Evans' "Live at the Village Vanguard" (best live record). But great list and great explanations.
Very useful video. Thank your very much!
Kurt Rosenwinkel-Great call! I was just about to suggest Brian Blade Fellowship's Perpetual which includes Kurt.
Ich habe gerne die 10 besten Alben gesehen, allerdings, wo ist der Chet Baker???
I am NOT a musician but a lifelong lover of music, especially jazz! I found your video very informative. The only area I would call into question is your "modern jazz" entry as I personally would have included Pat Metheny and possibly Keith Jarrett. Both have been incredibly influential both inside and outside of the jazz genres and probably have crossed over into various places more than any other of their contemporaries much like Miles did.
Great list, some of the early jazz picks are now definitely on my 'wish list'. But if I may I would like to mention:
Miles Davis Quintet's 'E.S'P.', 'Miles Smiles', 'Sorcerer' and 'Nefertiti',
Miles Davis Quintet 'In Person: Live At The Black Hawk - The Complete and restored reissue,
Bill Evans' 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'
Herbie Hancock's 'Maiden Voyage'.
This a great and informative video. Actually educational as well.
You cite "Satin Doll" and "Take the 'A' Train" in reference to Duke Ellington. Both were written by Billy Strayhorn. The Newport album is fine, but it by no means represents the best of Ellington. His music from the end of the '30s and into the '40s is supreme, and for a late work you can't do better than "The Far East Suite," which does include collaborations with Strayhorn.
I've never heard of the expression "modern jazz" used for music that is after 1985. I have read a lot about jazz and "modern jazz" has always referred to the music from 1945 to 1960 such as bebop, hard bop and cool jazz. Also post-bop is a style of playing and composition developed by Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock in the 1960's
It's kind of impossible to list what are the greatest jazz albums but these come to mind: Miles Smiles, Charlie Parker, the Savoy Recordings, Duke Ellington Masterpieces Vol. 2, Mingus Ah Um, Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil, Oliver Nelson's The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Monk's Dream, Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch, Keith Jarrett's Facing You and John Abercrombie's Timeless. In early recordings there are often different iterations of "Albums" since they are compiling recordings from the era before the advent of the long playing LP record (1953) and these were often recompiled onto CD recordings. Now the concept of the album may be fading away as we rely more on playlists, apple music compilations and just surfing around to watch videos and old film footage,
I nominate, Lee Morgan - 'The Sidewinder" ... amongst others
Great album!
I listened to Wayne Shorter blue note stuff like Speak No Evil. Has Lee Morgan who was a monster
Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage & Oliver Nelson, The Blues and The Abstract Truth, Les Mc Cann/Eddie Harris, Swiss Movement, Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing, Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers, the Big Beat.
This is wonderful. outlook on Jazz Music, I'm impressed with the way you give the student the history, of the different areas of Jazz Music. suggestion would teach more about Horace Silver when you talk about Hard Bop Art Blakey and Horace Silver invented, Hard Bop alone with Benny Golson.
Benny Carter, Future Definitions. Jazz's greatest arranger and a wonderful composer and voice on alto.
THX for including Ellington at Newport. As a 72 y/o former jazz radio DJ, I'm surprised a recording that is as significant as Kind of Blue, and Love Supreme is missing from other so-called "all-time" lists.
Regarding "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue," the crowd was up and dancing in the aisles, supposedly fired up as much by by a woman dancing enthusiastically in a black evening dress as much as they were by Gonsalves' solo.
I remember hearing Take 5 on Pleasantville when he was sharing his knowledge in the town that forbid it.
Great video...and info...would like to mention Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters....Return to Forevers Whwew have ive known you before...Weather Reports Sweetnighter....Billy Cobhams Spectrum....also artists Wes Montgomery...John McLachlan. ..I know these lists are opinion based and salute to you job well done...
What do you think of Coltrane's Ascension and if you like/love it how often do you listen start to finish?
My favourite jazz album goes back to mid fifteen when I was a boy now an old man it still is my favourite and it is Henry Mancini soundtrack for the tv series of that time Peter Gunn.
Minor correction you said post bop followed bebop but that’s not really true. After bebop faded from dominance the next dominant genre of jazz was hard bop, post bop then followed hard bop later.
I'm curious, as to anyone who would like to share thoughts....When I think of Free Jazz I think of tings like Coltrane's Interstellar Space or Ascension., Sun Ra's Strange Strings, or The Free Jazz Posse. It seems like Ornette's The Shape of Jazz To Come isn't lacking structure or many cases rhythm or anything that I associate with Free Jazz, but is put into the free Jazz category. So what are the keys to crossing into the "free jazz" realm from traditional or say slightly more experimental? Thanks Jazz lovers. :)
Duke Ellington's 'New Orleans suite' is an often overlooked gem btw..
What about the great Wes Montgomery. What a musician!
Definitely an important jazz figure Dean!
Yes! Smokin' At The Halfnote!
Good video! In fusion I would like to add Heavy Weather from Weather Report or Light as a Feather from Chick Corea. I love those albums.
Spot on my friend.
Hey all, love the additions in the comments to this list of 10! We also have a podcast episode that goes over the top 25 jazz albums you need to know. Definitely give it a listen www.learnjazzstandards.com/ljs-podcast/25-jazz-albums-every-jazz-musician-needs-to-know/
A Love Supreme really should be on any top 10 list of best jazz albums. It's an experience unlike any other.
Mexican Green by the Tubby Hayes Quartet 1967. My favourite jazz record.
nice list
Great list . How about Thelonius Monk
A top ten list is hard. I'd have put Sun Ra on there somewhere, dropped the last guy from the eighties. Maybe use on of Sun Ra's seventies records like space is the place.
I was surprised how much I agreed with this list. I didn't have a quibble with any of the first seven selections, and only disagreed with the choice of Giant Steps because I would have put Blue Train there, but then it's my favorite jazz album by anybody. Giant Steps may be more representative of Coltrane's development, but Blue Train is just better to listen to, if for nothing else because of Lee Morgan. Coltrane supposedly said that it was his favorite of the albums he did as a leader, and I wonder where he would have ranked Kind of Blue among albums he was on. (I don't really count the Hot Five and Hot Seven collection as an album, because then arguably it would be in there with Blue Train, and maybe even have the edge.) I'm not crazy about Bitches Brew, or about late Miles Davis in general; that's partly because I never cared much for fusion, and I also thought that Davis became increasingly contemptuous of his audience during his latter period. I have seen Kurt Rosenwinkel at the Vanguard a few times and you are right, he's terrific. So nine out of ten - I'm not arguing that Giant Steps isn't a great choice - isn't bad.
I think Monk’s albums and Lester Young’s albums have been more influential than Take Five. But making a limited 10 albums list is so tricky - and this list is as good as any.
Thank you
Love the channel👍 Is that a Victor Baker 14” guitar you have there?
Thank you! It's a Victor Baker custom-made. You can find more details in this video: ua-cam.com/video/ym2XbAVD9Ec/v-deo.html
Great vid my friend!
Thank you very much!
Miles Davis Kind of Blue and Seven Steps to Heaven
Wayne Shorter was also with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for four years (but as you mentioned not on Moanin). I thought Coltrane's Love Supreme could have been listed as its a spiritual jazz standard. Also the piano trios that have been legendary such as the Oscar Peterson trio, Bill Evans trio, Kieth Jarrett trio, Chick Corea trio, Hiromi trio project. Art Tatum!!!
Hi, after the 60' quite difficult to chose. But in my humbling opinion the most relevant fussion is with latin music. Bosanova has huge influence. You also have Santana from Mexico, and many caribean musicians, difficult to chose one...
My list: 'Now Is The Time ' Sonny Rollins, 'A Day In The Like: Wes Montgomery
"Best" is subjective. A quote attributed to Monk runs something like music has to be pleasing to the ear.
I'm surprised that Basie and Monk aren't included! Also, Pat Metheny is missing: he's the biggest influence on modern jazz guitarists, including Rosenwinkle
An interesting view is from someone like me who is not a pure jazz fan, I'm a soul boy from England who heard Herbie, Roy Ayres, Charles earland , Donald Byrd, even sonny Rollins in the hey day of soul/disco 77 to 1980 but always wanted to hear more of their origins, now I'm all in on hard bop, for my journey I started with miles, kind of blue, Coltrane, love supreme, Herbie, empyrean isles, Rollins sax colossus, Charles earland black talk, monk criss cross, I've just discovered Kenny dorham, hank mobley, must also include Charles mingus and Lee Morgan,most any lp from these guys I would include, and I love Bobby hutcherson and Eric dophy
No cannonball? What about Ella in Berlin? Herbie Hancock?
I have all of those albums except the Louis Armstrong and Ornette Coleman ones. I never could get into Ornette's thing. Still, not bad! I've been playing jazz for over 40 years, although the bulk of my income comes from playing pop music. Unfortunately, it's pretty difficult to make a living playing jazz for most practitioners.
Alright! Performer names and tunes I recognize !!! I will make myself a list of the album names. For me he seems to be channeling Marian McPartland, except this time I'm listening to what is said instead of being annoyed nothing is being played.
i notice a mistake. The top 10 should be per organ eg SAX/TRUMPET yes COLTRANE PARKER DAVIS et
Guitar BENSON MONTGOMERY GREEN REINHARDT etc
Drums RICH BLAKEY etc
Pianos TATUM EVANS MONK HANCOCK
not sure how The Köln Concert did not make it
Return to forever, Weather report, John McLaughlin.
Great ones John!
Mclaughlin "My Goals Beyond " side 2 incredible jazz guitar
And Lifetime!!! "Play the tape John, play the tape"
My pick for modern jazz is Grover Washington Jr Mister magic.
Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool, Thelonious Monk's Straight No Chaser also worth studying.