Jazz Landmark albums like Kind of Blue?

[cire113]

Ok I'm looking for jazz landmark albums like "kind of blue"

Does anyone else have reccomendations for essential albums like this for jazz music?

I am looking to just really dig deep into these albums..

thanks

[Ed Fuqua]

KOB is a great record. It's also a "go-to" purchase for anyone who wants people to think they have some kind of deep aesthetic.
I would recommend a much more personal approach to "digging deep", assuming you've actually listened to KOB and didn't just read about it. There are 7 musicians on the recording; look for other recordings where they are playing with different people and see if you like the way those sound. If you like the way Trane or Cannonball sound, find other records where they are sidemen. Find records they released as the leader. Find other records that they play together on. If you like the rhythm section, find other records that they are all on together with other horn players. Find records that only ONE of the KOB rhythm players on it. Do you like the way (for instance) Paul Chambers sounds with Sonny Clark? With Jackie McLean? Then do the same thing, look for other records with THOSE cats.
It's about what resonates for YOU, not what some list is...

[colcifer]

Giant Steps, Bill Evans At The Village Vanguard (splurge for the box set), Bright Size Life (tied with Evans, LaFaro, Motian as my favorite trio), Nefertiti, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, anything with Kenny Burrell.

Edit: There's a great Sonny Clark album you'll really dig called Sonny's Crib. Coltrane and Chambers play on it as part of a septet (similar or identical to the one that recorded Blue Train). The first track is Speak Low played in part with a Latin groove with Trane taking the melody and a killer first solo. I might be wrong though; I haven't listened to this album in years and am too lazy to Google it. Get the album and let me know if I remembered it correctly.

[Spectrum]

Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet

[AcidFripp]

John Coltrane's A Love Supreme

Charles Mingus' The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady

Miles Davis' Bitches Brew

Ornette Coleman's The Shape Of Jazz To Come

Mahavishnu Orchestra's Birds of Fire

Yes, that last one is jazz-fusion. But you can sod off, as it's still a type of jazz and it's a landmark album and it's influential.

[cire113]

thanks guys

[bassbrad]

As Ed said a lot depends on what resonates for you or what your current playing situation is. I do think that a good historical overview may be in order I really like the Smithsonian Jazz set that also comes with a pretty good book.

Amazon.com: Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz: Various Artists, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane: Music

some of my other favorite suggestions are:
Oliver Nelson "Blues and the Abstract Truth"
Thelonious Monk on Blue Note
Charles Mingus "Ah Um"

[klyph]

Ed + a million

It seems whenever one of these threads comes up, people recommend only what came after KOB. There are four decades of recorded jazz prior to this, alot of which might surprise you. Duke Ellington from late 30's and early forties is a good bet, as is Basie or Billie Holiday from the same era (and many others, natch). Any Nat King Cole Trio track is bound to be instructive and entertaining. Any Fats Waller compilation will probably bring a smile to your face (isn't that what it's all about?). I would recommend downloading the track "West End Blues" by Louis Armstrong, a track that was a real game-changer in it's day (1923?), and cemented his rep as a virtuoso player. I think it's on that Smithsonian compilation, as well as YouTube.


You might like Miles' Prestige albums, (workin', cookin', steamin, etc), which I find myself listening to for pleasure far more than anything he did post- '66. You also might like Cannonball w/Nancy Wilson, or one of his live LPs (Especially "San Francisco"). "Time Out" is an excellent suggestion.

I could be wrong here, but albums like"Bitches Brew" seem unlikely to get a lot of play in the stereo of someone who isn't already a jazz fan. I realize this is just a personal observation, as I don't know you Have fun!

[Muddslide]

I think my favorite Mingus album is Ah Um.

There is a Coltrane album--not his most heralded--called simply Coltrane Jazz. You NEED this because it has two versions of the track "I'll Wait and Pray" which is just a surpassingly beautiful piece.

Jimmy Smith's Back at the Chicken Shack if you wanna hear some stellar jazz organ.

Grant Green and Wes Montgomery for some great jazz guitar.

Thelonious Monk, Sun Ra, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman...

lots of great stuff out there.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by klyph

I could be wrong here, but albums like "Bitches Brew" seem unlikely to get a lot of play in the stereo of someone who isn't already a jazz fan. I realize this is just a personal observation, as I don't know you Have fun!

FME, a lot of "Jazz" fans won't touch BB...or anything else with electric piano & electric bass.

[bassbrad]

Originally Posted by JimK

FME, a lot of "Jazz" fans won't touch BB...or anything else with electric piano & electric bass.

What was the phrase Parker used--moldy figs

[Dick Them]

" People Time " - Stan Getz + Kenny Barron !

[Floridabwoy]

A lot of what other people have said but mine would be.

Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come
John Coltrane - Giant Steps - will NEVER get tired of this album
Eric Dolphy - Iron Man & Out to Lunch
Mingus - Live at Carnegie Hall

[Schlyder]

Jaco Pastorius's breakout solo album "Jaco Pastorius" has to be on that list.
Bitches Brew.
Giant Steps.
Bright Size Life
Bird with Strings

[aguacateojos]

Coltrane's Ascension
Miles' On The Corner
Monk's Criss Cross

[Bass_Thumper]

I see a lot of great hard bop stuff listed so I'll leave that alone.

I'd like to give a +1 to Bright Size Life and add the following:

Weather Report - Black Market (they put out tons of great music but this is my personal favorite)
Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay
Herbie Hancock - Mr. Hands
Michael Brecker - Pilgrimage
Michael Formanek - The Rub and the Spare Change

[pnchad]

I've been playing jazz for 40 years but just went through 3 yrs listening & learning Monk tunes.

Like someone said above - always brings a smile even a giggle - wonderful for harmony and comp

[Marty Forrer]

For latin jazz I'd recommend One more Once by Michel Camilo. Features Anthony Jackson at his finest.

[Jim Nazium]

"Maiden Voyage", Herbie Hancock
"Getz / Gilberto", Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Floridabwoy

Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch

The "companion" recording for Out To Lunch is a must-have...Andrew Hill's Point Of Departure.

Mingus - Live at Carnegie Hall

This was within the 1st 10 Jazz records I owned...definitely a blowing session. I also owned Mingus' Changes Two in the same time frame. That's a great band & recording, too.