Scott Dolan Posted October 12, 2016 Report Posted October 12, 2016 I have no idea if this is the correct sub forum to post this in, but let's give it a shot. A charge I'm usually stuck with around here is that I never talk about Jazz. While untrue, I do admit that I pretty much talked about Jazz here and at the erstwhile Jazz Corner mostly in the previous decade. So I thought perhaps it wouldn't be a bad time to discuss our top five Jazz albums of all time. It might lead to some interesting discussion, who knows? I won't spend a lot of time expounding on why each of these are in my top five, but hope we can organically create a great discussion while revisiting the albums that spoke to us the most. Whether in our formative years, or some time later. As odd as it seems, I found the world of Jazz via Frank Zappa. I spent about a year listening to nothing BUT Zappa recordings. And there is no embellishment there. While reading Ben Watson's Negative Dialectics Of Poodle Play, a book about his own journey through the Zappa universe, names I kept seeing come up (aside from Adorno) were Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Eric Dolphy. Tying these names to Zappa intrigued me, so I set out to find out a little more about Jazz. After doing some pre-internet days homework, I found that Kind Of Blue was the gold standard of Jazz music. So, I purchased it, and the journey began. I'll admit it took about ten listens before it finally hit me like a ton of bricks! Listens 1-9 left me bored to tears. But that tenth, oh man... So, in particular order (I think): 1. First Meditations - John Coltrane Everyone has their own number one Jazz album, and I may be the only one to have this AS my all time favorite. It will never be listed amongst the best Jazz albums of all time, but this album just blew me away on so many levels. This is, IMO, McCoy Tyner's finest moment with the Classic Quartet. As close to Classical Music as I've ever found in the Jazz genre. 2. Sun Ship - John Coltrane OK, I admit it. The Classic Quartet from 1965 is the apotheosis of recorded sound for me. I could easily list every release of their's from that year as my number one Jazz album(s) of all time. Very different from First Meditations flowing beauty, this is far more angular, hard-edged, almost...angry. When Coltrane jumps into his solo with both feet on the title track, I STILL get goosebumps! Perhaps his otherworldly forays with Pharaoh in the following years was more so, but I think this is arguably his most ferocious solo. 3. Spiritual Unity - Albert Ayler Trio Very odd story to this one. I was on a treadmill with Virgin Free Radio's avant garde Jazz station playing on my computer when this album came on. I think it was the first variation of Ghosts. And similar to when Kind Of Blue finally hit me, this was like a bolt from the blue! At the time it was one of the craziest, yet most beautiful, things I'd ever heard. This album still feels like a physical shock of some sort. I don't know that I hear it as much as I "experience" it. Hey man, they were just warming up, right? 4. Kind Of Blue - Miles Davis I'm sure I could say something insightful and interesting about this album, but it would only be redundant. All Blues remains the only lengthy Jazz tune that I can play note for note in my head. I never realized just how full of spit Cannonall and Coltrane's horns were until I put my current system together and my wife asks, "why does it sound so static-y?" I don't care if the legends behind this session are factual, they are true to me. Jimmy switching to his ride as Miles starts his solo on All Blues. Miles punctuation of his solo on said tune. What the fuck do you do with THAT?! God bless you, Julian. I'd have fucking crawled into a hole and begged for forgiveness! 5. The Blues And The Ab... No, wait. 5. Out To L... Hmmm... I'll have to work on number five. What say you, gents? I could tell stories about the first time I heard Coltrane and Dolphy tearing the paint off the Village Vanguard walls with India. Or the day I finally understood Monk's solos. Or lot's of other revelations... But let's stick to the subject at hand. I truly envy all who are yet to experience these wonderful sounds for the first time. Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted October 12, 2016 Report Posted October 12, 2016 Hmm, I'll have to get back to you but I 'll try to not take too long. Quote
David Ayers Posted October 12, 2016 Report Posted October 12, 2016 Easier to list five tracks, maybe. Quote
Scott Dolan Posted October 12, 2016 Author Report Posted October 12, 2016 That could be an interesting thread as well! Why not start it, David? Quote
StarThrower Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 Miles-ESP Mingus-Oh Yeah Keith Jarrett-Treasure Island Oliver Nelson-Straight Ahead John Scofield-Time On My Hands For today, anyway... Quote
Milestones Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 This is a tough thing, and why not 10 instead of 5? My approach would be a top record by my all time favorites, so.... Blanton/Webster Band--Ellington Kind of Blues (or Milestones)--Miles Davis Brilliant Corners (or Monk's Music)--Monk Crescent--Coltrane Great Concert of Charlies Mingus w. Dolphy Quote
paul secor Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 I'd have a tough time deciding on fifty top albums - forget five. Quote
soulpope Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 4 hours ago, paul secor said: I'd have a tough time deciding on fifty top albums - forget five. Agreed .... Quote
BillF Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 As it's "of all time", we should have stuff from before the album era, or we'd be excluding all-time material by Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, Lester, Parker and others you might care to mention. Quote
ArtSalt Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 Way too difficult, but I can tell you what's been getting some serious regular repeating listening recently, in no order: Wayne Shorter - Adam's Apple Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman Story Terence Blanchard - Breathless Jason Moran - All Rise Steve Bernstein and Henry Butler - Viper's Drag The Bryan Ferry Orchestra - The Jazz Age Quote
Scott Dolan Posted October 13, 2016 Author Report Posted October 13, 2016 I guess I'm one of the only ones here that finds some Jazz albums transcendent? Sure, there are hundreds, if not thousands , of great Jazz albums. The point is to get at the ones that are, or at least were, a transcendent experience for you. 13 hours ago, Milestones said: This is a tough thing, and why not 10 instead of 5? My approach would be a top record by my all time favorites, so.... Blanton/Webster Band--Ellington Kind of Blues (or Milestones)--Miles Davis Brilliant Corners (or Monk's Music)--Monk Crescent--Coltrane Great Concert of Charlies Mingus w. Dolphy If we went to ten, Brilliant Corners would definitely make my list. Possibly Crescent as well. Not entirely sure, but it's definitely my favorite Coltrane album from 1964. 13 hours ago, StarThrower said: Miles-ESP Mingus-Oh Yeah Keith Jarrett-Treasure Island Oliver Nelson-Straight Ahead John Scofield-Time On My Hands For today, anyway... Love this list as well. Nice to see Oliver Nelson show up in this thread one and a half times now. And anything from Miles second quintet is worthy, IMO. The 1964 Concert/Four And More with Coleman on tenor would likely be in my top ten. Quote
BeBop Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 I (insert verb) those who can come up with five, or any other finite number. I'm too fickle. Today's five might not even overlap tomorrow's. Whatever you love, right on. Quote
mjazzg Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 I'll not claim transcendence for these but they all very significantly changed the way I listened to music when I first heard them and therefore had a significant influence on my (musical) life. I like them a hell of a lot too Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue Jimmy Giuffre 3 - 1961 (cheating by choosing the double reissue) Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra - Ballad Of The Fallen Ornette Coleman - Change Of The Century (because it was the first Ornette I bought) Alexander von Schlippenbach - Pakistani Pomade Quote
StarThrower Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 "Transcendent experience" is the only reason I listen to music. If there's nothing getting beyond the notes and moving me, I have no interest. And I have no preference for certain instruments, as they are only vehicles for the artists' expressions. Quote
Scott Dolan Posted October 13, 2016 Author Report Posted October 13, 2016 Hmmm... i can dig that. But, IMO, it cheapens the meaning of transcendent. Again, that is strictly my opinion. Quote
JSngry Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 Dippin'' been better to me than I been to myself. Quote
soulpope Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, JSngry said: Dippin'' been better to me than I been to myself. The Rhythm Section excells - as mentioned recently elsewhere .... Edited October 13, 2016 by soulpope Quote
paul secor Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 Interesting that no one has listed a recording pre-1940. What does that say? Quote
Scott Dolan Posted October 13, 2016 Author Report Posted October 13, 2016 1 hour ago, paul secor said: Interesting that no one has listed a recording pre-1940. What does that say? I'm not sure. Perhaps the sonic quality and the relative "juvenile" phase of the art form conspire to keep them from being considered "pinnacle" recordings? What dies it say in your opinion? Bebop is my ultimate starting point, not that I can't listen to earlier forms and enjoy them. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 That we're all war babies or later This is a very subjective thing. A record or a whole album doesn't actually have to be terribly good to get through and bring revelations; it's just the way you happen to be or feel at the time. But if it DOES bring revelations, they last and last and last. So - albums first, then singles. No, I'm gonna do 'em all together. But five each, eh? S1 The Drifters - There goes my baby/Oh my love I'd decided early in 1959 that there had to be something wrong with the pop charts and I'd better study my collection of singles (only had 1 LP then) to find common factors. And I worked out that stuff produced by Atlantic, like Clyde McPhatter, Chuck Willis, the Coasters, issued here on London, was VERY likely to be stuff I wanted to buy, and worked out how to identify them pre-release by their catalogue numbers. So the next Atlantic single that was coming out here, I ordered in advance. So I got it home after school (I was 15) and flung it on the record player. And, as it happened, it was a masterpiece at the beginning of the development of Soul out of fairly straight R&B. And I'd never heard anything like it. I didn't know who the Drifters were, and even if I had, it wouldn't have helped, because this was the Crowns. The previous Drifters had been sacked and the Crowns, with Ben E King singing lead, replaced them. The song was very strange, too, with little attempt at rhyme. And the chorus of bowed basses - Phil Spector's idea - was another really incredible thing to hear for the first time. Lord, what's THIS? And on the other side, was a song that didn't even make any pretence of rhyming. And each line was drawn out and out. Phew! S2 Ray Charles - What'd I say pts 1 & 2 Two weeks later, I ordered the next Atlantic single to come out. Another revelation and music like I'd never heard it before. A LOOOONG electric piano solo to start off with... who knew what an electric piano even WAS in those days? And then... Bloomin' 'ell! And a conversation of muffled shouts moved things on to part 2. They didn't make records like that ever before. David Newman & Ray Charles - Fathead I got this in summer 1960, when I was working in Harrods, so I got staff discount. I'd been nuts about Ray Charles since early 1959, when 'What'd I say' had come out. And Harrods had a good selection, so I bought lots. I thought it strange that Ray would make an album called 'Fathead'. Gotta go, phone call. Back tomorrow MG Quote
paul secor Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 1 hour ago, Scott Dolan said: I'm not sure. Perhaps the sonic quality and the relative "juvenile" phase of the art form conspire to keep them from being considered "pinnacle" recordings? What dies it say in your opinion? Bebop is my ultimate starting point, not that I can't listen to earlier forms and enjoy them. There are many recordings from The "juvenile" phase of the art form that I value very highly. I'll let it go at that. "What dies it say in your opinion?" I just asked the question. I can't answer what it says for others. Quote
ArtSalt Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, Scott Dolan said: I'm not sure. Perhaps the sonic quality and the relative "juvenile" phase of the art form conspire to keep them from being considered "pinnacle" recordings? What dies it say in your opinion? Bebop is my ultimate starting point, not that I can't listen to earlier forms and enjoy them. I've excluded music from pre-1940, well kind of as regards Benny Goodman, as being not part of the 12" album 33.1/3 universe. I've been digging plenty of pre-1940 jazz lately too that would alter my top 5 of what I am listening to now. Edit: And maybe too The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, I think their modern take on 1920s jazz of Mr Ferry's oeuvre and other stuff is really quite grand and interesting. Edited October 13, 2016 by ArtSalt Quote
JSngry Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 2 hours ago, paul secor said: Interesting that no one has listed a recording pre-1940. What does that say? That singles are not albums? Quote
mikeweil Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 If I had encountered pre-LP era music on that medium or CD, I would not hesitate to list it. Quote
paul secor Posted October 13, 2016 Report Posted October 13, 2016 1 hour ago, JSngry said: That singles are not albums? You should have been a politician, Jim. (Though I guess I wouldn't wish that on anyone.) Obviously, pre-1940 music has been issued in album form. Quote
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