An "Essential Discography," as listed in Jerry Coker's "Patterns for Jazz" (1970)

[Teasing the Korean]

Patterns for Jazz by Jerry Coker, et. al., was published in 1970.  It includes at the back an "essential discography."  

It is notable less for what is included than what was omitted, including all jazz prior to bebop.  Because the book is aimed at jazz soloists, or would-be jazz soloists, arrangers get the short shrift also.

I wonder what percentage of these albums would make a listing of an "essential" jazz discography in 2023.  I'm guessing anywhere from 50% to 80% or even 90%, depending on your taste, but that a huge number of albums would need to be added to the list to round it out.

ESSENTIAL DISCOGRAPHY

• Julian Cannonball Adderly, Live in San Francisco (Riverside 12-311),Cannonball Adderly Quintet.
• Ornette Coleman, Something Else (Contemporary S-7551), Ornette Coleman Group.
• Ornette Coleman, This Is Our Music (Contemporary SD 1343), Ornette Coleman.
• John Coltrane, A Love Supreme (Impulse A-77), John Coltrane Quartet.
• John Coltrane, Giant Steps (Atlantic 1311), John Coltrane Quartet. 
• John Coltrane, Lush Life (Prestige S-7581), John Coltrane Group.
• Miles Davis, E. S. P. (Columbia CS-9150), Miles Davis Quintet.
• Miles Davis, In A Silent Way, (Columbia CS-9875), Miles Davis Group.
• Miles Davis, Kinda Blue (Columbia CS-8153), Miles Davis Sextet.
• Miles Davis, Miles In Europe (Columbia CS-8983), Miles Davis Quintet.
• Miles Davis, Miles Smiles (Columbia CS-9401), Miles Davis Quintet.
• Miles Davis, Milestones (Columbia CL-1193), Miles Davis Sextet.
• Miles Davis, Nefertiti (Columbia CS-9594), Miles Davis Quintet.
• Miles Davis, 'Round Midnight (Columbia CL949), Miles Davis.
• Bill Evans, Everybody Digs Bill Evans (Riverside RLP 12-291), Bill Evans Trio.
• Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage (Blue Note 84195), Herbie Hancock Quintet.
• Charles Lloyd, Forest Flower (Atlantic 1473), Charles Lloyd Quartet.
• Wes Montgomery, Wes Montgomery Trio (Riverside 12-310), Wes Montgomery Trio.
• Oliver Nelson, Blues And The Abstract Truth (Impulse A-5), Oliver Nelson Group.
• Charles Parker, Bird Ar St. Nick's (Fantasy 6012), Charles Parker Group.
• Charles Parker, Now's The Time (Verve MGV 8005), Charles Parker Group.
• Sonny Rollins. Saxophone Colossos (Prestige 7079), Sonny Rollins Group.
• George Russell, Ezz-Thetics (Riverside 375), George. Russell Sextet.
• George Russell, George Russell at The Five Spot (Decca DL9220), George Russell Sextet.
• George Russell, George Russell In Kansas City (Decca DL4183), George Russell Sextet.
• George Russell, Stratusphunk (Riverside 341), George Russell.
• Wayne Shorter, Adam's Apple (Blue Note 84232), Wayne Shorter Group.
• Wayne Shorter, Al Seeing Eye (Blue Note 84219), Wayne Shorter Group.
• Wayne Shorter, Schizophrenia (Blue Note 84297), Wayne Shorter.
• Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil (Blue Note 84194), Wayne Shorter Group.
• Sonny Stitt, Sonny Side Up (Verve MGV 8262), Sonny Stitt Group.
• McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy (Blue Note 84264), McCoy Tyner Group.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Teasing the Korean

[HutchFan]

That's a tasty slice of the jazz pie, for sure -- but it's a VERY NARROW slice indeed.  Tons missing.

For me, the most surprising omissions are Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell.  Particularly if the author's focus is on soloists.

Also notable: Four records by George Russell and none by Charles Mingus?  That's odd.

And, like you noted TTK, no pre-Bop soloists.  None!   Phooey on that.  👎

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by HutchFan

[Teasing the Korean]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

That's a tasty slice of the jazz pie, for sure -- but it's a VERY NARROW slice indeed.  Tons missing.

For me, the most surprising omissions are Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell.  Particularly if the author's focus is on soloists.

Also notable: Four records by George Russell and none by Charles Mingus?  That's odd.

And, like you noted TTK, no pre-Bop soloists.  None!   Phooey on that.  👎

 

I thought about Diz and Mingus also.

[JSngry]

You need to remember who Jerry Coker was, the time at which his book was written, and for whom it was written.

It was pre-Real Book, pre Jazz Education explosion, pre a LOT of things.

Different landscape. Totally different landscape. 

[Teasing the Korean]

13 minutes ago, JSngry said:

You need to remember who Jerry Coker was, the time at which his book was written, and for whom it was written.

It was pre-Real Book, pre Jazz Education explosion, pre a LOT of things.

Different landscape. Totally different landscape. 

I get all that.

Hence my question about 2023.

[mhatta]

Others missing from this list as of 1970 but influential today include Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy, Joe Henderson, and perhaps Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett (too young, perhaps).  In a sense, they are all composers.

[Teasing the Korean]

 This is a great book, by the way, for what it is.

[Larry Kart]

Because I admire Coker's playing, I hope that he farmed out that "essential discography"  list to some idiot instead of doing it himself.

[Teasing the Korean]

2 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Because I admire Coker's playing, I hope that he farmed out that list to some idiot instead of doing it himself.

It is likely that the patterns he detailed in the book were drawn from solos on the albums listed.  Or not.

The other question is what post-1970 albums would be added to the list.

[JSngry]

4 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Because I admire Coker's playing, I hope that he farmed out that "essential discography"  list to some idiot instead of doing it himself.

Why?

The first fake book I got when I got to NT (Fall 1974) perfectly (more or less...) reflected the esthetic of that discography.

Bebop had yet to become the music of the future. A LOT of shit was OOP. Aebersold was still looking for traction. Jerry Coker's book was kinda "advanced" for what it represented.

And yes, all those George Russell records. Meet the David Baker influence via the Aebersold clinics and elsewhere. Nobody was teaching the LCC, but David Baker was heavy teaching George Russell. 

Oh yeah, I had a bit of infamy in 1974 for having a "lot" of Sonny Rollins records, ANY Lester Young records, and WTF is up with this Archie Shepp guy you like so much? 

[Gheorghe]

Well, in 1970 it is possible that Bud Powell was quite forgotten. The missing of Mingus is also quite strange, but Mingus in 1970 was coming back after many many years of semi retirement and his comeback in 1970 was much less glamourous than Miles´comeback in the early 80´s . 
I´m quite astonished that "Bitches Brew" is not present. Well he has listed "Silent Way" so maybe "Bitches" still was not in the record stores. 
The Wayne Shorter BN albums and the inclusion of "Real McCoy" proves good taste. 
George Russell I "know" only as composer of "Ezzthetics" (played by Lee Konitz-Miles Davis, and on a Grant Green record for BN), and from some more strange and abstract tunes in some Gillespie Big Band records from the 40´s, but they are the tracks I seldom listen to. 

[Big Beat Steve]

So this was what was suposed to be "essential" in jazz in 1970? Hodgepodgey IMO, not only for the omission of at least the giants of pre-bop (i.e Swing; but OTOH there were enough other "essential" lists that did feature them, to the exclusion of others, in turn). But even actual Bebop (note: REAL Bebop as opposed to Hard Bop) is consicuous by its almost total absence (except for those only moderately representative Bird recordings).
And no pre-Columbia Miles? And that sole Sonny Stitt looks rather abitrary to me. 4 George Russells give a very lopsided overall picture too.

As for who Jerry Coker was - so was it a sign of objectivity, then, that the below one did not make it into the list? 😉

https://www.discogs.com/de/master/674153-Jerry-Coker-Modern-Music-From-Indiana-University

Edited April 23, 2023 by Big Beat Steve

[Teasing the Korean]

5 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

So this was what was suposed to be "essential" in jazz in 1970?

The albums were intended to be "essential" listening for someone who was a jazz soloist, or would-be jazz soloist, in 1970.  It is also very possible that the patterns in the book were drawn from solos on these albums.  I don't think it was intended as an an exhaustive list from historical, artistic, or cultural perspectives.

I can't find fault with most of the choices that were included, except maybe for one, but some of the omissions are puzzling, to say the least.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Teasing the Korean

[JSngry]

It's a "jazz education" book from a very particular point in time. It was not and is not a general listening guide for civilians, then or now. 

[HutchFan]

6 minutes ago, JSngry said:

It's a "jazz education" book from a very particular point in time. It was not and is not a general listening guide for civilians, then or now. 

Yes. Of course that's true.  But it's still fun to discuss what author's notions of what "essential" were, no?  Even if his ideas are specifically in the context of a jazz soloist's instruction book. 

Speaking for myself, I'm not nit-picking in the sense of what he should've included.  I'm just joining the conversation because it's fun to discuss these sorts of things.   

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by HutchFan

[Teasing the Korean]

6 minutes ago, JSngry said:

It's a "jazz education" book from a very particular point in time. It was not and is not a general listening guide for civilians, then or now. 

And as such, I find it a useful book to have.  I have periodically over the years dusted it off and randomly chose patterns to work on.  In terms of my own playing, it is more useful from technical and ear standpoints than cut-and-paste applications.

[JSngry]

1 minute ago, Teasing the Korean said:

 In terms of my own playing, it is more useful from technical and ear standpoints than cut-and-paste applications.

Yeah, that's what it was/is really for. That's what any of them should be for 

[Rooster_Ties]

Kinda surprised there was no Lee Morgan — less surprised that Joe Henderson was overlooked (seems he was overlooked for the first 75% of his career).

But was Lee really on essentially the same level of importance (as Joe) in 1970?  He’d had close to 15 years of leader-dates by that point — and 23(!) albums that were released by 1968 (I tried to leave out all the posthumous releases).

I get that Lee wasn’t Miles, but neither was he Blue Mitchell (but I guess if Diz was left out, what can you else can you expect).

[felser]

No Art Blakey/Jazz Messengers.

[JSngry]

Not relevant to the project at hand. 

[Ken Dryden]

Years ago I saw Jerry Coker in Knoxville opening for Dave Brubeck, when Coker was part of the UT faculty. It was a fine set, except for his wife Patti’s attempt to sight read the lyric to Brubeck’s “In Your Own Seeet Way,” with the composer sitting just offstage.