Not Knowing Squat About Jazz, Indeed
I’ve had this thing in my inbox for the past few weeks and I’ve been debating whether to post it. It’s really silly. The Internet gives pretty much anyone a forum to write pretty much anything they want. So I got this email with a listing from a blog and it was something like the “10 Greatest Jazz Pianists of All Time,” which was silly enough, but then I saw that the guy did a Top 10 list of jazz albums under the dubious heading “10 essential jazz albums if you know squat about jazz but want to become more versed.” The list is so bad and ridiculous I won’t comment, other than to note the lack of any artist from before the post-Bop era, including Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Anyway, after great hesitation (and strictly for laughs), here it is:
1. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
2. John Coltrane, Crescent
3. Thelonious Monk, Misterioso
4. Sonny Rollins, The Bridge
5. Bill Evans, Sunday at the Village Vanguard
6. Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else
7. Ornette Coleman, The Shape of Jazz To Come
8.Pharoah Saunders, Thembi
9. Joe Henderson, Page One
10. Chet Baker, Chet
Ah, c’mon. That list is really not so bad as a set of pointers for a newcomer to modern jazz!
I think it’s meant to give a new listener a taste of approachable and tuneful or sonically yummy jazz albums from the 1958-72 period. I’ve been teaching courses on jazz history for 25 years and there a number of titles here that I would scribble down for newcomers, with some alternate takes, of course.
Also I would guess that this list is intended for someone with a rock-album orientation, and classic rock had its very album-oriented phase (notably 1970s). By contrast, Parker wasn’t really an “album” artist in the same way. Perhaps that’s why he’s left off, because the absence IS glaring. I’d put Ellington on there, perhaps the very approachable and funky late work AFRO-EURASIAN ECLIPSE? And I’d substitute the hard-rocking BRILLIANT CORNERS for MISTERIOSO. And so forth.
Oh,Al…I think you’re being much too hard on our fellow jazzer. While he says this list would make a good starting point,he also notes that
“Admittedly, it was hard to pare it down to just ten, and I left out a ton of legendary albums, but these records, most of which were recorded in the ’50s and ’60s, are a great place to start.”
And why not? Kind Of Blue was the lp that ‘hooked’ him. Perhaps something on his list might serve another newbie equally well. It’s not neccessary to have Pops,Hines,Ellington and Prez on every ‘starter kit’ list. That can always come with the second listings of lps that can point to those who inspired Miles,Monk and Evans. But first you have to grab their attention-this blogger’s listing suggests that lyricism is one way to do that.
And if he’s reading THIS blog,he’s already way ahead of someone just hearing ‘the music’ for the first time.
That can only be a good thing,IMO.
Shiiiit….No Kenny G!
The guy obviously has blinkers on.
I have a lot of Pharoah LPs but surprisingly, Thembi is absent. I haven’t heard it in about fifteen years, either. Need to rectify that.
b/w
tenor player Johnny Griffith ?!
“By contrast, Parker wasn’t really an “album” artist in the same way.”
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I agree. If you focus on the use of the word “album” (dunno how much the author meant to emphasize it), recording artists from the swing and early bop eras weren’t “album artists”, per se. I think music made with the long-play format in mind is intrinsically different than earlier sides which did not.
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“And I’d substitute the hard-rocking BRILLIANT CORNERS for MISTERIOSO.”
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“Brilliant Corners” is a difficult listen for me personally, partly I think because it seems so slow at times tempo-wise (heroin’s influence on these guys to prefer playing really fast or really slow?) and partly because it seems like the harmonies are complex the melodies are extremely angular. I know a little bit about the complexity that went into its creation, and even though I am not anywhere near an expert on jazz, I personally wouldn’t recommend it to a beginner.
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I don’t know if the writer just wanted a Monk album on there but if so I don’t think “Misterioso” is a good choice either because it’s dominated by Griffin. TBH I don’t know what Monk album I’d put on there; I don’t think his LPs were really indicative of his brilliance in songwriting and playing (let me know if I’m stepping way out of bounds here).
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Aside from my interest in collecting jazz vinyl, I’m not drawn to the music of the swing era, and TBH early bop recordings don’t appeal to me in the sense that they are sonically inferior to recordings from the late 50s and 60s. To really appreciate that old stuff, I think you really have to be mostly into the musical content opposed to the fidelity or sonic quality of what you’re listening to. I admittedly have neglected the early bop period up to this point in my life in terms of listening but I would like to get there eventually, as I understand that the road to hard bop was largely paved by the early boppers.
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BTW I am in awe of jazz appreciators who enjoy such a broad span of time in jazz’s history to enjoy sub-genres like swing and hard bop equally!
If you had to pick one Monk album (impossible), I think “Monk’s Music” is a good choice. His famous compositions, plus great supporting players, plus lots of Monk solos, plus great Riverside sound equals a very fine introductory Monk album. And the cover photo is a riot.
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I think his list is not half-bad for a beginner. I don’t like Pharaoh at all, so I obviously take issue with that record. And “Crescent” instead of “A Love Supreme” is odd (as good as Crescent is). Further, I love Chet Baker, but even I would question the inclusion of “Chet” on any beginners’ top ten list. It’s a fine record with a superb supporting cast, but not sure it’s part of “the canon.”
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Just to correct something I wrote before. I meant to write MONK’S MUSIC as the one Monk ALBUM (in the sense of an album album) II would recommend to a non-jazz person just getting into jazz, for all the reasons Joe L lists.
Taste is subjective.. Maybe he doesn’t like Parker, Pres, et al.
My best of list wouldn’t include a lot of the early stuff, and might include some of the albums he’s listed here. It’s not that I don’t think bop is important, it is. However, my tastes tend to lean toward the post-bop era.
Does that make me a beginner? So be it, but I’m not going to proclaim something as great, just because it came first.. If that were the case I’d be listening to nothing but Dixiland, and Cuban rhythm.
Blah… Some of you guys are a little full of yourselves. Like what you like, but don’t criticize other for talking about what they like.
Not Knowing a squat about jazz just about sums me up BUT I have been left a collection of albums mainly US some British the former owner was a tenor sax player in the late forties early fifties so the music is mainly sax exceptions are Art Blakey Horace silver Dizzy Gillespie Clifford Brown and a few others most of the US albums are Blue Note or Riverside others on British labels bare with me my question is coming up I am listing to Hank Mobley Soul Station at the moment and the name Paul Chambers on bass is there again did he ever front his own album anybody please ?
“If you had to pick one Monk album (impossible), I think “Monk’s Music” is a good choice.”
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Hi Joe. I have a digital copy of Monk’s Music, I will revisit it. I’m not usually a fan of those big ensembles but I will give it another try…come to think of it, maybe this isn’t the best intro to Monk either cuz he worked in a quartet formation the majority of his career…? At the moment I’m thinking earlier Monk…not as early as the Blue Note sessions but the Prestige sessions with Newk…again I’m talking about a record for a beginner–*not* what I think Monk’s “greatest album” is.
“And “Crescent” instead of “A Love Supreme” is odd (as good as Crescent is)”
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Again I feel there’s “a lot going on” with “A Love Supreme”, and I dunno if it would be the best intro to Coltrane–it’s heavy. “Giant Steps” is pretty complex too but there’s something about it that still feels a bit more accessible than “A Love Supreme”…I’m sure there’s a technical, analytical, academic reason for this (if it makes any sense) but I sure as heck don’t know it!
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The first Coltrane album I ever heard was “My Favorite Things” and I thought that was a very accessible album that drew me into jazz. I hope y’all are remembering that this list isn’t about the ten greatest jazz albums of all-time (whatever that means); it’s about albums for people who would like to hear more jazz who aren’t familiar with it. I don’t think one would want to go scaring people away with “heavy” material…is “Cresecent” more along the lines of free stuff?? If so, that’s cool that the author chose it, or if another choice is in the free form (I’m not familiar with all of these albums), cuz it would show the newcomer that–though this other stuff might be good and all–sh!t gets heavy!
Seem like a fine list, and I own all but Pharoah Saunders. I would have included Art Blakey’s Moanin and something from Mingus as that’s what brought me to jazz. I’d also probably throw in Out to Lunch as it’s my personal favorite, but that’s just me.
If I knew nothing about jazz, never listened to it before, and someone gave me a copy of Eric Dolphy’s “Out To Lunch”, I’d never listen to s single jazz record again.
“Blue Train”, “Kind Of Blue”, “Soul Station”, “Study In Brown”, “Introducing Johnny Griffin”: all good choices for someone who knows little or nothing about jazz.
Like someone posted before me, it’s not about what jazz fans consider great albums, it’s about what kind of album would make you a jazz fan.
“Out To Lunch” is not that album!
“If I knew nothing about jazz, never listened to it before, and someone gave me a copy of Eric Dolphy’s “Out To Lunch”, I’d never listen to s single jazz record again.”
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Unless the listener is partial towards “surrealist” art to begin with. A surrealist might appreciate the lack of order and structure in free jazz immediately. But I don’t think most people who want to get their feet wet with jazz are going to be able to appreciate “Out to Lunch”. It seems like many people who appreciate free jazz have already experienced the earlier, more structured jazz forms and there is something (clearly) different and unprecedented in free jazz that they find enjoyable. I’m not much of a surrealist to begin with though, I like my order in things, and I’m not saying I’ll *never* get into free jazz, but I wouldn’t bet on it =P
I know. I don’t take these list too seriously. Out to Lunch was actually one of the first jazz albums I bought and loved it. To each their own though. I still think Moanin’ would be a good choice.
You guys are more familiar with the list than I am but from my collection I would put Cannonball Adderley in contention
Appreciate he is at 6 on the list but my choice is recorded at The Jazz Workshop San Francisco
This session led by Julian supported by Nat and I quote the rhythm is contagious and could well cause the lame to walk
Anyway, it’s nice he took a shot at listing what he likes. Always nice to try to encourage others to enjoy great music.
Every “jazz best” list that does not include Stan Getz “Sweet R
ain” is wrong. Period. 🙂
These lists are so subjective. Personally I think it’s a good intro. I would have Dexter Gordon on there, Maybe GO or One Flight Up.
I happen to really dig Sanders, Karma and Black Unity in particular. He should have put post 1955 to qualify the list.
J.J. like you say. And my list would not be same from one day on the other. So, a waste of time? I am afraid it is.
“and the name Paul Chambers on bass is there again did he ever front his own album anybody please ?”
Geoff,I’m sure you’ve plugged Chambers name into Allmusic.com by now,and if not-what are you waitin’ for?(lol)
Also,I love the way Monk’s Brilliant Corners inverts(?) the musical line that old-timers will remember from numerous ‘creepy’gag pieces-“duh-duh-duh-duh-duuuuuh..dum,dum,dum,dum,dum”
Youngsters are permitted to ask Gramps for help on that one!
oops..Geoff,pick up Miles’ Round About Midnight lp to hear Chambers at his’make the lame-walkin’ best!
Al,do I see another ‘your ten choices’ column in your future? Hope so!(lol)
ceedee Been away, just seen your comment played Round About Midnight see what you mean he also sounds good on several other Miles LPs I have I also have him on a LP called Collectors Item with Miles Davis Sonny Rollins,among others have you come across this one