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100 Greatest Jazz Albums Of All Time
The Warped Vinyl Aficionado offers its opinion about the "100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time" with the understanding that music is very personal and subjective to the listener. Our opinion is based on many factors, and we'd be lying if we did not admit that bias plays a role. Bias plays a role in every list compiled anywhere. However, we balanced our bias through the consideration of other factors such as commercial success, influence on the industry, creative breakthroughs, the social and political era in which the music was recorded, quality of the performance, song writing, others’ opinions (i.e., Rolling Stone, Acclaimed Music, All About Jazz, AllMusic, Billboard, Spin, Wikipedia, etc.), the ability to withstand the test of time, and more.
We ask that you consider the list below and if anything piques your interest, give it a listen. You just may find a gem that you overlooked or did not give the time of day because your own biases got in the way. Release your biases, no matter how they were created, as you ponder the list and stretch yourself to explore something new and quite possibly amazing. Want to learn more about other genres? Visit The 200 Greatest Albums of All Time.
1. Kind of Blue: Miles Davis
1959 Columbia Records
Rock bands will come and Rock bands will go, but Jazz will live on forever through every genre of music. Jazz, has been the driving force behind some of the greatest recordings ever made. Bands such as Steely Dan, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, and The Rolling Stones, as well artists such as John Legend, Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and John Mayer have been influenced by the likes of Miles Davis. Kind of Blue is his masterpiece, period. Not only is it one of the most popular Jazz albums of all time, it is also one of the most important and, as demonstrated above, influential.
2. A Love Supreme: John Coltrane
1965 Impulse! Records
A Love Supreme is American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane's masterpiece. That is saying a lot considering the fact that he has quite a few classic jazz records. Recorded in one session with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones, A Love Supreme is a through-composed suite in four parts: "Acknowledgement" (which includes the oral chant that gives the album its name), "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". A Love Supreme became one of Coltrane's best-selling albums and was received warmly by fans and critics alike.
3. Mingus Ah Um: Charles Mingus
1959 Columbia Records
Charles Mingus released Mingus Ah Um as his first album for Columbia Record label. The cover features a painting by S. Neil Fujita. Mingus Ah Um received critical acclaim upon its release and was a commercial success. The original Columbia Records release of the album featured edited versions of six of the nine compositions. At the time, producer Teo Macero allegedly believed the pieces were more better in edited form. The unedited version of the album are available as part of the Sony Legacy series. The album was ranked number 380 of the Top 500 Albums of All-Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2020.
4. Getz/Gilberto: Stan Getz & João Gilberto
1964 Verve Records
Stan Getz & João Gilberto released Getz/Gilberto as s a jazz and bossa nova album that features the vocals of Astrud Gilberto on two tracks, "Garota de Ipanema" ("The Girl from Ipanema") and "Corcovado". The cover's artwork was done by artist Olga Albizu. Considered the record that popularized bossa nova worldwide, Getz/Gilberto stands as one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, selling over one million copies. Widely acclaimed by music critics, Getz/Gilberto received Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group and Best Engineered Recording - Non-Classical; it also became the first non-American album to win Album of the Year, in 1965.
5. Time Out: Dave Brubeck
1959 Columbia Records
Dave Brubeck's Time Out features the Dave Brubeck Quartet and features a subtle blend of cool and West Coast jazz. The single "Take Five" off the album was the first jazz single to sell one million copies. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard pop albums chart, and was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. By 2011 it was certified double platinum by the RIAA, signifying over two million records sold. the album was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009. The album was selected, in 2005, for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
6. The Shape Of Jazz To Come: Ornette Coleman
1959 Atlantic Records
The Shape of Jazz to Come was the third album by Ornette Coleman and his debut on Atlantic Records. The album featured trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Billy Higgins. Fellow musicians, Charles Mingus, praised Coleman for his inventiveness, saying "It’s like organized disorganization or playing wrong right. It gets to you emotionally like a drummer." The album was ranked at number 417 in the 2020 release of Rolling Stone Magazines 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Chris Kelsey in his AllMusic essay identified The Shape Of Jazz To Come as one of the 20 Essential Free Jazz Albums. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2012, the Library of Congress added the album to the National Recording Registry.
7. Saxophone Colossus: Sonny Rollins
1957 Prestige Records
Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus was his sixth studio album. Often referred to as Rollins's best-known album, Saxophone Colossus is considered his breakthrough record. The album features pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Max Roach. British jazz journalist Nick Lea has been quotes as saying that “this extraordinary recording witnessed the emergence of Rollins as one of the giants of the music and guaranteed him a place in the pantheon of tenor saxophonists along with Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster and John Coltrane.” In 2016, Saxophone Colossus was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".
8. Somethin' Else: Cannonball Adderley
1958 Blue Note Records
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's Somethin' Else was his only release on the Blue Note label and features a rare appearance on the Blue Note label by trumpeter Miles Davis. Adderley was a member of Davis' group at the time. Considered an essential for any serious jazz record collection, Somethin' Else marks one of the few recordings Davis made as a sideman after 1955. In the original liner notes for album, Miles Davis says, "All my inspiration today comes from Ahmad Jamal, the Chicago pianist. I got the idea for this treatment of "Autumn Leaves" from him." A song featured on Somethin' Else.
9. Moanin': Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers
1959 Blue Note Records
Moanin' was originally released as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers but due to the immense popularity of the bluesy opening track, "Moanin'", it became known as Moanin' among fans of the album. The album features Art Blakey on drums, trumpeter Lee Morgan, bassist Jymie Merritt, pianist Bobby Timmons, and a cameo by saxophonist Benny Golson. The album stands as one of the archetypal hard bop albums of the era, and for its combination of old-fashioned gospel and blues influences with a sophisticated modern jazz sensibility. AllMusic gave it a five-star review.
10. Out To Lunch!: Eric Dolphy
1964 Blue Note Records
Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch! was his only recording on Blue Note as a front man. The album features Dolphy with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Tony Williams. Critics viewed it as one of the finest albums issued on Blue Note, and one of the high points of 1960s avant-garde jazz. Taking somewhat of a diplomatic approach to the recording of the music for the album, Dolphy has been said to have declared "Everyone's a leader in this session". Fortunately he was joined by three musicians who had previously performed and recorded with him. Together, they created a vibe, energy, and excitement that continues to permeate jazz to this day.
11. Bitches Brew: Miles Davis
1970 Columbia Records
Bitches Brew is Miles Davis' attempt to incorporate a different sound, adding ambient funk and electric futurism to his growing musical repertoire. Viewed at the time as the elder statesman of jazz fusion, Davis was able to create one of the most inspired musical works of the time. To accomplish this goal, Davis departed from traditional jazz rhythms in favor of loose, rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. For this record he incorporated non traditional Jazz instruments, such as the electric piano and guitar. Initially, the album received mixed critical acclaim. The commercial response was similar to the critical reception. However, the album eventually became Davis' highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, peaking at number thirty-five. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
12. Sunday at the Village Vanguard: Bill Evans
1961 Riverside Records
Sunday at the Village Vanguard was recorded live album while Bill Evans and his Trio (pianist Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motian) performed, as they did on many occasions, at the Village Vanguard in New York City. The album is regarded by critics as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time. On the day of its recording, the trio played five sets, each one comprising four or five numbers and lasting about 30 minutes. Besides this release, the day also produced a follow up record, Waltz for Debby, another highly regarded record.
13. Brilliant Corners: Thelonious Monk
1957 Riverside Records
Brilliant Corners was a Thelonious Monk's third album for Riverside Records. Because some of the songs were created using unconventional song structure that deviate from both standard song form and blues structures, and Monk's own musical influences, the record was considered one of his most complex and musically challenging for he and his highly talented quartet (saxophonists Ernie Henry and Sonny Rollins, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Max Roach). Brilliant Corners was the most critically acclaimed album of 1957. To many, Brilliant Corners represents Monk's artistic peak and is considered an essential for anyone who appreciates great music of any genre, especially jazz.
14. Speak No Evil: Wayne Shorter
1966 Blue Note Records
Wayne Shorter released his sixth album, Speak No Evil during the rise of hard bob and at a time he was first a member of Miles Davis's quintet. The record is generally regarded as one of the greatest jazz albums of all time and Shorter's finest. Critics regularly reference this album when speaking on a suggested "Core Collection". To many, Speak No Evil is Shorter at his compositional peak. Thorough, consistent, and wide-ranging are adjectives used to describe his work on this album.
15. Giant Steps: John Coltrane
1960 Atlantic Records
Giant Steps was John Coltrane's fifth studio album and his first album with Atlantic Records. Regarded by many as one of the most influential jazz albums of all time, Giant Steps did for Atlantic exactly what they had hoped for when they signed Coltrane to lead the genre for the label. Because of its chord progression, jazz musicians use Giant Steps as a practice piece to not only deepen their skills but to expand their thinking about the way music can be played - further developing their creative flow. Coltrane's improvisation exemplifies the melodic phrasing that came to be known as sheets of sound, and features his explorations into third-related chord movements that came to be known as Coltrane changes.
16. Go!: Dexter Gordon
1962 Blue Note Records
Dexter Gordon's Go! featured jazz greats Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. Go! was received warmly by critics, with very positive reviews and some hailing it as one of his greatest albums ever. AllMusic gave it a five star rating. In 2019, Go! was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Gordon is considered to be among the most influential early bebop musicians, ranking up there with other greats such Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell. Go! helped to cement his reputation and his career, which spanned more than 40 years.
17. Birth of the Cool: Miles Davis
1957 Capital Records
Miles Davis released Birth of the Cool as a compilation of eleven tracks recorded by Davis over the course of three sessions during 1949. It features innovative arrangements influenced by classical music techniques such as polyphony. The album marked a major development in post-bebop jazz and ushered in the cool jazz movement. During the years leading up to the recording of the tracks that become Birth of the Cool, Davis played in Charlie Parker's quintet. During his tenure with Parker Davis recorded several a significant amount of material with Parker. Davis' first records released under his own name were recorded with Parker's band. However, unlike Parker's usual style, Davis' approach was more arranged and rehearsed. Because of the style, critical reception for Birth of the Cool was mixed. However, over the long term the recordings' effects have been significant and lasting.
18. Song For My Father: Horace Silver
1965 Blue Note Records
Song for My Father by The Horace Silver Quintet's is probably Silver's best known record and the track of the same name Silver's best know song. As described in the liner notes, this album features the leader's quintet in transition as it features a mix of tracks featuring his old group and his new line-up after Blue Mitchell had left. Regarded as a quintessential hard bop recording, Songs For My Father is regarded by many as Silver at his peak.
19. Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1: Thelonious Monk
1951 Blue Note Records
Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1 is a compilation album of Thelonious Monk's work originally released as a 10 inch record in 1951. However, there were subsequent releases that expanded upon the original release. Each version comprises some of Monk's first recordings as band leader for Blue Note, recorded in the late 40s. Representing Thelonious Monk's earliest recordings as a leader for Blue Note, the release includes jazz mainstays "'Round Midnight," "Ruby My Dear," "In Walked Bud," and "Well You Needn't."
20. In A Silent Way: Miles Davis
1969 Columbia Records
Miles Davis' In a Silent Way was released in 1969 on Columbia Records. The album was recorded in one session at CBS 30th Street Studio in New York City. In A Silent Way marked the beginning of Davis' "electric" period. The record has been regarded by critics as Davis's first entry into fusion and follows a stylistic shift first evident in his previous releases and live performances. The album was received with mixed reviews and some controversy, as music critics, particularly those of the diehard jazz and rock music variety, were not openly receptive to this stylistic change. Since its initial reception, In a Silent Way has been regarded by fans and critics as one of Davis's greatest and most influential works.
21. The Amazing Bud Powell (Vol 1): Bud Powell
1952 Blue Note
The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1, is a compilation album by jazz pianist Bud Powell. The album is regarded among Powell's finest releases and one that many believe is a required part of any jazz aficionado's collection. "Un Poco Loco" ("A Little Crazy") is a track on the album that has been singled out by critics and historians for its musical and cultural significance. The Blackwell Guide to Recorded Jazz regard "Un Poco Loco" as a masterpiece. While The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1 is regarded as a wonderful introduction to a great jazz pianist, it is also one of the great representations of the genre and an era.
22. Blues & Roots: Charles Mingus
1960 Atlantic
In response to criticism that his music lacked swing, Charles Mingus turned to the roots of black musical expression - blues, gospel, and old-time New Orleans jazz. The result was the LP Blues and Roots, which showcases Mingus' most joyously swinging performance. By assembling a nine-piece ensemble and arranging multiple lines to be played simultaneously, Mingus adds complexity to the music while maintaining a modern flavor reminiscent of Dixieland ensembles.
Charles Mingus explained in the album's liner notes that the origin of the record is unique - it focuses solely on the blues. Nesuhi Ertegün suggested recording a blues album after critics claimed Mingus didn't swing enough. The goal was to showcase a barrage of soulful music, including churchy, swinging, and earthy elements. While Mingus enjoys exploring different styles beyond swing, he recognized that blues has more to offer than just swinging. Thus, he agreed to create this album.
23. Midnight Blue: Kenny Burrell
1963 Blue Note
Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue featured tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, double bassist on, Major Holley, drummer Bill English, and conga player Ray Barretto. Midnight Blue is regarded as one of Burrell's best-known works and certainly his best on the Blue Note label. Critics and fellow musicians have paid homage to Midnight Blue over the years by honoring the recording in many ways, including reinterpretations in other genres.
24. The Köln Concert: Keith Jarrett
1975 ECM
Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert was recorded live at the Opera House in Cologne, Germany. It was a solo piano improvisational performance released as a double-vinyl album. It went on to become the best-selling solo album in jazz history and the best-selling piano album. The recording stands as one of the great performances by an individual.
25. Karma: Pharoah Sanders
1969 Impulse! Records
Pharoah Sanders released Karma on the Impulse! label in 1969 and it pioneered a spiritual jazz style within the genre. Karma is cited as being a contributing factor to the emergence of a new stylistic trend in jazz, sometimes referred to as "free jazz". Karma is Sanders' most commercially successful and critically acclaimed album. Released during the midst of the social and political charged events of the 1960s.
26. Soul Station: Hank Mobley
1960 Blue Note Records
Soul Station by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley was released on Blue Note Records. Rooted in the hard bop style, Soul Station is considered by many critics to be his finest album. Mobley's quartet featured an all star cast of Art Blakey, Wynton Kelly, and Paul Chambers. The album's features two standards, "Remember" by Irving Berlin and "If I Should Lose You" by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin. It also features four new Mobley compositions, one of which is the bluesy title track and "This I Dig of You."
27. The Sidewinder: Lee Morgan
1964 Blue Note Records
Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder and the title track are perhaps his best-known album and composition. The Sidewinder reached number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since become a jazz standard. Upon its release, the album became Blue Note's best-selling record ever, reaching No. 25 on the Billboard chart.
28. Fontessa: Modern Jazz Quartet
1956 Atlantic Records
Fontessa was released on Atlantic Records in 1956 by the Modern Jazz Quartet. Upon its release, the album was received well critically and experienced strong commercial success. The mono version of the album was more demanded, as the stereo version was marred by a number of technical flaws, such as a hum and hiss that disrupted the musical experience. The album is ranked as one of "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World" as compiled by the British jazz magazine Jazzwise.
29. Waltz for Debby: Bill Evans
1962 Riverside Records
Waltz for Debby is a live album released in 1962 by jazz pianist Bill Evans and his trio, which consisted of bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motian. Waltz for Debby was one of two releases from Evans' stint at the Village Vanguard. The title track serves as a musical portrait of Evans' niece that originally appeared as a solo piano piece on Evans' debut album, New Jazz Conceptions. The title track remains one of Evans' most well known songs, while the Village Vanguard series serves as two of the most significant live jazz performances.
30. The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady: Charles Mingus
1963 Impulse!
Charles Mingus' The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is a jazz album that comprises a single continuous composition, partially written as a ballet, divided into four tracks and six movements. It is one of the most acclaimed jazz records of all time and was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Widely recognized as one of the most important jazz compositions of the 20th century, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady remains a masterful work and album for jazz music study.
31. Blue Train: John Coltrane
1958 Blue Note Records
John Coltrane released Blue Train in 1958 on the Blue Note record label as the only record on the label with Coltrane as session leader. Recorded in the midst of Coltrane's residency at the Five Spot as a member of the Thelonious Monk quartet, Blue Train included Paul Chambers on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums, pianist Kenny Drew, trumpeter Lee Morgan, and trombonist Curtis Fuller. On Blue Train, Coltrane adhered to the hard bop style of the era. It was voted number 339 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.
32. A Night at the Village Vanguard: Sonny Rollins
1958 Blue Note Records
Sonny Rollins' A Night at the Village Vanguard was recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York City. Recorded from three sets from performances that occurred throughout the day, with different supporting musicians from afternoon to evening. The afternoon set included Donald Bailey on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums. The evening set included Wilbur Ware on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. Many view this recording as one that shows Rollins at his peak. The album was identified by AllMusic as one of 17 Essential Hard Bop Recordings.
33. At The Café Montmartre: Cecil Taylor
1963 Fantasy Records
Cecil Taylor had a knack for taking an uncompromising approach to the making of jazz music, which evolved in to a form or style we now know as free jazz. His free style helped to revolutionize jazz rhythm. Many times referred to as avant-garde jazz for its improvisational and seemingly chaotic rhythms and complex runs, Taylor was instrumental in launching a movement that would lead to further experimentation and ultimately the creation by great jazz compositions by he and other jazz legends. The material on At The Café Montmartre was explosive and demonstrated that Taylor was not afraid to push traditional boundaries harder than just about anyone at that time.
34. Sketches of Spain: Miles Davis
1960 Columbia Records
Miles' Davis Sketches of Spain includes an extended version of the second movement of Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, as well as "Will o' the Wisp", from Manuel de Falla's ballet El amor brujo. Regarded as an exemplary recording of third stream, a musical fusion of jazz, European classical, and styles from world music, which was inspired by a performance by flamenco dancer Roberto Iglesias. The record was received with positive critical acclaim. Some referring to it as one of the 20th century's most important musical works. In The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), J. D. Considine called it "a work of unparalleled grace and lyricism. Evans and Davis won the 1961 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Composition of More Than Five Minutes Duration.
35. Afro: Dizzy Gillespie
1954 Norgran Records
Dizzy Gillespie's Afro was a groundbreaking release that paired Dizzy Gillespie with Cuban arranger/composer Chico O'Farrill. Together they produced a record that combined a jazz band with a Latin rhythm section. The recording featured trumpeters Quincy Jones and Ernie Royal, trombonist J.J. Johnson, tenor saxophonists Hank Mobley and Lucky Thompson, and conga player Mongo Santamaria. Dizzy Gillespie stands as one of the all-time trumpet masters. He was also a driving force who helped shape jazz music. AllMusic states "it [Afro] is well worth acquiring."
36. Motion: Lee Konitz
1961 Verve Records
Lee Konitz' album Motion was recorded in 1961 for Verve Records. It featured Elvin Jones on drums and Sonny Dallas on bass. It is regarded as Konitz's finest album. The album consists of five standards. The Penguin Guide to Jazz gave the album a four-star rating plus a special "crown" accolade and includes it as part of a selected "Core Collection", stating that it is "one of the great modern jazz records".
37. The Real McCoy: McCoy Tyner
1967 Blue Note Records
Pianist McCoy Tyner, ready for a new start, moved on from Coltrane’s label Impulse! and released The Real McCoy with his Blue Note records. Considered his masterpiece, The Real McCoy firmly established Tyler as a creative force in jazz music. Tyner was joined by tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Elvin Jones. The album featured five Tyner originals including “Passion Dance,” “Search for Peace,” and “Blues on the Corner.” The Real McCoy established Tyner as one of the most significant piano giants of the past century.
38. Concert By the Sea: Errol Garner
1955 Columbia Records
Errol Garner's Concert by the Sea was recorded live in 1955. By 1958 it had over $1 million in sales and qualified for gold record status. The album was recorded in the gothic-revivalist styled assembly hall of Sunset School in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Garner was accompanied by bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Denzil Best. According to Columbia Records, the acoustics were poor and the piano was somewhat out of tune. The balance of instruments on the recording, the bass and drums, were receded.
The release was not intended to be recorded. The recording came about because a recording engineer for the Armed Forces Radio Network setup a tape machine to record the performance strictly for the enjoyment of himself and his fellow servicemen".
39. Charlie Parker With Strings: Charlie Parker
1947, 1952, and 1995 Mercury/Verve Records
Charlie Parker with Strings was the name of two releases in 1950 by jazz musician Charlie Parker. It was also released in 1995 as a compilation album that combined all the tracks from both albums, as well as additional material. Parker is accompanied by a small classical string section and a jazz rhythm section. Known for his hard bob style, Charlie Parker with Strings were Parker's most popular sellers during his lifetime, and were admitted to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988. Sessions from 1949, yielded the first Charlie Parker With Strings album, consisting of six songs total, all of which were standards. Due to the success of the first album, a second session was recorded and released under the same name as the first, and also featured all standards. In 1995, Verve Records reissued the fourteen recordings plus 10 additional tracks.
40. Astigmatic: Krzysztof Komeda
1966 Muza
Astigmatic is a studio album by Polish jazz pianist and composer Krzysztof Komeda. Often considered Komeda's masterpiece, it is also viewed by critics as one of the greatest albums of Polish and European jazz.
Consisting of three substantial tracks, Komeda combines disparate elements, including modal playing, free jazz-inspired improvisation, precise forms, tone clusters, aleatoric structures and avant-garde use of timbre and articulation, as well as a sense of dramatic lyricism.
41. Tristano: Lennie Tristano
1956 Atlantic Records
Tristano is a self titled album by jazz pianist Lennie Tristano. Tristano used an innovative approach to the recordings by using technology and overdubbing of his piano and manipulating tape speed to create a unique effect on four out of the nine tracks. The New York Times dubbed the album a masterpiece. AMG described the album as "gorgeous... with a beautiful juxtaposition between the first half and the second half between the rhythmic and intervallic genius of Tristano as an improviser and as a supreme lyrical and swinging harmonist on the back half". The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings included the album in its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings.
42. A Tribute to Jack Johnson: Miles Davis
1971 Columbia Records
A Tribute To Jack Johnson was released by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis as a soundtrack for Bill Cayton's documentary on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. Inspired by the political and racial subtext of Johnson's saga, Davis incorporated the hard rock and funk sounds of the era into the making of Jack Johnson. Mildly received upon its release, it has since gone on to regarded as one of Davis' best albums. Jack Johnson peaked at number four on Billboard magazine's jazz chart and at number 47 on the R&B chart. Originally released with the wrong cover: a depiction of Johnson in his car, the intended cover, a photo of Davis playing trumpet in a bent-backward stance, was used on subsequent pressings.
43. Changes One & Two: Charles Mingus
1975 Atlantic
Charles Mingus' Changes One is an album released by bassist Charles Mingus featuring songs dedicated to the issues of the era, such as the Attica Prison Riots "Remember Rockefeller at Attica". Considered by critics as Mingus' finest recordings of his later period.
44. Bright Size Life: Pat Metheny
1976 ECM
Bright Size Life was Pat Metheny's debut album. The album features Jaco Pastorius on bass and Bob Moses on drums. The album sold approximately 900 copies initially. However, like many great works, decades later the record received wider and much justified recognition. The first track of the album was included on Columbia Records Progressions: 100 Years of Jazz Guitar compilation. In 2011, the same track was included on the Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology compilation. In August 2020, the album was included in the Jazzwise list of "100 Jazz Albums That Shook the World". In 2020, the album was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry.
45. Free Jazz: Ornette Coleman
1961 Atlantic Records
Ornate Coleman's Free Jazz is a collection of improvisational work that was a continuous flow of free improvisation. The work consisted of only only a handful of brief sections, which were pre-determined. The album was recorded in one take with no overdubbing or editing. The album features two jazz quartets that included a reed instrument, trumpet, bass, and percussion. The quartets were recorded in separate channels. Received with much critical acclaim, Free Jazz has continued to cement its place as one of the most influential jazz records of all time.
46. Spiritual Unity: Albert Ayler Trio
1965 ESP-Disc
Spiritual Unity is Albert Ayler's first album recorded for Bernard Stollman's ESP-Disk label. Spiritual Unity gained Ayler international attention due to its unique approach and transformational toward avant-garde jazz. Viewed by some critics as a landmark record, Spiritual Unity drove Ayler to the forefront of jazz's avant-garde. However, not everyone was as enthusiastic about the record, which tends to be the case when boundaries are pushed. Recent reaction has been more accepting .
47. Ready for Freddie: Freddie Hubbard
1962 Blue Note Records
Freddie Hubbard's album Ready for Freddie features Bernard McKinney, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Art Davis and Elvin Jones. With Ready for Freddie Hubbard began to broaden his approach toward jazz music, moving away from a predominantly hard bop style to a more innovative and experimental style. Quoted in the liner notes as saying, “The way in which I’m most interested in going is Coltrane-like. I mean different ways of playing the changes so that you get a wider play of colors.”
48. Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen To You: Chet Baker
1958 Riverside Records
Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen to You was Chet Baker's most successful vocal record. On Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen to You, Baker sings traditional pop standards in a jazzy oriented manner. On a few tracks, Baker does not play trumpet, opting to scat instead. It Could Happen to You is Baker crooning some well selected standards over subtle accompaniment by small groups whose members include pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Sam Jones, and the unstoppable Philly Joe Jones on drums. Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen To You was initially received with mild critical acclaim.
49. But Not For Me (At The Pershing): Ahmad Jamal
1958 Argo Records
Ahmed Jamal's But Not For Me (At The Pershing) was recorded at the Pershing Lounge of Chicago's Pershing Hotel. Multiple sets were played that night, totaling 43 tracks, 8 of which were selected by Jamal for the album. Critical reception was not overwhelmingly positive. However, the album reached the number 1 spot on Billboard Magazine album charts for 107 weeks. By the mid 90s the album had gone on to sell more than more than a million copies. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings listed the album as part of its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings.
50. Elegant Gypsy: Al DiMeola
1977 Columbia Records
Al DiMeola's Elegant Gypsy was the Di Meola's second album. The music on the album is a distinctive form of jazz fusion and rock. It features electric and ligthening-fast guitar riffs intermixed with lyrical acoustical passages. The album explores Latin music themes, including acoustic genres like flamenco.
51. Smokin’ at the Half Note: Wes Montgomery
1965 Verve Records
Smokin' at the Half Note is Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio's most important record. Recorded live at the Half Note Club in New York City and the Van Gelder Studios, the album combines guitarist Wes Montgomery with Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Pat Metheny is quoted as saying that the song "If You Could See Me Now" was his favorite of all time. He called Smokin' at the Half Note "the absolute greatest jazz-guitar album ever made. It is also the record that taught me how to play."
52. Ellington At Newport: Duke Ellington
1956 Columbia Records
Ellington at Newport is Duke Ellington's most critically acclaimed record and one that features a performance at the Newport Jazz Festival that revitalized his career. Described as "the greatest performance of Ellington's career". It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, which ranks it "one of the most famous... in jazz history". The original release featured recreations of the Newport performance in the studio after the Ellington Orchestra's festival appearance.In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
53. Idle Moments: Grant Green
1965 Blue Note Records
Grant Green and Wes Montgomery are probably the two best known and certainly commercially successful jazz guitarist. Green tends to receive less recognition than Montgomery, however, Idle Moments is Green's shining example of just how accomplished he is. The album features tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Duke Pearson, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Al Harewood.
Steve Huey of AllMusic states that Green treats the repertoire of this album "with the graceful elegance that was the hallmark of his best hard bop sessions, and that quality achieves its fullest expression here... Idle Moments is the essential first Green purchase, and some of the finest guitar jazz of the hard bop era."
54. Jazz At Massey Hall: The Quintet
1953 Debut/OJC America
When you put Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach in a room and call them a quintet you get performances like Jazz at Massey Hall. Jazz at Massey Hall was the only time that the five musicians recorded together as a unit, and it was the last recorded meeting of Parker and Gillespie. Considered by many as the greatest live jazz album ever, Jazz at Massey Hall was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995. It is included in National Public Radio's "Basic Jazz Library". The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings included the album in its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings.
55. Sinatra at the Sands: Frank Sinatra
1966 Reprise Records
Frank Sinatra recorded Sinatra at the Sands with Count Basie and his orchestra in the Copa Room of the former Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Conducted and arranged by Quincy Jones, Sinatra at the Sands was Sinatra's first live album to be commercially released. The album is considered by many to be the definitive collection of songs most readily associated with Sinatra. In 2000 it was voted number 461 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.
56. 'Round About Midnight: Miles Davis
1957 Columbia Records
Miles Davis performed the song "'Round Midnight" At the Newport Jazz Festival as part of an all-star jam session, with the song's composer Thelonious Monk. Davis and Monk were accompanied by Connie Kay and Percy Heath of the Modern Jazz Quartet, Zoot Sims, and Gerry Mulligan. 'Round About Midnight was recorded with Davis' "first great quintet," which included John Coltrane on saxophone. The album was received with mixed critical review, with some referring to the album as "modern jazz conceived and executed in the very best style," others saying it "sounds like a footnote" to the Prestige contractual obligation sessions" and others stating that "the material is fine but somehow fails to cast quite the consistent spell which the Prestige recordings do." However, time is the true test of greatness. 'Round Midnight has gone on to become one of the essential recordings in the history of recorded music.
57. Return to Forever: Chick Corea
1972 ECM
Often considered one of the classic albums in the electric jazz era, Chick Corea's Return to Forever is a jazz fusion. The album featured debut of the quintet, featuring singer Flora Purim, flautist Joe Farrell and rhythm section Stanley Clarke and Airto Moreira. Features include Stan Getz version of "La Fiesta" backed by Corea as the middle section of the album's B-side.
58. Birds of Fire: Mahavishnu Orchestra
1973 Columbia/CBS Records
Mahavishnu Orchestra released Birds of Fire two years after the release of their album The Inner Mounting Flame, the album that established John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu Orchestra as the jazz fusion band that solidified the genre. It was the band's last studio album by the original band line-up. Like The Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire consists solely of compositions by John McLaughlin.
59. JuJu: Wayne Shorter
1965 Blue Note Records
JuJu was Wayne Shrter's fifth album and features a rhythm section of pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Elvin Jones. Wayne Shorter had worked extensively with fellow saxophonist John Coltrane, leading many to criticize Shorter as "a mere acolyte of John Coltrane". The sediment was only strengthened by his decision to use Coltrane's band members on his recording. However, Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman, and McCoy Tyner were artists in their own right and by merely backing Shorter they simply did what they knew how to do best, complete the vision of their leader by playing to near perfection.
60. John Coltrane: Olé Coltrane
1961 Atlantic
Olé Coltrane was John Coltrane's last for the Atlantic label made under his direction. A few days earlier Coltrane had made Africa/Brass, his inaugural recording session for his new label, Impulse! Records. Coltrane's interest in the music of Spain may have been spurred by his former band leader Miles Davis's Sketches of Spain. Recording engineer Phil Ramone, famous for work done with Billy Joel, recalled that the recording session taught him a great deal about "how to condense a musical thought without diluting its coherence or artistic intention."
61. Sarah Vaughan With Clifford Brown: Sarah Vaughan
1955 EmArcy Records
Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown, originally released as Sara Vaughan features Vaughan and trumpeter Clifford Brown. It is said that the album was Vaughan's favorite among all her works. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The album's critical acclaim has grown since its release, with many viewing the album as among Vaughan's best. The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected this album as part of its suggested "Core Collection," stating "it is very difficult to find any flaw in what should be recognized as one of the great jazz vocal records," and awarded it "crown" status.
62. Portrait In Jazz: Bill Evans Trio
1960 Riverside Records
Bill Evans Trio's Portrait in Jazz was his fifth studio album as a leader. It is the first of only two studio albums to be recorded with his famous trio featuring bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian.
Evans recorded Portrait In Jazz only 8 months after his successful collaboration with Miles Davis on the album Kind of Blue. With Portrait In Jazz, Bill Evans Trio began to influence jazz by changing the way instruments were emphasized, most noticeably LaFaro's bass. Evans raised the status to that which was essentially equal to the piano.
63. Ascension: John Coltrane
1966 Impulse! Records
John Coltrane's Ascension is considered a watershed work, with the albums recorded before it being more conventional in structure and the albums recorded after it being looser, free jazz inspired works. On this album, Coltrane began to push his music further in the direction of free jazz. Friend and saxophonist Albert Ayler heavily influenced his music. Critical review for Ascension was not as warm and welcoming as for his previous efforts, with some loving it and others uncertain what to think. With Ascension Coltrane cemented his place in the free jazz avant-garde.
64. Complete Hot Fives and Sevens: Louis Armstrong
1925-1928
The Louis Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven Sessions were recorded by Louis Armstrong with his Hot Five and Hot Seven groups. According to the National Recording Registry, "Louis Armstrong was jazz's first great soloist and is among American music's most important and influential figures. These sessions, his solos in particular, set a standard musicians still strive to equal in their beauty and innovation." These recordings were added to the National Recording Registry in 2002, the first year of the institution's existence. Radically altering jazz's focus, these recordings highlighted Armstrong's spectacular instrumental (and vocal) improvisations, redefining jazz music of the day. Armstrong was heavily influential in the popularization of scat singing, as highlighted in "Heebie Jeebies," and his solo on "Potato Head Blues"
65. Love Scenes: Diana Krall
1997 Impulse! Records
Love Scenes was Canadian Diana Krall's fourth studio album. Upon its release it was received with much positive, but not overwhelming, critical acclaim. However, Love Scenes continued to build on her strength as a vocalist and pianist, leading her to be recognized as one of the best in the genre. Teamed in a trio with her regular guitarist Russell Malone and bassist Christian McBride, Krall covers love themed ballads.
66. John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
1963 Impulse! Records
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman released their self titled studio album on Impulse! Records in 1963. It served as one of the only albums in which Hartman is the only vocalist with whom the saxophonist would record with as a leader. It has become a classic ballad jazz album, and the renditions of "Lush Life", "My One and Only Love", and "They Say It's Wonderful" are considered definitive versions of those songs. AllMusic describes the album as "essential for all jazz collections". The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.
67. Maiden Voyage: Herbie Hancock
1965 Blue Note
With the release of Maiden Voyage Herbie Hancock established himself as a notable force in the jazz genre. The album featured Hancock with tenor saxophonist George Coleman, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams. Developed as a concept album aimed at creating an oceanic atmosphere, the band utilized the use of space to create depth and air. The album was recognized by with an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
68. Clifford Brown and Max Roach: Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet
1954 EmArcy Records
Clifford Brown & Max Roach was an influential release by iconic jazz musicians Clifford Brown and Max Roach. Released as a part of the Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet, the quintet has been described as "perhaps the definitive bop group." The album was received well critically and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. It has been included in Jazz: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings, where it is described as "one of the strongest studio albums up to that time".
69. Eastern Sounds: Yusef Lateef
1962 Moodsville Records
With the release of Eastern Sounds, jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, incorporated into his version of hard bop instruments such as a Chinese globular flute. He fused musical genres, which was not foreign to the jazz genre, however, incorporating the shehnai and Middle Eastern influences in playing jazz standards was. Backed by Barry Harris on piano, the quartet influenced mainstream artists from all genres, including Singer-songwriter Cat Stevens.
70. The Blues And The Abstract Truth: Oliver Nelson
1961 Impule! Records
Oliver Nelson, primarily known for his big band arrangements and leadership, created Blues And The Abstract Truth with a small ensemble of musicians, including trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy, pianist Bill Evans, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Roy Haynes. The release includes tracks such as "Stolen Moments," which is viewed by many as the defining sound of an era by one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever.
71. Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section: Art Pepper
1957 Contemporary/Original Jazz Classics
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section is a jazz album released by saxophonist Art Pepper with pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones, the acclaimed rhythm section for Miles Davis. Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section is considered a milestone recording in Art Pepper's illustrious career. Recognized as a "Core Collection" and "a diamond of recorded jazz history," Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section is one of Pepper's most notable efforts.
72. Milestones: Miles Davis
1958 Columbia Records
American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis has many iconic albums. Milestones was recorded with his "first great quintet" in 1958 by Columbia Records. Milestones and Kind of Blue are both considered essential examples of 1950s modern jazz. The quintet included jazz legend John Coltrane on tenor saxophone and showcases the first session between saxophonists Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.
Referred to by many as a classic album with blues material in both bebop and post-bop veins, the album introduced modalism in jazz and defined Davis' subsequent music in the years to follow. Milestones was a seminal album that helped shape jazz history and considered as a record to be included in any jazz enthusiasts core collection.
73. Gerry Mulligan Quartet: Gerry Mulligan
1962 Verve Records
The Gerry Mulligan Quartet was released by Gerry Mulligan, American jazz saxophonist and bandleader, on the Verve label in 1962. All but one track were studio recording, which the live track sourced from a live recording at the Village Vanguard. The critical reception at the time was warm. However, it critical claim has grown over time, which is the case for many claim jazz recording. Gerry Mulligan became known for marvelous fluidity on the baritone sax, including an ability to play with both speed and lyricism.
74. Night Train: Oscar Peterson Trio
1963 Verve Records
The Oscar Peterson Trio has a number of exceptional performance and studio performances. Night Train includes jazz, blues and R&B standards, as well as "Hymn to Freedom," one of Peterson's best known original compositions. The majority of tracks are no longer than a few minutes, owing to manager and former Verve label owner Norman Granz's desire to have them played on commercial radio. The Penguin Guide to Jazz included Night Train in its core collection, calling it “one of the best-constructed long-players of the period."
75. Black Codes (From The Underground): Wynton Marsalis
1985 Columbia Records
Black Codes has been recognized as one of the hardest swinging and best-loved of recordings of by Winton Marsalis career. Black codes won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group, as well as one for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist. The album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2023 describing it as one of Wynton's "most beloved & artistically successful recordings, hearkening back to midcentury acoustic jazz but with a distinctly 1980s flair".
76. Night Hawk: Coleman Hawkins
1961 Swingville Records
Jazz tenor saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins, frequented the Village Vanguard in Manhattan where it is believed that he honed his skills as jazz musician and performer. He released Night Hawk in 1961 with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis in 1960 on the Swingville label. Night Hawk was a recording that would be one of Hawkins' last great studio performances before falling into the grip of depression and heavy drinking. A phase that resulted in his recording output and performance quality wane.
77. Heavy Weather: Weather Report
1977 Columbia Records
Weather Report's seventh studio album, Heavy Weather, was the band's most commercially successful album and has gone on to become one of the best seller albums in Columbia's jazz catalog. Critically acclaimed upon its release, Heavy Weather sod nearly 500,000 copies within a few years. The album's opening track, "Birdland", was a significant commercial success and would go on to become a jazz standard.
78. Lady in Satin: Billie Holiday
1958 Columbia Records
Lady in Satin was the last album released by Billie Holiday in her lifetime. Reaction to the album was mixed. Holiday's voice had lost much of its upper range in her 40s, although she still retained her rhythmic phrasing. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine rated the album at number 317 in the Top 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time.
79. Miles Smiles: Miles Davis Quintet
1967 Columbia Records
Miles Davis released Miles Smiles with his second quintet. It served was the second of six albums recorded by Davis' second great quintet, which featured tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams. Miles Smiles received critical acclaim, praised for its original compositions, the quintet's chemistry and playing, and Davis' phrasing.
80. The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery: Wes Montgomery
1961 Riverside/OJC Records
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery exemplifies two of Montgomery's distinguishing techniques: "thumb picking" and the use of octaves. In 2017, the album was selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or artistically significant." The album is considered to be the pinnacle of Montgomery's recorded studio work. The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected it as part of its suggested "Core Collection".
81. Out Of The Cool: Gil Evans Orchestra
1961 Impulse! Records
Gil Evans Orchestra released Out of the Cool during a short time after completing a six-week job at the Jazz Gallery club in New York City. On the album Evans displays a greater freedom in his compositions and arrangements. The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected this album as part of its suggested "Core Collection", calling it "Evans' masterpiece under his own name and one of the best examples of jazz orchestration since the early Ellington bands". After the album was re-issued in 2021 it entered the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart at No. 11.
82. Monk's Dream: The Thelonious Monk Quartet
1963 Columbia Records
When Thelonious Monk released Monk’s Dream with The Thelonious Monk Quartet, it was viewed by critics as “a stunning reaffirmation of his powers as a performer and composer.” - Pete Welding. Anything less than a 5-star review was uncommon. Monk’s Dream was Monk’s 6th studio album and 1st on the Columbia label. Known for his unique improvisational style, Monk made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire. Monk stands as the second-most-recorded jazz composer, giving the most recorded artist nod to none other than the great Duke Ellington. Monk’s Dream remains one of the top jazz albums of all time.
83. Undercurrent: Bill Evans & Jim Hall
1962 United Artist Records
Jazz pianist Bill Evans & jazz guitarist Jim Hall released Undercurrent as their first of two collaborations.
The collaboration was Bill Evans' first recordings after a brief hiatus due to bassist Scott LaFaro's tragic death in an auto accident. Both Evans and Hall had introspective and harmonically advanced styles along with roots in hard-swinging bebop. DownBeat magazine called the collaboration between Evans and Hall as "some of the most beautiful, thoroughly ingratiating music".
84. Black Unity: Pharoah Sanders
1971 Impulse! Records
Pharoah Sanders released Black Unity as a composition, consisting of a single thirty-seven-minute track. Black Unity dives into the black sounds of Latin music, African music, aborigine music, and Native American music. The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz wrote: "Skimpy as to length, but packed with interest. The line-up alone should be tweaking interest already; Garnett, Bonner, McBee and Hart have never enjoyed the celebrity they deserve, and here they contribute to a fascinating collage of sound, dark splashes of colour which never sound virtuosic but which contribute to an intensely vivid and dramatic canvas." Black Unity is viewed by many as a true highlight among Sanders' Avant-Garde articulations of Black cultural visions.
85. Head Hunters: Herbie Hancock
1973 Columbia Records
Head Hunters was Herbie Hancock's twelfth studio album and one of his crowning achievements. The album was a commercial and artistic breakthrough for Hancock, crossing over to funk and rock audiences and bringing jazz-funk fusion to mainstream attention. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart. In 2012 Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Head Hunters at number 254 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry, which collects "culturally, historically or aesthetically important" sound recordings from the 20th century.
86. Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus: Vince Guaraldi Trio
1962 Fantasy Records
Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus is considered Vince Guaraldi's breakthrough album. The album contains both original compositions and covers of songs from the 1959 French/Brazilian film Black Orpheus which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. It spawned the hit single "Cast Your Fate to the Wind", which won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition.
87. Careless Love: Madeline Peyroux
2004 Rounder Records
Careless Love is an album of Peyroux's versions of cover songs, exception being one song, "Don't Wait Too Long". Careless Love demonstrates Peyroux's potential as a jazz vocalist. Her smoky voice and style make each song her own. The album weaves together strands of acoustic blues, country ballads, and classic jazz in a timeless record.
88. Live in Paris: Diana Krall
2002 Verve Records
Live in Paris was Diana Krall's first live album, recorded during Krall's sold-out concerts at Paris's Olympia and includes songs from her studio albums. The album sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S., with the video selling well over 200,000 copies. The album won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album and the 2003 Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. Billboard ranked the album at number eight on the magazine's Top Jazz Albums of the Decade.
89. Songs for Swingin' Lovers: Frank Sinatra
1956 Capital Records
Frank Sinatra's Songs for Swingin' Lovers! was his tenth studio album. It was arranged by Nelson Riddle and offered a new take existing pop standards. In 2000, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and ranked number on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Songs for Swinin' Lovers is considered one of Sinatra's best and one of the greatest albums of its era. In 2000 it was voted number 100 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.
90. Ella & Louis: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
1956 Verve Records
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong were without question two of the most influential artists of the era that helped grow the early jazz genre and make it what it is today. On Ella and Louis, Fitzgerald and Armstrong are accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet. Ella & Louis was not the pair's first endeavor, having previously collaborated in the late 1940s for the Decca label. However, this was the first of three albums that Fitzgerald and Armstrong recorded together for Verve Record label. In 2000 it was voted number 636 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.
91. Tenor Madness: Sonny Rollins
1956 Prestige Records
Sonny Rollins released Tenor Madness on Prestige Records in 1956. Noted for its title track, which is the only known recording featuring both Rollins and John Coltrane. Rollins recruited members of Miles Davis's "First Great Quintet" to back him on the Tenor Madness session. AllMusic called the album a testament to the validity, vibrancy, and depth of modern jazz in the post-World War era". Further stating that "it belongs on everybody's shelf."
92. Blowin' Session: Johnny Griffin
1957 Blue Note Records
Blowin' Session or Johnny Griffin Vol. 2 was released by jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin on the Blue Note label in 1957. Known as one of the greatest hard bop jam sessions ever recorded, Blowin' Session is filled with energy, passion, and connected musical interactions. Blowin' Session is the one time Johnny Griffin and John Coltrane would officially play together. Showcased are two standards, "The Way You Look Tonight" and "All the Things You Are," along with two original Griffin compositions, "Ball Bearing" and "Smoke Stack."
93. My Favorite Things: John Coltrane
1961 Atlantic Records
John Coltrane's My Favorite Things was his seventh studio album and the first album to feature Coltrane playing soprano saxophone. According to the Coltrane biography written by Lewis Porter's, Coltrane described "My Favorite Things" as "my favorite piece of all those I have recorded". In 1998, My Favorite Things received the Grammy Hall of Fame award. It attained gold record status in 2018, having sold 500,000 copies. In 2000 it was voted number 392 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.
94. Straight No Chaser: Thelonious Monk
1967 Columbia Records
Thelonious Monk released Straight, No Chaser The Thelonious Monk Album) as his the sixth studio album with Columbia records. The band featured Monk on piano, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, Ben Riley on drums, and Larry Gales on bass. Straight, No Chaser would be the final time Monk would assemble a quartet to record with in the studio.
95. Cool Struttin': Sonny Clark
1958 Blue Note Records
Jazz pianist Sonny Clark released Cool Struttin' on Blue Note Records in 1958. The New York Times has described the album as an "enduring hard-bop classic." The album features alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, trumpeter Art Farmer and two members of the Miles Davis Quintet, drummer Philly Joe Jones and bassist Paul Chambers. The album has garnered an immense following among hardcore Jazz enthusiast.
96. Little Girl Blue: Nina Simone
1959 Bethlehem Records
Nina Simone's Little Girl Blue: Jazz as Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club was her debut studio album. Recorded in 1957 and released by Bethlehem Records in 1959. the album produced Simone's her first hit single, "I Loves You, Porgy", peaking at number 18 on the pop charts, and number 2 on the R&B charts.
97. Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus…: Charles Mingus
1964 Impulse! Records
Charles Mingus released Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus... in 1964. Mingus collaborated with arranger/orchestrator Bob Hammer to score the music for a large ensemble of wind instruments, most notably trumpets and saxophones. The album followed what many call his masterwork, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. As such, the majority of the compositions on the album were previously recorded and it serves as somewhat of a "greatest hits revisited" release.
98. Jazz Samba: Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd
1962 MGM/Verve Records
Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd collaborated on Jazz Samba to create a bossa nova album for Verve Records. Signaling the beginning of the Bossa nova craze, Jazz Samba was arranged by Charlie Byrd, who had first heard bossa nova during a tour of Brazil in 1961. The two were accompanied by bassists Keter Betts and Joe Byrd, Charlie Byrd's brother. They were also joined by drummers: Buddy Deppenschmidt and Bill Reichenbach. Stan Getz won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance of 1963 for "Desafinado". "Desafinado" was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, while Jazz Samba was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Jazz Samba was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
99. Sonny's Crib: Sonny Clark
1958 Blue Note
Jazz pianist Sonny Clark released Sonny's Crib on the Blue Note label. The album featured trumpeter Donald Byrd, trombonist Curtis Fuller, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor. The album is comprised of original work and standards, with the first half of the album comprising three standards and the second half containing two Clark originals. Allmusic's review of Sonny's Crib stated the following, "Sonny's Crib is a phenomenal recording, one that opened the door to hard bop becoming the norm in the late '50s, and one that drew deft, imaginative performances from all its players".
100. Body And Soul: Coleman Hawkins
1966 RCA Records
Body and Soul was a compilation album by tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. It includes recordings made between 1939 and 1956. Coleman Hawkins' approach to this composition is many times compared to John Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things”. Coltrane used My Favorite Things as an expansive vehicle for his improvisational approach. Like Coltrane's My Favorite Things, Coleman Hawkins' treatment of Body and Soul is also viewed as a great evolutionary leap.
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