Jazz: Competition & Discussion

[RoundTheBend]

Welcome to what might become the ultimate Jazz thread. This thread is not only to share your favorite/best Jazz records to compete in the Genre Olympics, but also to learn and share all you want/can about Jazz and all it's sub-genres.

And the medals go to:

Gold

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

Silver

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus

Bronze

In A Silent Way by Miles Davis

Let the Games Begin!


Alright everyone. I don't think I screwed up the final calculations, but please feel free to correct me if I did.

Here are the top 10 finalists for the Jazz Genre Olympics. Next steps are for anyone and everyone to rank the following albums (even if you didn't submit during the original qualifications to rank the following albums. See OP on how the point system works (#1 weighted with 10 points and #10 with 1 point). Unless we get more voters, this might all stay the same and the Gold will go to A Love Supreme, Silver to The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady, & Bronze to In A Silent Way. Many of you have given commentary on why you love the albums you do, so if you haven't maybe vote why? Enjoy!

1. 59 points as voted by Tap/PurpleHazel/NormanBates/Kool Keith Sweat/Mercury/Fischman/Rocky

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

2. 37 points as voted by Rhyner, Mercury, Rocky, AfterHours, PurpleHazel

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus

3. 27 points as voted by Rhyner, Fischman, Mercury, Seth

In A Silent Way by Miles Davis

4. 23 points as voted by Mercury, Rhyner, Rocky

Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis

5. 23 points as voted by Rhyner, Rocky, Norman, Seth

Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus

6. 20 points as voted by Rocky, Chief

Sarah Vaughan by Sarah Vaughan

7. 18 points as voted by Kool Keith Sweat/Tap

Lörrach / Paris 1966 by Albert Ayler

8. 16 Points as voted by PurpleHazel, Norman, Fischman

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers by...Messengers

9. 15 points as voted by Hayden, Seth

Soulville by Ben Webster

Tie between:

10. 14 points as voted by Rhyner, Hayden, Norman

Karma by Pharoah Sanders

10. 14 points as voted by Rhyner, Rocky

Bitches Brew by Miles Davis

Competition:
submit nominations of your top 10 albums - where #10 = 1 point and #1 = 10 points. The ten albums with the most points from these nominations will be in the running for the olympic medal for the genre and then people could listen to all ten and rank the ten with the same points structure to determine the winners. Timeline to be determined.

Discussion:
1. Social/historical/cultural significance
2. Some kind of question you want answered/discussed
3. Thoughts on the production/recordings
4. Analytical critique
5. Interesting stuff about the band/artist
6. Anything else you want to share/ask

Generic Info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz
https://rateyourmusic.com/genre/Jazz/
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/jazz/home/

[Fischman]

[RoundTheBend]

[Luigii]

The one thing I need to mention is that Kamasi Washington's The Epic is a necessary listen for not only jazz music but modern music in general. Also pumped for Heaven and Earth.

[Kool Keith Sweat]

Really looking forward to discussion, but work is a bit hairy through Monday at least; might be able to engage a bit this weekend

1.
Lörrach / Paris 1966 by Albert Ayler

2.
Willisau (Quartet) 1991 by Anthony Braxton

3.
In Berlin '88 by Cecil Taylor

4.
Scratching The Seventies / Dreams by Steve Lacy

5.
Six Of One by Evan Parker

6.
Solo Works - The Lumina Recordings 1980...Rothenberg

7.
Homage To Charles Parker by George Lewis

8.
Angles Of Repose by Joe Maneri / Barre ...Mat Maneri

9.
Iskra 1903 by Iskra 1903

10.
A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

[RoundTheBend]

[Fischman]

My discussion will be somewhat limited relative to the introduction to this thread, mostly because of #1. I really haven’t concerned myself much with social/cultural/historical significance as I’ve focused mostly on what’s going on musically, technically speaking, and how that fits into my ear. Which isn’t to say I’m completely ignorant on that aspect of it; one cannot help but develop some familiarity with that aspect of the music merely by studying the music itself. I just have rather less interest in that aspect of it. In any case, here goes.

#1. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – Moanin’

The hard bop era from the mid 50s through mid 60s is my favorite. My musical brain just eats up the rapid chord changes and relishes in hearing great improvisation laid over those chord changes. This form of music may not be the most “deep,” but it certainly excites my receptors. I’m sure a brain scan of my noggin while listening to great hard bop would show all kinds of synapses firing like crazy.

Among all those great hard bop dates during that golden decade, this one stands above the rest. Not only was Blakey a phenomenal drummer, he was an outstanding leader, forming some classic ensembles and bringing out the best in each. From the first couple phrases in the head of the title track alone (written by incomparable pianist Bobby Timmons), it’s obvious this one is going to be positively killer. And then my all time favorite trumpeter, Lee Morgan, comes blazing in with the first awesome solo, it only gets better. Benny Golson doesn’t get the love that the all time greatest saxoponists get, and that’s probably as it should be overall, but on this one, he’s spot on perfect. As is the aforementioned Timmons, laying down what may be his best ever performance on the keys. And with Blakey bangin’ the kit, there’s just no topping this one. What a band! What a set of tunes! What great improv and interplay!

#2. Wes Montgomery with the Wynton Kelly Trio – Smokin’ at the Half Note

None other than the great Pat Metheny once called Wes Montgomery the greatest guitarist of all time in any genre. That’s a lofty statement, especially about a category flooded with great ones and their devotees. But whether you think of him the greatest or not, there’s no denying he was up there, visionary, challenging but accessible, inviting and engaging, technically flawless, and filled with the most magnificent jazz tone ever to come out of six strings. Teaming up with the Wynton Kelly (piano) trio for this live date proved to be an incredibly successful meeting of great jazz minds that surpassed even the loftiest of expectations. And while Metheny was rightfully enamored with Wes in general, he was also rightfully enamored of this particular album when he said "the absolute greatest jazz guitar album ever made," again possibly hyperbolic praise, but in this case even easier to defend. Unfortunately, despite his undeniable greatness, and even some mainstream popularity, Wes was never able to fully make ends meet as a musician and often had to work multiple jobs. That (probably as well as his chain smoking) seemed to lead to his early demise, which is IMO one of the greatest tragedies in music history. The man was so full of the joy of music making, and it showed in every not he ever plucked, that it’s easy to have deep regrets about his tragically short career, as well as the commercialization of his later music. But his legacy remains astounding, and Smokin’ is the pinnacle of that legacy.

#3. Lee Morgan – The Sidewinder

More straight up hard bop here. Just as Lee Morgan made innumerable contributions to hard bop (and post bop for that matter) as a sideman, his couple dozen releases as leader were also marvelous contributions to the genre and its subgenres. Most of what I said about Blakey’s Moanin’, I could say about this one as well. Killer tunes, wicked improv, and a consistently high energy level that makes you wanna’ tap your foot, snap your fingers, bob your head, and spontaneously shout joyous things, all add up to a hard bop album that deserves to be at the highest possible echelons of any jazz list. The R&B influence in the title cut, one of the catchiest ever in the genre, helped set the stage for the later emergence of soul jazz while simultaneously cementing the name of Lee Morgan as a powerful artist in his own right.

#4. Miles Davis – In a Silent Way

While I love Miles, and fully acknowledge his contribution to, and actual reinvention of, jazz itself, multiple times even, overall my personal accolades for him are well short of most aficionados. His cool jazz period leaves me kind of flat (while it’s a great album, you won’t find Kind of Blue in my top 10 even if it’s in every one else’s on the planet). I’ve never found him to be a particularly engaging trumpet player either, at least relative to the likes of the other trumpeters on this list. That said, he did have some compositional strokes of genius, major breakthroughs in jazz, and musical development. For me, he’s best in his fusion period, and In a Silent Way is the strongest, most unique, and bottom line, totally disarming example of what he could do as a composer and leader, as well as a player. And brining in McLaughlin on guitar? Genius. The melding of styles here is positively sublime. The absolute apex of electric Miles.

#5. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

This album is positively transcendent. I can explain why in a larger cultural context as well as in a personal context. Personally, when I first came to jazz, I loved guitar, trumpet, keys, organ, drums, bass, vibes, even flute, but had little use for the sax. All those goose honking sounds didn’t fit well into my ear at all. I deliberately looked for albums without a lot of sax (not easy in great jazz) and deliberately avoided any with a sax man as leader. … Then I hear this! Wow!!! I was stunned. The composition and delivery were both so overwhelmingly compelling, I was suddenly forced to appreciate the primary instrument of delivery. Beyond instrumentation, this is sometimes dissonant; an early example of the avant garde and free jazz to come. Since then I have learned to appreciate many great saxophonists and fearlessly approached any and all periods, styles, and instruments in Jazz. Culturally, what astonishes about this album is the breadth of its positive reception, especially knowing what’s behind it. This is Coltrane’s praise of his Savior. Yet even those who have no love for, indeed even hate, overt spiritual statements, have to acknowledge the spiritual transcendence of this album, regardless of the inspiration behind it. Having my favorite pianist, McCoy Tyner, in perfect sync with Coltrane’s musical vision, only makes this one even better.

#6. Kenny Burrell – Midnight Blue

Like Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell is technically flawless, full of melodic and harmonic inventiveness, and loaded with gorgeous tone. Kenny’s compositions here are all brilliant , and include the popular Chitlins Con Carne, which would become a beloved cover by Stevie Ray Vaughan decades later. The title cut is the epitome of swinging jazz small ensemble music of the time. Brining in Stanley Turrentine on Sax was a perfect move and the most sympatico union shows on almost every track. Unlike many wizards, Kenny can also lay down highly emotive and evocative slow tunes, best evidenced by the captivating Soul Lament. This one remains a standard of the genre, and one that guitarists of all stripes look to for an example of perfection in art, technique, and ensemble playing.

#7. Billy Cobham – Spectrum

Billy Cobham isn’t the biggest name in jazz, but he put out a real dandy here. I discovered Billy as the drummer for the fusion band everybody knows, Mahavishnu Orchestra. Knowing that, I took a chance on Spectrum, and it proved to have as much going for it as Mahavishnu’s more famous Inner mountain Flame or Birds of Fire. For his own part, I find Billy to be possibly the most musical drummer of all time, any genre. He doesn’t make rhythms or beats, he makes music. It’s truly astonishing what he can do with a couple of sticks and an instrument that isn’t known for melody. But what really makes this album special is the rest of the personnel. Tommy Bolin, far more famous for his rock (James Gang, Deep Purple, Solo), shows astonishing versatility by laying down fusion that would make even McLaughlin himself proud. An even bigger surprise, though, is the contributions of bassist Lee Sklar, who’s resume rests primarily on competent but uninspiring background for the singer-songwriter crowd (think James Taylor). Somehow, this otherwise mild-mannered bassist puts in my favorite fusion performance of all time, rivaling the likes of Jaco Pastorius himself. What I want to know is how Billy even knew of Lee and what he was capable of?

#8. Freddie Hubbard – Red Clay

As a jazz trumpeter, Freddie Hubbard is just a micron behind Lee Morgan in my book. For years, Freddie had been on of the greats of hard bop, alongside Morgan. On this 1970 release, he fuses bluesy hard bop with R&B/soul jazz, and presents it with a jazz rock fusion sensibility for a jazz album that defies categorization yet demands the attention of any fan or student of the genre. And as usual, his playing is technically outstanding, creative, lively, and ultimately compelling. Despite having a bevy of 90+ worthy albums, this may be his best as it brings him to his peak simultaneously as a composer, player and leader. Freddie’s Red Clay, First Light, and Straight Life, is considered on of the greatest three-album runs in history, and Red Clay remains the most innovative, musically and historically significant, and technically perfect one of the bunch.

#9. Joe Henderson – Power to the People

The social implications of this one are pretty obvious. With a title like “Power to the People” released in 1969 by a black artist, one need not think long and hard to understand the inspiration behind this one. But this is not just a rant or a gimmick or a rush to cash in on the social unrest of the day; this is a fully realized musical statement of the highest order. Having the versatile Herbie Hancock as a sideman opened up both acoustic and electric possibilities, and rounding things out with the only other drummer who I would say is as musical as Billy Cobham, the incomparable Jack DeJohnette, make this album a stunner. Oh yeah, and Joe’s sax really sings. It’s not often that something so political and appropriately challenging can also be catchy and downright beautiful. This is a genuine musical achievement.

#10. Donald Byrd – Black Byrd

While Hubbard and Morgan may have pointed toward soul jazz, here, fellow trumpeter Donald Byrd takes it all the way and creates the standard bearer of the sub-genre. Jazz purists weren’t too keen on this album as the R&B vibe had all but taken over completely and Jazz Funk seemed more funk than jazz, but whining about lack of purity leads to missing out on a positively delightful album. This album is just so damn groovy that you can’t help but really dig it, and discard any preconceived expectations of genre purity. Jazz used to swing, and now it grooves, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

As I said before, just 10 is an impossible task. There are so many more I’m mortified to not have listed and discussed. Just to relieve my guilt, here’s 10 more I really feel blessed to have had in my collection:
Lou Donaldson – Blues Walk
McCoy Tyner – Time for Tyner
Mahavishnu Orchestra – Inner Mounting Flame
Kenny Dorham – Whistle Stop
Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners
Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage
Horace Silver – Six Pieces of Silver
Oliver Nelson – The Blues and the Abstract Truth
Jaco Pastorius – Jaco Pastorius
Pat Martino – El Hombre

Finally, I apologize for not having more current selections. There is lots of jazz I love in every year right up through the current one. Were I to go another 10, some more choices from the '90s through the present would certainly make the list.

[Tha1ChiefRocka]

Well, this chart got shaken up awhile ago, it's not complete anymore

Jazz by Tha1ChiefRocka

That chart is not in any order, so let me think on this. I don't feel as strongly about jazz albums as I do other albums. What I mean by that is I don't have that many absolute favorites over others. Here are some really great ones though.


Sarah Vaughan by Sarah Vaughan


Song For My Father by Horace Silver Quintet


The Legendary Okeh And Epic Recordings by Ahmad Jamal


Out To Lunch! by Eric Dolphy


The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volu... by Sun Ra


I Talk With The Spirits by Roland Kirk


Workout by Hank Mobley


Man From Two Worlds by Chico Hamilton


Christian ATunde Adjuah by Christian Scott


The Amazing Bud Powell by Bud Powell

Damn, going through my jazz playlist on Spotify has revealed to me that there is some stuff missing (I added that Ahmad Jamal album). I'm going to update my lists.

[Hayden]

1. Thelonious Monk - Underground
2. Nina Simone - Sings The Blues
3. Gato Barbieri - In Search Of The Mystery
4. Pharoah Sanders - Karma
5. Sun Ra - Lanquidity
6. Ben Webster - Soulville
7. Max Roach - It's Time
8. Buddy Rich - Blues Caravan
9. Charles Gayle - Repent
10. Ryo Fukui - Scenery

Not really any order, just tossing some ingredients into the pot. Could toss in another 50 if need be.

[RoundTheBend]