Top 14 Music Albums of 1961 by kokkinos 
- Chart updated: 07/12/2021 10:15
- (Created: 07/12/2021 09:57).
- Chart size: 14 albums.
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This is heavily reminiscent of Mingus. My first instinct would be to compare it with Blues and Roots, very accessible, super entertaining without compromising or being too straightforward. Then again, that may not be entirely accurate, as the classical music influences that are showcased here could point towards a different direction – I think the best example would be The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady, as Mingus Ah Um and Let My Children Hear Music do share the same background, but are vastly different in terms of attitude. Dolphy is just killing it – his loss was such a tragedy. And when his flute gets going, that’s a joy to behold. Another thing I really like is how the album evolves in the most unpredictable way. If it were a book/film, It’s as if the narrative starts in medias res, we jump right into action and then we take a step back in time and witness the calm before the storm – and knowing how powerful the storm was, we get to appreciate this oasis of serenity even more. Another take on it could be that there’s actually a linear structure, it’s just that when the party is over and our hero is left alone with his thoughts, instead of ending up on a dark and suffocating dead end, he sees the light, the beauty of life. Whatever, I probably took it too far, but that’s the power of music, especially when it’s executed in such admirable fashion.
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Eric Dolphy is here, Max Roach is here (among others), yet all I cared about was Booker Little. Can’t say I’m too big on the trumpet generally speaking, but when this man is in charge, it is a different ball game. A summer evening is probably the ideal time for this record. For some reason this felt like reading Hemingway (probably The Sun Also Rises if I had to be more specific). While listening to this, I could easily picture a frustrated young man spending a scorching hot day roaming the streets aimlessly, meeting random people passionately pretending they do something meaningful and when night falls, he wastes his time having a drink at a random bar and getting lost in his deep thoughts, surrounded by a euphoric sense of misery. That was your daily dose of nonsense, I highly doubt this was the mood the band was trying to convey, whatever, to each his own.
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Many reasons to like this album: some haunting, somewhat reminiscent of The Phantom Of The Opera parts, glimpses of Roach's grand artistic vision mixed with the socio-political background that we witnessed in his unrivaled 1960 album, We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite, exotic percussion, Mingus inspired chaos, rock-solid hard bop that just as easily may become vocal jazz or free jazz without any warning. I keep saying this for various records, but this line-up is phenomenal: Max Roach, Eric Dolphy, Mal Waldron, Booker Little, Art Davis, Julian Priester, Clifford Jordan with Abbey Lincoln being the icing on the cake.
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The opening track, Images, is by far my favourite here, it has this underlying eerie vibe, as if something horrible is about to take place and all you can do is helplessly wait for it, a bit like a well-done film noir, the stuff of nightmares. Overall, I’d say it’s just as good as his more famous album. Actually, I find this slightly more enjoyable, probably it has to do with the teamwork between Dolphy and Nelson being on a higher level, in the The Blues And The Abstract Truth Dolphy was too dominant.
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For real, what is this line up, the dream team of jazz. Oliver Nelson, Freddie Hubbard, George Barrow, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes, the names speak for themselves. That being said, Eric Dolphy steals the show and it’s not even close. Everyone’s doing his thing, but he seems to be one step ahead, he provides us with the most forward thinking aspects of the album, covering some ground between hard bop and avant garde. Many candidates, but my favourite has to be Hoe-Down, you’ll be struggling to catch your breath after it’s over, Dolphy is on fire.
Year of Release:
1961
Appears in:
Rank Score:
580
Rank in 1961:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Mal Waldron is not the most attention seeking piano player, he is a classy yet lyrical performer. This results in the most common criticism against this album, namely that Eric Dolphy and Booker Ervin are the stars of the show instead of Mal Waldron. I don’t see why that’s a bad thing, it happens all the time, there is a myriad of great jazz albums that could be brought up, the band leader doesn’t have to be in the spotlight, he has to be a team player and allow every member of the band to shine depending on what the composition asks for. Being me, I can’t help but notice that Mingus is a great example of that. Speaking of Mingus, any of his fans should feel at home here, there’s a certain vibe reminiscent of his early work, if I had to name only one album, I’d probably go with Pithecanthropus Erectus, but you could pick any record of that era. Its diversity is another strong point, it can get sentimental or adventurous and it excels at both styles.
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This album is so much fun, his personality embodies the joy of life. This applies both to the more up-tempo tracks and the moments when he decides to slow down and hit us with a ballad, as the main unifying theme of every song here is that you shouldn't take it too seriously.
So, if you're in low spirits, give it a try, it should help tremendously.
So, if you're in low spirits, give it a try, it should help tremendously.
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They hardly do anything groundbreaking, yet there were parts of it that somewhow sounded extremely fresh. Freddie Redds may be far from the most remarkable pianist out there, but his compositions allow Tina Brooks and especially Jackie McLean to shine. The opening track, The Thespian, is the clear highlight, but it remains consistent throughout.
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Live albums are special on general principle. Judy is even more special, so you know what to expect. She was always balancing between enormous talent and deep personal struggles. In studio (be it for an album or a film, she was amazing in both) you can keep a straight face so to speak. But in front of the audience, you are naked, there’s nowhere to hide. Her live performances of that time period have assumed legendary proportions and this is arguably the best of them all. It’s a bit like her, there are flaws but they are part of the charm. It’s not an easy listen or an album you could listen to every day, you may find it long and messy, but when it’s on, there are few that can offer a similar experience. It’s as if the curtain gets pulled back and we get to meet the wizard - I ‘ve made tons of horrible references/puns etc. , but I'd like to think this one was decent.
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Whenever I feel like listening to her, I will choose At Last without putting too much thought into it. This is also very enjoyable, simply not as memorable, which isn't as bad as it sounds, one has to admit it was hard to top her debut, which was my album of the year for 1960 after all.
Total albums: 14. Page 1 of 2
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Top 14 Music Albums of 1961 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Max Roach | 1 | 7% | |
| Henri Pousseur | 1 | 7% | |
| Oliver Nelson With Eric Dolphy | 1 | 7% | |
| Oliver Nelson | 1 | 7% | |
| Mal Waldron | 1 | 7% | |
| Harry Belafonte | 1 | 7% | |
| Freddie Redd Quintet | 1 | 7% | |
| Show all | |||
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Other year charts by kokkinos
(from the 1960s)| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 32 Music Albums of 1965 | kokkinos | 1965 year chart | 2022 | |
| Top 36 Music Albums of 1964 | kokkinos | 1964 year chart | 2022 | |
| Top 33 Music Albums of 1963 | kokkinos | 1963 year chart | 2022 | |
| Top 18 Music Albums of 1962 | kokkinos | 1962 year chart | 2021 | |
| Top 14 Music Albums of 1961 | kokkinos | 1961 year chart | 2021 | |
| Top 13 Music Albums of 1960 | kokkinos | 1960 year chart | 2022 | |
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