Building your jazz music collection
Building a jazz music library has to do with personal tastes while keeping an eye on history. On the one hand, jazz is about tradition. Being aware of who has done what and learning to appreciate the different eras of jazz is a worthwhile endeavor. Understanding the stories behind certain key albums can give keen insight into our country and culture. That being said, find out what you like and obtain a lot of it...ultimately it's about enjoyment. I'll maintain this page with a bias toward the connoisseur, though I, at best need to be viewed as a novice who is learning as I go. That is why I have left the comments section open for your suggestions as to what you like and what albums & artists you think need to be included. (I'll update this page periodically, so check back often)
Click here for a basic summary of jazz styles.
1800's-early 1900's: The Blues
1900-1920
1921-1940
Billy Holiday: The Ultimate Collection
Louis Armstrong
Duke Ellington--The Best of the Complete RCA Victor Mid-forties Recordings
Duke Ellington--16 Most Requested Songs
Jelly Roll Morton
King oliver
Bix Beiderbecke
Sidney Bichet
Count Basie
Benny Goodman
Lester Young
Chick Webb
1941-1960
Brother Jack McDuff--The Best of the Concord Years
Charles Mingus--Blues and Roots
Charles Mingus--Thirteen Pictures: The Charles Mingus Anthology
Dizzy Gillespie
Charlie Parker
Nat King Cole
Dexter Gordon
Glenn Miller
Max Roach
Sara Vaughn
Miles Davis
Thelonious monk
Dave Brubeck
Quincy Jones
Oscar peterson
Sonny Rollins
1961-1980
Ornette Coleman
John coltrane
Cannonball Adderly--The Definitive Cannonball Adderly Collection
Ron Carter
Stan Getz
Elvin Jones
Jaco Pastorious--Punk Jazz: The Jaco Pastorious Anthology
Herbie Hancock
1980-1990: Smooth Jazz & Neo-traditionalist
Wynton Marsalis
1991 to 2000
Christian McBride--Live at Tonic
Dizzy Gillespie--To Diz with Love
E. S. T.--Seven Days of Falling
Regina Carter
2000-present
"Idle Moments" Grant Green
"The Matador" Grant Green
"Best of Herbie Hancock" Blue note years
"Bright Size Life" Pat Metheny
"The Way Up" Pat Metheny
"For the funk of it" Grant Green
"Root Down" Jimmy Smith
"The Boss" Jimmy Smith(Geo.Benson-guitar)
"Punk Jazz" Jaco Pastorious
Posted by: Jai | September 14, 2007 at 07:37 AM
God Bless you and your gift of creation and speading the word of God through jazz.
Thank you for the message on sun...it was wonderful to hear and see you!!
tia
Posted by: Tia Fuller | November 27, 2007 at 07:08 AM
Brother,
thanks for your great list here. I haven't read your books yet but will and will work my way through the jazz list with my Rhapsody account. I have really enjoyed a few folks over the years (Coltrane, Fats Waller, Herbie Hancock, Louie, Miles, etc.) and enjoyed finding the places in my neighborhood where many of them played and some lived.
Blessings,
Joel.
Posted by: joel | March 27, 2008 at 08:42 PM
If it wasn't for jazz fusion of the 70's - Return to Forever and specifically Al DiMeola I may have never encountered jazz.
Joe Pass and Larry Carlton has does some great things too.
Posted by: Danny | May 06, 2008 at 02:15 PM