I have enjoyed jazz music since my high school and college years, having amassed a large collection of jazz recording. My parents would play albums of the 1940s big bands and the 1950s jazz crooners. I soon discovered the music of Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Thelonious Monk, and others, I was hooked.
One summer, when I was 19, I was paid to DJ jazz albums at the weekend parties with local celebrities at the mansion of a wealthy patron of the arts. I would purchase the most recent jazz album releases and read reviews. Being a young jazz aficionado gained me big tips which helped cover my college expenses.
Later in life I would go to jazz clubs and festivals and I saw some of the great jazz artists such as Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Harman, Ron Carter, Nancy Wilson, Pharoah Sanders, Al Jarreau, McCoy Tyner, John McLaughlin, Spiro Gyra, Dave Brubeck, Modern Jazz Quartet, Christian McBride, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, and many others. When I lived in Manhattan working on Wall Street I was in my element with the rich jazz culture.
My favorite jazz albums are described below with a link to one of the album songs. I hope you enjoy them.
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book
The undisputed Queen of Jazz. Ella Fitzgerald set the gold standard for jazz vocal standards. She has superior interpretation of lyrics and captures the swing with her perfect voice. Three ladies of song dominate the genre – Ella, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan – all others may be good but merely wanna-bes in comparison.
Fitzgerald produced a series of the Great American Songs Books. Her Cole Porter 2-disc album is the best. It is the definitive work on Porter and was entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Details: Verve, 1956
Notable Songs: In the Still of the Night, Night and Day, Begin the Beguine, I Get Kick Out of You, I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Ranked– Allmusic 4.5 stars out of 5, Rolling Stone 4/5, Penguin 4/4
Night and Day from the album.
Kind of Blue, Miles Davis
Often ranked by critics as the best jazz album ever recorded. The best-selling jazz album of all time. With an all-star sextet – Mile Davis trumpet, John Coltrane tenor sax, Cannonball Adderley alto sax, Bill Evans piano, Paul Chambers bass, and Jimmy Cobb drums. They created a new musical language. Wonderful to listen to.
Details: Columbia, 1959
Allmusic 5/5; Music Hound 5/5; Penguin 4/4 Rolling Stone 5/5
So What from the album
Sinatra at the Sands, with Count Basie
This classic album will transport you back to the Golden Age of 1960s Las Vegas crooners. Frank Sinatra at his best swinging with Count Basie’s Orchestra at the Sands Casino with classic songs.
Details: Reprise, 1966
Notable songs: Come Fly With Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, I’ve Got a Crush On You, The Shadow of Your Smile, Fly Me To the Moon
Allmusic 4.5/5, Mojo 4/5, Popmusic 4/5
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
My Favorite Things, John Coltrane
A groundbreaking album by one of the greatest jazz musicians in history. John Coltrane said it was “my favorite piece of all those I recorded.” Including the famous Coltrane Quartet with McCoy Tyner piano, Jimmy Garrison bass, and Elvin Jones drums.
Details: Atlantic, 1961
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 4/4, Rolling Stone 5/5
Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
My Favorite Things
Waltz For Debbie, Bill Evans
A delightful and highly acclaimed album of cool jazz standards by 7-time Grammy winner Bill Evans. He brought a fresh perspective to jazz in the 1960s.
Details: Riverside, 1962.
Notable songs: My Foolish Heart, Waltz For Debby, Detour Ahead
Trio: Bill Evans piano, Scott Lafaro bass, and Paul Moton drums
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 5/5, Rolling Stone 5/5
Waltz For Debby
Sarah Vaughan and Clifford Brown
The best album produced by one of the best singers of the 20th Century. Sarah and bebop legend Clifford Brown dance beautifully together in this wonderful album. You will never see anything like this again.
Details: EmArcy, 1955
Notrable songs: Lullaby of Birdland, Embraceable You, April In Paris, September Song
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 4/4
Entered into the Gammy Hall of Fame
Lullaby of Birdland
Ellington at Newport
Jazz legend Duke Ellington made a big come back at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, wowing the audience to near hysterics. Proving that Classic jazz and Big Band Swing still had what it takes. One of the most famous albums in jazz.
Details: Columbia, 1956
Notable songs: Take the A Train, Sophisticated Lady, Mood Indigo, Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 4/4, Rolling Stone 5/5
Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue
Haunted Heart, Charlie Haden
If you could only have one jazz album, this one would do in a pinch. Haden produced two albums as movie soundtracks, his homage to Hollywood film noir – Haunted Heart and Always Say Goodbye 1994. The album includes recordings by Billie holiday, Jo Stafford, and Jeri Southern. Nominated for Grammy Best Jazz Performance.
Details: Verve, 1991
Notable songs: Haunted Heart, The Long Goodbye, Moonlight Serenade
Quartet: Charlie Haden bass, Alan Broadbent piano, Ernie Watts sax, and Larance Marable drums
Allmusic 4.5/5 Penguin 3/4
Haunted Heart, with insert of Jo Stafford version
the Quintet, Jazz At Massey Hall
Considered the best jazz concert in history. Performed in Toronto by a super-star combo of bebop legends – Charlie Parker on sax, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums. The album was entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Essential to any jazz collection.
Details: Debut, 1953
Notable songs: A Night in Tunisia, Perdido, Salt Peanuts
Allmusic 5/5, Rolling Stone 5/5, Penguin 4/4
A Night In Tunisia from the album.
Concert By the Sea, Erroll Garner
A very popular album of the 1950s which made Erroll Garner “an immortal from then on.” Fun, delightful, hip, and cool.
Details: Columbia, 1955
Notable songs: Teach Me Tonight, I’ll Remember April, April In Paris, Autumn Leaves
Trio: Erroll Garner piano, Denzil Best drums, and Eddie Calhoun bass
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 4.5/5, Rolling Stone 5/5
Teach Me Tonight
Genius of Modern Music Vol 1 and 2, Thelonious Monk
One of the greatest innovators of jazz, the eccentric High Priest of Bebop. The definitive Thelonious Monk 2-disc album of his 1940s songs with legendary jazzmen as backup musicians.
Details: Blue Note, 1951 and 1956
Notable songs: Round Midnight, Straight No Chaser, Well You Needn’t, Epistrophy, Misterioso
Allmusic 5/5, Popmusic 5/5
Straight No Chaser
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
Acclaimed as one of the greatest jazz albums ever produced. Wonderful ballads with Johnny Hartman singing to Coltrane’s tenor sax. Including the famous Coltrane Quartet with McCoy Tyner piano, Jimmy Garrison bass, Elvin Jones drums.
Details: Impulse, 1963
Notable songs: They Say Its Wonderful, Dedicated to You, Lush Life
Allmusic 5/5, Rolling Stone 5/5, Penguin 3/4
Grammy Hall of Fame
They Say Its Wonderful
Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross
Downbeat called the trio “the hottest new group in jazz.” The vocalize trio of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross produced 10 albums and won 2 Grammys from 1957 to 1964. Very hip, cool, and popular, very refreshing. Famous backup musicians.
Details: Columbia, 1959
Notable songs: Charleston Alley, Twisted, Summertime
Backup: Ron Carter bass, Harry Edison trumpet, Pony Poindexter alto sax, Gildo Mahones piano
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 4/4
Charleston Alley from the album
Time Out, Dave Brubeck
A cool jazz classic album, very popular that reached double platinum and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The single hit Take Five sold over one million copies.
Details: Columbia, 1959
Quartet: Dave Brubeck piano, Paul Desmond alto sax, Eugene Wright bass, and Joe Morello drums
Notable songs: Take Five, Blue Rondo, Strange Meadow Lark, Kathy’s Waltz
Allmusic 5/5, Penguin 4/4
Take Five
