20 Essential Jazz Recordings

by Pete Kirchoff, host of Jazz Avenue

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Compiling a short list of essential jazz CDs at best only scratches the surface, especially when you consider that recorded jazz is almost a century old. Separate lists could easily be devoted to the big band era, Dixieland or jazz fusion, not to mention notable newer releases from today’s jazz performers. In addition, a compilation like this is always subjective and thus open to other opinions and tastes. But if these recommended recordings motivate you to explore great jazz for yourself, then it will have served its purpose.  So, with those qualifiers in mind, the following CDs represent a cross-section of some of the best artists and recordings jazz has to offer from what many consider to be its golden era:  

Dave Brubeck Quartet:  Time Out   (Columbia Records)  

One of the best-selling jazz albums of all time and for good reason. There are classic compositions, including Blue Rondo a la Turk and Paul Desmond’s Take Five. Throughout the CD, the Quartet experiments with unusual time meters (hence the title), but to the band’s credit, it all sounds completely natural.

Miles Davis:  Kind of Blue  (Columbia Records)

Arguably the highpoint in a recording career full of them. With an all-star band, including John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Cannonball Adderly, this 1959 release includes Freddie Freeloader, All Blues and Spring is Here, among others, and sounds as though it was recorded yesterday.

Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto:  Getz/Gilberto  (Verve Records)

Timeless Jobim tunes (The Girl From Ipanema, One Note Samba, Corcovado, etc.), Joao and Astrud Gilberto on vocals, and the saxophone magic of Stan Getz. This 1964 recording kicked off a Bossa Nova craze in the U.S., and almost every other major jazz musician jumped on the bandwagon.

Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong:   Ella & Louis   (Verve)

The vocal interplay between these two jazz legends is great fun to listen to in the first of three highly recommended albums they recorded together for the Verve label in the late 1950’s. With fine backing provided by the Oscar Peterson trio plus drummer Buddy Rich.

Bill Evans Trio:  Waltz for Debby   (Riverside Records)

In a 1961 engagement at the Village Vanguard in Manhattan, pianist Bill Evans, with Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums, raised the art of the jazz trio to a level that hasn’t been surpassed since. The title track is one of Evans’ most famous compositions.

John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman   (MCA/Impulse Records)

This classic album showcased saxophonist John Coltrane’s ability with ballads, along with the silky smooth vocals of Johnny Hartman on You Are Too Beautiful, My One and Only Love, and arguably the definitive version of Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life. Mood music doesn’t get better than this.

Chet Baker:  Best of Chet Baker Sings    (Pacific Jazz Records)

Shortly after the Gerry Mulligan Quartet broke up in the early 1950s, Baker began a series of excellent recordings with pianist Russ Freeman that not only illustrated his skills on the trumpet but his emergence as a unique vocal stylist. Highlights include But Not For Me, Time After Time, My Funny Valentine and Let’s Get Lost.

Count Basie:  The Atomic Basie    (Roulette Records)

Nicknamed the New Testament Band, the rhythm section still included stalwarts Freddie Green on guitar, bassist Walter Page and of course Count Basie on piano. With an infusion of new players like Marshall Royal, Thad Jones, and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, along with swinging charts provided by Neal Hefti and Sammy Nestico, this recording, along with Verve’s April in Paris, marked a triumphant return for one of the greatest big bands in jazz history.

Sarah Vaughn:  With Clifford Brown   (Emarcy Records)

A classic 1955 meeting between Sarah Vaughn and trumpeter Clifford Brown, showcasing her incredible vocal range and Brownie’s prodigious technique. Includes He’s My Guy, You’re Not the Kind and George Shearing’s Lullaby of Birdland.

Modern Jazz Quartet:  Fontessa   (Atlantic Records)

John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Connie Kay were together as a group for almost forty years, a record of longevity in the jazz community. To their credit, the MJQ always maintained the highest possible standards, especially in this classic mix of standard ballads, blues, and several new John Lewis compositions.

Billie Holiday:  Verve Silver Collection   (Verve Records)

While her vocal range had diminished by the 1950’s, especially when compared to the historic Columbia recordings from almost twenty years earlier, Lady Day compensated by bringing her formidable interpretive power to each standard included on this CD. A listener feels as if Billie Holiday really lived each song she sang.

Kenny Burrell:  Guitar Forms    (Verve Records)

With arrangements provided by Gil Evans, this 1964 release illustrates guitarist Kenny Burrell’s versatility with blues, bossa nova and latin styles. There are also some straight ahead jazz tunes by one of the all-time guitar greats.

Horace Silver Quintet:   Finger Poppin’    (Blue Note Records)

A great jazz composer, pianist and band leader with a classic line-up including saxophonist Junior Cook, Blue Mitchell on trumpet and drummer Louis Hayes romping through Silver originals Juicy Lucy, Cookin’ At the Continental, Come On Home and others.

Frank Sinatra:  Songs for Swingin’ Lovers   (Capitol Records)

With arrangements by Nelson Riddle, this classic 1955 album helped mark a revival for Sinatra, from the smooth teen idol of the 1940’s to the tough, hip, yet sensitive persona that Ole’ Blue Eyes cultivated for the rest of his recording career. Indispensable.

Nat King Cole: The Complete After Midnight Sessions  (Capitol)

Due to fan requests, this 1959 album marked a return to a trio format that prominently featured Cole’s piano skills in addition to his warm vocals. With special guests Harry “Sweets” Edison, Stuff Smith, Juan Tizol and Willie Smith  joining the trio for Route 66, It’s Only a Paper Moon, Sweet Lorraine and other standards.

Benny Carter:  Further Definitions   (MCA/Impulse Records)

A world class jazz composer, arranger, big band leader, trumpeter, and one of the greatest alto saxophonists in jazz history, this release shows off  Carter at the peak of his powers with a hand-picked band, including Coleman Hawkins, Phil Woods and Jo Jones. If you’re looking for one CD by this jazz giant, this one’s tough to beat.

Louis Armstrong/Duke Ellington:  Together For the First Time   (Roulette Records)

It’s hard to believe that the two towering figures of jazz never met formally in the recording studio until 1961 but, as the title suggests, that indeed was the case. Satchmo lends his inimitable vocals to such Ellington classics as Cotton Tail, In a Mellow Tone, and Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. Duke’s piano playing also really comes to the fore in this small group format.

Ella Fitzgerald:  Best of the Verve Songbooks    (Verve)

Great 20^th century composers (including George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers), arrangements by Nelson Riddle, and an incomparable vocalist in her prime, Ella Fitzgerald’s songbook series remains a benchmark in American popular music. If you consider the 16-CD boxed set of all of Ella’s songbooks a bit much, this release offers an excellent cross section.

Wes Montgomery:  The Incredible Jazz Guitar   (Riverside Records)

With the possible exception of Charlie Christian, Wes Montgonery was the most influential guitarist in jazz history. His technique of playing octaves is still a staple sound of his countless disciples, and the use of his thumbs rather than guitar picks brought great warmth to his playing, as illustrated in this 1960 set.  

Thelonius Monk:   Birth Of a Genius   (Blue Note Records)

It took the jazz world a full decade to catch up to Monk’s music. Today, compositions like ‘Round Midnight, Straight, No Chaser and Ruby, My Dear are acknowledged as jazz standards, but when many of these tunes were first recorded in the late 1940’s, Monk’s innovations were largely misunderstood.