CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Kind of Blue

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Miles Davis

Release Date October 08, 2007
Undoubtedly this CD is one of the most important recordings in the Jazz History. This is a master piece of the improvisation and all serious listeners must have in his collection. I always enjoy it.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

A Love Supreme

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: John Coltrane

Release Date June 20, 1995
I know that everyone has, at one point or another, opened a review with the words "arguably the greatest album ever" or "It changed my life" or something similar. I will be no different. This is certainly the best John Coltrane album, though there are plenty of competitors, and it might be the best jazz album ever. I'll stop short of "best album", because it would be impossible for me to go that far. In a way, it also changed my life, or at least the way I thought about music. Before I bought it, my musical tastes were mostly confined to classic rock. After I bought it, and the only reason I did was because I enjoyed the Greatest Hits album of his I owned (which at the time was one of my four or five jazz albums), it opened my mind to all kinds ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Time Out

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Release Date February 26, 2008
This is a classic recording from the Dave Brubeck group. The alto saxophone Paul Desmond plays beautiful lines with clean improvisations. After you listen to this recording will understand why it is one of the bestseller in the jazz history. This CD must be in all music collection.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Hear, O Israel

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Herbie Hancock

Release Date June 10, 2008
Quite a facinating album addressing the intersection of jazz and religion. The concept of this is definitely novel and the musician lineup is top notch, but the result has some odd quirks.

Tracks "Torah Service/Adoration" and "Final Amen" (8 & 9) are the main "prayers" with the rabbi doing some preaching sounding like spoken word over a jazz vamp. The rest of the tracks are a mix of arranged vocal melodies and solid modal jazz. Sometimes they compliment each other, but the balance is constantly being shifted. If you're looking for quality jazz (especially Herbie), there's some really fun playing! His comping is swinging and crisp, and the solos are all quite tasteful and fresh.

If you're looking for lots of spiritual singing, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Crescent

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: John Coltrane Quartet

Release Date September 23, 1997
In the vast, almost surreally expansive litany of John Coltrane music, this CD stands out for a number of reasons. For one, it provides a glimpse of the man sort of at a cross roads, where he was still whipping out the licks he has since become famous for, but where he also delves into an improvisational method that borders on the avant-garde, and indeed - many would argue - heralds that era. Especially in the opening title track, one really has to be listening close to tell that he hasn't strayed completely away from the original melody and chords, and for me, it causes a strain that is almost tangibly tiring. But the rest of the tracks settle down into what I would call "traditional" Coltrane, where, yeah, he goes off on his own, but just when you start to ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Moanin'

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

Release Date April 01, 1997
(Lee Morgan, trumpet, Benny Golson, tenor sax, Bobby Timmons, piano, Jymie Merrit, bass, Art Blakey, Drums Blue Note 40030

This session introduces the great Lee Morgan to the recording world and is digitized from Blue Note recording session 40030 It has the wide open tenor of Benny Golson. Both he and Morgan seem especially suited for the religiosity of this session especially the title cut "Moaning," which is pure funk with a capital "F".

The rest of the session is rather mundane but still of very high quality. My favorite is Blues March, which is a return to funk with a march tempo and a explosive blues kick. A drum launches Golson into one of his unimaginable solos. God, how under rated can a tenor player be? Morgan stretches out on this piece ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Waltz for Debby

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Bill Evans Trio

Release Date October 17, 1990
... that so many people rate this album so highly. I don't like the format of the repeated alternate takes, and I don't like the constant background noise of clinking glasses, chatter, and so on. I guess it would make decent background music for a cocktail party and would probably be of great interest to fellow musicians who are interested in Evan's piano technique, but this is an album that I have had for years, and it hardly ever gets played--never, actually.

At the time that I bought it I was under the impression that this was a great, essential album, but I don't think it is.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Jonathan and Darlene in Paris

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Jonathan & Darlene Edwards

Release Date December 25, 1999
... that so many people rate this album so highly. I don't like the format of the repeated alternate takes, and I don't like the constant background noise of clinking glasses, chatter, and so on. I guess it would make decent background music for a cocktail party and would probably be of great interest to fellow musicians who are interested in Evan's piano technique, but this is an album that I have had for years, and it hardly ever gets played--never, actually.

At the time that I bought it I was under the impression that this was a great, essential album, but I don't think it is.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Head Hunters

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Herbie Hancock

Release Date February 26, 2008
... that so many people rate this album so highly. I don't like the format of the repeated alternate takes, and I don't like the constant background noise of clinking glasses, chatter, and so on. I guess it would make decent background music for a cocktail party and would probably be of great interest to fellow musicians who are interested in Evan's piano technique, but this is an album that I have had for years, and it hardly ever gets played--never, actually.

At the time that I bought it I was under the impression that this was a great, essential album, but I don't think it is.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Piano Improvisations, Vol. 2

CD-Charts > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Chick Corea

Release Date October 17, 1990
I agree with Byran Moore,these two discs are chick's approach to the solo platform in the early 70's.and there both excellent sets.After the first 5 tunes Chick starts taking it 'outside'.He does a remarkable job on Masquerello(a monk tune)It took some courage to speak a 'new voice',as Keith Jarrett did around the same time period.These trailblazers always add some excitement by trying something different,what the heck,try the approach and see the respose.As George Bernard Shaw once said "it is better to have tried and failed,then never to have tried at all..."
Enjoy