Jazz

Jazz has been called America's classical music, and for good reason. Along with the blues, its forefather, it is one of the first truly indigenous musics to develop in America, yet its unpredictable, risky ventures into improvisation gave it critical cache with scholars that the blues lacked. At the outset, jazz was dance music, performed by swinging big bands. Soon, the dance elements faded into the background and improvisation became the key element of the music. As the genre evolved, the music split into a number of different styles, from the speedy, hard-hitting rhythms of be-bop and the laid-back, mellow harmonies of cool jazz to the jittery, atonal forays of free jazz and the earthy grooves of soul jazz. What tied it all together was a foundation in the blues, a reliance on group interplay and unpredictable improvisation. Throughout the years, and in all the different styles, those are the qualities that defined jazz.

Jazz Album Highlights

Kind of Blue
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Maiden Voyage
Herbie Hancock Maiden Voyage
Giant Steps
John Coltrane Giant Steps
Out to Lunch!
Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch!
The Shape of Jazz to Come
Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk Brilliant Corners
Ellington Uptown
Duke Ellington Ellington Uptown
Black Codes (From the Underground)
Wynton Marsalis Black Codes (From the Underground)
Swiss Movement
Les McCann / Eddie Harris Swiss Movement
Nat King Cole [Capitol]
Nat King Cole Nat King Cole [Capitol]
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis Bitches Brew
Beyond the Blue Horizon
George Benson Beyond the Blue Horizon
Sonny Rollins Plus 4
Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins Plus 4
Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
Duke Ellington / Coleman Hawkins Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
Monk's Dream
Thelonious Monk Quartet / Thelonious Monk Monk's Dream
Speak No Evil
Wayne Shorter Speak No Evil
Afro-Classic
Hubert Laws Afro-Classic
The Last Poets
The Last Poets The Last Poets
Walking in Space
Quincy Jones Walking in Space
Enchance
Billy Hart Enchance
Native Dancer
Wayne Shorter Native Dancer
Waltz for Debby [1962]
Bill Evans Trio / Bill Evans Waltz for Debby [1962]
To My Queen
Walt Dickerson To My Queen
Autumn
Don Ellis / The Don Ellis Orchestra Autumn
Bunk's Brass Band and Dance Band 1945
Bunk Johnson Bunk's Brass Band and Dance Band 1945
Birth of the Hot
Jelly Roll Morton Birth of the Hot
Oscar Peterson Trio + One
Oscar Peterson / Oscar Peterson Trio Oscar Peterson Trio + One
Ken Burns Jazz
Lester Young Ken Burns Jazz
Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster
Gerry Mulligan / Ben Webster Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster
The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1
Bud Powell The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1
Adam's Apple
Wayne Shorter Adam's Apple
The Ultimate Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett The Ultimate Tony Bennett
Further Definitions
Benny Carter & His Orchestra / Benny Carter Further Definitions
The Definitive Collection
Louis Armstrong The Definitive Collection
Mongo's Greatest Hits
Mongo Santamaría Mongo's Greatest Hits
Central Avenue Blues: The Complete All-Star Sextette & V-Disc Sessions
Teddy Wilson Central Avenue Blues: The Complete All-Star Sextette & V-Disc Sessions
The Inner Mounting Flame
Mahavishnu Orchestra The Inner Mounting Flame
Yes, Indeed!
Tommy Dorsey Yes, Indeed!
Snooty Fruity
Harry James / Willie Smith Snooty Fruity
The Best of the Duke Ellington Centennial Edition
Duke Ellington The Best of the Duke Ellington Centennial Edition
Wave
Antônio Carlos Jobim Wave
Steppin' on the Blues
Lonnie Johnson Steppin' on the Blues
Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn
Joe Henderson Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn
Live at Carnegie Hall: 1938 Complete
Benny Goodman Live at Carnegie Hall: 1938 Complete
Ken Burns Jazz
Ella Fitzgerald Ken Burns Jazz
The Circle Maker
John Zorn The Circle Maker
Black Byrd
Donald Byrd Black Byrd
The World of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole The World of Nat King Cole
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
Mingus Ah Um
Charles Mingus Mingus Ah Um
Saxophone Colossus
Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus
Anthology
Nina Simone Anthology
Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years, 1945-1947
Woody Herman Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years, 1945-1947
The Ultimate Collection
Billie Holiday The Ultimate Collection
Sinatra: Best of the Best
Frank Sinatra Sinatra: Best of the Best
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz / João Gilberto Getz/Gilberto
A Charlie Brown Christmas [Original TV Soundtrack]
Vince Guaraldi Trio / Vince Guaraldi A Charlie Brown Christmas [Original TV Soundtrack]
Spectrum
Billy Cobham Spectrum
Blackstone Legacy
Woody Shaw Blackstone Legacy
Master Takes: Victor Sessions (1932-1943)
Sidney Bechet Master Takes: Victor Sessions (1932-1943)
Carolina Shout [ASV/Living Era]
James P. Johnson Carolina Shout [ASV/Living Era]
Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature - 1968
George Russell Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature - 1968
We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
Max Roach We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
Afro-Cuban
Kenny Dorham Afro-Cuban
House of David: The David "Fathead" Newman Anthology
David "Fathead" Newman House of David: The David "Fathead" Newman Anthology
Quartet (Dortmund) 1976
Anthony Braxton Quartet (Dortmund) 1976
Unit Structures
Cecil Taylor Unit Structures
The Complete Last Concert
The Modern Jazz Quartet The Complete Last Concert
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1943-1950)
Jimmy Yancey Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1943-1950)
Bap-Tizum
The Art Ensemble of Chicago Bap-Tizum
The Beginning and the End
Clifford Brown The Beginning and the End
In Solitaire: Complete Recordings for Solo Guitar
Django Reinhardt In Solitaire: Complete Recordings for Solo Guitar
The Complete Louis Armstrong-Duke Ellington Sessions
Louis Armstrong / Duke Ellington The Complete Louis Armstrong-Duke Ellington Sessions
Peche à la Mouche
Django Reinhardt Peche à la Mouche
Jazz Me Blues: The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon Jazz Me Blues: The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon
The Orisha Suite
Ray Barretto / Michael Philip Mossman / Patato Valdez The Orisha Suite
The Best of Miss Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee The Best of Miss Peggy Lee
Ultimate Hits Collection
Ray Charles Ultimate Hits Collection
On the Town
Oscar Peterson / Oscar Peterson Trio On the Town
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club Buena Vista Social Club
The Essential Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith The Essential Bessie Smith
Bing Crosby's Gold Records
Bing Crosby Bing Crosby's Gold Records
Contrasts [Decca]
Jimmy Dorsey / Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra Contrasts [Decca]
Godard/Spillane
John Zorn Godard/Spillane
At Newport
Count Basie At Newport
Selected Recordings (Rarum IX)
Pat Metheny Selected Recordings (Rarum IX)
Lester Young With the Oscar Peterson Trio
Lester Young Lester Young With the Oscar Peterson Trio
The Complete Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1938-1942)
Glenn Miller / The Glenn Miller Orchestra The Complete Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1938-1942)
Summit Ridge Drive
Artie Shaw Summit Ridge Drive
Blues & Ballads
Lonnie Johnson Blues & Ballads
Sinatra Reprise: The Very Good Years
Frank Sinatra Sinatra Reprise: The Very Good Years
A Studio Chronicle 1940-1948
Charlie Parker A Studio Chronicle 1940-1948
Go!
Dexter Gordon Go!
Somethin' Else
Cannonball Adderley Somethin' Else
The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings [Columbia/Legacy]
Louis Armstrong The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings [Columbia/Legacy]
Light as a Feather
Chick Corea / Return to Forever Light as a Feather

Jazz Subgenres & Styles