Must Have Recordings
If you are looking for a start in listening to jazz, and starting your jazz record collection, here is a list of 100 historically significant recordings for you to start with, in no particular order. (I did not come up with this list, but I have well over half of the recordings, so tough to argue with them) I put a few notes here and there to help you, including 10 "Schoenbach top 10"'s.
Cannonball Adderley (alto sax) - "Somethin' Else"...also features Miles Davis on trumpet, a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Herbie Hancock (piano) - "Maiden Voyage"
Clifford Brown (trumpet) - "Study In Brown"...Clifford is a trumpet virtuoso, a Schoenbach top 10!!!!
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Blue Train"...features Lee Morgan on trumpet and Curtis Fuller on bone, a Schoenbach top 10!!!!
Wayne Shorter (saxes) - "Speak No Evil" ...a little out there for novices, but a great recording
Horace Silver (piano) - "Song For My Father"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Sonny Side Up" ...features Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt on tenor sax
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Kind Of Blue" ...features Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), John Coltrane (tenor sax) and a great rhythem section. Start here!!!!! A Schoenbach top 10!!!!
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Giant Steps" ...This will blow your mind!
J. J. Johnson (trombone) - "The Eminent Volume 1" ...the first great bebop trombonist.
Eric Dolphy (bass clarinet, wwds) - "Out To Lunch" ...yes, that says bass clarinet
Oliver Nelson (alto sax) - "Blues & The Abstract Truth"
Lee Morgan (trumpet) - "The Sidewinder" ...Nobody plays the blues like Lee.
Hank Mobley (tenor sax) - "Soul Station"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Milestones"
Wes Montgomery (guitar) - "Smokin At The Half Note" ...all done without a pick!
Lee Morgan (trumpet) - "Cornbread"
Larry Young (organ) - "Unity"
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) - "Saxophone Collossus" ...a Schoenbach top 10!!
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Mainstream 1958"
Mccoy Tyner (piano) - "The Real Mccoy"
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "A Love Supreme"...not for everyone..start with other stuff first.
Johnny Smith (guitar) - "Moonlight In Vermont"...cool jazz guitar
Paul Chambers (upright bass) - "Chambers Music"
June Christy (vocalist) - "Something Cool"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Jazz At Massey Hall"...hard to believe anyone could do this, let alone live!
Art Blakey (drummer) - "A Night At Birdland Vol. 1"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Duets"
Bill Evans (piano) - "Undercurrent"
Gene Ammons (tenor sax) - "Boss Tenors"...with Sonny Stitt, very bluesy
Kenny Burrell (guitar) - "& John Coltrane" (tenor sax)
Miles Davis - 'Round About Midnight"
Erroll Garner (piano) - "Concert By The Sea"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Relaxin' With Miles" ...very cool, good for a candlelight meal.
Wes Montgomery (guitar) - "Incredible Jazz Guitar"
Joe Henderson (saxophone) - "Page One"...a little out there.
Frank Rosolino Trombone) - "Free For All"...no trombone player has ever done it better.
Wes Montgomery (guitar) - "Full House"
Art Farmer (trumpet) - "Modern Art"
Carl Fontana (trombone) - "5 Star Ed"
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) - "Tenor Madness"...only recording with John Coltrane (tenor sax)
Art Blakey (drums) - "Moanin'"...a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Thelonious Monk (piano) - "With John Coltrane (tenor sax)"
Chick Corea (pinao) - "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs"...great latin influence
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) - "Open Sesame"
Bill Evans (piano) - "Sunday At Village Vanguard"
Charlie Parker (alto sax) - "Now's The Time"...unbelieveable bebop sax player!!!
Stan Getz (saxophone) - "For Musician's Only"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Groovin' High"
Dexter Gordon (tenor sax) - "Ballads"...a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Charlie Parker (alto sax) - "Bird & Diz"...with Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), really fast stuff!
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "Lush Life"
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) - "Red Clay" ...a Schoenbach top 10!!!!!
Bill Evans (piano) - "Waltz For Debby"
Kenny Dorham (trumpet) - "Una Mas"
Lester Young (tenor sax) - "The President Plays W/The Oscar Peterson (piano) Trio"...the standard to which all tenor sax players are held against.
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "In 'N Out"
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "& Johnny Hartman (vocals)"...A Schoenbach top 10!!!
Grant Green "guitar) - "Feelin' The Spirit"
Nancy Wilson (vocals) - "With Cannonball Adderley (alto sax)"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet"...you can't go wrong with any of the recordings ending in "in''"; there's "Relaxin'", "Chillin'" and others.
Red Garland (piano) - "Groovy"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - Steamin' With Miles Davis
Johnny Griffin (tenor sax) - "A Blowin' Session"...great recording!
Grant Green (guitar) - "Born To Be Blue"
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Ballads"
Johnny Hartman (vocals) - "I Just Dropped By To Say Hello"...super warm voice
Carl Fontana (trombone) - "The Great Fontana"
Grant Green (guitar) - "Idle Moments"
Art Blakey (drums) - "Ugetsu"
Stanley Turrentine (saxophone) - "Sugar"...master of the bluesy sound
Bill Evans (piano) - "Intermodulation"
Art Blakey (drums) - "A Night At Birdland Vol. 2"...always has great combos
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) - "Hub Tones"...very edgy sound!!!
Hank Mobley (tenor sax) - "The Turnaround!"
Bud Powell (piano) - "The Genius Of"
Lee Konitz (alto sax) - "Subconscious-Lee"
Stan Getz (saxophones) - "Stan Getz & Bill Evans (piano)"
Milt Jackson (vibes) - "Bags Meets Wes" ...with Wes Montgomery, guitar
Jimmy Smith (organ) - "Back At The Chicken Shack"...a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) - "Plus Four"
June Christy (vocals) - "The Misty Miss Christy"
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "Inner Urge"
Duke Ellington (big band) - "Money Jungle"...amazing big band with great soloists
Woody Herman (big band) - "Keeper Of The Flame"
Chet Baker (trumpet/vocals) - "Playboys"
Bud Powell (piano) - "The Amazing - Vol 1"
Oscar Peterson (piano) - "Plays Count Basie"...wow!
Clifford Brown (trumpet) - "Brown/Roach Inc."...with Max Roach, drums.
Stan Kenton (piano) - "Duet"
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "Mode For Joe" ...with Curtis Fuller, trombone
Horace Silver (piano) - "Blowin' The Blues Away"
Clifford Brown (trumpet) - "More Study In Brown"
Sonny Clark (piano) - "Leapin' And Lopin'"
Blue Mitchell (trumpet)- "The Thing To Do"
Johnny Griffin (tenor sax) - "Introducing"
Sonny Stitt (tenor sax) - "Constellation"
Slide Hampton (trombone) - "World Of Trombones"
Keith Jarrett (piano) - "Standards Vol. 1"
Cannonball Adderley (alto sax) - "Somethin' Else"...also features Miles Davis on trumpet, a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Herbie Hancock (piano) - "Maiden Voyage"
Clifford Brown (trumpet) - "Study In Brown"...Clifford is a trumpet virtuoso, a Schoenbach top 10!!!!
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Blue Train"...features Lee Morgan on trumpet and Curtis Fuller on bone, a Schoenbach top 10!!!!
Wayne Shorter (saxes) - "Speak No Evil" ...a little out there for novices, but a great recording
Horace Silver (piano) - "Song For My Father"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Sonny Side Up" ...features Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt on tenor sax
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Kind Of Blue" ...features Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), John Coltrane (tenor sax) and a great rhythem section. Start here!!!!! A Schoenbach top 10!!!!
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Giant Steps" ...This will blow your mind!
J. J. Johnson (trombone) - "The Eminent Volume 1" ...the first great bebop trombonist.
Eric Dolphy (bass clarinet, wwds) - "Out To Lunch" ...yes, that says bass clarinet
Oliver Nelson (alto sax) - "Blues & The Abstract Truth"
Lee Morgan (trumpet) - "The Sidewinder" ...Nobody plays the blues like Lee.
Hank Mobley (tenor sax) - "Soul Station"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Milestones"
Wes Montgomery (guitar) - "Smokin At The Half Note" ...all done without a pick!
Lee Morgan (trumpet) - "Cornbread"
Larry Young (organ) - "Unity"
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) - "Saxophone Collossus" ...a Schoenbach top 10!!
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Mainstream 1958"
Mccoy Tyner (piano) - "The Real Mccoy"
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "A Love Supreme"...not for everyone..start with other stuff first.
Johnny Smith (guitar) - "Moonlight In Vermont"...cool jazz guitar
Paul Chambers (upright bass) - "Chambers Music"
June Christy (vocalist) - "Something Cool"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Jazz At Massey Hall"...hard to believe anyone could do this, let alone live!
Art Blakey (drummer) - "A Night At Birdland Vol. 1"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Duets"
Bill Evans (piano) - "Undercurrent"
Gene Ammons (tenor sax) - "Boss Tenors"...with Sonny Stitt, very bluesy
Kenny Burrell (guitar) - "& John Coltrane" (tenor sax)
Miles Davis - 'Round About Midnight"
Erroll Garner (piano) - "Concert By The Sea"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Relaxin' With Miles" ...very cool, good for a candlelight meal.
Wes Montgomery (guitar) - "Incredible Jazz Guitar"
Joe Henderson (saxophone) - "Page One"...a little out there.
Frank Rosolino Trombone) - "Free For All"...no trombone player has ever done it better.
Wes Montgomery (guitar) - "Full House"
Art Farmer (trumpet) - "Modern Art"
Carl Fontana (trombone) - "5 Star Ed"
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) - "Tenor Madness"...only recording with John Coltrane (tenor sax)
Art Blakey (drums) - "Moanin'"...a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Thelonious Monk (piano) - "With John Coltrane (tenor sax)"
Chick Corea (pinao) - "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs"...great latin influence
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) - "Open Sesame"
Bill Evans (piano) - "Sunday At Village Vanguard"
Charlie Parker (alto sax) - "Now's The Time"...unbelieveable bebop sax player!!!
Stan Getz (saxophone) - "For Musician's Only"
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) - "Groovin' High"
Dexter Gordon (tenor sax) - "Ballads"...a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Charlie Parker (alto sax) - "Bird & Diz"...with Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), really fast stuff!
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "Lush Life"
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) - "Red Clay" ...a Schoenbach top 10!!!!!
Bill Evans (piano) - "Waltz For Debby"
Kenny Dorham (trumpet) - "Una Mas"
Lester Young (tenor sax) - "The President Plays W/The Oscar Peterson (piano) Trio"...the standard to which all tenor sax players are held against.
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "In 'N Out"
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "& Johnny Hartman (vocals)"...A Schoenbach top 10!!!
Grant Green "guitar) - "Feelin' The Spirit"
Nancy Wilson (vocals) - "With Cannonball Adderley (alto sax)"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - "Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet"...you can't go wrong with any of the recordings ending in "in''"; there's "Relaxin'", "Chillin'" and others.
Red Garland (piano) - "Groovy"
Miles Davis (trumpet) - Steamin' With Miles Davis
Johnny Griffin (tenor sax) - "A Blowin' Session"...great recording!
Grant Green (guitar) - "Born To Be Blue"
John Coltrane (tenor sax) - "Ballads"
Johnny Hartman (vocals) - "I Just Dropped By To Say Hello"...super warm voice
Carl Fontana (trombone) - "The Great Fontana"
Grant Green (guitar) - "Idle Moments"
Art Blakey (drums) - "Ugetsu"
Stanley Turrentine (saxophone) - "Sugar"...master of the bluesy sound
Bill Evans (piano) - "Intermodulation"
Art Blakey (drums) - "A Night At Birdland Vol. 2"...always has great combos
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) - "Hub Tones"...very edgy sound!!!
Hank Mobley (tenor sax) - "The Turnaround!"
Bud Powell (piano) - "The Genius Of"
Lee Konitz (alto sax) - "Subconscious-Lee"
Stan Getz (saxophones) - "Stan Getz & Bill Evans (piano)"
Milt Jackson (vibes) - "Bags Meets Wes" ...with Wes Montgomery, guitar
Jimmy Smith (organ) - "Back At The Chicken Shack"...a Schoenbach top 10!!!
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) - "Plus Four"
June Christy (vocals) - "The Misty Miss Christy"
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "Inner Urge"
Duke Ellington (big band) - "Money Jungle"...amazing big band with great soloists
Woody Herman (big band) - "Keeper Of The Flame"
Chet Baker (trumpet/vocals) - "Playboys"
Bud Powell (piano) - "The Amazing - Vol 1"
Oscar Peterson (piano) - "Plays Count Basie"...wow!
Clifford Brown (trumpet) - "Brown/Roach Inc."...with Max Roach, drums.
Stan Kenton (piano) - "Duet"
Joe Henderson (saxophones) - "Mode For Joe" ...with Curtis Fuller, trombone
Horace Silver (piano) - "Blowin' The Blues Away"
Clifford Brown (trumpet) - "More Study In Brown"
Sonny Clark (piano) - "Leapin' And Lopin'"
Blue Mitchell (trumpet)- "The Thing To Do"
Johnny Griffin (tenor sax) - "Introducing"
Sonny Stitt (tenor sax) - "Constellation"
Slide Hampton (trombone) - "World Of Trombones"
Keith Jarrett (piano) - "Standards Vol. 1"