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30 Though Monk is my favorite jazz artist, I do not think he was a great “album artist”. This ten-inch LP is an exception. Popularized by its inclusion in the Monk/Rollins Prestige compilation (cat. 7075), this album was recorded to perfection on a single date in Hackensack. “Work” |
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29 A finger-popping soul jazz masterpiece, and another favorite album introduced to me by my wife, Ako. Bailey clearly had a talent as a bandleader, making great song selections and surrounding himself with talented musicians. “Comin’ Home Baby”, “Two Feet in the Gutter”, “Shiny Stockings” |
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28 This album is comprised of two recording dates almost exactly one year apart (May ’54 and ’55). The program nonetheless manages to keep sonic and musical consistency despite having two completely different rhythm sections. Solid hard bop start to finish. “Social Call” |
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27 Technically a compilation of two 10-inch LPs recorded less than three months apart (5058 and 5062), this album maintains a high degree of consistency with identical lineups on both dates. There is some classic writing and playing by Silver on this, including one of my all-time favorite piano solos on “Creepin’ In”. |
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26 This album was an early favorite of mine and it has stayed that way. Recorded at the inception of hard bop, this is my favorite effort from the tag-team leadership of Brown and Roach. |
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25 I shallowly ignored this album for a long time mainly because I despised late ’60s album covers that featured random women, a symbol that Blue Note’s priorities had changed under new ownership (Liberty Records). Well I’m glad I gave it a chance because this is another highly consistent quartet-with-vibes date. One of my favorite Joe Chambers features. |
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24 When I first got into jazz I prematurely dismissed this album because Coltrane goes so hard in his opening solo and it was too much for me at the time. Years later I have come to love that very solo, and I probably listen to this album more than any other Coltrane album. “Moment’s Notice” |
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23 The album’s first four tracks comprise a brilliant sequence. “Carolyn” went from ignored by me to being a big favorite over the years. “Up a Step” also took some time to appreciate, and I love the loud horns in the A-section and the beautiful bridge. “Three Way Split”, “Carolyn”, “No Room for Squares” |
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22 I listen to this album a lot, and though I usually skip “The Egg”, I have been warming up to post-bop on the very edge of the avant-garde lately. Side 1 is one of my favorite sides in all of jazz. Tony Williams is a big favorite of mine and he sounds superb on this. “One Finger Snap”, “Oliloqui Valley” |
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21 Here is yet another great album I ignored at first. I don’t think I liked the dissonance in Woody Shaw’s writing. Today I hear those moments merely as tension leading to release. This is a masterfully recorded LP with a mellow, calming vibe that I return to all the time. “The Moontrane” |