|
10 The cavernous sound of Rudy Van Gelder’s Englewood Cliffs studio contributes to the dead-black background of this gorgeous recording. Parlan and the Turretine brothers pen all but one of the tunes here and the writing is highly consistent. Bro Stanley’s blues-y soloing shines. “Up in Cynthia’s Room” |
|
9 Despite this version of “‘Round Midnight” never being a favorite of mine, and despite the album lacking a degree of cohesion due to being recorded over three dates spanning close to a year, the music is so good that it still manages to rank very high on my list. “Ah-Leu-Cha”, “All of You”, “Bye Bye Blackbird” |
|
8 My most favorite albums are all highly listenable start to finish. This album is no exception, and it falls into the category of “so seamless that I have a hard time remembering the song titles”. Baritone sax can sometime sound a little too aggressive for me, but Mellé manages to make it fit perfectly into a cooler setting like this. “Moonlight in Vermont” |
|
7 I was introduced to this album by a jazz musician friend and it was an early favorite Blue Note of mine. Technically falling under “experimental” due to a lack of traditional songwriting, Hancock’s percussive style and use of refrain are key ingredients that keep things very accessible. “Triangle” |
|
6 Morgan shines with inventiveness in this unique quartet-with-trumpet setting. The focus is on standards but the leader manages to make the material sound fresh and engaging regardless. Sonny Clark and Art Taylor backing Morgan is a rare and most welcome combination. “Since I Fell for You”, “All the Way” |
|
5 It should be obvious why Coltrane’s reading of such a fun Rogers & Hammerstein showtune appeals to most jazz newbies, present company included. Over time that appeal has not waned in the slightest. “My Favorite Things”, “Everytime We Say Goodbye” |
|
4 As a highly undervalued album that has never been reissued in the U.S. in any format, the Japanese’s all-inclusive approach to reissuing Blue Note has made it more accessible. This frontline triumvirate sounds especially aggressive here, and Mobley’s songwriting features some particularly foreboding, haunting harmonies. “Touch and Go”, “Double Whammy”, “Barrel of Funk” |
|
3 Some may be surprised to see an obscure album like this ranked so high on my list. If so, I remind you that this is merely a list of favorites. This album is very close to perfection for me. Patton’s band never take themselves too seriously and maintain a relaxed, playful vibe throughout. “The Rock”, “The Way I Feel”, “Jerry”, “Just 3/4” |
|
2 Most jazz classics aren’t personal favorites of mine; this album is an exception. I feel both its popularity and “gateway” status are warranted. Coltrane struggles to fit in at times and “Flamenco Sketches” sounds a tad redundant following “Blue in Green”, otherwise I think it’s perfect. “So What”, “Blue in Green”, “All Blues” |
|
1 Though it doesn’t have as many trophy songs as other albums in my top five, I have probably listened to this album the most. There is nothing I would change about it. It is a perfect album by my standards, and I can easily play it start to finish every time I listen. “Lonely Woman” |