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Ranking the 10 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time

In this video, the speaker ranks the top 10 greatest jazz albums of all time according to his personal opinion. He explains that jazz is the foundation of most music forms outside classical and folk and highlights some important peaks in its history.

Introduction to Jazz

• Jazz is the overarching art form in 20th century popular music.

• It originated at the end of the 19th century and first emerged into public consciousness when it was recorded for the first time in 1917.

• Jazz is the foundation along with Blues of most of the music forms that we listen to outside classical and folk.

Criteria for Ranking

• The list includes a few albums of musicians that cannot be missed off this list.

• The list encompasses if not the whole history of jazz but at least highlights some really important mounting top peaks in that history.

Thelonious Monk: A Giant of Jazz

• Thelonious Monk is almost like Beyond category in the history of jazz.

• He had a difficult career because he had a vision that was entirely unique.

• Thelonious Monk needs to be on this list as one of the greatest jazz composers probably after Duke Ellington.

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (1961)

• This album is one of his favorite albums by Thelonious Monk.

• It was released in 1961 but recorded in 1957.

• This album gives an insight into Coltrane's genius, who slowly builds towards something quite incredible.

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane and Sign Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet

In this section, the speaker talks about two albums that he considers to be some of the greatest jazz albums ever made. He discusses the unique approach of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane in their album together, as well as the significance of Dave Brubeck's quartet and their hit record "Take Five."

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

• The album features a brittle, sparse, humorous approach from Thelonious Monk contrasted with John Coltrane's incredible sound approach.

• The compositions on this album always refer to the blues, creating a magical combination between two of the greatest musicians in jazz history.

Sign Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet

• This album contains the hit record "Take Five," which is groundbreaking despite being dismissed by some as appealing to mainstream audiences.

• The quartet consists of Dave Brubeck on piano, Eugene Wright on bass, Joe Morello on drums, and Paul Desmond on saxophone.

• Brubeck's unique soloing style involves block chords due to an injury he sustained in his youth that prevented him from playing flowing lines associated with Bud Powell.

• The quartet explores odd time signatures and modality in this album.

Modal Jazz and Art Tatum

In this section, the speaker discusses modal jazz and Art Tatum's influence on instrumental virtuosity in jazz.

Modal Jazz

• "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck Quartet is a groundbreaking record that explores odd time changes and modality.

• The solo in "Take Five" is entirely modal, with no modulation going on. Paul Desmond expands on the modal scale using upper partial tones of the Dario mode.

• Modal soloing is the bedrock of most jazz and jazz fusion after "Take Five."

Art Tatum

• Art Tatum was a partially blind pianist who amalgamated stride piano, swing jazz ideas, and impressionist classical compositional harmonic ideas to create an unbelievably virtuosic style.

• He took instrumental virtuosity to the limit and influenced musicians like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane.

• His early recordings from 1933 were collected together in 1960 on an album called "Piano Starts Here," which showcases his incredible instrumental virtuosity.

Overall, this section highlights how both modal jazz and Art Tatum's influence have contributed to the development of instrumental virtuosity in jazz.

The Genius of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps"

In this section, the speaker discusses John Coltrane's album "Giant Steps" and its impact on jazz music.

Coltrane's Approach to Jazz

• Coltrane developed an approach to saxophone playing called the "sheets of sound," which pre-saged free jazz explorations.

• He wanted to expand the functional harmony of jazz by superimposing two 2-5-1 chord progressions into a major third or flat five apart. This expanded the harmony out and created cadences that echoed out into four dimensions.

• Coltrane was trying to free jazz from being tied down by a straight jacket and allow musicians to play what they want.

Giant Steps Album

• "Giant Steps" is an essential album for anyone wanting to build a collection.

• The chord changes on tracks like "Giant Steps" and "Countdown" are awkward, hard to hear, and happen incredibly fast. They set a standard that has become something that has hobbled Jazz.

• The album explores different areas of jazz, including modal explorations and blues. Three other tracks are named after people - Naima, Mr. PC, and Cousin Mary - each exploring different aspects of jazz.

• Recorded in May 1959 over three days, it is one of the greatest albums in the history of music.

Impact on Jazz Music

• Many musicians felt they could not be proper jazz musicians unless they could play through the chord changes of "Giant Steps," which has hobbled Jazz.

• "Giant Steps" is an accessible album for John Coltrane and showcases his genius in exploring all sorts of aspects of jazz.

The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman

In this section, the speaker discusses how 1959 was a watershed year for jazz music. He talks about the innovations of bebop and how it morphed into West Coast and East Coast post-bop. He then introduces Ornette Coleman's album "The Shape of Jazz to Come" and explains how it was groundbreaking.

Innovations in Jazz in 1959

• In 1959, there were many changes happening in jazz music.

• Musicians like Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, and John Coltrane were experimenting with modal jazz, odd time signatures, and free jazz.

• John Coltrane was trying to free jazz by breaking its form from the inside out.

• Ornette Coleman emerged with a different approach to playing jazz that involved following melody and motion rather than just harmony.

Ornette Coleman's Approach to Jazz

• Ornette Coleman's innovation was groundbreaking because he did not follow the traditional chord sequence or form of jazz.

• Instead, he followed melody and motion when taking a solo.

• This approach is called harmolodics which considers harmony, motion (rhythm), and melody together when improvising.

• Modern players like John Scofield or Pat Metheny are more rooted in Ornette Coleman's approach than John McLaughlin or Larry Coryell who were influenced by Coltrane.

The Shape of Jazz to Come Album

• "The Shape of Jazz to Come" is one of Ornette Coleman's most famous albums.

• It is a masterpiece because of the tunes on there that have become jazz standards within the area of free jazz.

• Ornette Coleman's microtonal aspect to his playing can be difficult for some listeners, but this album is one of his easiest listens.

Duke Ellington at Newport Jazz Festival

In this section, the speaker talks about Duke Ellington's importance in jazz history and his innovations in composing and orchestrating jazz. The speaker also discusses the significance of Ellington's live album "Ellington at Newport" recorded in 1956.

Duke Ellington's Innovations

• Ellington was a great innovator in composition and orchestration, writing many jazz standards and showing how to orchestrate jazz.

• He arranged chords based on individual musicians' sounds, rather than just instrumental sounds.

• His big band genre showed freedom within tight arrangements, which influenced free jazz and modal jazz.

"Ellington at Newport"

• Recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1956 when Ellington was not very popular.

• During the performance of "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue," Paul Gonzalez played a 27-chorus solo that caused a stir among the audience.

• A blonde lady named Elaine Anderson got up to dance during Gonzalez's solo, causing even more excitement among the audience.

• This recording put Duke Ellington back on the map as a performer and is considered one of the greatest recordings in jazz history.

Overall, this section provides an overview of Duke Ellington's contributions to jazz music and highlights his significant live album "Ellington at Newport."

Charlie Parker and the Birth of Bebop

In this section, the speaker talks about Charlie Parker's contribution to bebop jazz and his influence on the genre.

Charlie Parker's Impact on Jazz

• Charlie Parker was not the architect of bebop but he brought a new sound and phrasing to jazz that became associated with bebop.

• He used chord tones and upper notes of chords to create a new way of playing saxophone that was rhythmical and virtuosic.

• His recordings on Savoy and Dial labels between 1945-1948 are considered some of the most important music in jazz history.

• Bebop musicians like Dizzy Gillespie separated themselves from previous generations, including Louis Armstrong, who disliked bebop.

The Complete Savoy and Dial Masters by Charlie Parker

• The album is a collection of all his Savoy and dial recordings.

• It includes classic recordings with Kenny Clark, Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis among others.

• Tunes like "Minnie the Mooch," "Now is the Time," "Relaxing in Camarillo" are contained in this recording.

Influence on Jazz Improvisation

• Bebop approach to improvisation has become the way that you're supposed to improvise within Jazz.

• Musicians don't feel they are proper Jazz musicians unless they can solo for the changes like Charlie Parker.

Birth of Cool Sessions and Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens

In this section, the speaker talks about the importance of two jazz albums: Birth of Cool Sessions and Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens.

Birth of Cool Sessions

• The Birth of Cool Sessions is an album that should be on the list but is only an honorable mention.

• The album came out in 1948-49.

• It is a collection of recordings by various artists.

• Essential for anybody interested in jazz.

Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens

• Louis Armstrong is the great genius of jazz and one of the greatest improvisers ever lived.

• The Hot Fives and Sevens are essential recordings for anybody interested in jazz.

• These recordings were made at the beginning of recording history, some without microphones, making it difficult to listen to for modern listeners.

• Louis Armstrong leads an incredible band with some of the greatest musicians that have ever lived.

• He has virtuosity on trumpet, command over music organization, arrangement techniques, phrasing, arrangements, vocal interactions, use of recording studio which laid groundwork for virtually everything that happened in popular music after that point.

Two Monumental Albums in Jazz History

In this section, the speaker talks about two monumental albums in jazz history.

Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis

• Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis is one of the most important albums ever recorded.

• It was recorded in 1959 with a group including John Coltrane and Bill Evans among others.

• It was revolutionary because it used modal scales instead of chord progressions as its harmonic basis.

• This allowed for more freedom during improvisation while still maintaining structure.

• It became hugely popular among both jazz fans and the general public.

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

• A Love Supreme by John Coltrane is another monumental album in jazz history.

• It was recorded in 1964 and is a spiritual jazz masterpiece.

• The album is a four-part suite that explores themes of spirituality, redemption, and transcendence.

• It features some of the most intense and passionate playing ever recorded.

John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme"

In this section, the speaker discusses John Coltrane's album "A Love Supreme" and its innovations in jazz music.

Innovations in Jazz Music

• The album is a post-hardbox post Bebop album that explores free jazz ideas and modal jazz.

• McCoy Tyner expands on harmony by building chords up in fourths instead of thirds, creating an uplifting feeling.

• Alvin Jones uses a polyrhythmical toplet based approach to time on drums, hitting the drums with force and emphasizing certain crescendos within the music.

• Jimmy Garrison plays bass like a flamenco guitarist, creating big strident block chords.

Spirituality in Music

• The album is about spirituality and acts as a prayer to God, the world, infinite nature beyond any religion.

• "A Love Supreme" has influenced many artists who have made spirituality the foundation of their music.

Kind of Blue by Miles Davis

In this section, the speaker discusses Miles Davis' album "Kind of Blue" and its significance in jazz history.

Significance in Jazz History

• "Kind of Blue" is one of the biggest selling albums in jazz history and one of the most innovative groundbreaking albums.

The Influence of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue"

In this section, the speaker discusses how Miles Davis' album "Kind of Blue" influenced various genres of music.

Virtuosity and Dexterity

• "Milestones" showcases the virtuosity and instrumental dexterity of the Miles Davis quintet.

• Bill Evans brings a unique approach to "Kind of Blue," pulling from impressionism and expressionism in classical music.

Stretching Out Forms

• The big breakthrough in "Kind of Blue" is not just its modal approach, but also its stretching out and expanding forms after Bebop.

• On albums like "In a Silent Way" and "Kind of Blue," Miles Davis pulls back frenetic playing to stretch out forms.

Influence on Music Genres

• Minimalist composers like Terry Riley and Steve Reich were influenced by the stretching out heard on "Kind of Blue."

• Funk, hip-hop, heavy metal, soul, and other genres have roots in the innovations found on this album.

Creating a Story of Jazz

In this section, the speaker talks about how he wants to create a story that goes through the history of jazz. He hopes to make a statement and not just go for the obvious.

The Challenge of Making Videos About Jazz

• The viewership for videos about jazz is low compared to other genres like progressive rock.

• Despite his love for jazz, the speaker doesn't talk about it as much because of low viewership.

• The speaker would love to talk more about jazz musicians like Bill Evans Trio, Scott Lafaro, and Paul Motion but can't due to lack of interest from viewers.

Call-to-Action

• The speaker encourages viewers who are interested in jazz to subscribe and like his videos so that more jazz fans can discover his channel.

• The speaker recommends checking out Charlie Christian's live album at Mintons as an example of historic recordings that created bebop.

Conclusion

• The video ends with the speaker filling up time until the hour mark by talking about Charlie Christian's album.