Jazz is a genre of music that has been around for over a century, and it has evolved and changed over the years. It has been influenced by many different styles, from classical to rock, and it has produced some of the most iconic albums in music history. But which albums are considered the greatest of all time? When it comes to jazz, there is no definitive answer. Every fan has their own opinion on what makes a great jazz album, and there are countless albums that could be considered the greatest.
However, there are some albums that stand out as being particularly influential and important in the history of jazz. John Coltrane's A Love Supreme is often considered the origin of the spiritual jazz subgenre. It is a deeply influential album that uses jazz to explore concepts in a meaningful way. The music takes the listener on an unexpected journey, with emotional peaks that are intense but satisfying.
The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World is a definitive guide to the most important and influential jazz albums from the 1920s to the present day. It includes an in-depth editorial on each album from Jazzwise's acclaimed writing team, as well as articles on the creation of the three best albums, a look at the albums that almost made the cut, and a guide to buying outstanding titles on LP and CD. Courtney Pine's Journey To The Urge Within was a groundbreaking album for British jazz. It was ranked in the Top 40, an unprecedented achievement for a British jazz album, and it became silver, helping to trigger the jazz boom of the 80s. Pine's music was powerful and intense, in the tradition of great tenor saxophonists such as Coltrane and Rollins. The Medeski Martin & Wood album Combustication pushed the limits of jazz with vibrant rhythms and extensive keyboard improvisations.
It may be avant-garde music, but it's still body music, with songs like “Coconut Boogaloo” and “Sugar Craft” that make you want to dance. Diana Krall's Love Scenes is a meticulously compelling artistic manifesto. Krall is the genuine item on every level, with texture, taste, integrity, inventiveness and musicality. The performance is exemplary, but it's the choice of repertoire that makes this album stand out.
The Bad Plus
album These Are The Vistas shakes up dominant values with their chicken shack-style New York-style jazz at its highest level.The Wynton Marsalis Quintet
, featuring Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Charnett Moffett, Jeff Jaywarrah King and Dwayne Armstrong, released their self-titled album in 1987. It was an instant classic that brought British jazz out of depression after its brilliant flowering in the 1960s.The Esbjörn Svensson Trio
, or EST for short, released their album From Gagarin's Point Of View. Their attachment to deeply felt melody, Nordic tone and pop-like structures made both jazz and non-jazz fans enthralled by their interpretation.Brad Mehldau Trio's
Largo, featuring Larry Grenadier and Jorge Rossy, is perfect ambitious music that moves far from usual conceptions of jazz.Coltrane plays like a man inspired by more than just the work immediately at hand.
