We always look for ways to expand our jazz library, including opening our ears to recommendations, especially when it comes to obscurities, rarities and discoveries. Listing is one of the most popular games played towards that aim, a game that is never entirely devoid of edifying value.
This list of the 60 Greatest Jazz Records of All Time is hardly an addition to any library, as by now most of them are standard components of any serious jazz collection. However, it is so rare that a musician like Benny Goodman comes forward and shares his list of must-have albums with us.
“Unfortunately, the triumph of jazz in the U.S. as a whole is a little incomplete,” Goodman bemoans in the introduction to the list. “The American people – especially the teenage population which has been weaned on rock ’n’ roll – are losing sight of that very jazz heritage.”
Compiled for the Los Angeles Times (November 12, 1961), Goodman commits himself to enlightening the reader who is not quite sure where to start: “Over the years many of these people have asked me to draw up a list of ‘the greatest jazz albums ever made.’ I believe there is now a crying need for such a guideline.”
In fact, the list was a sequel to a Los Angeles Times article by Leopold Stokowski, in which he selected his dream library of classical recordings.
Goodman’s list has its own surprises and unexpected picks. Categorised according to formats and instruments, he doesn’t bother to allocate any space to bass players. Saxophonists are present, but there is no mention of John Coltrane. However, at the end of the list, under the amusing title “Far Out”, Ornette Coleman suddenly appears – Goodman’s most surprising choice here – alongside Thelonious Monk, who by 1961 was an established figure and, in the light of the latest developments in jazz, could arguably have been seen as a traditionalist rather than a Far Out musician. More surprisingly, Goodman opts for a big-band recording by Monk rather than his trio or quartet work.
Going through the history of jazz, Goodman gives little indication of his criteria for selection, except that he consciously omits the big dance bands – Glenn Miller, the Dorsey Brothers, Harry James, Claude Thornhill, Les Brown – as in his mind they are already well known to the public. While many great instrumentalists are missing from the list, Goodman claims that it is derived from a need to acknowledge individual soloists. Finally, the old master introduces no fewer than three of his own records (one featuring Charlie Christian) and saves Fats Waller for the vocalists section.
One last message from Mr. Goodman before we go ahead with the list:
Benny Goodman Picks the 60 Greatest Jazz Records of All Time
ANTHOLOGIES
1
Spirituals to Swing (Vanguard)
2
Encyclopedia of Jazz (Decca)
3
Open House (Camden)
[In fact, this is a Lionel Hampton reissue with many great soloists involved and not exactly an anthology.]
4
Modern Jazz Gallery (Kapp)
BIG BANDS
5
Jimmy Lunceford: Jimmy Lunceford (Decca 8050)
6
Fletcher Henderson: A Study in Frustration (Columbia)
7
Duke Ellington: In a Mellotone (Victor)
8
Count Basie: Count Basie (Decca 8049) + One O'Clock Jump (Columbia 997)
9
Artie Shaw: Swings Show Tunes
10
Benny Goodman: The Golden Age of Swing
11
Woody Herman: Bijou (Harmony)
12
Stan Kenton: Milestones (Capitol)
FAMOUS COMBOS
13
Bud Freeman and Summa Cum Laude Band: Comes Jazz
14
Benny Goodman: Combos (Capitol T-669)
15
Red Norvo: Music to Listen to Red Norvo By
16
Dave Pell: Jazz and Romantic Places
17
Dave Brubeck: Time Out
18
Gerry Mulligan: Paris Concert
19
The Modern Jazz Quartet: Third Stream Music
20
Horace Silver: Blowin' the Blues Away
SOLO INSTRUMENTS: PIANO
21
Earl Hines: Oh, Father!
22
Art Tatum: The Genius of Art Tatum
23
Oscar Peterson: Plays George Gershwin
24
Ahmad Jamal: The Ahmad Jamal Trio (Epic 3212)
25
Erroll Garner: At the Piano (Columbia 535)
26
Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 1
27
Bill Evans: Portraits in Jazz
SOLO INSTRUMENTS: ALTO SAX
28
Benny Carter: Jazz Giant
29
Charlie Parker: Swedish Schnapps
30
Sonny Stitt: Sonny Stitt Plays (Roost 2208)
31
Cannonball Adderley: In the Land of Hi-Fi
SOLO INSTRUMENTS: TENOR SAX
32
Coleman Hawkins: The Genius of Coleman Hawkins
33
Lester Young: Lester Young Memorial (Epic 3576)
34
Don Byas: Jazz From St. Germain de Pres
35
Stan Getz: At the Opera House
36
Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus
SOLO INSTRUMENTS: SOPRANO SAX
37
Sidney Bechet: Jazz Classics (Blue Note 1201)
SOLO INSTRUMENTS: TRUMPET & CORNET
38
Bix Beiderbecke: Bix and Tram (Columbia 845)
39
Louis Armstrong: Louis Armstrong Favorites (Columbia 854) + Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines (Columbia 853)
40
Roy Eldridge: Little Jazz
41
Bobby Hackett: Jazz Ultimate
42
Dizzy Gillespie: For Musicians Only
43
Miles Davis: Miles Ahead + Birth of the Cool
SOLO INSTRUMENTS: GUITAR
44
Django Reinhardt: The Best of Django Reinhardt (Capitol 10226)
45
Charley Christian: With the Benny Goodman Sextet & Orchestra (Columbia 652)
46
Barney Kessel: Plays Standards
47
Tal Farlow: The Tal Farlow Album
48
Wes Montgomery: The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
VOCALISTS
49
Nat "King" Cole: The Nat King Cole Story
50
Fats Waller: Ain't Misbehavin' (Victor 1246)
51
Ray Charles: Genius + Soul = Jazz
52
Frank Sinatra: Swing Easy
53
Jimmy Rushing: Rushing Lullabies
54
Billie Holiday: Lady Day (Columbia 637) + Billie Holiday (Commodore 30008)
55
Mildred Bailey: The Mildred Bailey Story
[For his album picks, Goodman has selected two to-be-released LPs one of which is this Bailey compilation which was never released under the given title. It is probably what Columbia released as I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart.]
56
Ella Fitzgerald: Lullabies of Birdland + Ella Sings Cole Porter
57
Peggy Lee: Jump for Joy
FAR OUT
58
Gunther Schuller: Brandeis Jazz Festival
59
Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come
60
Thelonious Monk: At Town Hall
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