One of my favorite blogs (yes, I’m a subscriber) is The Good, The Bad and the Unknown. Today, J. Paul posted a list of The Top 11 Jazz Albums Everyone Should Own. It’s a really challenging endeavor to come up with a top 50, or a top 100, so getting it down to 11 must have been fun. I totally agree that those 11 recordings are amazing, and here’s the rough part of choosing 11 – what about:

• Miles Davis – Cookin’, Workin’, Relaxin’ or Steamin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet, or any of the greatest Miles group, the quintet with Ron Carter & Wayne Shorter.
• Ornette Coleman – Change of the Century or (my favorite) The Shape of Jazz To Come
• John Coltrane – A Love Supreme or really any of the Impulse! recordings.
• Bill Evans – It will come as no surprise to most reading this that I would pick the stuff with Scott LaFaro. He was unbelievable. But I actually like the trio with Chuck Israels better.
• Duke Ellington – The Far East Suite or the amazing collections (Black, Brown & Beige, and – again my fave – The Blanton-Webster Band)
• Charles Mingus – He chose Ah-Um, I choose any of the Atlantic albums instead of Columbia-era Mingus, and even though Ellington/ Mingus/ Roach is great in some ways, it’s not the most hooked up sounding group. I guess that’s partly because Mingus was upset that day, and something involving Juan Tizol.
• Wayne Shorter – Speak No Evil, or anything by the current band.

You see the problem. These are just off the top of my head, and all amazing. A Top 11 is a great way to get started with a collection, or just “round it out” as J.Paul says. I’m glad he posted that list.

Oh, and it’s very very important to note that his inspiration was Max Roach’s passing, which is a very sad event. What an incredible musician. I never met him, but from every story I hear about him, Max was a wonderful person. I nominate Max’s Freedom Now Suite as another of the greatest jazz albums. Simply amazing.

Thanks,

Rick