Jean-Michel Serres, Composer-pianist (Apfel Café Music): Website

27 December 202124 August 2023

Top 10 Jazz Masterpieces for Introduction and Beginners

1.Cookin’ by the Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige, 1957

One of the record of the famous Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions, are to fulfil the contact with Prestige Record and transfer Columbia Record, so Miles recorded 42 tracks in 2 days. You can listen the highly synched and lively performance by the First Great Quintet (John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (bs), Philly Joe Jones (dr)) and fully developed play of Miles’s peak in the hard-bop era. Interestingly, the tracks selected in this record are recordings of the later part of sessions, but they released at first. A master-pieces is impressive the contrast between an excellent ballad of "My Funny Valentine" in which Miles' Herman mute tone is so sweet, and a high-tempo and hardly drove Sonny Rollins's jazz standard "Airegin".

2.Portrait in Jazz by the Bill Evans Trio, Riverside, 1959

One of the representative works of Bill Evans, and the ultimate jazz piano and mordal jazz record captured the incomparable trio organized with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian. Famillar standard numbers such as Autumn Leaves, Witchcraft, What Is This Thing Called Love? and Someday My Prince Will Come are played by highly-developed interplay and modal solo play by Evans and LaFaro, and interpretations, arranges, technique, improvisation and ensemble beyond original compositions.

3. Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Columbia Records, 1959

All of songs of this album are irregular time signatures and a masterpiece are famous by Take Five, also there’s the characteristic as highly arranged West Coast Jazz influenced by Classical Music. I like classical and gentle fine songs in this album, Blue Rondo à la Turk, Strange Meadow Lark and Three to Get Ready. And, the combination of Paul Desmond’s soft, mild and beautiful tone of alto saxophone and Brubeck’s elegant piano, is one of the greatest combinations in the Jazz history.

4. The Scene Changes by Bud Powell, Blue Note Records, 1958

The ultimate jazz piano album, Bud Powell recorded on Blue Note Records. In this album, Powell established the hard-bop jazz piano style that right hand plays melody and left hand concentrate on backing. The play by Powell was returned from the blank by drug, is powerful, energetic and simple.

5. Giant Steps by John Coltrane, Atlantic Records, 1960

Through Miles’s Kind of Blue (I’ll introduce below.), Coltrane established his own original modal jazz by complex cord progressions and changes of keys in this masterpiece. The quartet played ultra technically by the ultra complex chord theory, though the music itself is so cool and energetic. This album captures Coltrane who showed his great genius and his original style.

6. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, Columbia, 1959

The best-selling jazz album in the world, the ultimate jazz recording and release in the jazz history in which Miles completed modal jazz style and it’s original and experimental but cool and simple. There is no equal to this recording. This is the greatest music, each ad-lib phrases by Miles, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane and Bill Evans of the all songs are beautiful and precious, and the ensemble are relaxing also taut, has a profound comprehension.

7. Relaxin’ by the Miles Davis Quintet, 1958

The second release of the Prestige Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions. The recordings of this album are done before and after Cookin’. This masterpiece focus on middle tempo jazz standard numbers, and Miles’s characteristic Herman mute trumpet tone is tasteful.

8. Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section by Art Pepper, Contemporary, 1957

In this album, a representative west-coast jazz and cool jazz alto saxophonist Art Pepper played together with the rhythm section of Miles Davis’s the first greatest quartet. The music is relaxing also dynamic, and a fine and “usual” jazz masterpiece.

9. Ready for Freddie by Freddie Hubbard, Blue Note Records, 1961

Freddie Hubbard is a trumpeter has the greatest technique and tone in the jazz history. This album is a fine work of the early career of Hubbard, and the music highly completed and “usual” hard-bop.

10. A Night at the Village Vanguard by Sonny Rollins, Blue Note Records, 1958

A live album of a respective tenor saxophonist of hard-bop, Sonny Rollins. I like this album better than a great jazz masterpiece Saxophone Colossus, because the play of this recording is lively and dynamic.

Timeline of Herbie Hancock

1940 On April 12, Herbert Jeffrey Hancock born in wealthy family, Illinois, Chicago, United States. His father was a government inspector and music lover, his mother played piano, his older brother and sister played music.

1947 – Herbie began classical piano lesson.

1950 – Proceed the advanced course and learned writing and read score by Mr. Jordan.

1951 – Co-stared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. (first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.26 in D Major)

1960 – Left Grinnell College, he studied electrical engineering.

Backed to Chicago and began working with Donald Byrd and Coleman Hawkins.

1961 – On January, moved to New York, was called by Donald Byrd.

1962 – ‘Takin’ Off’, Hancock’s first leader album, includes ‘Watermelon Man’. (Hard Bop, Funky Jazz)

1963 – Provide ‘Watermelon Man’ to Mongo Santamaria, was hit.

1964 – Acquaintance with Miles Davis and he force Hancock to have an audition. Participated in Miles Davis’s ‘second great quintet’ with Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams.

‘Empyrean Isles’ includes ‘Cantaloupe Island’ (Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, New Mainstream)

Sideman of ‘Speak No Evil’ by Wayne Shorter. (New Mainstream)

1965 – ‘Maiden Voyage’ Adopted expanded the mode approach with member of Miles Davis Quintet and Freddie Hubbard. A representative work of New Mainstream Jazz and Herbie Hancock. (New Mainstream)

1966 – ‘Blow-Up’ (Soundtrack)

1967 – ‘Miles Smiles’ by Miles Davis, the musical style declared in this album would be called ‘New Mainstream Jazz’ or ‘Modern Mainstream’. (New Mainstream)

1968 – ‘Speak Like a Child’ Adopted a not common sextet (alto flute, flugelhorn, bass trombone and rhythm section) and treat the horn section as a accompaniment part. (Hard Bop, Post-Bop)

‘Miles in the Sky’ by Miles Davis, in this album Miles force Hancock to play a electric piano. (Post-Bop, Electric Jazz)

Hancock left the Miles Davis’s band.

1969 – ‘Prisoner’ Use uncommon horn sections on the extension of ‘Speak Like a Child’ and practice of electronic piano. (Post-Bop, Electric Jazz, Fusion)

1973 – ‘Head Hunters’, Masterpiece and big hit of Jazz Funk. Boldly adopted Funk sound of James Brown, Sly & the Family Stone and Earth, Wind & Fire. Employ Funk musicians and some of synthesizers. Then Hancock created the music fusion groove of Funk and improvisations of Jazz. (Jazz Funk, Fusion)

1975 – Sideman of ‘Jaco Pastorius’ by Jaco Pastorius. (Fusion)

1976 – ‘VSOP’ A live album of the summing up of the career of Hancock. The VSOP Quintet was supposed to be a special band (but the quintet continued the activity). The member of the VSOP Quintet are Miles Davis quintet without Miles and Freddie Hubbard. This quintet played the music like a revival of New Mainstream Jazz. The second of the records recorded sextet (in ‘Speak Like a Child’) and Jazz Funk aspects of Hancock. Especially cutting guitar plays by Ray Parker Jr. and Wah Wah Watson in ’Hang Up Your Hang Ups’ would be called the ’bible of funk guitar (or cutting guitar)’.

1977 – ‘Herbie Hancock Trio’ Revival of authentic Jazz.

1978 – Sideman of ‘Mingus’ by Joni Mitchell (Folk Jazz, Vocal Jazz)

1982 – ‘Quartet’ Featured an up-and-coming trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Some of songs of the album were from repertoire of Miles’s the ‘second great quintet’ and the VSOP. (Resurgence of Traditionalism, New Mainstream)

1983 – ‘Future Shock’ was produced by Bill Laswell, and adopted Hip Hop sound and scratching by Grand Mixer DXT. The song of the album ‘Rockit’ made a big hit in worldwide. (Electro Funk, Instrumental Hip Hop)

1986 – ‘Round Midnight’ A soundtrack of Jazz movie. (Soundtrack)

1994 – ‘Dis is da Drum’ A reaction to Acid Jazz by Hancock. (Fusion, Jazz Funk, Instrumental Hip Hop)

1998 – ‘Gershwin’s World’ Featured the songs of George Gershwin. (Traditional Jazz, Orchestra Jazz)

2001 – ‘Future2Future’ Featured Bill Laswell, Carl Craig (Detroit Techno producer and DJ), A Guy Called Gerald (Drum ’n’ Bass and Techno producer), Rob Swift (Hip Hop DJ and turntablist) and Chaka Khan (Soul singer). (Fusion, Electronica)

2007 – ‘River: The Joni Letter’ A tribute album of songs written by Joni Mitchell. Guet vocalists include Lenard Cohen, Tina Turner, Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell. (Vocal Jazz, Folk Jazz, Pops)

References

‘Standard Text of Herbie Hancock’ Jazz Critic Editors, Matsuzaka, 2002

‘Herbie Hancock: Possibilities’ by Herbie Hancock and Lisa Dickey, Viking, 2014

Timeline of Miles Davis

1926 – May 26 Miles Dewey Davis Ⅲ was born in Alton, Illinois, to an African American affluent family. His father was a dentist. His mother was a music lover.

1935 – Got first his trumpet sent by father’s friend.

1939 – His father was present a new trumpet to Miles.

1943 – Began playing professionally at the Elks Club.

1944 – The Billy Eckstine Band visited St. Louis. The members of the band included Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.

Moved to New York City to study music at the Juilliard School. Got acquainted with Charlie Parker.

1945 – Participated the Charlie Parker Quintet as replacement of Dizzy Gillespie.

‘First Miles’, First Recording on a member of Herbie Fields Sextet.

1947 – First leader recording.

1948 – Miles Davis Nonet, includes J. J. Johnson, Lee Konitz, Gerry Mulligan and Gil Evans, performed at the Royal Roost. (Cool Jazz)

1949 – ‘Birth of the Cool’

First european tour with Tadd Dameron.

1950 – Played together with Art Blakey, witch led Hard Bop style.

1951 – ‘Dig’ with Sonny Rollins and Art Blakey.

1953 – Returned to St. Louis to recover from drug intoxication.

1954 – Came back to New York Jazz scene.

‘Walkin’’ A Peak of Hard Bop style.

‘Bags’ Groove’ with Thelonious Monk and Milt Jackson.

1955 – Formed ‘visionary quintet’ with Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.

Formed ‘first great quintet’ added John Coltrane.

1956 – ‘Marathon Session’ Recording of the ‘Hard Bop bible’: ‘Cookin’, ‘Relaxin’, ‘Workin’ and ‘Steamin’.

Major debut by ‘Round About Midnight’, Columbia Records.

1957 – Discharged John Coltrane and Philly Joe Jones, because of their drug intoxication and the limit of quintet Jazz style.

‘Miles Ahead’ with Gil Evans Orchestra.

1958 – Adopted Modal Jazz, and released ‘Milestones’.

Bill Evans joined Miles’s Sextet.

Cannonball Adderley ‘Somethin’ Else’ Virtually leader album of Miles.

1959 – ‘Kind of Blue’ It was the proclamation and completion of Modal Jazz.

1960 – Miles Davis (with Gil Evans) ’Sketches of Spain’

1964 – Formed the ‘second great quintet’, the members of which are Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams.

1965 – ‘E.S.P.’ A sprout of New Mainstream.

1967 – ‘Miles Smiles’ A masterpiece of New Mainstream.

1968 – Adopted electronic sounds and rhythm of Rock music on his album ‘Miles in the Sky’. In this album Miles made Herbie Hancock play a electronic piano, George Benson play a electric guitar.

1969 – ‘In a Silent Way’ The title track was composed by Joe Zawinul.

1970 – ‘Bitches Brew’, Adopted Rock and Electronic sound earnestly.

1972 – ‘On the Corner’ Adopted Funk sound and folk instruments.

1975 – Stopped his activity.

1981 – Came back music scene. Collaborated with Marcus Miller, Bill Evans (saxophonist) and heavy guitar sound of Mike Stern, and released a live album ‘We Want Miles’.

1985 – ‘Your Under Arrest’ Adopted Pop arrangement and features two pop songs: ‘Time After Time’ by Cyndi Lauper and ‘Human Nature’ by Michael Jackson.

1986 – Miles Davis ‘Tutu’ produced by Marcus Miller and Tommy LiPuma. This album featured Marcus Miller as producer and multi-player. It was like duet of Miles and Miller.

1991 – Died on September 28 by the combined effect of a pneumonia and stroke.

1992 – ‘Doo-Bop’ featured Hip Hop and rap.

Tag: Introduction to Jazz

Top 10 Jazz Masterpieces for Introduction and Beginners

1.Cookin’ by the Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige, 1957

2.Portrait in Jazz by the Bill Evans Trio, Riverside, 1959

3. Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Columbia Records, 1959

4. The Scene Changes by Bud Powell, Blue Note Records, 1958

5. Giant Steps by John Coltrane, Atlantic Records, 1960

6. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, Columbia, 1959

7. Relaxin’ by the Miles Davis Quintet, 1958

8. Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section by Art Pepper, Contemporary, 1957

9. Ready for Freddie by Freddie Hubbard, Blue Note Records, 1961

10. A Night at the Village Vanguard by Sonny Rollins, Blue Note Records, 1958

Related Posts and Pages

Timeline of Herbie Hancock

References

Related Posts and Pages

Timeline of Miles Davis

Related Posts and Pages