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[Start Here] Jazz Masterpieces: A Must-Listen Album Selection

What kind of impression do you have of the musical genre known as jazz?

You might think of it as somewhat stylish, or perhaps a bit intimidating and highbrow.

The history of jazz, which includes many subgenres, can’t be summed up easily—and of course, it’s not just music from a bygone era.

This time, for those who are interested but don’t know where to start, we’ve picked out a selection of classic, standard albums that have gone down in jazz history—perfect as your first listen.

Be sure to check them out!

Playlist

[Start Here] Jazz Masterpieces: A Must-Listen Album Selection
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1Waltz for DebbyBill Evans
Waltz for DebbyBill Evansplay_arrow
Jazz is also a very popular genre of music in Japan...
2So WhatMiles Davis
So WhatMiles Davisplay_arrow
Called the “Emperor of Modern Jazz,” 194...
3Take FiveThe Dave Brubeck Quartet
Take FiveThe Dave Brubeck Quartetplay_arrow
A pianist who epitomizes West Coast cool jazz…
4Moanin’Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Moanin'Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengersplay_arrow
Above all, the cover of the album I’m introducing this time…
5Pharaoh’s DanceMiles Davis
Pharaoh's DanceMiles Davisplay_arrow
Called the “Emperor of Modern Jazz,” jazz…
6Köln, January 24, 1975, Part IKeith Jarrett
Köln, January 24, 1975, Part IKeith Jarrettplay_arrow
Mr. Keith Jarrett’s “The Köln…”
7Cool Struttin’Sonny Clark
Cool Struttin'Sonny Clarkplay_arrow
A masterpiece that shines in the history of jazz, Sonny Clark…
8Full HouseWes Montgomery
Full HouseWes Montgomeryplay_arrow
A legendary jazz guitarist and player...
9St. ThomasSonny Rollins
St. ThomasSonny Rollinsplay_arrow
“Saxophone Colossus” is a jazz...
10You Know, You KnowThe Mahavishnu Orchestra With John McLaughlin
You Know, You KnowThe Mahavishnu Orchestra With John McLaughlinplay_arrow
…to the history of jazz fusion in the 1970s
11Lonely WomanOrnette Coleman
Lonely WomanOrnette Colemanplay_arrow
Also known by its Japanese title “Jazz: The Inevitable.”
12Autumn LeavesCannonball Adderley
Autumn LeavesCannonball Adderleyplay_arrow
“Cannonball,” which is said to come from “big eater,” and…
13Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancock
Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancockplay_arrow
He began working professionally in 1960 at the young age of 20...
14AcknowledgementJohn Coltrane
AcknowledgementJohn Coltraneplay_arrow
Even just the Japanese title “The Supreme Love” has a sacred resonance…
15Speak No EvilWayne Shorter
Speak No EvilWayne Shorterplay_arrow
In Japan, it’s well known as the Three Wise Monkeys: “see no evil, speak no evil….”
16I’m a Fool to Want YouBillie Holiday
I'm a Fool to Want YouBillie Holidayplay_arrow
Legendary in the history of jazz vocals…
17Track A- Solo DancerCharles Mingus
Track A- Solo DancerCharles Mingusplay_arrow
Not only as a bassist, but ahead of his time…
18Ghosts: First VariationAlbert Ayler
Ghosts: First VariationAlbert Aylerplay_arrow
"Spiritual Unity" is…
19Lullaby of BirdlandSarah Vaughan
Lullaby of BirdlandSarah Vaughanplay_arrow
Known by the epithet “The Divine One”…
20Just FriendsCharlie Parker
Just FriendsCharlie Parkerplay_arrow
Cha…, also known by the nickname “Bird,”
21ImaginationArt Pepper
ImaginationArt Pepperplay_arrow
A leading figure of West Coast jazz, Art…
22Seven Come ElevenCharlie Christian
Seven Come ElevenCharlie Christianplay_arrow
Pushing the electric guitar into the realm of a solo instrument…
23The SidewinderLee Morgan
The SidewinderLee Morganplay_arrow
Hailed as a prodigy in Philadelphia, at the age of 18...
24StepsCecil Taylor
StepsCecil Taylorplay_arrow
A…one of the most important works of 1960s free jazz…
25Cleopatra’s DreamBud Powell
Cleopatra's DreamBud Powellplay_arrow
Old-time jazz musicians had exceptional talent...
26RefugeAndrew Hill
RefugeAndrew Hillplay_arrow
With a complex, labyrinthine song structure and exceptional improvisation...
27RememberHank Mobley
RememberHank Mobleyplay_arrow
Born in 1930, a leading figure of hard bop…
28A Night In TunisiaArt Blakey
A Night In TunisiaArt Blakeyplay_arrow
Art Blakey served as the leader...
29RiseHerb Alpert
RiseHerb Alpertplay_arrow
Rand, the nephew of Herb Alpert…
30Hat And BeardEric Dolphy
Hat And BeardEric Dolphyplay_arrow
Alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and fl…
31Song For My FatherHorace Silver
Song For My FatherHorace Silverplay_arrow
Known as one of the founders of hard bop…
32Work SongCannonball Adderley
Work SongCannonball Adderleyplay_arrow
Meticulous ensemble and sophisticated…
33ChameleonHerbie Hancock
ChameleonHerbie Hancockplay_arrow
A funk-jazz track by a four-piece led by Herbie Hancock.
34In the MoodGlenn Miller
In the MoodGlenn Millerplay_arrow
Recorded in 1939, and in 1940...
35Take the A TrainDuke Ellington & John Coltrane
Take the A TrainDuke Ellington & John Coltraneplay_arrow
Written by Billy Strayhorn…
36Old Devil MoonAnita O’Day
Old Devil MoonAnita O'Dayplay_arrow
A white female jazz bo—more than Helen Merrill...
37Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)Benny Goodman
Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)Benny Goodmanplay_arrow
Also known as so-called prewar jazz, in 1930…
38What’s NewHelen Merrill
What's NewHelen Merrillplay_arrow
Ms. Helen Merrill has been active since the 1950s...
39Moonlight SerenadeGlenn Miller & His Orchestra
Moonlight SerenadeGlenn Miller & His Orchestraplay_arrow
With the powerful presence of a large-ensemble big band jazz...
40Someday My Prince Will ComeBill Evans
Someday My Prince Will ComeBill Evansplay_arrow
A master of classical piano, and also Bud …
41Lush LifeBilly Strayhorn
Lush LifeBilly Strayhornplay_arrow
Originally, “Life is Lonely”…
42Night And DayCole Porter
Night And DayCole Porterplay_arrow
Cole Porter also lived through the Jazz Age...
43At LastEtta James
At LastEtta Jamesplay_arrow
Mack Gordon and Harry Wa…
44StardustHoagy Carmichael
StardustHoagy Carmichaelplay_arrow
The first golden age of jazz was between the two world wars, a...
45Left AloneMal Waldron
Left AloneMal Waldronplay_arrow
Known as a classic jazz album, this work is Mal...
46FeverPeggy Lee
FeverPeggy Leeplay_arrow
Originally, Little Willie Jo…
47Giant StepsJohn Coltrane
Giant StepsJohn Coltraneplay_arrow
An American who rewrote the history of modern jazz...
48I’ve got you under my skinFrank Sinatra
I’ve got you under my skinFrank Sinatraplay_arrow
Written by Cole Porter in 1936...
49Lotus BlossomKenny Dorham
Lotus BlossomKenny Dorhamplay_arrow
An album called 'Quiet Kenny'...
50Stormy WeatherLena Horne
Stormy WeatherLena Horneplay_arrow
At the Cotton Club in Harlem, “St…
51Route 66Nat King Cole
Route 66Nat King Coleplay_arrow
Originally, he married the actress Julie London...
52Donna LeeCharlie Parker
Donna LeeCharlie Parkerplay_arrow
Jazz, which was a form of popular music performed by professionals, …
53EpistrophyEric Dolphy
EpistrophyEric Dolphyplay_arrow
Even jazz, which originally was a form of entertainment, has also…
54BirdlandWeather Report
BirdlandWeather Reportplay_arrow
Even within the genre of jazz, there are various kinds of music…
55You’d Be So Nice to Come Home toArt Pepper
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home toArt Pepperplay_arrow
Together with Chet Baker, on the West Coast…
56What a wonderful worldLouis Armstrong
What a wonderful worldLouis Armstrongplay_arrow
Bob Thiele and George We...
57CherokeeClifford Brown and Max Roach
CherokeeClifford Brown and Max Roachplay_arrow
His talent has been recognized by many top-tier musicians...
58Better Git It in Your SoulCharles Mingus
Better Git It in Your SoulCharles Mingusplay_arrow
Bassist and composer Charles, who was active as both a performer and a composer, ...
59My Favorite ThingsJohn Coltrane
My Favorite ThingsJohn Coltraneplay_arrow
To the saxophone player, Mr. John Coltrane...
60Georgia On My MindRay Charles
Georgia On My MindRay Charlesplay_arrow
Composed by Hoagy Carmichael in 1930…
61Giant Steps LiveJohn Coltrane
Giant Steps LiveJohn Coltrane
Saxophonist John Coltrane is, in bebop…
62I’ve Got RhythmGeorge Gershwin
I've Got RhythmGeorge Gershwinplay_arrow
George Gershwin also contributed a great deal to jazz...
63Strange FruitBillie Holiday
Strange FruitBillie Holidayplay_arrow
On August 7, 1930, in Marion, Indiana...
64Lullaby Of BirdlandBud Powell
Lullaby Of BirdlandBud Powellplay_arrow
Jazz after Charlie Parker is modern...
65Lilac WineEartha Kitt
Lilac WineEartha Kittplay_arrow
James Alan Sheltonによ…
66One for My BabyFred Astaire
One for My BabyFred Astaireplay_arrow
The 1943 film “The Sky’s t…”
67Real Ugly WomanJimmy Witherspoon
Real Ugly WomanJimmy Witherspoonplay_arrow
Jerry Leiber and Mike St…
68BakaiJohn Coltrane
BakaiJohn Coltraneplay_arrow
Released under John Coltrane’s own name...
69MistySarah Vaughan
MistySarah Vaughanplay_arrow
A female jazz vocalist alone is a kind of...
70Minnie the MoocherCab Calloway
Minnie the MoocherCab Callowayplay_arrow
Band leader and jazz composer…
71Pithecanthropus erectusCharles Mingus
Pithecanthropus erectusCharles Mingusplay_arrow
A jazz combo with beautifully rendered ensemble work
72Blue SandsChico Hamilton
Blue SandsChico Hamiltonplay_arrow
Likewise, an excellent ensemble of West Coast jazz...
73What Difference A Day MakesDinah Washington
What Difference A Day MakesDinah Washingtonplay_arrow
The first to succeed as a Mexican songwriter...
74Just The Two Of UsGrover Washington Jr. & Bill Withers
Just The Two Of UsGrover Washington Jr. & Bill Withersplay_arrow
Grov, who died of a heart attack in 1999…
75Broken Hearted MelodySarah Vaughan
Broken Hearted MelodySarah Vaughanplay_arrow
Hal David said that the composer She…
76Brilliant CornersThelonious Monk
Brilliant CornersThelonious Monkplay_arrow
They were active in any music genre...
77Straight No ChaserThelonious Monk
Straight No ChaserThelonious Monkplay_arrow
Another genius pianist from the bebop era…
78Feeling GoodNina Simone
Feeling GoodNina Simone
Anthony, a songwriter from the United Kingdom...
79The Girl From IpanemaAstrud Gilberto & Stan Getz
The Girl From IpanemaAstrud Gilberto & Stan Getzplay_arrow
In 1961, the jazz musician who toured Brazil …
80In a Sentimental MoodDuke Ellington & John Coltrane
In a Sentimental MoodDuke Ellington & John Coltraneplay_arrow
The more you learn about the history of jazz and its musicians...
81Lullaby of BirdlandElla Fitzgerald
Lullaby of BirdlandElla Fitzgeraldplay_arrow
In 1952, Anglo American's Ja...
82The Days of Wine and RosesOscar Peterson Trio
The Days of Wine and RosesOscar Peterson Trioplay_arrow
Among the many jazz pianists, one of the foremost…
83Relaxin’ at CamarilloCharlie Parker
Relaxin’ at CamarilloCharlie Parkerplay_arrow
Charlie Parker was in Califo…
84My Funny ValentineChet Baker
My Funny ValentineChet Bakerplay_arrow
Composer Richard Rodgers and…
85Autumn Leavesjim hall
Autumn Leavesjim hallplay_arrow
Among harmonic instruments in jazz, alongside the piano, the guitar…
86Mack the KnifeBobby Darin
Mack the KnifeBobby Darinplay_arrow
Kurt Weill and Bertolt B...
87All the Things You AreJoe Pass
All the Things You AreJoe Passplay_arrow
A master of jazz guitar alongside Jim Hall, ...
88Return to ForeverChick Corea
Return to ForeverChick Coreaplay_arrow
On February 9, 2021, the great jazz pianis...