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New to jazz and not sure where to start? With many artists and extensive catalogues of music, a new jazz listener can feel intimidated. We're here to help! Check out our list of 10 albums to get you started on your jazz journey and introduce you to some of jazz's great artists.
Artist: Dave Brubeck | Release Year: 1959
Personnel: Dave Brubeck (piano), Paul Desmond (alto saxophone), Eugene Wright (bass), Joe Morello (drums)
Start With: Take Five
Why You Need This Album: Take Five is a singular and thrilling mix of the familiar and the unexpected. What has kept this album in the limelight and in listeners’ hearts for so many years is the unending sense of effortless swing, the magnificently catchy melodies, and the beautifully choreographed dance between four luminaries of music.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: John Coltrane | Release Year: 1957
Personnel: John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Kenny Drew (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums)
Start With: Locomotion
Why You Need This Album: Blue Train features a younger Coltrane playing beautifully on some highly memorable pieces in outstanding company. From the title track’s somber mood giving way to a bluesy swing, to Moment’s Notice’s peppy start-and-stop melody, to Lazy Bird’s bop workout, Blue Train is a delight from start to finish.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Lee Morgan | Release Year: 1963
Personnel: Lee Morgan (trumpet), Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone), Barry Harris (piano), Bob Cranshaw (double bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
Start With: Totem Pole
Why You Need This Album: The burgeoning soul jazz scene found one of its standard-bearers in Lee Morgan. Taking a page from the boogaloo playbook, the piece Sidewinder may stand as one of the funkiest hard bop tunes set to record. Just try to stop yourself from dancing to this masterpiece. A crowd-pleaser, the album’s secret weapon lies in its heavy-hitting A-team of a band that keeps you grooving even as they get into some deep musical territory.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Hank Mobley | Release Date: 1965
Personnel: Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), Donald Byrd (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (piano), Butch Warren (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Barry Harris (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
Start With: East of the Village
Why You Need This Album: Hear the full range of Hank Mobley’s greatness: from his beautifully supple tenor saxophone tone, to his earthy bluesy wails, the range of his expressive capabilities make it onto this beautiful album. Recorded over several years and multiple sessions, this album also gives you a veritable who’s-who of great Jazz figures of the mid-1960s.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong | Release Year: 1956
Personnel: Louis Armstrong (vocals, trumpet), Ella Fitzgerald (vocals), Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums)
Start With: Isn’t This a Lovely Day
Why You Need This Album: Take two of the greatest artists that music has ever known, pair them with a rhythm section of masters, and give them beloved standard fare from the songbook they helped to define and you’ve got one of the most magical albums of jazz. Relaxed, effortless, beautiful, swinging, and fun, this album will charm even the most resistant of listeners.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Art Blakey | Release Year: 1959
Personnel: Art Blakey (drums), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Benny Golson (tenor saxophone), Bobby Timmons (piano), Jymie Merritt (bass)
Start With: Blues March
Why You Need This Album: Gospel, blues, hard bop, and swing congeal in this masterpiece of an album, and at its core is the relentless propulsion machine that is Blakey’s drumming. Endlessly swinging and churning along with Blakey’s inimitable shuffle, this album is a testament to Art’s oft-quoted line, “Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life.”
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Bill Evans | Release Year: 1959
Personnel: Bill Evans (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums)
Start With: Night and Day
Why You Need This Album: After listening to this album, you’ll find yourself agreeing with its title. Gorgeously meditative, though often quite sprightly in its swing, Everybody Digs Bill Evans captures the essence of this remarkable artist and showcases the beautiful pearly sound he could draw out of the keyboard.
Purchase:
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Artist: Duke Ellington | Release Year: 1958
Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Sam Woodyard (drums), Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone), Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope (clarinet, alto saxophone), Harry Carney (baritone saxophone), Johnny Hodges, Rick Henderson (alto saxophone), John Sanders (bass trombone), Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman (trombone), Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker, Willie Cook, Clark Terry (trumpet), Ray Nance (trumpet, violin), Ozzie Bailey (vocal)
Start With: Mood Indigo
Why You Need This Album: A subtle, gorgeous big band album that presents the remarkable range and capabilities of the Ellington band, this serves as a beautiful introduction to this ensemble. Keep an ear open for the lush, vocal qualities of Johnny Hodges’ alto saxophone as well as the majestic sound of Harry Carney’s baritone saxophone solo.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Gregory Porter | Release Year: 2012
Personnel: Gregory Porter (vocals), Chip Crawford (piano), Emanuel Harrold (drums), Keyon Harrold (trumpet), Aaron James (bass), Kamau Kenyatta (horns), Tivon Pennicott (saxophone), Yosuke Sato (saxophone)
Start With: Be Good
Why You Need This Album: Gregory Porter wields a beautiful, supple baritone voice, sports a deep knowledge of the Jazz tradition, shows an abiding love of R&B, and has a sense of adventure that drives him to explore new projects and write new music. On Be Good, he struck a perfect balance that will surprise and delight you at every turn.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Artist: Sarah Vaughan | Release Year: 1954
Personnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals), Clifford Brown (trumpet), Paul Quinichette (tenor saxophone), Herbie Mann (flute), Jimmy Jones (piano), Joe Benjamin (bass), Roy Haynes (drums)
Start With: April in Paris
Why You Need This Album: On Sarah’s singing alone, this stands as one of the most remarkable albums of jazz. Add in an all-star ensemble, and in particular the master trumpeter Clifford Brown, and you have a legendary album. Incredible ensemble work, beautiful standards, and an intuitive interplay between vocalist and horns make this a record that grabs you on the first listen and keeps you enthralled through hundreds more.
Purchase:
Amazon | iTunes
Jazz is often uplifting and life-affirming, but the sad fact is that many of its greatest figures left us too soon. To honor the greats who were forced to abandon the music early, we’ve compiled a list of some of jazz’s most tragic losses.
No jazz record collection is complete without these classic records! Learn more about historic recordings from Wayne Shorter, Betty Carter, and more!
Listen to the music of the President of Jazz: Lester "Pres" Young.
Jazz at Lincoln Center remembers the life and legacy of Chick Corea, a towering figure whose innovations spanned decades and genres.
Jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, and Essentially Ellington alum Isaiah J. Thompson shares moments in #BlackExcellence that inspire him.
Wynton Marsalis performs Amazing Grace at Federal Hall on September 30, 2020 #DebateDefends
Wynton Marsalis breaks down his top ten cultural moments with a monthly listicle. This month, Wynton shares his top ten heroic cultural moments from Walk Whitman to Marvin Gaye.
Explore the music and legacy of Nina Simone, which speaks to her duality as a gifted artist and civil rights activist invoking the spirit of protest in her works.
Introducing a new Jazz at Lincoln Center series titled "Wynton's Top Ten," a monthly listicle curated by Wynton Marsalis. This month, Wynton shares his “Top Ten” picks for "Compelling Works on the Subject of Freedom" and his annotations behind each selection.
NYC's breadth of unique venues across town include legendary landmark locations, contemporary elegant lounges & no-frills bebop joints that provide a diverse community of swinging experiences.
We celebrate the history of South African jazz with these essential records.
Nobody in the history of jazz expressed himself more freely; or with more variety, swing, and sophistication than Duke Ellington. Listen to our playlist of essential Ellington recordings and find out how he changed jazz forever.
Find out who the three 2018 inductees into the Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame are! All three made an indelible impact on America's music and influenced millions in the process.
Here's a list of 10 more must-have classics to round out your collection of jazz records.
Celebrate Thelonious Monk by getting to know the legend through his son’s memories.
Chick Corea is one of the most influential figures in jazz and one of the greatest living jazz pianists. Here are five essential albums from his discography.
Wynton Marsalis appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to perform with Jon Batiste, Stay Human, and acclaimed dancer Lil Buck. Check out video and behind-the-scenes content from their performance.
New to jazz and don't know where to start? With many artists and extensive catalogues of music, a new jazz listener can feel intimidated. We're here to help! Check out our list of 10 albums to get you started on your jazz journey and introduce yourself to some of jazz's great artists.
On December 7, 2014 the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra drove 8 hours on an off day to play for Clark Terry on his 94th birthday. Victor Goines, James Chirillo, Ted Nash, Vincent Gardner, and Walter Blanding recall the day and the impact that Clark had on jazz.
Listen to the music of the President of Jazz: Lester "Pres" Young.
Jazz at Lincoln Center remembers the life and legacy of Chick Corea, a towering figure whose innovations spanned decades and genres.
Jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, and Essentially Ellington alum Isaiah J. Thompson shares moments in #BlackExcellence that inspire him.
Wynton Marsalis breaks down his top ten cultural moments with a monthly listicle. This month, Wynton shares his top ten heroic cultural moments from Walk Whitman to Marvin Gaye.
Introducing a new Jazz at Lincoln Center series titled "Wynton's Top Ten," a monthly listicle curated by Wynton Marsalis. This month, Wynton shares his “Top Ten” picks for "Compelling Works on the Subject of Freedom" and his annotations behind each selection.
Our education programs have gone online! Find out how you can join for free and learn more about jazz from our experts and members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.
NYC's breadth of unique venues across town include legendary landmark locations, contemporary elegant lounges & no-frills bebop joints that provide a diverse community of swinging experiences.
We celebrate the history of South African jazz with these essential records.
We sat down with Gerald Cannon ahead of his Memorial Day Weekend performances at Dizzy's.
Discover how growing up in the Bronx shaped Will Calhoun’s appreciation for art and how Elvin Jones inspired him to define his individuality.
Ornette Coleman led a life as fascinating as his music. Read up on some interesting facts about this jazz legend!
Before his passing in May, Joe Temperley spent 29 unforgettable years as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra's baritone saxophonist and its beloved elder statesman. Between performances on their recent mini-tour of Canada, several JLCO members shared their memories of Temperley, who left behind an indelible legacy and a whole lot of stories.
April is Jazz Appreciation Month, so we thought we'd celebrate by delving into the careers of a handful of underappreciated jazz artists. Explore the careers of six musicians who deserve more accolades and learn the best places to start with their discographies.