Straight-ahead jazz is a genre of jazz that emerged in the 1950s and is characterized by a focus on improvisation, swing rhythm, and blues-based melodies. Must-have straight-ahead jazz albums are those that are considered essential by jazz aficionados and have had a significant impact on the genre. Here are some of the must-have straight-ahead jazz albums:
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“Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis – Released in 1959, this album is widely considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. It features Davis on trumpet, John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The album is known for its innovative use of modal jazz and features such classic tracks as “So What” and “All Blues.”
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“The Shape of Jazz to Come” by Ornette Coleman – Released in 1959, this album is considered a landmark in the free jazz movement. It features Coleman on alto saxophone, Don Cherry on trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The album’s title is a nod to its experimental nature and features such tracks as “Lonely Woman” and “Congeniality.”
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“Giant Steps” by John Coltrane – Released in 1960, this album is known for its complex harmonies and features Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The album’s title track is considered a masterpiece of modern jazz and features Coltrane’s signature “sheets of sound” improvisational style.
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“Time Out” by Dave Brubeck Quartet – Released in 1959, this album is known for its use of unusual time signatures and features Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. The album’s most famous track, “Take Five,” is in 5/4 time and has become a jazz standard.
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“The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” by Charles Mingus – Released in 1963, this album is a fusion of jazz and classical music and features Mingus on bass, Jaki Byard on piano, and Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and flute. The album is known for its complex arrangements and features such tracks as “Track A – Solo Dancer” and “Track B – Duet Solo Dancers.”
Source:
- “Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis, AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/album/kind-of-blue-mw0000195199
- “The Shape of Jazz to Come” by Ornette Coleman, AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-shape-of-jazz-to-come-mw0000192225
- “Giant Steps” by John Coltrane, AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/album/giant-steps-mw0000194355
- “Time Out” by Dave Brubeck Quartet, AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/album/time-out-mw0000191740
- “The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” by Charles Mingus, AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-black-saint-and-the-sinner-lady-mw0000192508