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Best Jazz Albums

Here's a list of the best jazz albums by decade and individual years as compiled by somebody I've never heard of. As with any list of this type it's open to disagreement, but it's a good starting point particularly for someone just getting into the music.

I have absolutely no idea who Piero Scaruffi is, but I do know that he has good taste in movies. On one of his other list, and there are several, he rates "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" as the 9th greatest film of all time. The man clearly knows something about something.
onhwy61
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Plenty of books with listings of albums rated.
My favorite is All Music Guide to Jazz. Reissued in 2004, it has brief bios, and the albums (at the time) available from that artist, (and a few out of production from LP!)
Rated and a commentary on most.
The 'stars' rating system and the review do not always totally agree, but it makes it more interesting!
You can also go to AllMusic. com for a look at any artist you could think of.
musicslug
403 posts
 
I think jazz is too big a category to get into 'best' lists. everyone has their preferred area - big band, swing, dixieland, bebop, free jazz, vocals etc. It makes more sense to figure out what pulls your chain, then find others who are into that particular area, then get their 'best' list. a free jazz fan's 'best' llist is going to be a very different animal than a big band affecianado!
qdrone
889 posts
 
For the 70's he has alot of Creed Taylor and Don Sebesky arranged crap. Blah! This ain't jazz it's schlock.
robm321
932 posts
 
"My favorite is All Music Guide to Jazz. Reissued in 2004" - Elizabeth

Do you have a link to this. I can't find it on allmusic.com. I am interested in checking it out.

Thanks,
Rob
norfish's avatar
norfish
73 posts
 
Try the link http://www.allmusic.com/. You might want to check out Scott Yanow's books on Swing and Bebop. He is selective in what albums he recommneds and rates each on a 1 to 9 scale. Yanow is one of the main reviewers in the All Music Guide. I generally find his ratings to be very accurate.

There is also the 101 Best Jazz Albums by Len Lyons. It's where I got my first recommendations.

I liked the Scaruffi list. He obviously has a penchant for avante garde music. But everyone has their own slant on jazz. It's an art, not a science.

Randy
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