Ten of My Favorite Jazz Albums

The list changes all the time, I suppose, but these albums have withstood the test of time.  In no particular order, here are ten jazz albums that I will listen to for the rest of my life:

1) Somethin' Else (Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, Art Blakey) - Miles's solo on Autumn Leaves is one of my favorite of all time.

2) The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (Wes Montgomery, Tommy Flanagan, Percy Heath, Albert Heath) - I think every aspiring jazz guitarist needs to listen to this album until they memorize it.  I should heed my own advice.

3) Out to Lunch (Erick Dolphy, Tony Williams, Bobby Hutcherson, Richard Davis) - I vividly remember when I purchased this album.  I listened to it endlessly.  Hat and Beard is one of my favorite songs of all time.

4) Inner Urge (Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Bob Crenshaw, Elvin Jones) - This is such a dark and powerful album, period.

5) Undercurrent (Jim Hall, Bill Evans) - I think that Jim Hall and Bill Evans are simpatico in many ways.  They both approach their instruments gently, I think.  This album is a work of art. 

6) Saxophone Collossus - (Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Doug Watkins, Max Roach) - One of the greatest jazz albums of all.  I especially love Sonny's solo on St. Thomas.

7) The Bridge (Sonny Rollins, Jim Hall, Bob Crenshaw, Ben Riley) - Jim Hall really stretches on this album, and compliments Sonny Rollins quite well.  Some have indicated that this was a bit of transitional period in Sonny's career, but I think he sounds amazing.

8) The Essential Charlie Parker - I have a ton of Bird's recordings, but this album distills his massive body of work down to, as the title suggests, the essentials. 

9) Mile Stones (Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones) - One of my favorite albums.  I love Milestones.

10) The Real McCoy (McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones) - What a lineup.  This is such a great album.

There are tons of other albums that I could've put on this list.  But these are all great albums, and I will continue to listen and learn from them.