Music I Listen To - Jazz

Jazz is the alternative universe of Classical music. Jazz is as free as classical music is structured; Jazz is improvisation, classical music is faithfulness to the score; Jazz is individualism first, team second, classical music is the other way round.

Family Photo - My Top 10 Jazz Albums

I started to listen to Jazz extensively only 3-4 years ago.

Before, though I was interested to listen and know more, I could not find the right start somehow. My problem was compounded by not having friends who were seriously into Jazz and could guide me. When I walked into the Jazz and Classical section of Tower Records in KLCC then, and wanted to pick something Jazz-y up, I was intimidated by the available artists and record titles, not knowing who was who, what was what. Though strictly speaking, Tower Records' Jazz section wasn't that big, I invariably would turn to the Classical music section because of the familiarity.
The first Jazz record that really bowled me over was a compilation of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's songs - 'Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong for Lovers' from Verve (0602498807989). Believe or not, this is the first CD I have of Ella Fitzgerald (now, you know how 'baby' I am in Jazz music). This compilation takes all the cream from the classic duet album between her and Louis Armstrong -"Ella and Louis", and put on one disc, with a few more great tracks from "Ella & Louis Again" and "Ella & Friends" thrown in - an extremely great value with surprisingly good cd transfer sound quality.

I was totally bowled over at the first track already, this disc became my favourite and was spinned again and again thereafter. Ella's phrasing and control was simply great, she imbued emotion into her songs but eschewed sentimentality, everything was done just right, and this warranted the disc to be heard again and again. The chemistry between her and Louis Armstrong was really something to marvel at.

I could not stop, I wanted more, I sought out more Ella Fitzgerald CDs, I went on to know Billie Holiday, then Sarah Vaughan.... Then I wanted to go elsewhere too.

I went onto Amazon.com and read people's recommendation lists and culled from them Jazz titles that cropped up again and again. Almost all are from that golden era of mid 20th century.

Out of all the Jazz albums I own, these are the top ten that I'll never want to go without:

Sonny Rollins (always melodious, always warm playing):

Saxophone Collossus (Prestige PRCD-8105-2)

Way Out West (XRCD24 VICJ-61040)

The Bridge (Bluebird 82876 52472 2)

John Coltrane:

A Love Supreme (Impulse! B0000610-02)

Blue Train (Blue Note 7243 5 41757 2 5 SACD)

Miles Davis:

(this one is from the Jazz heavens)
Kind of Blue (Columbia/Legacy CK64935)

Cannonball Adderley:

Somethin' Else (Blue Note 7243 4 95329 2 2)

Charles Mingus:

Ah Um (Columbia/Legacy CK65512)

The Dave Brubeck Quartet:

Time Out (Columbia/Legacy CK65122)

Duke Ellington

(Electrifying live atmosphere)

Ellington at Newport 1956 (Complete) (Columbia/Legacy C2K64932)

Happy Listening.

P.S., If you read chinese, you have to read the excellent article on his favourite jazz albums, written by Tay Cher Siang, the pianist of JZ8. Available in MTX Issue #1, downloadable from the link on the right of this page.

P.S., note to audiophiles, none of the sound qualities of the cd transfers mentioned can be described as excellent (the XRCD is the best among the lot). Some are mono recordings. I picked them more for their music content.