What Jazz Records Should I Listen To?
by Tim Lake
Of course there are tonnes and tonnes of great jazz recordings out there, so many that it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start. I’m sure you already listen to some records by your favourite drummer, but I would like to start you off with some of the most famous jazz recordings from the year 1959. Why 1959? Well, 1959 was a watershed moment. The moment when jazz grew up and reached it’s potential. After be-bop and small group jazz became popular in the late 1940s, there was an explosion of creativity that took jazz in lots of different directions. 1959 highlights the culmination of a lot of that creativity. Listening to these great records from 1959 will give you a sense of the possibilities and differences with in jazz music.
All the drummers on these records are legendary and provide a great example of how to play jazz drums. Listen to the drums but try listen to the records for the music as a whole and see how it fits together, not just for the drumming; something I think is important. Start with the music!
1.) Kind of Blue Buy
Probably the most famous and most highly acclaimed recording in jazz that cemented Miles Davis as a jazz legend and innovator. After the intense harmony of be-bop, Kind of Blue stripped away the chords to focus on the tonal centres of “modal jazz”. The music is both beautiful and has a deep groove held down by Jimmy Cobb’s understated drumming.
2.) Giant Steps Buy
The title track of John Coltrane’s hard-bop record is now a standard with its challenging harmonic and melodic changes as well as tempo - a challenge for drummers too. Many of the other tunes have become well known including the beautiful ballad Naima. Drummer Art Taylor played on this and many of Coltrane’s “hard-bop” records of the 1950s.
3.) Mingus Ah Um Buy
Possibly the first example of what we might call “modern jazz”. It somehow managed to blend ideas from lots of the different jazz developments of the time. This is wonderful as a piece of composition and ensemble playing, featuring original compositions from Mingus and complicated arrangements. The playing is impeccable and focused throughout. Drummer Dannie Richmond was Mingus's long time drummer and said to be essential to "the Mingus Sound".
4.) The Shape of Jazz to Come Buy
Ornette Coleman’s landmark recording marks the establishment of “free jazz”. Free jazz, like modal jazz, aimed to reduce the harmonic complexity of be-bop - there is no piano on this record. The group freely interprets and improvises on a number of melodies and motifs - mostly in a “time, no changes” format, with drummer Billy Higgins providing the time. It shocked many at the time and still sounds fresh today
5.) Time Out Buy
Dave Brubeck’s album is largely famous for the track “Take 5” played in 5/4, which was the biggest selling jazz single of all time. It is well known for it’s experimenting with other odd time signatures, 9/8 and 6/4, rather than melodic or harmonic developments, at a time when most people still focused on 4/4. Take 5 was originally intended as a drum solo for the drummer Joe Morello. The album provides a good primer on odd time signature playing and a more "cool" jazz approach.
6.) Portrait in Jazz Buy
Bill Evans is a pianist who also featured on Kind of Blue. Released towards the end of 1959, here he plays with his trio - Scott LaFaro on Bass, and Paul Motion on drums - that massively influenced modern jazz and particularly the piano trio, with its creative interpretations of many jazz standards and tight interplay between the musicians.
Listening to these six records will give you a solid understanding from which to explore jazz music and develop as a jazz drummer. It is really worth spending the time listening to them because you will likely play in some similar musicial situations. We will analyse and practice with some of these records as we develop our jazz drumming too.