JazzWax List: 10 for Starters

Last week a friend asked me to recommend a jazz compilation for someone new to jazz. I resisted, telling him that they're all death traps. First, they're loaded with old things (pre-World War II) that are great later but certainly would turn off a newcomer. Second, compilation song choices often stink. 

Instead, I urged him simply to buy 10 albums that would win over a newcomer and put him or her firmly on the road to discovery. "But choosing 10 is impossible," he protested.

Not so. Here are 10 albums I would play or buy for a beginner who's curious about the music. And I'd do so in the following order, to draw in the person little by little (all are available as downloads):

1. Bill Evans—How My Heart Sings (1962)
2. Oscar Peterson—Plays the Jerome Kern Songbook (1956)
3. Dave Brubeck—Jazz Impressions of Eurasia (1958)
4. Miles Davis—Musings of Miles (1955)
5. Sonny Rollins—Newk's Time (1957)
6. Lee Morgan—Lee-Way (1960)
7. Red Garland—It's a Blue World (1958)
8. Coleman Hawkins—Night Hawk (1960)
9. John Coltrane—Stardust (1958)
10. Jack McDuff—The Honeydripper (1961)

Comments

[Michael Steinman]

A very fine and enticing list! But some of those "old things" might draw a listener in, too. Depends on where the listener is "coming from," musically. Someone who likes to dance might be able to "hear" Sid Catlett's STEAK FACE, or someone open to emotion might get Billie's I'LL BE SEEING YOU immediately, or someone who liked to groove might have no problem with Big Joe Turner and Willie "the Lion" Smith. Anything is possible, Marc! (Now and again . . . . )

[John Salmon]

Where's the Cecil Taylor? Albert Ayler? Anthony Braxton?

[T. Nicholson]

Shhhh!! Don't want to scare the newbie listener away with those cats. You want to, like, surreptitiously download "Unit Structures" onto their iPod, or something.

[bach 9lt]

The most telling feature of this list is the massive seven year spread. Something I talk about in hushed voice with my friends. And I agree with the unspoken point here!

[John P. Cooper]

If the new listener cant follow the 'complexities' of the piano or organ, he's done for. Plus, 3 tenormen and 2 trumpeters.

Not very diverse.

Don't write off the 'old stuff'. Due to exposure in old movies on TV, many people know the sound of 30s and 40s Jazz.

Always tough to do a list.

[Rab Hines]

Ahhhh ... you are a brave man to offer a list. Invariably someone will spend more time asking about what you didn't include - ("no Mingus" etc)- than what you did.

This list is a pretty creditable effort, though.

Thanks

[Eli Johnson]

What you have done is outstanding its to much for words to say all that I can say is what you have done and still doing is great.