Top Ten Albums

[Chi_townPhilly]

"Giant Steps" and "Kind of Blue" show up on most lists of this nature- and something by Bird, by the Duke, by Louis Armstrong tends to get placed, too-

To me, the glaring omission is Time Out, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet...

 

[teddy]

"Giant Steps" and "Kind of Blue" show up on most lists of this nature- and something by Bird, by the Duke, by Louis Armstrong tends to get placed, too-

To me, the glaring omission is Time Out, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet...

A synopsis would be appreciated. Spread the word, and a link never goes amiss. This article sold me on Rollins

teddy

 

[Chi_townPhilly]

Should some cool-minded Martian come to Earth and check on the state of our music, he might play through 10,000 jazz records before he found one that wasn't in common 4/4 time.

Thus opened the first sentence of the back-cover notes to the Dave Brubeck Quartet's most famous album, Time Out. The 1959 offering featured musicians Dave Brubeck on Piano, Paul Desmond on Alto Sax, Eugene Wright on Bass and Joe Morello on Drums. Described somewhat pithily by Brubeck as "basically an experiment in odd rhythms," it was intially dismissed by more mainstream critics, but quickly found enthusiasts, particularly among American college listeners. Springboarding from this success, the best-known track from that album, Take Five, a breakthrough Jazz composition in 5/4 time (pulse: 3-2) became the first wholly instrumental jazz tune to become a million-selling single. The cut also has a very familiar (to the jazz-cognizant) Sax melody, and perhaps the most famous Drum solo in the entire 100+ year history of the jazz idiom.

The next most familiar piece is the opening cut, Blue Rondo A La Turk, an even more adventurous piece opening in 9/8 time, with an unconventional pulse even for that time-signature [using not a 3-3-3 pattern but instead a trio of duples followed by a triple: 2-2-2-3].

Even though the most unique thing about Time Out is its use of unconventional time signatures, it contains memorable melodies, such as those found in Take Five and also Strange Meadow Lark, which mates rubato and varying pulse to a melody sounding like something out of the Gershwin songbook. [A passage sounds eerily like part of the famous tune "Someone to Watch Over Me."]

In 2006, Time Out joined its fellow 1959 albums "Giant Steps" and "Kind of Blue" in the U.S. Library of Congress National Recording Registry, making it one of the few jazz albums (scarcely more than a half-dozen to date) to be so honored.

 

[teddy]

Thanks for that

teddy

 

[gord]

hi teddy, thanks for the top 10 albums,it was very interesting. i was thinking about putting the 50 great moments in jazz, from the manchester guardian on this forum. gord

 

[teddy]

gord, that sounds like a first class idea. Here is one reader waiting

teddy

 

[White Knight]

gord, that sounds like a first class idea. Here is one reader waiting

teddy

Make that two, gord.

 

[gord]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/series/50-great-jazz-moments
this is very interesting.gord

 

[teddy]

Thanks gord,I will enjoy working my way thorugh that, although it make take me a little while.

teddy

 

[White Knight]

Same here, gord; thanks for posting this and sharing it with us!

 

[gord]

hi teddy and steve, this is one of the best jazz lists i have ever seen. i just had to post it. gord

 

[White Knight]

gord, absolutely spot on! Thanks again!

 

[teddy]

Hopefully others willpost similar articles

teddy

 

[teddy]

Looked up Hot 5s and 7s by LA and found VOL 1 with 25 tracks on it. How many abums (and tracks) came under this heading?

teddy

 

[gord]

hi teddy, i have the louis armstrong v.s.o.p. all 8 volumes which contains all armstrongs recordings from 1925-1931. there seems to be about 28 hot five, 11 hot seven and 20 savoy ballroom five. there also is some other small groups of various sizes, the rest are large groups from the late 20s. your request inspired me to get them out, and play a few. this is classic stuff and it is ages since a played them,thanks. gord

 

[teddy]

Thanks gord. It's going to take me a while to listen to the all

teddy

 

[OLDUDE]

Hi guys'
In the history of jazz I doubt that anything was more important than the Louis hot 5s and 7s.
For an old timer like me it is great when the forum discusses this sort of music instead of bop.
Cheers John

 

[OLDUDE]

Hi Gord,

I'll have to start reading the Man Guardian again if it includes such gems.
however that is not to say that I agree with all of the selections.
I honestly think that a number of contributors were involved because I dont think that a single jazz lover could possibly enjoy all of that range of music.

Cheers John