top of page

Important Jazz Albums

compiled by Dr. Paul Haar

​

RAGTIME AND STRIDE:

Bunk Johnson and his Band-The Last Testament (Phillips)

Fats Waller-Fractious Fingering (RCA Victor)

Jelly Roll Morton-The Saga of Mr. Jelly Lord (Circle)

Various Artists-Classic Jazz Piano Styles (RCA Victor)

Various Artists-Pianola Jazz (Saydisc)

Scott Joplin-Scott Joplin 1916 (Biograph)

James P. Johnson-Snowy Morning Blues (Decca/MCA)

Art Tatum-Solo Masterpieces (Pablo)

​

NEW ORLEANS STYLE:

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band-The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (RCA Victor)

King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band-The Complete 1923 OKEHS (EMI)

Freddie Keppard/Doc Cooke-The Legendary Freddie Keppard (Smithsonian)

Jelly Roll Morton-The King of New Orleans Jazz (RCA)

The Clarence Williams Blue Five-With Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet New Orleans Rhythm Kings-Volume Two (Village)

Louis Armstrong-The Complete Hot Fives and Sevens (Columbia)

Jelly Roll Morton-Mr. Jelly Lord (RCA Victor)

Sidney Bechet-The Luebird Sessions (Bluebird)

​

CHICAGO AND NEW YORK

Earl Hines and His Orchestra-Swinging in Chicago (Coral)

Eddie Condon-The Definitive Vol. 1 (Stash)

Bix Beiderbecke-The Bix Beiderbecke Story (Phillips)

Bix Beiderbecke-The Bix Beiderbecke Legend (RCA Victor)

Henry Allen Jr. and His New York Orchestra-Treasury of jazz Series (RCA VICTOR)

​

SWING

Coleman Hawkins and His All Stars-Colman Hawkins All Stars (HMV)

Artie Shaw-The Early Artie Shaw (Ajaz)

Fats Waller-’34/’35 (RCA Victor) Count Basie-Count Basie and the Kansas City Seven (Decca)

Count Basie-Jumpin’at the Woodside (Ace of Hearts)

Duke Ellington-ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!!!

Woody Herman-The Thundering Herds (CBS)

Lester Young/Count Basie-The Lester Young Memorial Album (Fontana)

Benny Goodman-Carnegie Hall Jozz Concert (Philips)

Jay McShann-Kansas City Memories (Brunswick)

Duke Ellington-Ellington at Newport (CBS)

Count Basie-The Atomic Mr. Basie (Columbia)

​

BEBOP

Al Haig-Jazz Will O’the Wisp (Esoteric)

Sonny Stitt-Stitt’s Bits (Prestige)

J.J. Johnson-The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson

Charlie Parker-Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Savoy)

Charlie Parker-Bird Lives-The Complete Dial Masters (Spotlight)

Bud Powell-The Amazing Bud Powell (Blue Note)

Thelonious Monk-Genius of Modern Music (Blue Note)

Fats Navarro-The Fabulous Fats Navarro (Blue Note)

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra-Ol’ Man Bebop (HMV)

James Moody-Moody’s Workshop (Prestige)

Charlie Christian/Dizzy Gillespie-The Harlem Jazz Scene (Esoteric)

The Quintet-Jazz at Massy Hall (Debut)

Miles Davis-Miles Davis Volume 2 (Blue Note)

​

COOL JAZZ

Lee Konitz-Very Cool (Columbia)

Chet Baker-Chet Baker and Crew (Pacific Jazz)

Jimmy Giuffre-The Jimmy Giuffre 3 (Atlantic)

The Modern Jazz Quartet-One Never Knows (Atlantic)

Miles Davis-Birth of the Cool (Capitol)

Shorty Rogers-The Swinging Mr. Rogers (Atlantic)

Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker-Mulligan/Baker (Prestige)

Art Pepper-Art Pepper Plus Eleven (Contemporary)

Dave Brubeck-Time Out (CBS)

HARD BOP Art Blakey-A Night at Birdland (Blue Note)

Sonny Rollins-Saxophone Colossus (Prestige)

Thelonious Monk/John Coltrane-MONK/TRANE (Milestone)

Miles Davis-Workin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige)

Theolonious Monk-Brilliant Corners (Riverside)

Cannonball Adderley-Somethin’ Else (Blue Note)

Horace Sliver-Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (Blue Note)

Johnny Griffin-Little Giant (Milestone)

John Coltrane-Blue Trane (Blue Note)

John Coltrane-Giant Steps (Atlantic)

Dexter Gordon-Our Man In Paris (Blue Note)

Wes Montgomery-The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (Riverside)

Lee Morgan-The Sidewinder (Blue Note)

Jimmy Smith-The Sermon (Blue Note)

​

POST BOP-FREE

Ornette Coleman-The Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic)

George Russell-The Jazz Workshop (RCA Victor)

Charlies Mingus-Pithecanthropus erectus (Atlantic)

Eric Dolphy-Out to Lunch (Blue Note)

John Coltrane-Ascension (Impuse)

​

MODAL JAZZ

Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue (CBS)

Bill Evans-Every Digs Bill Evans (Riverside)

John Coltrane-My Favorite Things (Atlantic)

Herbie Hancock-Maden Voyage (Blue Note)

McCoy Tyner-The Real McCoy (Blue Note)

John Coltrane-A Love Supreme (Impulse)

​

FUSION

Herbie Hancock-Head Hunters (CBS)

John McLaughlin-The Mahavisnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame (CBS)

Miles Davis-Bitches Brew (CBS)

Weather Report-Heavy Weather (CBS)

bottom of page