Best Jazz Albums

I think jazz is too big a category to get into 'best' lists. everyone has their preferred area - big band, swing, dixieland, bebop, free jazz, vocals etc. It makes more sense to figure out what pulls your chain, then find others who are into that particular area, then get their 'best' list. a free jazz fan's 'best' llist is going to be a very different animal than a big band affecianado!

For the 70's he has alot of Creed Taylor and Don Sebesky arranged crap. Blah! This ain't jazz it's schlock.

"My favorite is All Music Guide to Jazz. Reissued in 2004" - Elizabeth

Do you have a link to this. I can't find it on allmusic.com. I am interested in checking it out.

Thanks,
Rob

Try the link http://www.allmusic.com/. You might want to check out Scott Yanow's books on Swing and Bebop. He is selective in what albums he recommneds and rates each on a 1 to 9 scale. Yanow is one of the main reviewers in the All Music Guide. I generally find his ratings to be very accurate.

There is also the 101 Best Jazz Albums by Len Lyons. It's where I got my first recommendations.

I liked the Scaruffi list. He obviously has a penchant for avante garde music. But everyone has their own slant on jazz. It's an art, not a science.

Randy

Amhad Jamal - At The Pershing