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List by @riffiter

Essential jazz albums

Fifteen records that map jazz from the hard-bop golden age to its 21st-century revival — a starting canon, in chronological order.

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  1. 1Brilliant Corners coverBrilliant CornersThelonious Monk · 19571957 · angular genius, fully formed
  2. 2Kind of Blue coverKind of BlueMiles Davis · 19591959 · the most loved jazz album ever cut
  3. 3Time Out coverTime OutDave Brubeck · 20111959 · odd meters made effortless
  4. 4Mingus Ah Um coverMingus Ah UmCharles Mingus · 19591959 · gospel, blues and fury in one band
  5. 5The Shape of Jazz to Come coverThe Shape of Jazz to ComeOrnette Coleman · 19591959 · free jazz announces itself
  6. 6Sunday At The Village Vanguard coverSunday At The Village VanguardBill Evans · 20061961 · the piano trio perfected, live
  7. 7Out To Lunch (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) coverOut To Lunch (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition)Eric Dolphy · 19991964 · the avant-garde's playful peak
  8. 8A Love Supreme coverA Love SupremeJohn Coltrane · 19651965 · devotion as sound
  9. 9Bitches Brew coverBitches BrewMiles Davis · 19701970 · jazz plugs in and explodes
  10. 10Journey in Satchidananda coverJourney in SatchidanandaAlice Coltrane · 19711971 · spiritual jazz's deep current
  11. 11Head Hunters coverHead HuntersHerbie Hancock · 19731973 · jazz-funk's commercial breakthrough
  12. 12The Köln Concert coverThe Köln ConcertKeith Jarrett · 19751975 · one piano, one night, total improvisation
  13. 13Heavy Weather coverHeavy WeatherWeather Report · 19771977 · fusion's most joyful hour
  14. 14Black Radio coverBlack RadioRobert Glasper Experiment · 20122012 · jazz rejoins R&B and hip-hop
  15. 15The Epic coverThe EpicKamasi Washington · 20152015 · the new spiritual jazz wave breaks