I noted in passing in last week’s link to Floyd Norman: An Animated Life that I and other members of Apple’s African-American Employee Association (AAEA) met a few folks from the film’s creative team at a special screening in 2016.
One of those folks was Emmy- and Grammy-nominated composer Ryan Shore. Before Shore composed music for Bride Hard, Zombie Town, and Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, he did the music for the Floyd Norman documentary.
At the screening, Shore spoke with a young man named Maddux who expressed an interest in jazz. A few weeks later, Shore emailed Maddux a list of essential jazz artists, and thirteen essential jazz albums—a gift to anyone, regardless of their jazz familiarity, and a tremendous starting point for a burgeoning jazz enthusiast. Shore wrote:
By no means would this be a “complete” list. However, I’m extremely certain every jazz musician would agree these are all among the most brilliant, revered, and influential jazz musicians and albums.
Some of these names will be instantly familiar to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre; others may be recognizable by their most famous tracks (as it was for me with George Benson and Breezin’); and many will be completely new to you (as they were to me!).
I’ve had a lot of fun exploring this list over the last few days, and I hope you find it valuable, too. I’m grateful to Shore for sharing it with Maddux all those years ago.
(I’ve linked to Apple Music because it’s the service I use, but you should find most of these artists and albums on Amazon Music and YouTube Music.)
Essential Albums
- Miles Davis: Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool, Sketches of Spain, ’58 Sessions (aka 1958 Miles).
- Cannonball Adderley: Somethin’ Else
- John Coltrane: Blue Train, Giant Steps
- Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus
- Herbie Hancock: Head Hunters
- Duke Ellington: At Newport
- Getz/Gilberto: Stan Getz & João Gilberto
- Michael Brecker: Michael Brecker
- Take 6: Take 6
Essential Artists
- Trumpet: Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie
- Alto saxophone: Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt
- Tenor saxophone: John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Michael Brecker, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine
- Baritone saxophone: Gerry Mulligan
- Clarinet: Benny Goodman, Eddie Daniels
- Trombone: J. J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller
- Guitar: Wes Montgomery, George Benson
- Organ: Jimmy Smith
- Vibraphone: Milt Jackson, Gary Burton
- Piano: Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea
- Bass: Ron Carter, Jaco Pastorius
- Drums: Max Roach, Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones
- Big Bands: Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Glenn Miller, Gordon Goodwin