[FujairahMan]

I found this magic lantern... and the genie says I can wish for 5 jazz albums with sax players. That's it! No more wishes after that. Which albums should I ask for?

 

[Minatar12]

I'm assuming that you don't own very many. If that's a bad assumption, I apologize.

To that end, here are some great and important ones:

Charlie Parker - Live at Massey Hall
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Collossus
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come
Stan Getz - Focus

That gives you arguably the most important albums by, again, arguably the most important saxophonists in modern jazz. Others can suggest some different, equally great ones that might represent the 30's and early 40's, or some later ones that better represent free jazz, or fusion. But take a look at those.

 

[FujairahMan]

G'day, Minatar12. Thanks for your reply.

Don't apologize. I'm not embarassed to admit that my jazz collection is meager.

I did start this thread because I was interested in reading what people thought of as Jazz gems. Most forum members would probably have the same favourites. I'd like to know what they are.

Perhaps you've got a few favourites that other people may not have heard of or even hate -- I'd also like to know what they are.

 

[kavala]

Here are some. Not in any special order.

Miles Davis - Kind a Blue, with 'Trane and Cannonball
Miles Davis - Milestones, with 'Trane and Cannonball
John Coltrane - Blue Trane
John Coltrane - Giant Steps
John Coltrane - Coltrane Jazz
Cannonball Adderly - Cannonball's Bossa Nova with the Bossa Rio Sextet
Mike Brecker - Steps Ahead (Steps Ahead and Modern Times)
Stan Getz - Jazz Samba
Joshua Redman - Elastic
Cannonball Adderly Live with guests Lou Rawls and Nancy Wilson.
Charlie Parker - The Dial sessions.

Oops, more than five.
Sorry, I can't count.
That genie is going to break my butt.

 

[hgiles]

Miles Davis - Kind a Blue, with 'Trane and Cannonball
Charlie Parker - The Dial sessions.
Dexter Gordon - Ballads Compilation
Sonny Stitt - Sits in with Oscar Peterson
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Collossus

... this will be all you really need

 

[Minatar12]

Perhaps you've got a few favourites that other people may not have heard of or even hate -- I'd also like to know what they are.

Well, I do actually, thanks for asking!

Here are my top 5 desert island picks:

1. Eric Dolphy - Live at the Five Spot (when I heard this, I knew I had to be a saxophonist)
2. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
3. Dave Holland - Conference of the Birds (Holland is a bassist but this album has two of my biggest inspirations on sax - Anthony Braxton and Sam Rivers.)
4. Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come
5. Anthony Braxton - For Alto (the first complete solo saxophone album)

Those are the albums that most shape the way I think, when it comes to jazz.

 

[TheWane]

John Coltrane-My Favorite Things
Evan Parker-Saxophone Solos
Joe Henderson-Our Thing
Steve Lacy-The Holy La
Hank Mobley-Dippin'

 

[Martinman]

Miles Davis w/ Cannonball and Trane - Kind of Blue
Dexter Gordon - Go!
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colosus
Micheal Brecker - Don't Try this at Home
Something by Charlie Parker, I have the Ken Burns CD, but there is better stuff out there.