Greatest Jazz masterpieces

Yea, Miles albums like Birth of the Cool, Kind of Blue, and Miles Ahead have been my favorite Miles albums lately.

And welcome back darkprinceofjazz

"Birth of the Cool" is a favorite for me too. Music that will always sound modern, in any era.

darkshade wrote: I've been really diggin' The Birth of the Cool, I got a remaster or it from Best Buy for 5 bucks. I think Miles got it right with that album, 10 years before Kind of Blue. Amazing music, I don't even think about the fact that it was recorded so long ago in 1949, timeless music.

darkshade wrote: I've been really diggin' The Birth of the Cool, I got a remaster or it from Best Buy for 5 bucks. I think Miles got it right with that album, 10 years before Kind of Blue. Amazing music, I don't even think about the fact that it was recorded so long ago in 1949, timeless music.

I have the same feeling about Birth of the Cool,  really does foreshadow Kind of Blue. Gil Evans is all over this music too, Miles Ahead and Porgy & Bess in particular remind me of Birth of the Cool.

It is interesting to consider in hind sight, that this album in its entirety minus the Kenny Hagood sung "Darn That Dream", was not released until 1957, Miles was already a star within jazz, about ready to become a household name. Much of what happens to Miles during that 48-50 period shapes everything that happens the next 10 years.

Think of the music that was released to the general public from 1956 1961,  The 4 Gil Evans collaborations, including Birth of the Cool, Kind of Blue, Milestones, The Soundtrack "Lift to the Scaffold "speaking of noir", then the 1956 sessions for Prestige to close out that contract, Cookin', Workin' Relaxin' and Steamin' all released during this period. No wonder Miles became a household name.

This also gives some insight why Miles was criticized so much by the sacred cow establishment critic at the time of the electric period.  They couldn't reconcile the genius of Birth of the Cool and the rest with rock and funk. Ironically that music today, is more important, and to the forefront for today contemporary artists.

On the Corner and Get up with It are all over the music landscape today. those albums were not loved in there day. just like Birth of the Cool wasn't for 7 years after its recording.




 

Also the entire 'Black Saint...' album (one I never seem to get tired of mentioning) is very noir indeed

Here's a good one, Mingus' "Haitian Fight Song"

Edited by js - 19 Dec 2012 at 4:02pm

js wrote: My list of favorite noir jazz artists would be: Duke Ellington Charles Mingus Henry Mancini Quincey Jones I know there are more, probably even forgotten in my own record collection, so I will try to add more later. I also have a couple of CDs that are labeled "Crime Jazz", these tend to feature soundtrack composers who use noir jazz in their soundtracks. For the rock fans out there, Robert Fripp's early version of King Crimson was laden with noir jazz, or what I like to call "crime jazz".

For example, what composition do you mean?

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Name your number one JAZZ masterpiece - hopefully that may inspire others, myself included, to get hold of worthy jazz masterpieces. (if you have to resort to 3 then do so - it cant hurt).    Mine is easy:     A landmark album from the revolutionaries of jazz fusion.

Is it me or is the image actually blank? I checked the file name through "Save Image As", but it does not display the name of the album. I bet it's Third. 

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: I heard Black saint and Sinnner Lady and would agree that has to be a masterpiece - amazing atmospheres and jazz explorations on a concept theme - very NOIR JAZZ - is that a genre??

Yes, amazing atmosphere - perfect word for it.

js wrote: I like noir jazz too, I'd call that a description, not a genre.

I like that word choice 'description' rather than 'genre' - although, it might be fun to compile a bit of a list of artists who do use the noir feel. One day I will investigate

I heard Black saint and Sinnner Lady and would agree that has to be a masterpiece - amazing atmospheres and jazz explorations on a concept theme - very NOIR JAZZ - is that a genre??

Masterpieces of Jazz?