Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (1969)

My favorite Fairport Convention record. This was the second of three albums released in 1969 (today's bands aren't even as good on one record every three years), and this line-up was the best they assembled. Sandy Denny is a goddess, vocally. And Richard Thompson- everything this man touches is golden. Add Ashley Hutchings, Simon Nicol and Martin Lamble; pure Brit-folk rock excellence. This is considered a "transitional" album, being the middle point between the straight ahead folk rock on What We Did On Our Holidays and the more-or-less traditional British folk with Liege & Lief all completed in the scope of less than 12 months.

It's up there with Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, John Martyn, The Pentangle, Steeleye Span and Richard & Linda Thompson's records. Masterpiece...

Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (1969; Island Records)

Quicksand - Slip (1993)

I think I got this record the summer between my junior and senior years of high school- the cassette actually wore out from listening to it so much; I would eventually buy the CD (three times). I've wore out a ton of cassettes, but this was definitely the last; I went to CDs shortly after. Someone stole this CD from me, so I bought it again.

Then I don't know what actually happened to it, I either sold it on one of my big CD purges or lost it or someone stole it (again), but all I know is that I bought it again in 2002. I currently do not have that copy but do have a digital one, so... yeah. I get it, I'm not supposed to own a physical copy of this, it finds a way out of my possession.

Probably because it rocks so fucking hard- Walt Schreifels (who played bass in Youth Of Today and guitar for the Gorilla Biscuits) was a heavy in the whole New York hardcore scene of the late '80s, and the vision he had for Quicksand was as a more mature, more post-hardcore entity than anything he'd done previous. The first obvious influence you'll hear here is Fugazi, but where Ian and Co. were able to sustain some sort of longevity through cohesiveness, Quicksand fell apart after one EP and two full-lengths. Blame the fiery spirit of their tunes, the raw emotional outpouring, the melding of genres, hell- I don't know why they broke up. I just know they fucking rock.

So, here's their debut LP. They'd go on to make another record, Manic Compression (1995), that headed more in the direction of metal, but pound-for-pound this is one of my favorite records of all-time- it reminds me of my bullshit teen angst more than anything else...

Quicksand - Slip (1993; PolyGram Records)

Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (1974)

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"What's the worst thing that could happen to a musician? Losing the ability to play his/her main instrument. Many would give up; ex-Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt just got up and went on, singing and composing strange Canterburian jazz-pop/rock songs - and even getting better with it. An amazing musician (and rock's only true communist)."

- Signal To Noise magazine

Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (1974; Virgin Records)

Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (1956)

I realized the other day that for the last six months or so, all I've really been listening to is jazz (and if you've been keeping up with these posts, about a third of them are jazz). I haven't gone through such an intense jazz listening period in about five or six years, so it's been nice to re-acquaint myself as well discover a bunch of new (old) stuff.

I was record shopping one day (circa 2004) and had a few albums in my hand (if I can remember it accurately it was Joy Division's Closer, King Crimson's In The Court Of The Crimson King and Dead Kennedys' Frankenchrist); I found myself in the jazz section, picking up a copy of Saxophone Colossus. 

There was this really old guy looking at record next to me, saw what I had and said, "oh, that's a good one- Max Roach plays on that." It was an '87 re-issue copy for $6.00. So I put the King Crimson record back and got the Sonny Rollins instead.

That was a great idea. Dear old dude that told me to get it, wherever you are- thanks...

Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (1956; Prestige Records)

Low - Things We Lost in The Fire (2001)

This is what cold and barren Midwestern loneliness sounds like...

Low - Things We Lost In The Fire (2001; Kranky Records)

Oliver Nelson - The Blues and The Abstract Truth (1961)

This album is another one of those overlooked gems that people should be kicking themselves when they hear it and say, "Damn, where's this been?" That was pretty much my reaction when I first heard it a few months ago. The line-up, for one, is one the most spectacular ever assembled; it's like the intersection of four different distinct styles. Let's take a look at the players: George Barrow on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, Eric Dolphy on flute and alto sax, Bill Evans on piano, Roy Haynes on drums, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and then the leader, Oliver Nelson as arranger and on alto and tenor saxes.

We can discuss each musicians respective resumés; everyone should know about Bill Evans, more for his trio work with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian (check out their 1961 album Explorations), but also for his contributions to the Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue sessions.

Next, Paul Chambers; known as Mr. P.C., and probably the second most influential jazz bassist after Charles Mingus, period. He's literally played with everybody and anybody between 1954 until his death in 1969 at age 33.

Freddie Hubbard? Probably my second favorite trumpeter (after Lee Morgan and miles ahead of Miles); another guy with a list of credentials that go on and on- started in 1960 with Eric Dolphy, then recorded his debut as a leader then went on to play on Ornette's landmark Free Jazz album. That's just in his first year of recording, the man went hard right up until he passed in 2008.

I'll skip Roy Jones and George Barrow (they aren't credited on the album cover!) and get to Eric Dolphy. If Dolphy didn't die at 36, he'd be mentioned alongside Coltrane as the two best saxmen ever; his Out To Lunch is not only one of my favorite records of all time, it's the artwork I'm using behind this very website's main banner and the inspiration for the site's name as well. He's also one of the best jazz flautists ever, and did I mention he also played clarinet? C'mon, the man was an absolute virtuoso. I'd post Out To Lunch on here, but that's an album you better have if you're into jazz, no ifs ands or buts around that.

Oliver Nelson gained notoriety playing alongside Quincy Jones in the late '50s and made a big splash with this record. He found plenty of work as a highly sought after arranger, eventually working with James Brown and Diana Ross, but Nelson would get his biggest paychecks from composing music for TV and film (The Six Million Dollar Man, Columbo, The Bionic Woman and Last Tango In Paris).

So there you go. An album that features some of the best performers at various stages of their careers, all coming together to create a marvelous, almost forgotten record...

Oliver Nelson - The Blues and The Abstract Truth (1961; Impulse! Records)

Ride - Nowhere (1990)

I like Ride's Nowhere a lot more than I like My Bloody Valentine's Loveless. There, I said it, and it felt good to get that off my chest. To my ears, it's just a more enjoyable, more tuneful record. That's it. We can argue about it, but I'm pretty sure neither of us are gonna budge. Cool?

Anyway; you can call it shoegaze, you can call it psychedelic revival, dream pop, '90s alt-rock, you can call it whatever you want. I call it all those, but mostly I call it one of the best records of that decade. It's also hopelessly British, and that's why I love this sort of stuff from the Old Country.

So listen to it. Then get back to me so we can talk about it...

Ride - Nowhere (1990; Sire Records)

Grateful Dead - Anthem Of The Sun (1971)

It's strange how many people (especially "psych" fans) tell me they "don't get the Dead". There's nothing to get, man. It's psychedelia pure & simple- in fact it's closer to the heart of real psychedelia than almost anything else. I'd say that along with The 13th Floor Elevators, no other band integrated the LSD experience into their work as openly and persistently as the Grateful Dead.

I'm not a Dead-head, and I'll probably never get into their post-Warner Bros. stuff (I can stomach Terrapin Station, but everything after that is pretty much crapola- Go To Heaven is a cruel joke, right?), but I find myself enjoying the late 1960s (Tom Constanten-era) Dead more and more, both studio and live.

It's as close to a live record as you can make in the studio; that's what happens when you give a bunch of lysergically-induced, stoned-out happy freaks unlimited studio time. The Dead actually ended up owing Warner a ton of money from this record; they didn't recoup it until the money started rolling in as their unstoppable tour machine gathered steam in the late '70s.

Grateful Dead - Anthem Of The Sun (1968; Warner Bros. Records)

The Durutti Column - LC (1981)

Another criminally overlooked musician, Vini Reilly was the sole member of The Durutti Column. A Tony Wilson (of Factory Records) find, Reilly tried to make the band a collaborative effort but all the other members parted ways (two would go on to start '80s easy listening act Simply Red), so Vini opted to play all the instruments on his records (save drums, here on LC the duties went to Bruce Mitchell).

LC could arguably be labeled as one of the first post-rock records, Reilly uses piano/keys, guitars and basses more for timbre than for rhythm, rather than chunking chords out one after the other he relies on echo, delay and other processed effects to convey emotion and movement. Some of the songs feature vocals, but they stay half-buried under sheets of reverb and layers of ambient synth washes. There are also jazzy elements as well as the post-punk ideas left over from working with Martin Hannett (who produced Joy Division's records). Reilly has gone on to find more notoriety later in his career by writing a lot of the music (and playing guitar and keyboards) on Morrissey's debut solo outing, Viva Hate.

Here's another wonderful album that's been under-rated and overlooked (it contains some out-takes and bonus tracks, from the 1996 re-issued remaster)...

The Durutti Column - LC (1981; Factory Records)

John Coltrane - Blue Train (1958)

I'm going to make some startling claims and speak in hyperbole when talking about John Coltrane, so bear with me. First, this record was Coltrane's first album where he got to choose the tunes (and writing four) and also got to choose the personnel (going with a rhythm section of Philly Joe Jones on drums, Paul Chambers on bass and Kenny Drew on piano; Curtis Fuller on trombone and a 19-year old Lee Morgan on trumpet). This album is notable also because it's Coltrane's only "real" album for Blue Note Records (he'd record the bulk of his early oeuvre on Prestige, his "middle" period for Atlantic and his later years went on to Impulse!).

Now on to the startling claims; I'm going to say some things that although they might offend, they aren't intended to. First; Lee Morgan on trumpet- I think as far as his tone, expressiveness and sheer talent he's the best trumpeter, ever. Now all you Miles Davis fans can get all hissy and shit, but Miles' main and most important contributions to jazz music have been his outstanding compositions, his ear for talent and the fact that he didn't die in his forties. Morgan's virtuosity is unparalleled- I'll be posting a few of his albums very soon, rest assured.

Second startling claim; this record is the quintessential hard bop album- Coltrane had just come off of stints playing in the Miles Davis Quintet and a year with Thelonious Monk, so there's two of the main guys at the forefront of the hard bop scene. This record is the best example of the marriage between bop and the blues; a few other ones I like are Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus, Cannonball Adderley's Something Else and Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' Moanin'. But this is the best of the best.

Okay, you judge for yourself. This version is the re-issued one from 2003, re-mastered by original engineer Rudy Van Gelder.

John Coltrane - Blue Train (1958; Blue Note Records)

Magazine - Real Life (1978)

I've always felt that Magazine never really got their due respect; it seems that when discussions around what bands are considered to be the very definition of the post-punk genre, they get glossed over. Sure, you have to mention Gang Of Four, Wire, Joy Division, etc. but why does Magazine have to fall so far down the list?

So here's me giving propers to one of the best albums of the late '70s; after Howard Devoto left the Buzzcocks (he felt that "punk" was too restrictive a genre) he started the genre-busting Magazine, employing synths (as well as horns and other more experimental instruments not considered punk) as a lead instrument, all to great effect. He foresaw the new direction that music could go, using the attitude of punk rock as a foundation and springboard but being able to go any direction he wanted. Original bassist Barry Adamson would also join up with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds for their first four records.

So, please enjoy one of the more overlooked gems of the late-'70s...

Magazine - Real Life (1978; Virgin Records)

Slint - Spiderland (1991)

Next time you see me, please do me a favor and tell me how much of an idiot I am. I used to have an original LP copy of this that I got in the mid-to-late '90s, but sold it before I moved to California because "moving is really expensive and I need the money". Yeah, on second (and third and fourth) thought; I'd rather have this back. I've seen copies of it floating around eBay for around $40, so yeah- I'm an idiot (I probably got like 5 bucks for it, so that adds insult enough).

So what to say about Slint's Spiderland that hasn't been said already? Besides for the fact that it's considered a landmark album in both the early Post-Rock and (the more annoying genre tag of) Math Rock, it's an album that fucking rocks. Yeah, it's super dark, creepy, kinda eerie, full of emotional angst, it's methodical, meticulous and alienated... did I say creepy yet?

Just fucking download it. Then when you see me, do me that favor I asked of you. Then I can ridicule you and your shitty music library for not already owning this.

Slint - Spiderland (1991; Touch And Go Records)

Jack Rose - Kensington Blues (2005)

I was just reading a tribute to the recently departed Jack Rose in the most recent Signal To Noise magazine, and there's a touching story about his first encounter with German guitarist Steffen Basho-Junghans. "You have zee gut", remarking that Rose, like himself and John Fahey before them, had that chunky mid-section that shows years and years of devotion to the 6-and-12 string muse. Nobody stays in decent shape from sitting on their ass all day, but they sure can fingerpick some really nice tunes- so in a way the thing that Rose was living for was the thing that may have caused his heart attack at age 38.

This record, Kensington Blues, is named after the section of Philly that Rose called home for many years- if you've ever been then you know the sort of blues a place like that can instill in a man. Rose himself has said of this record that it's going to be the hardest to live up to; he really set the bar high with its eclectic mix of British folk, Indian ragas, ragtime and the blues.

So it's a shame that Jack Rose doesn't get the attention he deserves while he was alive, but here's my tribute to the man. Let's celebrate his life and his music; which probably is still a few years away from the world finally saying, "Holy shit, this man was a genius..."

Jack Rose - Kensington Blues (2005; VHF Records)

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Tender Prey (1988)

So I just saw that they re-issued this a few days ago. 

My favorite Nick Cave record. 

Yup. 

Remastered. 

With a DVD.

I can just hear Mr. Cave now: "Whoop-dee-fucking-doo I'm on an iPod!" 

So, here it is...

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Tender Prey (1988; Enigma Records)

Jimmy Smith - The Sermon (1959)

Hailing from Norristown, PA, Jimmy Smith was the man who single-handedly ushered in the rise of the Hammond B-3 organ, as well as the era of "soul jazz", re-defining what a trio could be. He earned his chops playing piano in clubs in and around Philly during the '40s and '50s, until one day when he bought his trademark instrument, holed himself up in a warehouse for a whole year, only to emerge in the mid-1950s displaying complete mastery of his organ.

His usual trios consisted of organ, guitar and drums; which was unheard of at the time. But due to significant advances in electronics and amplification, the guitar no longer had to be a background instrument, used only for rhythm. It's been said that Smith did as much for the guitar in jazz music as both Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery, without ever actually playing one.

1959's The Sermon is a landmark album in that it features a 20+ minute track when Blue Note Records label head Alfred Lion demanded that no tracks be longer than 12:00. It's also a huge landmark album because of the line-up: Lee Morgan (trumpet), Lou Donaldson (alto sax on "The Sermon"), Tina Brooks (tenor sax on "The Sermon"), Kenny Burrell (guitar on "The Sermon" and "Flamingo"), Art Blakey (drums on "The Sermon" and "Flamingo"), George Coleman (alto sax on "J.O.S."), Eddie McFadden (guitar on "J.O.S.") and Donald Bailey (drums on "J.O.S.").

Jimmy Smith - The Sermon (1959; Blue Note Records)

Gila - Gila (1971)

"Often referred by the title Free Electric Sound, Gila's debut is an amazing work, full of acid guitar freakouts, spacy organ and mellotron, exotic rhythm structures, and loads of electronic effects to fully realize the psychedelic visions. From the Floyd-ian space rock of the first two tracks the record moves into even stranger realms on the four segued pieces that make up the second side of the original vinyl. "Kollaps" starts off with ritualistic drumming, a creepy organ riff, a crying baby, and guitar licks that threaten to explode at any moment. After some electronic effects "Kontakt" goes in an entirely different direction with airy acoustic guitar and keyboards and no rhythm section, like suddenly emerging into sunlight after the darkness of "Kollaps." As the track progresses seamlessly into "Kollektivivtat" and then "Individualitat" it again picks up momentum, adding electric guitar riffs and an interesting mixture of bongos and snares as the organ cuts loose, until finally everything dies except the thundering percussions on some quasi-ethnic workout with some electronic sounds thrown in."

- by Rolf Semprebon; Allmusic.com

Gila - Gila (1971; BASF)

Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996)

I'm pretty sure I was coerced into liking Stereolab, sometime in the mid '90s. Yeah, it was definitely one of those cute shop girls clerking at Repo Records in Rosemont, PA. You know how it is:

Me: Yeah, um, what's this playing now?

Repo chick: (glaring) Uhhh, hello... it's the new Stereolab...

Me: Oh... Cool.

Repo chick: Totally.

Me: ...

Repo chick: You should get it.

Me: I think I will.

Repo chick: Cool.

You see that? How she bullied me into buying Emperor Tomato Ketchup? Practically twisted my arm right there. It was totally worth it.

Anyway; the funniest thing I ever read about Stereolab said something to the effect that "this is what both Can and the Velvet Underground would have sounded like if they weren't so self-serious, had a half decent lead singer and their lead guitarists didn't totally suck." Ouch, buddy. I love both of those bands, but to be totally honest, you kind of got a point there...

Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996; Elektra Records)

Supersilent - 6 (2003)

Free-improvisational Norwegian quartet Supersilent bridges the gap between jazz, rock and electronica so perfectly it's surprising they come up with this stuff on the spot. They don’t rehearse or discuss the music at all before recording so it remains as random and free as possible; here on 6 it can be dark and foreboding, yet at times has a strong tribal element to it. Other times it's as cold and inorganic as rusted metal from a polar ice station.

Anytime a group of people are improvising musically, there's a point when the madness becomes beautiful; it's like taking too much acid and becoming crippled by the sheer terror of staring into the abyss, seeing the world as it is and then deciding "it's only the drugs... I'm totally fine" as the smiling breaks into laughter, realizing you just spent the last 45 minutes in your best friend's parents bedroom, tracing a recursive pattern over and over on their Persian rug.

Yeah. This album is the soundtrack to those times... 

Supersilent - 6 (2003; Rune Grammofon)

Power Of Zeus - The Gospel According To Zeus (1970)

Occasionally I shop for records at places you might not expect to find records. This is one of those records I found at a bookstore of all places; I have to admit I thought it was gonna be a hilarious novelty act. I mean, c'mon- Rare Earth Records was Motown's short-lived and ill-fated "rock" imprint label. The only other acts from that label I've even heard of are Rare Earth and The Pretty Things.

But Power Of Zeus, man this rocks. Some serious hard rock/heavy psych, halfway between Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with some Grand Funk Railroad thrown in for good measure. Big crunchy riffs, the swirly psychedelic Hammond B-3 organ is absolutely crammed into every spare nook, then take some wah-wah inflected funk- yeah, this record is a hidden gem...

Power Of Zeus - The Gospel According To Zeus (1970; Rare Earth Records)
-link opens to YouTube-

Lennie Tristano - Crosscurrents (1949)

"Pianist Lennie Tristano is heard with his finest group, a sextet with altoist Lee Konitz, tenor-saxophonist Warne Marsh, guitarist Billy Bauer, bassist Arnold Fishkin, and either Harold Granowsky or Denzil Best on drums. Their seven selections include some truly remarkable unisons on "Wow," memorable interplay by the horns on "Sax of a Kind," and the earliest examples of free improvisation in jazz: "Intuition" and "Digression."

- Scott Yanow, Allmusic.com

"Here is another first for Lennie Tristano. "Intuition" represents the first collective improvisation in the history of recorded jazz. Only the order in which the instruments would enter was determined beforehand. Everything else was created on the fly. Tristano had been experimenting with this type of total improv in private, and now put it on record at this path-breaking 1949 session. This song was a radical move in the 1940s, and still sounds futuristic today. Put this up on the shelf with other Tristano breakthroughs, including the first recorded example of atonal piano jazz, and that earth-shattering version of "I Can't Get Started" from 1946. But this artist's recorded legacy is more than a matter of being first. The sheer brilliance of Tristano's conception is evident time and time again on these seminal recordings. Why this artist doesn't figure more prominently in the jazz history books remains one of the great mysteries of 20th-century music." 

- Ted Gioia, Jazz.com

Lennie Tristano - Crosscurrents (1949; Capitol Records)

Opal - Early Recordings (1987)

Opal was a short-lived neo-psychedelic pop band associated with the Paisley Underground scene of Los Angeles in the 1980s; most notably for guitar/organist David Roback's involvement (who would later form Mazzy Star with Hope Sandoval). Opal was basically a mish-mash of some other bands in the Paisley scene at the time; Roback would leave his Rain Parade project to work on a one-off collaboration titled Rainy Day with Susanna Hoffs (later of The Bangles) and Kendra Smith (formerly of Dream Syndicate), as well as some other members of notable groups. Feeling the chemistry with Smith's vocals, Roback scrapped Rainy Day after their debut record and started a new project called Clay Allison (eventually settling on the name Opal). Rounding out the band was drummer Keith Mitchell.

Working on a beautiful blend of folk, psychedelia, shoegaze, country and rock; Roback created spare arrangements around Smith's lush and warm vocals- the one thing you notice is all the space on these records.

They only released 2 EPs and one full-length (1987's Happy Nightmare Baby on SST Records) as well as a posthumous compilation called Early Recordings (which gathers those two EPs and some other unreleased gems, released in '89 by Rough Trade). 

It's basically a sin that Opal's output has been out of print since they broke up, I'm hoping some neo-psychedelic aficionado with some ties to the music industry can get this music its proper due (possibly get it remastered and re-issued) because this music has been enjoying a current resurgence as of late; it'd be nice to see some of the trail-blazing bands get their due.

Opal - Early Recordings (1989; Rough Trade Records)

Krzysztof Komeda - Astigmatic (1966)

Considering the harsh and oppressive social and cultural climate in Poland during the '60s, it's a wonder any of this extraordinary music ever saw the light of day, let alone actually got made. Komeda (born Krzysztof Trzciński in 1931) is more well-known for his film scores than jazz excursions, and especially for his work on the soundtrack for his friend Roman Polanski's movie Rosemary's Baby.

Astigmatic is an interesting find because of the secrecy of these recording sessions, pushing them underground by the Soviet-occupied regime's assertion that jazz was for the bourgeois and avant-garde jazz would incite free thinking. Add to that the sheer isolation of Eastern Bloc countries and their citizens' inability to buy any good "western" music, and what you have is a surprisingly awesome album.

The finest jazz ever made from behind the Iron Curtain...

Krzysztof Komeda - Astigmatic (1966; Polskie Nagrania Muza)

Keith Jarrett - The Köln Concert (1975)

This is neither "out" there (it's probably the most accessible live solo piano recording ever) or "obscure" (it's sold something like 3.5 million copies) but The Köln Concert is a must-have for jazz aficionados. I've had it on vinyl for a few years, a friend turned me on to Jarrett from his live recordings at the Blue Note from the '90s.

I think you need to listen to this (best with headphones, late at night).

Keith Jarrett - The Köln Concert (1975; ECM Records)

Masta Ace - Disposable Arts (2001)

Masta Ace's flow is one of the best in the game; he's easily forgotten because he doesn't rap about Nikes and gold and gats and all that bullshit- he's real. As real as real can get. Here's what some writer had to say about this record:

Instant classic; a modern-day hip-hopera, a ghetto concept album if you will. How this album isn’t mentioned in the same breath as Madvillainy and Stankonia I’ll never know- but Ace made a stunna here; it follows the story of a man released from jail and his return to Brooklyn. After realizing how tough it is on the streets, he decides to go back to school, but not any school- he enrolls in The Institute Of Disposable Arts; a hip-hop academy of sorts. It’s based on the shadiness of the music industry, the whackness of “thug life”, all that rap-poseurism shit and how to transcend it to stay true to yourself and just make good music; what’s in your heart and how to tap into that. Deep and introspective without being preachy, the beats and samples are some of the best collected on one record- choosing to work with virtual unknowns (producers from the New York underground) as well as some emcees also not known above ground. And since it’s a concept album, the skits are not only integral for the story but actually funny. Ace’s wordplay and lyrical prowess are a sight to behold, every other line induces an “oh shit, did he just say that?”, it’s like watching a rap battle and everyone’s getting slayed. You may recognize his flow, it’s the one Eminem stole (don’t worry; Em’s given Masta Ace mad props and the favor’s returned here- witnessed by the opening lines from Don’t Understand: “I don’t do white music, I don’t do black music / I make rap music, for Hip-Hop kids…”) This is a triumphant return to form- Masta Ace had more or less dropped out of music for almost five years at the end of the century. I’m glad he made it back to drop this gem. 

- from The Musicologists

Masta Ace - Disposable Arts (2001; JCOR Entertainment)

Ornette Coleman - The Shape Of Jazz To Come (1959)

Uh oh. People are resistant to change. They don't like to be uncomfortable. They like reliability...

Considering the other "top" records from 1959; Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue, Charles Mingus' Mingus Ah Um, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' Moanin' and The Dave Brubeck Quartet's Time Out; the world wasn't exactly ready for Ornette's "changes". He was giving clues (mostly hidden in plain view; the titles of his albums for one- Something Else!!!! and Tomorrow Is The Question: The New Music of Ornette Coleman are as obvious as it gets) as well as the clues in his music; abandoning structure ever so slightly, it's not as "free" as Coleman would eventually become (or as out there as Ayler, Sun Ra and eventually Coltrane) but these are the seeds being planted in the soil, right next to all those other big trees that have their roots planted firmly in the earth of hard bop; it would shake their foundation to the core and by 1964 the entire jazz community would embrace "free" jazz.

So yeah, this kind of started it all...

Ornette Coleman - The Shape Of Jazz To Come (1959; Atlantic Records)