Jazz is an American form of music that was born sometime around the year 1900 out of a diverse number of cultures and musical styles. Sometimes restrained and intimate, other times boisterous and exciting, still other times sultry and seductive, jazz music has a little something for everyone.
Jazz has contributed heavily to contemporary music, making you tap your foot, clap your hands and move your body. Jazz is so in the moment and fun to listen to, whether it’s a ballad or an up-tempo swing. Various instruments carry the rhythms, and it’s all about improvisation.
During Black Music Month, we recognize and celebrate jazz’s extraordinary heritage and history and present the 50 Great Jazz Albums – “Black Favorites” to our readers!
50 Great Jazz Albums – “Black Favorites”
| Artist | Album |
|---|---|
| A | |
| Adderly, Cannonball | Somethin’ Else |
| Alexandria, Lorez | Lorez Alexandria, and the King Fleming Trio |
| Ammons, Gene | Boss Tenor |
| Armstrong, Louis | What a Wonderful World |
| Andrews, Ernie | In the Dark |
| B | |
| Basie, Count | Count Basie at Newport |
| Brown, Clifford | Clifford Brown with Strings |
| Blakey, Art | A Night in Tunisha |
| C | |
| Carter, Betty | The Audience, With Betty Carter |
| Coltrane, John | A Love Supreme |
| Coleman, Ornette | The Shape of Jazz to Come |
| Cole, Nat King | The King Cole Trio (vol. 1-2 & 3) |
| Cole, Natalie | Unforgettable |
| D | |
| Miles, Davis | Miles Ahead |
| Donegan, Dorothy | The Best of Dorothy Donegan |
| Artist | Album |
|---|---|
| E | |
| Ellington, Duke | Somethin’ Else |
| Eckstine, Billy | Lorez Alexandria, and the King Fleming Trio |
| F | |
| Fitzgerald, Ella | Boss Tenor |
| Freeman , Von | What a Wonderful World |
| G | |
| Gillespie, Dizzy | In the Dark |
| Garner, Earl | Count Basie at Newport |
| H | |
| Hartman, Johnny | Clifford Brown with Strings |
| Hampton, Lionel | A Night in Tunisha |
| Holliday, Billie | The Audience, With Betty Carter |
| Hancock, Herbie | A Love Supreme |
| Hines, “Fatha” Earl | The Shape of Jazz to Come |
| Horne, Shirley | The King Cole Trio (vol. 1-2 & 3) |
| Hubbard, Freddie | Unforgettable |
| Artist | Album |
|---|---|
| J | |
| Jones, Thad | The Magnificent Thad Jones |
| Jamal, Ahmad | At The Pershing; But Not for Me |
| Jones, Quincy | This is How I Feel About Jazz |
| Jordan, Stanley | Magic Touch |
| K | |
| Kirk, Roland | Here Comes the Whistle Man (Recorded Live) |
| L | |
| Lewis, Ramsey | Sun Goddess |
| Lynne, Gloria | Gloria Lynn at the Las Vegas Thunderbird |
| M | |
| Marsalis Wynton | Hothouse Flowers |
| Monk, Thelonious | Brilliant Colors |
| Mingus, Charlie | The Black Saint and Sinner Lady |
| Montgomery, Wes | The Very Best of Wes Montgomery |
| McRae. Carmen | Carmen McRae |
| P | Unforgettable |
| Peterson, Oscar | Night Train – The Oscar Peterson Trio |
| Parker, Charlie | Charlie Parker with Strings |
| Prysock, Arthur | Silk and Satin |
| Artist | Album |
|---|---|
| R | |
| Rollins, Sonny | Saxophone Colossus |
| Roach, Max | We Insist |
| S | |
| Scott, Hazel | Hazel Scott – Relaxed Piano Moods |
| Shorter, Wayne | Speak No Evil - JuJu |
| Simone, Nina | Pastel Blues |
| Silver, Horace | Six Pieces of Silver |
| Smith, Jimmy | Back at the Chicken Shack |
| Staton, Dakota | The Late, Late Show |
| Stitt, Sonny | Tune-Up |
| Strayhorn, Billy | The Peaceful Side |
| T | |
| Tatum, Art | Piano Starts Here: Live at the Shrine |
| Terry, Clark | Clark Terry |
| Tyner, McCoy | The Real McCoy |
| V | |
| Vaughn, Sarah | Sarah Vaughn in the Land of HiFi |
| W | |
| Washington, Dinah | Dinah Sings for Those in Love |
| Wilson, Nancy | Something Wonderful |
| Webster, Ben | Soulville |
| Williams, Joe | Me, and the Blues |
| Y | |
| Young, Lester | Jazz Giants 56’ |
This list is compiled by Sasha Daltonn (alternately spelled Dalton), a Chicago-based singer, writer, and producer. In 1985 she founded what is now known as the Chicago Gospel Music Festival.
She is the producer of “Sasha Sings Dinah,” a musical tribute to Dinah Washington.
She is the author of Unplugged: The Untold Story of Chicago’s Gospel Music Festival. She is a jazz aficionado, a South Side Jazz Coalition board member, and a freelance music producer.
