[Start Here] Jazz Masterpieces: A Must-Listen Album Selection

Speak No EvilWayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter – Speak No Evil

The title, quoted from the Japanese proverb made famous by the Three Wise Monkeys—“see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil”—is just so cool, isn’t it? Speak No Evil is the third album released under his own name by tenor and soprano saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who hails from New Jersey, United States, and it came out in 1964.

Shorter is a towering figure who left a remarkable mark on jazz history: he played with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’s Quintet, and later co-founded Weather Report, one of the pioneering fusion groups.

He even toured Japan during his Jazz Messengers days, and he’s remained very popular here.

This album is a gem of modal jazz that fully showcases Shorter’s slightly shadowy, mysterious allure, and it’s widely regarded as one of his early masterpieces.

Drawing on themes such as black magic, which Shorter was interested in at the time, it offers an adventurous, New Thing–leaning approach while keeping the melodies beautiful and accessible.

It’s the kind of music you want to listen to alone in your bedroom at midnight.

By the way, the woman on the cover is Shorter’s then-wife, Japanese American Teruka Eileen Nakagami!

Just FriendsCharlie Parker

Charlie Parker with Strings – Just Friends

Charlie Parker, also known by his nickname “Bird,” was a pioneering figure who helped forge bebop—the prototype of modern jazz—in the early 1940s, and he is revered by jazz fans worldwide as the “Father of Modern Jazz.” Sadly, Parker’s private life was far from exemplary, and his troubled day-to-day existence led to his death at the young age of 34.

Even so, his musical achievements are immeasurable in the history of jazz.

Clint Eastwood, famed for his maverick love of jazz and for directing several documentaries on jazz musicians, also produced and directed the 1988 film “Bird,” which focused on Parker.

Here, I’d like to introduce “Charlie Parker With Strings,” a two-disc collection compiling recordings Parker made between 1947 and 1952.

As the title suggests, it’s a collaboration with orchestra: within the sweet, retro-tinged string sound, Parker’s alto sax stands out with stunning presence and beauty.

If you want to savor the alto saxophone’s tone in a romantic mood, this is a must-listen.

Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)Benny Goodman

Sing Sing Sing – Carnegie Hall 1938

If you want to explore “swing jazz,” which sparked a boom from the 1930s to the early 1940s and is sometimes called prewar jazz, a must-know artist is Benny Goodman, the American clarinetist and famed bandleader.

His life was depicted in the 1955 film The Benny Goodman Story, and Goodman is indispensable when discussing the history of jazz.

Pieces performed by his orchestra—such as Sing, Sing, Sing, whose drum intro leaves a powerful impact—continue to be beloved as quintessential works in wind ensembles today.

The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, as its title suggests, documents Goodman’s orchestra performing at Carnegie Hall in 1938.

It was a historic event: the first jazz concert ever held at Carnegie Hall, the hallowed hall of classical music.

Admittedly, the recording is old and retains some surface noise, but that, too, adds to its charm.

If you want to enjoy good old jazz, this is a must-listen.

Lotus BlossomKenny Dorham

Kenny Dorham Quartet – Lotus Blossom

The album title “QUIET KENNY” and its tasteful cover are supremely dandy and cool.

Kenny Dorham, a Texas-born trumpeter and one of the defining players of the bebop era, is extremely popular among jazz fans here in Japan as well.

He also spent time with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and as both a leader and a sideman he delivered a burnished, understated brilliance on trumpet.

The work mentioned at the start is one of Dorham’s signature albums, known in Japan under the title “Shizukanaru Kenny” (Quiet Kenny).

The ensemble—formed as a one-horn quartet—functions less to flaunt overwhelming technique or flashy improvisation, and more to build the unique atmosphere of each tune.

It’s irresistibly cool to hear the wistful melodies and masculine allure that mirror the mood of the cover.

The quality of the original compositions is also noteworthy, making this a record that fully showcases Dorham’s gifts as a composer.

It’s a gem I’d recommend to anyone who wants to experience jazz as truly adult music.

BirdlandWeather Report

Weather Report – Birdland

Within jazz, this album can be considered one of the most important in the genre known as fusion, which blends a variety of musical elements.

Released in 1977, Heavy Weather became Weather Report’s biggest hit—a group that drove the jazz scene of the ’70s and influenced many subsequent artists and bands.

It was their second album after the legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius joined, and it further emphasized a pop and funky feel within the band’s forward-thinking style, resulting in a masterpiece filled with tracks that are easy on the ears even for those not very familiar with jazz, let alone fusion.

The opening track Birdland, composed by Joe Zawinul and now a standard that has gone down in history, is especially famous—a perfect classic in every respect, from its dramatic development and unforgettable melody to Jaco’s striking fretless bass.

Highly recommended even for rock fans who don’t usually listen to much jazz!

The Days of Wine and RosesOscar Peterson Trio

Days Of Wine & Roses / Oscar Peterson Trio

Among the many jazz pianists, Oscar Peterson from Montreal, Canada, possessed top-tier technique, yet instead of emphasizing complexity, he conveyed the joyful, feel-good side of music.

Over his long career he released countless works, won seven Grammy Awards, and received the 11th Praemium Imperiale, among other honors—achievements that place him in a unique position in the history of modern jazz.

While many geniuses and mavericks experimented to expand the possibilities of jazz, Peterson essentially never strayed from his regal, straight-ahead style, continuing to perform with an upbeat sound that fused swing and bop to communicate the pure fun of jazz.

Even just looking at the album cover, you can’t help but smile at how happy the three players seem—We Get Requests is one of Peterson’s signature albums.

Released in 1964, it’s a classic that includes well-known tunes such as Days of Wine and Roses, composed by the famed film composer Henry Mancini.

If you want to savor the comfort and joy of swinging jazz to your heart’s content, this is essential listening.

RiseHerb Alpert

herb alpert – rise 1979

A song written by Herb Alpert’s nephew Randy “Badazz” Alpert and Andy Armer.

It was Alpert’s second song to reach No.

1 on the charts.

It’s also known for being sampled in The Notorious B.

I.

G.

’s hit “Hypnotize.”