[Jazz Intro] Classic Jazz Tracks Recommended for First-Time Listeners

Take FiveDave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck, The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five (Audio)

Famous for its distinctive rhythm in 5/4 time, “Take Five” is a prime example.

While it’s often discussed in terms of its high recognition from frequent use on television and its performance difficulty, its greatest appeal may be the accessible melody that doesn’t make you consciously feel the odd meter.

Featured on the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s classic 1959 album “Time Out,” this piece could be said to symbolize the remarkable freedom inherent in jazz.

Giant StepsJohn Coltrane

Giant Steps (Mono)

Among jazz standards, there are some fiendishly difficult pieces that make even seasoned players sweat.

One of the most famous is Giant Steps.

For listeners, it has a simple melody with a slightly mysterious feel, a fast tempo, and it’s a great track to enjoy the performers’ technique—so it’s even recommended as an entry point to jazz.

However, its extremely complex chord progression, known as the “Coltrane Changes,” makes improvisation extraordinarily challenging, turning it into a very high-level piece for jazz beginners.

Keeping that background in mind, you can’t help but listen with your palms sweating.

I Got RhythmSonny Stitt

I Got Rhythm

One of the jazz chord progressions is called the “Rhythm Changes.” Tunes like “Oleo” and “Anthropology” are famous examples, and the foundation for them is George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.” The 32-bar theme is built on a simple melody, but within the repeated melodic figures, only bars 17–24 follow a different progression, creating a striking moment.

Developing an improvised solo over this progression is a prime opportunity for performers to showcase their skills.

Sing Sing SingBenny Goodman

Benny Goodman and His Orchestra – Sing, Sing, Sing (Audio)

The 2004 Japanese film Swing Girls, starring Juri Ueno, can be considered one of the catalysts that reignited Japan’s waning interest in jazz.

The movie features many classic jazz numbers, but the one that most perfectly matched the upbeat energy of the cast and became emblematic of the film was Sing, Sing, Sing.

This piece is a staple of big band jazz and is also frequently performed by wind ensembles, so many people may already be familiar with it.

Satin DollJoe Pass

“Satin Doll” Joe Pass

When you hear the term “jazz guitar,” it might be hard to picture exactly what it is if you’re not familiar with jazz.

So let me introduce a performance by the legendary jazz guitarist Joe Pass.

His playing, which masterfully weaves together melody and chords, is a superb example of jazz guitar—an exquisite performance underpinned by rock-solid technique.