The Royal Road of Jazz: Classic modern jazz masterpieces. Popular tracks you should listen to at least once.
Have you ever wondered what exactly people mean by “modern jazz,” a term you often hear within jazz? If you’re new to jazz and have that question, you’re not alone.
Modern jazz generally refers to the period spanning from “bebop,” which emerged in the mid-to-late 1940s, to modal jazz, which appeared in the late 1950s.
You could even call modern jazz the classic, mainstream form of jazz, and many of the genre’s most iconic albums and songs were created during the modern jazz era.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of great modern jazz tunes.
If you’re thinking of giving jazz a listen, this is the perfect chance to check them out!
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[The Royal Road of Jazz] Masterpieces of Modern Jazz: Popular Songs You Should Hear at Least Once (21–30)
Road SongWes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery is famous as a jazz musician who couldn’t read sheet music.
Yet he was a genius melodist, and this track lets you fully savor his unique sound featuring octave playing (plucking two strings).
It’s perfect for when you want to take a solo, aimless drive out into the countryside.
That restless feeling that pushes you to hit the road matches beautifully with the superb melody.
Swingin’Clifford Brown
A signature work by the “genius hard-bopper” Clifford Brown.
It’s just superb—yet eccentric.
He was so extraordinarily gifted that, tragically, he passed away in a car accident at just 25.
His technique was so flawless—never a single mistone—that people joked he must have made a pact with the devil.
If Miles was the field commander, Clifford delivered a truly striker-like sound.
The Royal Road of Jazz: Masterpieces of Modern Jazz. Popular Tracks You Should Listen to at Least Once (31–40)
Goodbye Pork Pie HatCharles Mingus
This piece, included on the jazz landmark album “Mingus Ah Um,” is a composition Charles Mingus created in 1959.
Written as a tribute to saxophonist Lester Young, the song has come to be widely recognized as a jazz standard.
Through Mingus’s bass playing and his ensemble arrangements, it pays respect to Young’s life and legacy.
The track opens with a delicate piano introduction by Horace Parlan, and saxophone solos by John Handy and Booker Ervin add emotional weight.
This instrumental, expressing deep sorrow and a sense of loss, has captured the hearts of many jazz fans.
As a pivotal work in the evolution of jazz, it stands as proof of music’s power to capture the essence of humanity.
Body and SoulColeman Hawkins
Known as one of the most iconic performances in jazz history, this piece is a masterpiece of improvisation by tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins.
Recorded in a New York studio in October 1939, it opened up new horizons for jazz improvisation.
Hawkins’s powerful sound and exploratory approach to harmony have continued to influence countless musicians.
While the song is a jazz standard with lyrics expressing deep love and longing, Hawkins’s version is instrumental, showcasing the full extent of his technique and expressiveness.
It’s a must-listen for anyone who wants to savor the essence of jazz or experience the allure of the saxophone.
Salt PeanutsDizzy Gillespie
Known as a bebop classic, this piece is characterized by its energetic, happy vibe.
Co-written with Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Clarke in 1941, it features the playful “Salt Peanuts!” refrain, highlighting the importance of humor in jazz performance.
The live recording from Jazz at Massey Hall in Toronto in 1953, which includes this track, is known as the final collaboration between Charlie Parker and Gillespie.
It’s a must-listen not only for jazz fans but also for anyone who wants to experience musical freedom and creativity.
MantecaDizzy Gillespie
It is a seminal piece of Afro-Cuban jazz and is known as a landmark performance in jazz history.
First recorded on December 30, 1947, by Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra, the piece symbolizes the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms and American jazz.
Built on the rhythm pattern known as the clave, it features complex harmonies and rhythms, as well as improvisation.
This work can be seen as an ambitious statement in which Gillespie, while hinting at the racial tensions in America at the time, suggested new possibilities for cultural exchange through music.
It’s also a recommended track for those new to jazz.
The Shadow of Your SmileJoe Pass
A World of Only Guitar — It’s a work that makes you oddly solemn.
In his later years, Joe Pass built a unique jazz universe using only a gut-string guitar.
That sound has a quality reminiscent of the tea ceremony.
Everything unnecessary is stripped away.
Just the guitar.
Jazz usually feels out of place in a Japanese-style room, but this is music that shines even in a dim, tea-room-like space.
Strangely, I sense a similar spirit to wabi-sabi and kare (withered elegance).
It’s the realm of a master that someone as young as me still cannot fully grasp.