Another freakin’ list
Submitted by Jazz Suite
Amazon is the latest to name its list of The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time, and like all these things, there are a few head scratchers.
Favorite response so far? The forum thread asking “Are You Guys Nuts?”
The problem with lists are they can’t be all things to all people, and the specific problem with this list, in particular, is that it tries to be. Including Herb Alpert, Pat Methany and John Zorn with the likes of Davis, Coleman and Coltrane betrays the fact this kind of list is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. The point is obvious. Drive people to point of purchase MP3 sales.
After all, who are Amazon’s jazz editors? Who gives them the authority? And why should we listen to them? Although, I guess we should give them points for taking the offbeat choice of Ornette Coleman at number one over Kind of Blue. But then, they also included Bitches Brew, and Miles fans can’t even agree on that one…
Beyond that, I have two key criticisms:
- We skip a good twenty years of jazz because the LP hadn’t come into being yet. No Hot Fives and Sevens. No Bix. King Oliver. No Django.We throw a bone to the Benny fans by including the 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert, but only because he found the tapes in the 50s.
- I only took a quick glance, but I don’t think I saw anything off the Arbors, Concord or Stomp Off labels. I may be wrong on that, but I think we are looking at Blue Note and Verve.
Amazon covers its ass this way:
Because of its long, storied history, jazz has existed in recorded form longer than the format, or even concept of the album has, which certainly complicates making a list of the 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time. There were many incredible, influential, and vital jazz musicians who never released a single album–many, if not most of those who created and shaped the genre in its early days are included in that group. However, this is a list of the greatest jazz albums of all time, not the most influential or innovative jazz musicians of all time. Here are the rules we used to compile our list:
- Legitimate album releases only: no collections, compilations, singles, or EPs.
- Reissues, even those with tacked-on bonus tracks, qualify for inclusion.
- While we typically only allow one album per artist, due to the collaborative nature of jazz as an art form, and the drastically different styles played by single artists within one career, we will allow multiple albums by the same artists.
Well, there we go, then.
But, what is this societal obsession to know “what the 100 greatest _______s” are. It’s kind of the equivalant to the Reader’s Digest library, isn’t it? “If I buy these 100 albums my collection is complete, and my friends will think I’m worldly.” Though, it’s quite likely they will never get through that Eric Dolphy album…
But worse, some fledgling jazz fan who wants to know more about the music may depend on something like this to get them going, and will miss out on a lot of great stuff.
So I guess it comes down to us. When someone shows an interest in jazz and asks an opinion, give it. If they say, “hey, I bought that Louis and Ella album,” take the opportunity to introduce them to how it all started and play them “Once in a While,” “West End Blues” or “Struttin’ With Some Barbeque.” Pull out your Chick Web compilation so they can hear that 16-year-old Ella. Give them a chance to hear there were styles before Bop.
And let the music do the talking. Too many of today’s “authorities” try to lecture to neophiles about the social message. There will be plenty of time for that latter, if they are interested. There’s no more surefire way to turn someone off to something that should be about stomping feet and having a good time than to make it a school lesson.
It’s the only way to keep this music we love from becoming a museum piece.
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May 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I really agree with you in many things you said.
But I don´t think list are workless. When you start listening to jazz, having some list as a reference is useful.OK, I agree there is not a “greatest” jazz (or whatever style) album, but after seeing some list some names remains in your head.
And finally, i didn’t understand the point about Metheny, Zorn (I didn’t heard the other musician you mention) and the Bitches Brew.
Very good blog, greetings from Argentina.