The Most Exciting Jazz Albums Since 1969: 1995-1996

Many people cite 1959 as one of the greatest years in jazz. Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (Columbia Records), Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic Records), Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet (Columbia Records), John Coltrane's Giant Steps (Atlantic Records), and Mingus Ah Um (Columbia Records) by Charles Mingus were the Jazz Thrillers of the day. They weren't just jazz albums, but true classics that have stood the test of time.

Whether these six Jazz Thrillers (five from 1995 and one from 1996) will ever reach true classic status is unknown, but they have maintained their exciting listenability for almost three decades. And a more diverse collection of jazz albums would be hard to find. Presented chronologically, travel back in time and be prepared to be thrilled.

72 Thrilling Jazz Albums, Part 3: 1995-1996

13

Bing, Bing, Bing!
Charlie Hunter Trio
Blue Note
1995

Guitarist Charlie Hunter is an original virtuoso who plays an eight-string guitar—melodies on the first six strings and bass on the other two—at the same time. How that is even possible boggles the mind. The album, his second, is a collection of funky, danceable workouts accompanied by Dave Ellis on tenor sax and Jay Lane on drums. Every song establishes a solid groove and then takes off without letup. Despite Hunter's extraordinary talent, his technique never calls attention to itself.

What you remember are the fun, catchy and memorable tunes, with wacky titles such as "Greasy Granny," "Fistful of Haggis" and "Squiddlesticks," all band originals. But the biggest thriller of all is "Come As You Are" by Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, which transforms the grunge anthem into the hardest, soaring jazz groove ever heard while Hunter and Ellis take turns throwing solos back and forth like a pair of master jugglers.

14

Blue Sun
Mark Isham
Columbia
1995

If there was a modern-day version of Kind of Blue, this beautiful, deeply thrilling album would appear high on the list. Mark Isham is an extraordinary trumpet player who can do it all, from tender ballads and scorching blues to passionate torch songs—100% pure, deep, jazz. A talented composer, he penned seven of the album's nine compositions. He is so talented, in fact, that his main body of work is in movie soundtracks, finding time to record only a handful of true jazz albums, to our great loss. (Also check out Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project (Columbia Records, 1999) for the best-recorded tribute of Miles's electric years—another thriller.)

But this one is a masterpiece of smoky melodies and deep, emotional vistas. The opening song, "Barcelona," transports you to that magical city, and the title song, "Blue Sun," will slay you with its deep melancholy. A heartbreaking rendition of Duke Ellington's masterpiece "In a Sentimental Mood" floats a soft, aching trumpet melody on the gentle embrace of piano, bass and drums. Love in real time. And not one to hog the spotlight, Isham turns the next soaring solo over to a passionate Steve Tavaglione on tenor. Chills and tears.

15

Music from the Danish Jungle
Pierre Dorge and New Jungle Orchestra
Dacapo
1995

What do you get when you blend the styles of Ellington and Mingus, with West African Highlife guitar music and an ultra-extroverted 10-piece band from Denmark? One of the most thrilling and exuberant jazz albums ever recorded. Pierre Dorge's formula: Start with Ellington, then sprinkle with a little madness and broad grins. On "Mango for Mingus," a slinky trumpet-driven tango dives into a deliriously costumed dance party punctuated by grooving guitar. The third song, "The Enigmatic Bird" channels the spirit of Charlie Parker with an astounding, hair-raising melody. "Skorping After Dark" sounds exactly like its name.

Fourteen songs over 74 thrilling minutes: this is less like an album and more like a special celebration. Endless listens reveal new beauty and a high fun-to-infinity ratio. With a 35-album discography that spans 41 years (this is their 19th), this is the band's crowning achievement. Among its greatest features are the dynamic calls and responses between Dorge's exquisite guitar and the band's tight-as-a-drum horn section. Breathtaking and laughter- inducing at the same time. (Video medley below)

16

Rhythm Within
Steve Turre
Antilles
1995

Is it the fact that Steve Turre not only plays trombone but also conch shells? Is it that this albums features a "conch choir" that also doubles on trombones? Or is it that it features Jon Faddis on stratospheric trumpet, Pharoah Sanders on soaring sax and Herbie Hancock laying down some of the best solos of his career? Well, Rhythm Within is all of that and so much more. The opener, "Funky T," contains all that is thrilling and wonderful about this album, with a plaintive conch solo over a dancing, serpentine rhythm and a brass chorus laying down the driving theme. Next, "Morning," by Yusef Lateef, opens with another conch solo in a mysterious groove and then a muted trumpet solo by Faddis that hits you right in the solar plexus.

The name of the album gives away the feel: wonderful, dancing, pulsating, joyful rhythms that emerge from the very heart of jazz. Plus, mind-blowing conch shell sounds (and trombones). All of Steve Turre's 20-plus albums are the epitome of jazz excellence, but this one is as thrilling as it gets.

17

Ride
Thomas Chapin Trio
Playscape
2006 (Recorded 1995)

Thomas Chapin's early death at 40 in 1998 from leukemia was very sad, not just because he was young, but because he was possibly the most incandescent saxophonist of his generation. He made his trio (with Mario Pavone and Michael Sarin) roar like a big band, so powerful was his playing. Ride is a live recording from the North Sea Jazz Festival that showcases his extraordinary talents to the fullest.

In the opener, "Anima," Chapin goes from a whisper to a funky groove to an exultation of the spirits and back again without a boring moment in this 17-minute tour de force. Then, on the follow-up, "Pet Scorpion," he dials up the intensity to a thousand, taking no prisoners as he dances with his deadly companion. Even the encore, "Ticket to Ride," makes you look at The Beatles in a whole new light. Ride, indeed. Not for the faint of heart, this album delivers more thrills (and smiles) than a hundred lesser jazz albums.

18

Dark Star (The Music of the Grateful Dead)
David Murray Octet
Astor Place
1996

David Murray is one of the most prolific jazz musicians alive, with a discography pushing 125 titles. That includes nine octet albums, including Dark Star. Some words to describe Murray's music and this album would be expressive, innovative, energetic, adventurous, and genre-blurring. Take a handful of Grateful Dead classics, filter them through Murray's unique style, and this danceable, fun and groove-laden album is the result.

"Samson and Delilah" is a barn burner; "Estimated Prophet," the real thriller here, builds upon a slow, grooving sax solo with densely woven horn and keyboard tapestries. The title song, "Dark Star," opens with a plaintive trumpet solo and a meandering, psychedelic soundscape, a journey to nowhere... until from the dark emerges trombone, trumpets and percussion sketching out the song's haunting melody. It then drifts into a kaleidoscope of sound like the view from the James Webb Telescope, full of dark matter and throbbing colors—thrills of a whole different order.

Next week

Six more thrilling, genre-bending jazz albums that will thrill you to your very bones. Featuring Herbie Hancock, Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell and more.

To see all the albums in this series, scroll down the page and click on the blue MORE button.

Comments