If you’re looking for raw energy and improvisational magic, look no further than this list of 10 iconic live jazz performances that were captured and released on record.
The majority of the albums of all time were planned, rehearsed and recorded in a studio with the luxury of multiple ‘takes’ of each track.
But whilst this undoubtedly helps the musicians produce exactly what they were searching for, live albums (ie captured on stage in front of an audience) can provide an extra layer of excitement and atmosphere.
You can hear the audience reacting and communicating with the musicians via applause, shouts, and whistles.
And, if there are mistakes or unexpected happenings, they stay in!
So, to help in the quest to deepen your knowledge of , we’ve picked out 10 of the of all time that deserve at least a listen, and at most a prized place on your record shelf!
10. at Oberlin 1953 (Fantasy Records) – Quartet
Recorded: 2 March 1953
Personnel:
– piano
Paul Desmond – alto saxophone
Ron Crotty – double bass
Lloyd Davis – drums
‘s at Oberlin is an essential milestone in and education history.
He recorded in the Finney Chapel at Oberlin College in Ohio. The significance of this is it proved also played in a concert hall.
The young audience was very enthusiastic throughout the concert, which is audible on the recordings. Some say this concert made a legitimate field of musical study at Oberlin, the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the US.
Paul Desmond’s virtuoso, be-bop fuelled alto saxophone melodies channelled his well-known, sweet mellow sound which, paired with Brubeck’s sometimes free- like piano solos, gives us a truly remarkable to enjoy.
Although all the compositions are widely known songs from the Great American Songbook, the group added arrangements that suit Quartet‘s sound.
Recommended track: “The Way You Look Tonight”.
9. Ellington at Newport (Columbus) – Orchestra
Recorded: 7 July 1956
Personnel:
– piano
Cat Anderson; Willie Cook; Clark Terry; Ray Nance – trumpet & vocal;
Quentin Jackson; Lawrence Brown; John Sanders; Britt Woodman – trombone
Johnny Hodges; Russel Procope – alto saxophone & clarinet Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone Harry Carney – baritone saxophone Jimmy
Hamilton – clarinet
Jimmy Woode – double bass; Al Lucas – bass; Jimmy Grissom- vocals; Sam Woodyard – drums
By the 1950s, big band music was becoming less popular and, as such, Ellington’s band was the only one that ever performed at the famous Newport Festival.
What may have been planned as a kind of ‘heritage’ act turned into one of the most famous live albums of all time, partly due to the epic 27-chorus solo taken by saxophonist Paul Gonsalves that connected two of Ellington’s classics, “Diminuendo” and “Crescendo in Blue”.
The tenor man is fuelled by the band members’ shouts and screams (“Come on Paul – dig in! Dig in!)” to perform one of the most iconic solos in the history of .
The performance sent the audience into a frenzy; people danced and didn’t want the band to leave the stage.
Ultimately, this concert rebuilt ‘s popularity until he died in 1974.
There’s another story to this though (which we describe in more detail here): the original release of this included overdubbed, faked solos due to recording issues, and it wasn’t until 1999 that the full, unedited concert was released publicly!
Recommended track: “Diminuendo in Blue”.
8. A Night at the () –
Recorded: 3 November 1957
Personnel:
– tenor saxophone
Donald Bailey – double bass on afternoon set
Pete LaRoca – drums on afternoon set
Wilbur Ware – double bass on evening sets
Elvin Jones – drums on evening sets
, the Saxophone Colossus, a legend of , made this incredible landmark recording in 1957 at the legendary in New York.
The contains music from the three sets (two evenings and one afternoon, hence the different line-up) and is one of the finest examples of trio playing.
Rollins is simply magnificent; his phrasing, free-flowing melodies and time feel are just perfect, with two significant rhythm sections.
In 1999, Records released a remastered version of the , with all the available recordings from afternoon and evening sets.
Recommended track: “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (Evening set)”.
7. Quartet with at ()
Recorded: 29 November 1957
Personnel:
– piano
– tenor saxophone
Ahmed Abdul-Malik – bass
Shadow Wilson – drums
Captured in 1957, didn’t find the recording until 2005, releasing it after restoration.
The concert at was a benefit, the so-called “Thanksgiving ” for the Morningside Community Centre in Harlem, with other performers included , Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, , Chet Baker and Zoot Sims.
This has a massive significance as, until its release, we didn’t have many recordings that showcased the musical partnership between Coltrane and Monk.
Coltrane had started out with Monk and, later, he explained that his love of playing in piano-less trio format originated during the times with Monk, as Monk would just stop playing for significant parts of the songs, leaving him just with the bass and drums.
After its release in 2005 it quickly became the number one selling recording on online stores.
It’s a very genuine recording, made even more real through some minor ‘mistakes’ in the tunes; the melodies aren’t played perfectly together but that’s part of the magic!
As four people play together, they communicate, follow each other, and react to each other’s playing on the spot.
Recommended track: “Nutty”.
6. Sunday at the (Riverside) – Trio
Recorded: 25 June 1961.
Personnel:
– piano
Scott LaFaro – double bass
Paul Motian – drums
Widely considered one of the best piano trio recordings of all time, ‘s engagement is one of the finest examples of the influence of European classical music on in the 1960s.
The original consists of six songs selected from five sets (two afternoons and three evenings); the trio played on the 25th of June.
The tracks present on the were chosen by producer Orrin Keepnews and himself to represent best of Scott LaFaro who tragically lost his life in a car accident only 11 days later.
This is the last performance of the legendary trio, and is a real gem.
After working mainly as a sideman with Chet Baker, and , formed his legendary trio with LaFaro and Motian in 1959 and released 5 LP’s that were to define the art of piano trio playing.
The ‘s first and last songs are Scott LaFaro compositions, honouring his memory this way.
In 2005, Riverside recordings released the entire recordings as a three-CD box set, The Complete Recordings, 1961.
Recommended track: “All of You Take 2”.
5. “Live” at the (Impulse!) –
Recorded: November 1961
Personnel:
– soprano and tenor saxophone
– bass clarinet on “Spiritual.”
McCoy Tyner – piano
Reggie Workman – double bass
Jimmy Garrison – double bass
Elvin Jones – drums
The third, and last, of the albums recorded at the on this list, is Coltrane’s landmark .
This was the first time the “Classic Coltrane Quartet” played together, as Jimmy Garrison replaced Reggie Workman… and what a replacement he was!
In 1961, Coltrane decided to add to his quartet, which led to many controversies and negative reviews of the band’s music.
DownBeat critic John Tynan wrote “musical nonsense being peddled in the name of ” after the group’s residency in late October 1961.
The original release contains three compositions, “Spiritual”, with on bass clarinet, a famous pop song of the era, “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise”, and a blues, “Chasin’ the Trane“, recorded in trio with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones.
Undoubtedly this is one of the most famous Coltrane performances; an astonishing 16-minute-long improvised masterpiece that showcases the genius of the tenor sax player as he gets away from any sort of standard form, harmony and chords – and how Garrison and Jones are following him.
The well-known critic Ben Ratliff said about this solo that “Chasin’ the Trane” is a unifier of free and straight-ahead .”
Recommended track: “Chasin’ the Trane”.
4. Live at Birdland (Impulse!) –
Recorded: October 1964
Personnel:
– soprano and tenor saxophone
McCoy Tyner – piano
Jimmy Garrison – double bass
Elvin Jones – drums
We have to admit that this recording only just about sneaks into our ‘live albums‘ criteria… because only three of the five songs were actually recorded live!
The remaining songs were recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio later.
Despite that, it’s an excellent insight into the raw power and inventiveness of ‘s playing in this period and deserves a deeper listen.
We can find the piece “Alabama” on the , which is a tribute to the four children killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, a terrorist attack by white supremacists.
According to historian Bill Cole, the melody was developed from the rhythmic and melodic inflexions of the speech given by Dr Martin Luther King following the bombings.
In the live part of the recording, we can admire Coltrane’s soprano playing on tunes “Afro-Blue”, “The Promise” and the Billy Eckstine ballad, “I Want to Talk About You” (which he also recorded on his 1958 ).
This allows us to ear-witness one of the greatest quartets performing live. A true gem!
Recommended track(s): “I Want to Talk About You and Alabama”.
3. Four & More: Recorded Live in Concert; My Funny Valentine (Columbia) –
Recorded: 12 February 1964
Personnel:
– trumpet
George Coleman – tenor saxophone
– piano
Ron Carter – double bass
Tony Williams – drums
This live was recorded at Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Centre, NYC on 12 February 1964, at a benefit concert for voter registration in Mississippi and Louisiana.
There is an interesting background story to this : one of the reasons behind the band playing so much up-tempo is that the musicians were frustrated after not getting paid for the performance.
Not only that, but they came off stage feeling they’d played badly – especially the young rhythm section who were feeling the pressure of performing with Miles.
However, it was arguably their most effective date yet, as the resulting recording showcases.
Regardless of the furious tempo, Miles’s playing is revitalised and George Coleman – who would be replaced by Wayne Shorter shortly after this – soars through the rhythmical challenges that the young rhythm section (displaying their early prodigious talents) lays down.
Columbia assembled two albums from this concert. The fast tempo pieces became known as Four & More, while the My Funny Valentine (released in 1965) consisted of slow and medium-tempo parts.
Recommended track: “Seven Steps to Heaven”.
2. Smokin! at the Half Note (Verve) – & Wynton Kelly Trio
Recorded: June 1965 and September 1965
Personnel:
– guitar
Wynton Kelly – piano
Paul Chambers – double bass
Jimmy Cobb – drums
This is yet another that is only partly live yet deserves to be on the list, as it is an essential to understand Montgomery’s brilliant and influential guitar playing.
AllMusic critic Jim smith wrote that “Montgomery never played with more drive and confidence, and he’s supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin’ Wynton Kelly Trio.”
The versions of “Unit 7” and “Four on Six” are one of the reasons these songs are established standards.
Recommended track: “Four on Six” & “If You Could Hear Me Now”.
1. Sinatra at the Sands (Reprise) – Frank Sinatra & and His Orchestra
Recorded: January and February 1966
Personnel:
Frank Sinatra – vocal
– piano
Bill Miller – piano
The Orchestra:
Quincy Jones – arranging & conducting
Harry “Sweets” Edison; Al Aarons; Sonny Cohn; Wallace Davenport; Phil Guilbeau – trumpet
Al Grey; Henderson Chambers; Grover Mitchell; Bill Hughes – trombone
Marshall Royal; Bobby Plater; alto saxophone, clarinet, flute; Eric Dixon; Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – tenor saxophone, flute; Charlie Fowlkes – baritone saxophone/bass clarinet
Freddie Green – guitar
Norman Keenan – double bass
Sonny Payne – drums
This may be the second big band on the list, but it’s the only one led by a singer: the legendary Frank Sinatra himself.
Recorded live in the Copa Room of the former Sands Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, in 1966, it was the first Sinatra live to be released, and documents many of his hits of the day.
Classics such as “Fly Me to The Moon”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “Luck Be a Lad” sit alongside some lesser-known surprises.
It’s an enjoyable and entertaining to listen to with the band on fire, swinging hard and Sinatra in fine humour. His 12-minute-long stand-up comedy-like monologue demonstrates the relaxed atmosphere and adds to the experience.
During ‘the tea break’ he jokes with the audience, making fun of his own and Dean Martin’s drinking habits, and mocks himself about his skinny childhood physique.
Recommended tracks: “The Tea Break & Angel Eyes.”
That’s it from us! Whilst there are undoubtedly another 100 live albums that could have been added here, we hope this gives you a springboard for some more live listening today!
If you’re looking for more classic recordings, check out our round up of the best albums of all time, as well as lists broken down by type of jazz.
International jazz booking agent, manager and host of Jazzfuel.
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