The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz is itself somewhat of a classic, referred to in many books, and used as the main learning source in at least one. If you don't know what you like in jazz and are looking for a well-put-together introduction, this set is a good bet. It starts with ragtime's Scott Joplin, and proceeds through Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, Duke Ellington ... all the way up to and including the free jazz of Ornette Coleman, and even The World Saxophone Quartet. Of course John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and all the other big guns are there -- even Horace Silver and Lennie Tristano. This five-CD set (94 tracks) contains classic cuts in most cases. This set is a great place to begin.
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Vol. 1-5
Various Artists
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The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Vol. 1-5 Review
by Michael Erlewine
Track Listing - Disc 1
Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Scott Joplin | 03:19 | Amazon | |||
2 | Jelly Roll Morton | 02:40 | Amazon | |||
3 | Bessie Smith | 03:05 | Amazon | |||
4 | Bessie Smith | 02:54 | Amazon | |||
5 | King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band | 02:32 | Amazon | |||
6 | Jelly Roll Morton | 03:09 | Amazon | |||
7 | Jelly Roll Morton | 02:54 | Amazon | |||
8 | Jelly Roll Morton | 02:52 | Amazon | |||
9 | Jelly Roll Morton | 02:52 | Amazon | |||
10 | The Red Onion Jazz Babies | 03:05 | Amazon | |||
11 | Sidney Bechet & His Blue Note Jazzmen | 04:19 | Amazon | |||
12 | James P. Johnson | 02:39 | Amazon | |||
13 | Louis Armstrong | 02:57 | Amazon | |||
14 | Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven | 02:58 | Amazon | |||
15 | Louis Armstrong | 02:59 | Amazon | |||
16 | Louis Armstrong | 02:59 | Amazon | |||
17 | Louis Armstrong | 03:15 | Amazon | |||
18 | Louis Armstrong / Earl Hines | 02:41 | Amazon | |||
19 | Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra | 03:13 | Amazon | |||
20 | Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra | 02:52 | Amazon | |||
21 | Frankie Trumbauer | 02:58 | Amazon | |||
22 | Frankie Trumbauer | 03:07 | Amazon | |||
23 | Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra | 03:14 | Amazon |
Track Listing - Disc 2
Track Listing - Disc 3
Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 03:35 | Amazon | |||
2 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 02:56 | Amazon | |||
3 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 05:56 | Amazon | |||
4 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 02:40 | Amazon | |||
5 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 03:17 | Amazon | |||
6 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 03:08 | Amazon | |||
7 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 03:15 | Amazon | |||
8 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | 03:19 | Amazon | |||
9 | Don Byas / Slam Stewart | 04:54 | Amazon | |||
10 | Dizzy Gillespie | 03:03 | Amazon | |||
11 | Dizzy Gillespie | 02:55 | Amazon | |||
12 | Charlie Parker | 02:51 | Amazon | |||
13 | Charlie Parker / Jazz at the Philharmonic | 03:02 | Amazon | |||
14 | Charlie Parker | 02:06 | Amazon | |||
15 | Charlie Parker | 01:53 | Amazon | |||
16 | Charlie Parker | 03:00 | Amazon | |||
17 | Charlie Parker | 01:01 | Amazon | |||
18 | Charlie Parker | 02:55 | Amazon | |||
19 | Charlie Parker | 03:00 | Amazon | |||
20 | Erroll Garner | 02:53 | Amazon | |||
21 | Bud Powell Trio | 04:13 | Amazon | |||
22 | Dexter Gordon Quartet | 03:34 | Amazon | |||
23 | Tadd Dameron | 02:47 | Amazon |
Track Listing - Disc 4
Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miles Davis & His Orchestra | 02:57 | Amazon | |||
2 | Lennie Tristano Quintet | 02:44 | Amazon | |||
3 | Stan Getz / Red Norvo | 03:35 | Amazon | |||
4 | Sarah Vaughan | 02:19 | Amazon | |||
5 | Sarah Vaughan | 05:48 | Amazon | |||
6 | Thelonious Monk Quartet | 03:18 | Amazon | |||
7 | Thelonious Monk Quartet | 02:30 | Amazon | |||
8 | Thelonious Monk Quintet | 02:54 | Amazon | |||
9 | Thelonious Monk | 02:48 | Amazon | |||
10 | Thelonious Monk | 03:11 | Amazon | |||
11 | Horace Silver Quintet | 10:48 | Amazon | |||
12 | Miles Davis / Gil Evans Orchestra | 03:16 | Amazon | |||
13 | Charles Mingus Quintet | 11:51 | Amazon | |||
14 | The Modern Jazz Quartet | 05:22 | Amazon | |||
15 | Sonny Rollins | 08:52 | Amazon |
Track Listing - Disc 5
Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sonny Rollins Quartet | 11:08 | Amazon | |||
2 | Wes Montgomery | 05:30 | Amazon | |||
3 | Miles Davis | 08:51 | Amazon | |||
4 | Bill Evans | 05:20 | Amazon | |||
5 | Cecil Taylor Unit | 10:57 | Amazon | |||
6 | John Coltrane Quartet | 05:09 | Amazon | |||
7 | Ornette Coleman Quartet | 04:54 | Amazon | |||
8 | Ornette Coleman Quartet | 06:41 | Amazon | |||
9 | Ornette Coleman Double Quartet | 10:03 | Amazon | |||
10 | World Saxophone Quartet | 07:13 | Amazon |