50s
Straight, No Chaser - Thelonius Monk put Jazz through the mincer and no self respecting keyboard player can do without him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVb9e1DgKJ4
So What – Well there‘s before Kind of Blue and there‘s after. Nuff said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEC8nqT6Rrk
60s
Resolution – Philip Larkin, the great poet and sometime jazz critic, accused Coltrane of creating music that was ugly on purpose but he still admired A Love Supreme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6pSffe4k60
The Girl from Ipanema –Jobim, Gilberto and Getz and the most evocative of Latin jazz classics. The girl in question was allegedly 13 or 14 at the time.And the opening verses are in Portuguese, not Spanish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5QfXjsoNe4
70s
Bit ches Brew – Arguably initiated Jazz Rock which some would argue is nothing to be proud of but this is great music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AR93r-ASWI
Koln Concert Part 1 – The first 4 notes announce Keith Jarrett‘s arrival as the artist of the decade. Listed as the greatest selling solo piano album ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NcSmtBUD84
(Apologies to “Birdland†admirers but it‘s 2 only)
80s
Think of one - Wynton Marsallis is the self appointed custodian of all things Jazz which can be really annoying at times but he can play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kmp1ABelQ
Smoke gets in your eyes- It‘s hard to pick one track from the Keith Jarrett Standard‘s Trio, probably the greatest trio ever, but this is from “Tribute†and Kurt Elling does a version of this version on his live album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ8OhD5c8ks
90s
The Moon‘s a Harsh Mistress – The best selling “Beyond the Missouri Sky†by Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny seemed to herald the release of a raft of duet albums, not all of them as good as this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-YpbI3Lb10
Blackbird – Interpreting pop music is a tradition in jazz that sort of got lost but the Brad Mehldau Trio brought it back with a vengeance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw-X5GTiYGw
00s
Dolores in a Shoestand – Lots of good modern bands sound a lot like EST who were just starting to break out when their leader died.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NihSwyAHZRQ
The Pretty Road – The modern big band revival has a lot to do with the Maria Schneider Orchestra and the multi award winning Sky Blue is just about as good as music gets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-p1kPrYN_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAJPUC0mgJ8
Basically my list of most influential favs.