We recently asked you to share the jazz records that have moved you the most to celebrate International Jazz Day 2018. We loved reading your stories about these albums, so we thought we’d gather them together here so we can all dip in when looking for our next recommendation.
Here they are in no particular order:
“The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman. It threw me for a loop when I first gave it a spin but eventually those jazzy, off time drums sucked me it. The bass in that album too??. All in all, frantic but precise, it changed the way I listen to music.” – @fryde_drexler
“Kind of Blue by Miles Davis ‘cos its just right, the balance, the change of tempo, each single touch, even the synesthetic vibes of it.” – @gchicco
“Portrait in Jazz by Bill Evans is a “must listen”, even Miles mentioned that Evans was one of his all time favorites. The way he plays is just magnificent.” – @joelh.pa
“Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Ah Um. My first foray into the wonderful world of Charles. These records were bought for me by my brother from a cool record shop in Brighton. ‘Slop’ the opening track from Dynasty, really resonates with me always reminding me of sunny summer visits to Brighton as a teenager whilst listening to this banger (even in compressed format on my iPod shuffle) whilst matching up the controlled chaos of Mingus and his band with the busy shopping lanes of Brighton. Very fond memories 
” – @cootpaw
“Helen Merrill, Lilac wine. To me, the album is a light, melodic, airy, soft take on jazz. The tone beneath her voice feels almost melancholic paired with such beautiful harmonies and string work. It’s my rainy-day album, my sunny picnic in the park album, my riding public transportation album. So many feelings in just one album. It inspires me to break the monotony that is in my own style as I write my own music.” – @hatchseth
“Miles Davis “Cookin’ at the plugged Nickel” Tony Williams cooking on gas at such a young age! ?” – @pincushiontattoo
“Harlem Blues Cynda Williams just so beautiful and reminds me of cool autumn.” – @jonnybeez
“US3 – Hand On The Torch – taking jazz to new dimensions by fusing hip hop rhymes and rhythms with horns, pianos and crazy riffs. This clashed two big genres creating accessibility and awareness to those may never have been interested in either!” – @kuhls82
“John Coltrane’s compilation Coltrane for Lovers has meant the most to me over time because as a romantic at heart I feel it speaks to all facets of who I am and who I aspire to be as a man, a lover and companion. It features my favorite rendition of In A Sentimental Mood by Coltrane and Duke Ellington and this will be the album that I play at my wedding!” – @edgarlpage
Ella Jane Fitzgerald the queen of jazz and The Great American Songbook, what a set of pipes!” – @jassyjoyjoy
