The Essential Jazz Records, Vol. 1: Ragtime to Swing

by Max Harrison

Three distinguished jazz critics have chosen 250 records that best document the music at its peak in various periods- from the Savannah syncopators and Scott Joplin, to Armstrong and Hines and Bechet, to the swing of Benny Carter, Artie Shaw, Basie, Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, and Lester Young. All the major figures and their top recordings are discussed with historical and musical analyses. Authoritative and readable, here is a book for every jazz library.

Genres: Music

594 pages, Paperback

First published December 3, 1984

Reviews

[Jeff Crompton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just added more tape to my 35-year-old paperback copy of The Essential Jazz Records Volume One: Ragtime to Swing (to give it its full title) in an attempt to hold it together for a few more years. It started falling apart years ago, and for good reason. It has gotten heavy use since I bought it new when it first came out in the United States in 1984. (I still remember how frustrated I was during the four years it was available in the UK, but not the US. I needed this book!)

So this record guide was compiled nearly 40 years ago; what makes it worth reading now? First of all, the records are well-chosen. Readers may quibble with some of the selections here and there, but I would guess that most knowledgeable jazz fans will find these 250 records to be not only excellent musically but enlightening in terms of illustrating the history of jazz up to the advent of modern styles. The book was published shortly before the digital music age began, but even for those who don't collect vinyl records, the music itself is (mostly) readily available in digital form.

But the main attraction here is the quality of the critical writing. Max Harrison has long been the music critic I most admire; his work exemplifies the best of both parts of the phrase "critical writing" - his acute musical judgment is matched by his command of the written word. The other contributors, Charles Fox and Eric Thacker, may not reach Harrison's level, but they are also fine jazz critics.

I'll end with a couple of quotes from Harrison, as examples of his writing:

On Bix Beiderbecke with The Wolverines: As men who do not have much time always must, Beiderbecke matured early. In their best moments the cornet solos and even ensemble parts of these his first recordings show not only a striking technical assurance but a certainty of expressive aim, a clearly focused emotional content, that is almost disquieting in one so young. We catch a glimpse of the extraordinary impact, attested by many surviving accounts, that he had on his contemporaries, and although they were later refined to highly poetic effect, as the finest performances with [Frankie] Trumbauer demonstrate, all the elements of his style may be detected here.

On the obscure Tiny Parham: His music is quietly intelligent, embodies a consistent viewpoint, and is decisive in the achievement of its aims; it is also modest in tone, and this has led to its receiving little critical attention.

Parham was refreshingly independent of the conventions for scoring for bands like this, and many quietly unorthodox ensemble textures can be found here, for example on "Blue Island Blues." Notice also the unlikely juxtaposition of violin and tuba on "Black Cat Moan," the contradiction between a sweet alto saxophone and mildly abrasive trumpet on "Blue Melody Blues," the tinkling celeste above sustained ensemble chords in "Cathedral Blues."