The Essential Jazz Recordings: 101 CDs.

Ann Turner is Financial and Budget Manager at the University of British
Columbia Library.

Broadcaster and music critic Ross Porter has spent his working life exploring and sharing with his audiences the ever-changing world of jazz. As host of CBC Radio Two’s “After Hours” for 10 years, and now CEO of Toronto’s JAZZ.FM 91, Porter has had the opportunity to hear thousands of recordings in a variety of media. To arrive at a short list of the “essential” jazz recordings for the collector or student, he chose CDs that he felt exemplified significant developments from the 1930s through 2004. By arranging the material in roughly chronological order by the original release date, he has produced a concise history of jazz that will help the listener build a basic understanding of its different forms and styles, as well as the performers who have dominated the jazz scene over the years. For each disc he includes birth/death dates of the principal artist, dates of the original recordings, the CD label and number, and a short essay on the importance of the disc and the artist. As a listening guide this is an excellent book. However, finding specific information about artists or songs in the essays is not easy because there is no index. The table of contents lists the 101 CDs, in chronological order, with their principal performers.  But for artists with careers that span several decades or songs with many interpreters and performers, details are scattered through the essays for multiple discs, including those identified with other artists in the table of contents.