It’s often the case that as albums age, they take on new meaning; what does the music say about the era it was written in? How has a piece of music forged what was to come? Each of these five albums have stood the test of time, and are worthy of retrospection. Make sure you give these records the time they deserve. 

1956: Horace Silver: 6 Pieces Of Silver LP (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)

In his second album and his first for Blue Note, pianist Silver garnered critical acclaim for his contribution to the hard bop sound. It’s with this record that Silver gifted us some of his most beloved compositions such as the 12/8 jazz standard ‘Señor Blues’; it nods to Duke Ellington with its opening chords E♭ minor and B7—a favourite harmonic pattern of the Duke. This classic track sits alongside the heavily-swinging ‘Cool Eyes’, the Latin-driven ‘Enchantment’ with its charming rolling brass lines and the delicate ballad ‘Shirl’. 

Jazz buffs may recognise future jazz masters on this record; Silver—who was only 28 years old at the time of recording—was joined by an even younger personnel including Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. 

Ended by his passing in 2014, Silver’s tenure at Blue Note was the longest of any musician at the label. 

1966: Astrud Gilberto – Look To The Rainbow

A bonafide classic, ‘Look To The Rainbow’ is a standout from Astrud Gilberto’s discography. The Brazilian vocalist catapulted bossa nova and samba to households around the world. On this record she’s supported by arrangers Gil Evans and Al Cohn; the lush orchestration itself would make the album worthy of being an instrumental release, but lucky for us, Gilberto’s soft and honeyed vocals add an alluring juxtaposition. Unlike other orchestral vocalists of the time like Etta James, Frank Sinatra or Shirley Bassey, Gilberto’s reserved approach was—and still is—achingly cool. 

Opening with one of Gilberto’s most best-known offerings, ‘Berimbau’, Gilberto gifted us with fresh versions of songs such as ‘Maria Quiet’—a song that protested the subservience expected of women. Originally composed by Brazilian artist Carlos Lyra with Portuguese lyrics by poet Vinícius de Moraes, Gilberto sang it in English, offering a short but empowering track to new audiences. 

1976: Roy Ayers – Everybody loves the sunshine

Roy Ayers, the world’s most celebrated vibraphonist, released more than ten albums before his legacy-leading classic, ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’. In the ‘70s, the San Franciscan was lauded as much as he was criticised for creating music in the intersection of jazz, funk, soul and African polyrhythms. It seemed that Roy Ayers wasn’t “jazz” enough to be a jazz musician, nor soulful or funky enough to be offered the crown by those crowds either. But those who got it, got it. A genre-blurring pioneer, Ayers cleared a path for distinctive music makers like himself, and a loyal legion of fans followed.  

Leaning more into electronics and synthesisers than previous albums, ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’ gave way to tracks that would feel at home in both discos (cue the likes of ‘Hey, Uh, What You Say Come On’) and progressive jazz clubs (‘The Third Eye’). 

Speaking about the album’s eponymous hit, Ayers once said, “The song changed everything for me. It’s still the last song of my show. People always join in and it’s been sampled over a hundred times by everyone from Dr Dre to Pharrell Williams. It seems to capture every generation. Everybody loves the sunshine – except Dracula.”

1976: Pat Metheny: Bright Size Life

Pat Metheny’s debut studio album is an essential for any fan of the guitarist—and a great place to start if you’re looking to become one. With Jaco Pastorius on bass—who was then little known—and Bob Moses on drums, he presented a trio that would work together extensively in the future to come. 

One of the greatest charms of Bright Size Life is that it is indeed Metheny’s debut; for some, he seemed to arrive on the scene overnight, bringing with him what would still be considered today one of the finest pieces of work in his impressive discography. 

Metheny’s angular, asymmetric approach to the guitar is elevated and supported by Pastorius’ agile, noodling basslines and Moses’ rumbling swing. 

2001: Diana Krall – The Look Of Love

In the intersection of smooth jazz and ballads you’ll find Diana Krall’s ‘The Look of Love’ which celebrates its twenty-five year milestone. The vocalist and pianist from Vancouver Island is the owner of perhaps the most sultry set of contralto vocal cords in the jazz game today. On this album she delivered standards like ‘Cry Me a River’ and ‘I Get Along Without You Very Well’ with exceptional grace and depth of feeling, backed by elegant arrangements performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. 

Some have criticised the record for falling into the ‘easy-listening’ zone. However, the notion that it presents no challenge for the listener should be interpreted as an invitation to dive in. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, it was engineered by Al Schmitt into an audiophile triumph—Schmitt even won a Grammy for the record.

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Tina Edwards is a music journalist, DJ and broadcaster. She’s the co-founder of curatorial platforms re:sonate and Queer Jazz, and hosts her own Bandcamp Club called Jazz-ish Jazz Club. She has bylines in Bandcamp Daily, Downbeat, Monocle and more

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