Old Rag

One of Jarrett's better trios performing an original rag-styled composition by Jarrett himself. It's playful, swinging, and a moving tribute to the history of jazz's roots. As an eclectic player whose music reflected influences from just about every form of popular American music, it's an interesting example of how modern jazz conceives its past. "New Rag" is also worth listening, for a composition looking forward in an even more playful manner. 

Country Town Blues

Powerful example of Ornette Coleman's mastery of the blues, also featuring Charlie Haden's thick basslines and powerful foundation for Ornette and Don. Beautiful music although not "Ramblin", and proof that Ornette never left behind the blues. Haden's brief solo hints at some other composition by Ornette or a standard but I can't recall which song he's alluding to...

Song For Che

Otomo Yoshihide's cover of Charlie Haden's famous "Song for Che" embodies the natural connections between the jazz avant-garde and the worlds of rock, hardcore, punk, and metal. I am not sure what one should call this, but a sort of 'punk-jazz' fusion of jazz themes, instrumentation and improvisation meet the frenetic and raucous sounds of rock and its successor genres makes for interesting listening. Otomo Yoshihide's jazz groups also reinterpreted Eric Dolphy's classic Out to Lunch in a similar vein, definitely worth checking out. I always enjoy it when the rockers try to do jazz, and though it's usually less impressive to me than say the actual music of Haden or Coleman or Ayler, it still makes life worth listening. The same could be said of Captain Beefheart, too. 

Keith Jarrett's Common Mama

Due to the recommendations of family who enjoy Keith Jarrett's music, I have been exploring his catalog. "Common Mama" is the kind of the jazz fusion I enjoy: funky, accessible, largely avoiding the noodling one finds in so much 1970s fusion records, and exploring polyrhythm in an interesting vein. Dewey Redman does not hold back here in his brief solo, which bows to the demands of funk and popular music while paying homage to the avant garde stylings of Albert Ayler and others. But the samba-like percussion is what drives this piece. Indeed, one is reminded of Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco" because of Jarrett's use of Latin rhythms without sacrificing the jazz side of the equation.  

Parabola

Alan Shorter was never as successful or accomplished of a musician as his brother, Wayne Shorter, but "Parabola" is where he shines. Sounding like Grachan Moncur III, Shorter's simple vamp lets Charlie Haden, Gato Barbieri, and the amazing drummer Muhammad Ali shine. Barbieri recently passed, rest in peace.

Free Jazz

Classic jazz from Ornette Coleman, featuring jazz legends like Eric Dolphy and more. What I love about Ornette is his attention to melody, and a bluesy roots sound which he never totally abandoned. This type of free jazz and improvisation is, in my opinion, among the better output of the 'movement.' Plus, Eric Dolphy, my favorite alto sax player who embodies the transition from bop to free jazz, leaves his mark here.