Penguin Guide to Jazz: Core Collection List

The following is a table of all of the albums that have been listed in various editions of The Penguin Guide to Jazz as belonging to a Core Collection. This designation was invented in the 7th edition (2004). Crowned albums are noted, according to the most recent edition (but not earlier editions; for that see the Crown Albums List). Crowned albums are not a proper subset of the Core Collection. Where they differ, they tend to be more obscure or idiosyncratic, although some are simply larger boxes or alternate choices within artists who have much to choose from.

Note: The 9th edition consolidates some record entries under the "core collection" banner, making it difficult to determine whether the entry should apply to more than one record, and sometimes to which record the designation applies. E.g., four Air reissues are consolidated, but only Air Time is a 4-star record, so that is the only one listed below. Other cases are even less clear.

Artist: Title 7 8 9  
Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley: Somethin' Else [58, Blue Note]xxx 
Air: Air Time [77, Nessa]xxx 
Jan Allan: Jan Allan - 70 [68-69, Phono Suecia]
Henry 'Red' Allen: Henry 'Red' Allen & His Orchestra 1929-1933 [Classics]xxx 
Mose Allison: The Word From Mose [64, Atlantic]xxx 
Amalgam: Prayer for Peace [69, FMR]
Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives & Sevens [25-30, JSP, 4CD]x
Louis Armstrong: The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings [25-30, Columbia, 4CD]xxx
Louis Armstrong: The Complete New York Town Hall and Boston Symphony Concerts [47, Fresh Sound]x 
Louis Armstrong: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings [32-56, Bluebird, 4CD]xx 
Art Ensemble of Chicago: Art Ensemble 1967-68 [Nessa, 5CD]xx 
Albert Ayler: Spiritual Unity [64, ESP]xxx
Chris Barber: The Complete Decca Sessions 1954/55 [Lake]xxx 
Count Basie: The Original American Decca Recordings [37-39, MCA, 3CD]xxx
Count Basie: The Complete Atomic Mr Basie [57, Roulette]xxx 
Sidney Bechet: Shake 'Em Up [38-47, Avid, 2CD]xxx 
Sidney Bechet: Sidney Bechet, 1947-1949 [Classics]x 
Bix Beiderbecke: Bix and Tram [26-29, JSP, 4CD]xxx 
Ran Blake: The Short Life of Barbara Monk [86, Soul Note]xxx 
Ran Blake: All That Is Tied [03, Tompkins Square]
Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland Vol. 1 [54, Blue Note]xxx 
Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland Vol. 2 [54, Blue Note]xxx 
Art Blakey: Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk [57, Atlantic/Rhino]
Paul Bley: Time Will Tell [94, ECM]xxx 
Arthur Blythe: Lenon Avenue Breakdown [79, Koch]xxx
Don Braden: After Dark [93, Criss Cross]x 
Ruby Braff: Calling Berlin: Volume 1 [94, Arbors]xxx 
Anthony Braxton: For Alto [68, Delmark]
Anthony Braxton: Eugene (1989) [Black Saint]xxx 
Bob Brookmeyer: New Works/Celebration [97, Challenge]x 
Peter Brötzmann: Machine Gun [68, FMP]xxx
Clifford Brown: The Complete Blue Note and Pacific Jazz Recordings [53-54, Blue Note, 4CD]xxx 
Dave Brubeck: Time Out [59, Columbia]xxx 
Kenny Burrell: Ellington Is Forever Vol. 1 [75, Fantasy]xxx 
Gary Burton: Hotel Hello [74, ECM]xxx 
Benny Carter: Further Definitions [61-66, Impulse]xxx 
Betty Carter: The Audience With Betty Carter [79, Verve, 2CD]
Oscar 'Papa' Celestin: Papa Celestin & Sam Morgan [25-28, Azure]
Serge Chaloff: Blue Serge [56, Blue Note]xxx 
Teddy Charles: The Teddy Charles Tentet [56, Collectables]xxx 
June Christy: Something Cool: The Complete Mono and Stereo Versions [53-60, Capitol]
Nat Cole: After Midnight [56, Capitol]xxx 
Ornette Coleman: Beauty Is a Rare Thing [59-61, Atlantic, 6CD]xx 
Ornette Coleman: At the Golden Circle, Stockholm: Volume 1 [65, Blue Note]xxx 
Ornette Coleman: At the Golden Circle, Stockholm: Volume 2 [65, Blue Note]xxx 
Graham Collier: Hoarded Dreams [83, Cuneiform]x 
John Coltrane: Giant Steps [59, Atlantic]xxx 
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme [64, Impulse]xxx
John Coltrane: Ascension [65, Impulse]
Ken Colyer: Club Session With Colyer [56, Lake]xxx 
Eddie Condon: Eddie Condon 1927-1938 [Classics]xxx 
Chris Connor: Chris Connor [56, Atlantic]xxx 
Sonny Criss: Sonny's Dream [68, OJC]xxx 
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis: Very Saxy [59, OJC]xxx 
Miles Davis: Milestones [58, Columbia]xxx 
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue [59, Columbia]xxx
Miles Davis: The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel [65, Columbia, 8CD]
Miles Davis: Miles Davis and Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings [57-68, Columbia, 6CD]
Miles Davis: In a Silent Way [69, Columbia]xxx 
Vic Dickenson: Nice Work [53, Vanguard]x 
Vic Dickenson: The Essential Vic Dickenson [54, Vanguard]x 
Vic Dickenson: Gentleman of the Trombone [75, Storyville]xx 
Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch [64, Blue Note]xxx
Arne Domnerus: Face to Face [99, Dragon]xxx 
Kenny Dorham: 'Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia [56, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
Dave Douglas: Convergence [98, Soul Note]xxx 
Roy Eldridge: Heckler's Hop [36-39, Hep]xxx 
Duke Ellington: Never No Lament [40-42, Bluebird, 3CD]xxx 
Duke Ellington: The Duke at Fargo 1940 [Storyville]
Duke Ellington: Ellington at Newport 1956 (Complete) [Columbia, 2CD]xxx 
Duke Ellington: New Orleans Suite [70, Atlantic]xxx 
Bill Evans: Sunday Night at the Village Vanguard [61, OJC]
Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby [61, OJC]
BIll Evans: The Complete Live at the Village Vanguard 1961 [Riverside, 3CD]xxx 
Gil Evans: Out of the Cool [60, Impulse]xxx 
Art Farmer: Portrait of Art [58, OJC]x 
Art Farmer: Blame It on My Youth [88, Contemporary]
Ella Fitzgerald: The Cole Porter Songbook [56, Verve, 2CD]xxx 
Chico Freeman: Destiny's Dance [81, OJC]xxx 
Bill Frisell: Have a Little Faith [93, Elektra Nonesuch]xxx 
Ganelin Trio: Ancora Da Capo [80, Leo]
Jan Garbarek: Dis [76, ECM]xxx 
Erroll Garner: Concert by the Sea [55, Columbia]xx 
Charles Gayle: Touchin' on Trane [91, FMP]xxx
Stan Getz: The Complete Roost Recordings [50-54, Roulette, 3CD]
Stan Getz: Focus [61, Verve]xxx 
Dizzy Gillespie: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings [37-49, RCA, 2CD]
Dizzy Gillespie: Birks Works [56-57, Verve, 2CD]xxx 
Jimmy Giuffre: Free Fall [62, Columbia]
Benny Goodman: At Carnegie Hall 1938 - Complete [Columbia, 2CD]xxx 
Benny Goodman: The Complete Small Group Sessions [35-39, RCA Victor, 3CD]xxx 
Dexter Gordon: Our Man in Paris [63, Blue Note]xxx 
Stéphane Grappelli: Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark [79, OJC]xxx 
Grant Green: The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark [61-62, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
Lars Gullin: Lars Gullin Vol. 2 1953 [Dragon]x 
Lars Gullin: Danny's Dream [53-55, Dragon]xx 
Charlie Haden: Beyond the Missouri Sky [96, Verve]xxx 
Al Haig: The Al Haig Trio Esoteric [54, Fresh Sound]
Jim Hall: Concierto [75, CTI]xx 
Scott Hamilton: Plays Ballads [89, Concord]xxx 
Lionel Hampton: Lionel Hampton 1937-1938 [Classics]xxx 
Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage [65, Blue Note]
Herbie Hancock: Head Hunters [73, Columbia]xxx 
Tom Harrell: Labyrinth [96, RCA Victor]x 
Barry Harris: Magnificent! [69, OJC]xxx 
Steve Harris & Zaum: Above Our Heads the Sky Splits Open [04, Slam]
Coleman Hawkins: Body and Soul [39-49, Dreyfus]x 
Coleman Hawkins: The Stanley Dance Sessions [55-58, Lonehill Jazz]xx 
Julius Hemphill: Flat-Out Jump Suite [80, Black Saint]xxx 
Joe Henderson: The State of the Tenor Volumes One and Two [85, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
Woody Herman: Blowin' Up a Storm [45-47, Columbia, 2CD]xxx 
Woody Herman: Jazz Hoot/Woody's Winners [65-67, Collectables]
Andrew Hill: Point of Departure [64, Blue Note]xxx
Andrew Hill: Andrew!!! [64, Blue Note]x 
Earl Hines: Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington [71-75, New World, 2CD]xxx 
Earl Hines: Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington Vol. 2 [71-74, New World]xx 
Billie Holiday: Lady Day Swings! [35-39, Columbia]xxx 
Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds [72, ECM]xxx 
Noah Howard: The Black Ark [69, Bo'Weavil]x 
Freddie Hubbard: Open Sesame [60, Blue Note]xxx 
Dick Hyman: Forgotten Dreams [01, Arbors]xxx 
Abdullah Ibrahim: Yarona [95, Tiptoe]xxx 
Ahmad Jamal: Cross Country Tour: 1958-1961 [Chess]xx 
Ahmad Jamal: At the Pershing [58, Chess]x 
Keith Jarrett: The Köln Concert [75, ECM, 2CD]xxx 
Bunk Johnson: Bunk's Brass Band and Dance Band 1945 [American Music]xxx 
J.J. Johnson: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson: Volume 1 [53-55, Blue Note]xxx
J.J. Johnson: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson: Volume 2 [53-55, Blue Note]xxx
Thad Jones: Consummation [70, Blue Note]xx 
Louis Jordan: Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five [38-50, JSP]x 
Sheila Jordan: Portrait of Sheila [62, Blue Note]xxx 
Stan Kenton: City of Glass [47-53, Capitol]xxx 
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Rip, Rig and Panic/Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith [65-67, Emarcy]xxx 
Rahssan Roland Kirk: A Meeting of the Times [72, Atlantic]
Krzysztof Komeda: Astigmatic [65, Harkit]
Lee Konitz: With Warne Marsh [55, Warner Bros]x 
Lee Konitz: Motion [61, Verve]xxx
Peter Kowald: Was Da Ist [94, FMP]
Steve Lacy: 5 x Monk x Lacy [94, Silkheart]xxx 
George Lewis: Jazz in the Classic New Orleans Tradition [51-53, OJC]xxx 
George Lewis: Jazz Funeral in New Orleans [55, Tradition]x 
George E Lewis: Homage to Charles Parker [79, Black Saint]
Meade Lux Lewis: Meade Lux Lewis 1927-1939 [Classics]xxx 
David Liebman: Drum Ode [74, ECM]x 
Booker Little: Booker Little and Friend [61, Bethlehem/Avenue Jazz]x 
London Jazz Composers Orchestra: Ode [72, Intakt, 2CD]x 
Joe Lovano: From the Soul [91, Blue Note]
Humphrey Lyttelton: The Parlophones Volumes One-Four [49-59, Calligraph, 4CD]xxx 
Shelly Manne: At the Black Hawk [59, OJC, 5CD]x
René Marie: Vertigo [01, MaxJazz]
Wynton Marsalis: Black Codes (From the Underground) [85, Columbia]x 
Wynton Marsalis: J Mood [85, Columbia]xx 
Ron McClure: Soft Hands [06, Steeplechase]x 
John McLaughlin: Extrapolation [69, Polydor]
Jackie McLean: Let Freedom Ring [62, Blue Note]xxx 
Mary McPartland: In My Life [93, Concord]xxx 
Brad Mehldau: The Art of the Trio Vol. 1 [96, Warners]xxx 
Helen Merrill: Helen Merrill With Clifford Brown and Gil Evans [54-56, Emarcy]xxx 
Charles Mingus: Pithecanthropus Erectus [56, Atlantic]xxx 
Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um [59, Columbia]
Charles Mingus: Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus [60, Candid]xxx 
Charles Mingus: The Black Saint & the Sinner Lady [63, Impulse]
Roscoe Mitchell: Sound [66, Delmark]xxx 
Roscoe Mitchell: Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2, & 3 [04, ECM]x 
Modern Jazz Quartet: The Complete Last Concert [74, Atlantic]xxx 
Miff Mole: Slippin' Around [27-30, Frog]xxx 
Thelonious Monk: The Complete Blue Note Recordings [47-58, Blue Note, 4CD]xxx
Thelonious Monk: Brilliant Corners [56, OJC]xxx 
Thelonious Monk: With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall [57, Blue Note]
Thelonious Monk: The Complete Riverside Recordings [55-61, Riverside, 15CD]
Wes Montgomery: Incredible Jazz Guitar [60, OJC]xxx 
Lee Morgan: The Sidewinder [63, Blue Note]xxx
Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton Vols. 1-5 [26-30, JSP, 5CD]
Bennie Moten: Band Box Shuffle 1929-1932 [Hep, 2CD]xxx 
Paul Motian: Sound of Love [95, Winter & Winter]xxx 
Gerry Mulligan: The Original Quartet [52-53, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
David Murray: Ming [80, Black Saint]xxx 
David Murray: Home [81, Black Saint]x 
Fats Navarro: The Complete Fats Navarro on Blue Note and Capitol [47-49, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
New Orleans Rhythm Kings: The Complete Set [22-25, Retrieval, 2CD]
King Oliver: King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band - The Complete Set [23-24, Retrieval, 2CD]xxx
Original Dixieland Jazz Band: The Original Dixieland Jazz Band 1927-1921 [Timeless]xxx 
Greg Osby: Banned in New York [98, Blue Note]xxx 
Charlie Parker: The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings [44-48, Savoy, 8CD]
Charlie Parker: Charlie Parker on Dial: The Complete Sessions [46-47, Spotlite/Dial, 4CD]xxx 
Charlie Parker: Charlie Parker [47-53, Verve]xxx 
Charlie Parker: The Quintet - Jazz at Massey Hall [53, OJC]xxx 
Evan Parker: The Snake Decides [86, Psi]xxx
Evan Parker: 50th Birthday Concert [94, Leo, 2CD]
Joe Pass: Virtuoso [73, Pablo]xxx 
Mario Pavone: Deez to Blues [05, Playscape]x 
Art Pepper: Meets the Rhythm Section [57, OJC]xxx 
Oscar Peterson: Night Train [62, Verve]xxx 
Oscar Peterson: Girl Talk/Action/The Way I Really Play/Mellow Mood/Travelin' On/My Favorite Instrument [63-68, MPS, 6CD]xx 
Michel Petrucciani: Solo Live [97, Dreyfus]xxx 
Michel Petrucciani: The Complete Concert in Germany [97, Dreyfus]x 
Oscar Pettiford: Nonet & Octet 1954-55 [54-55, Fresh Sound]x 
Oscar Pettiford: Complete Big Band Studio Recordings [56-57, Lone Hill]x 
Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell: Volume 1 [49-51, Blue Note]xxx 
Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell: Volume 2 [51-53, Blue Note]xxx 
Django Reinhardt: The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order [34-39, JSP, 5CD]xxx 
Max Roach: Alone Together [56-60, Verve, 2CD]xxx 
Max Roach: We Insist! Freedom Now Suite [60, Candid]xxx
Shorty Rogers: The Sweetheart of Sigmund Freud [46-53, Giant Steps, 2CD]xxx 
Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus [56, OJC]xxx
Sonny Rollins: A Night at the Village Vanguard [57, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx
Sonny Rollins: This Is What I Do [00, Milestone]xxx 
ROVA: Bingo [96, Victo]xxx 
ROVA: Electric Ascension [03, Atavistic]
Jimmy Rushing: Rushing Lullabies [58-59, Columbia]x 
George Russell: Jazz Workshop [56, Koch]xxx 
Alexander von Schlippenbach: Pakistani Pomade [1972, Atavistic]
Alexander von Schlippenbach: Swinging the Bim [98, FMP, 2CD]xxx 
Alexander von Schlippenbach: Monk's Casino [03-04, Intakt, 3CD]
Maria Schneider: Concert in the Garden [04, ArtistShare]x 
John Scofield: Quiet [96, Verve]xxx 
Artie Shaw: Self Portrait [38-54, Bluebird, 5CD]xxx 
Archie Shepp: Four for Trane [64, Impulse]xxx 
Wayne Shorter: Speak No Evil [64, Blue Note]xxx 
Horace Silver: Blowin' the Blues Away [59, Blue Note]xxx 
Zoot Sims: If I'm Lucky [77, OJC]xxx 
Silver Leaf Jazz Band: New Orleans Wiggle [98, GHB]
Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith: The Kabell Years [71-79, Tzadik, 4CD]xx 
Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith: Divine Love [78, ECM]xx 
Jimmy Smith: Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise [57, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
Muggsy Spanier: Muggsy Spanier 1939-1942 [Classics]xxx 
Spontaneous Music Ensemble: Quintessence [73-74, Emanem]x 
Tomasz Stanko: Leosia [96, ECM]xxx
Bobo Stenson: Serenity [99, ECM, 2CD]xxx 
Maxine Sullivan: Close as Pages in a Book [69, Audiophile]xxx 
Sun Ra: Jazz in Silhouette [58, Evidence]xxx
Sun Ra: The Magic City [65, Evidence]xxx 
John Surman: Tales of the Algonquin [68, Deram]
John Surman: A Biography of the Rev. Absalom Dawe [94, ECM]xxx 
Art Tatum: The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces [53-55, Pablo, 7CD]
Art Tatum: The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol. 8 [56, Pablo]xxx 
Cecil Taylor: Jazz Advance [56, Blue Note]xxx 
Cecil Taylor: Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come [62, Revenant, 2CD]
Cecil Taylor: For Olim [86, Soul Note]xxx 
Cecil Taylor: The Tree of Life [91, FMP]xxx 
Clark Terry: Memories of Duke [80, OJC]xxx 
Mel Tormé: Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley [60, Verve]xxx 
Lennie Tristano: Lennie Tristano [55, Atlantic]xxx 
McCoy Tyner: The Real McCoy [67, Blue Note]xxx 
McCoy Tyner: Time for Tyner [68, Blue Note]xx 
James Blood Ulmer: Odyssey [83, Columbia]xxx 
Warren Vaché: 2Gether [00, Nagel Heyer]xxx
Kid Thomas Valentine: [Kid Thomas-George Lewis] Ragtime Stompers [61, GHB]xxx
Sarah Vaughan: Sarah Vaughan [54, Verve]xxx
Edward Vesala: Lumi [86, ECM]xxx
Bobby Watson: Love Remains [86, Red]xxx
Weather Report: Mysterious Traveller [73-74, Columbia]xxx 
Eberhard Weber: Yellow Fields [75, ECM]xxx 
Ben Webster: Music for Loving [54-55, Verve, 2CD]xxx 
Mike Westbrook: On Duke's Birthday [84, Voiceprint]x 
Kenny Wheeler: Music for Large and Small Ensembles [90, ECM, 2CD]xxx 
Mary Lou Williams: Free Spirits [75, Steeplechase]xxx 
Tony Williams: Life Time [64, Blue Note]xxx 
Phil Woods: Phil Woods/Lew Tabackin [80, Evidence]xxx 
Larry Young: Unity [65, Blue Note]xxx
Lester Young: The Complete Aladdin Sessions [42-47, Blue Note, 2CD]xxx 
John Zorn: The Big Gundown [84-85, Tzadik]xxx

Notes

Core collection counts per edition:

Edition 7182
Edition 8185
Edition 9200