John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1959)

Only one week after finishing his work on the legendary masterpiece "Kind of Blue" with Miles Davis, John Coltrane "borrowed" Davis' session musicians in order to record seven of his own compositions. When, two months later, Atlantic Records released "Giant Steps" in the spring of '59, it would change the course of Jazz history forever. Anything on this album -from the third-related chord progressions to Coltrane's iconic melodic phrasing- was revolutionary for its time. Coltrane's greatest coup was replacing then common cordial solos with his virtuose saxophone improvisations, which at times equaled torrential outbursts rather than usual jazz lines - ultimately paving the way for modern jazz improvisation.

1.) Giant Steps

2.) Cousin Mary

3.) Countdown

4.) Spiral

5.) Syeeda's Song Flute

6.) Naima

7.) Mr. P.C.

                                         

Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960)

Wes Montgomery manages to breathe new life into a variety of great jazz standards on this record, which is arguably the best album released during his Riverside period. Montgomery's unique picking technique - using his thumb instead of a plectrum- as well as his excessive use of octaves generated a unique playing style and sound that has been copied ever since.

1.) Airegin

2.) D-Natural Blues

3.) Polka Dots and Moonbeams

4.) Four on Six

5.) Westcoast Blues

6.) In Our Own Sweet Way

7.) Mr. Walker

8.) Gone With the Wind

Soul Coughing - Ruby Vroom (1994)

In 1994 New York born poet Mike Doughty released his debut Ruby Vroom; at a time when grunge drew its last breath and the gangsta rap hype had just ignited he recorded an experimental spoken word album that would become one of the most influential records of the 1990's. On Ruby Vroom Doughty spits his laconic poetry over odd jazz samples and pulsating drumbeats and deliveres a record that - even by todays' standards -  is way ahead of its time. 

1.) Is Chicago, is not Chicago

2.) Sugar Free Jazz

3.) Casiotone Nation

4.) Blueeyed Devil

5.) Bus to Beelzebub

6.) True Dreams of Witchita

7.) Screenwriters Blues

8.) Moonsammy

9.) Supra Genius

10.) City of Motors

11.) Uh, Zoom Zip

12.) Down to This

13.) Mr. Bitterness

14.) Janine