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Albums of 1961
The records from 1961 that made our lists.
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1Sunday at the Village VanguardBill Evans
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
An intimate live trio recording of extraordinary interplay, captured shortly before bassist Scott LaFaro's death. Lyrical and conversational. One of the great piano-trio documents.
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2ExplorationsBill Evans
Explorations
A lyrical trio peak of conversational interplay. Beautiful and acclaimed. A high point.
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3My Favorite ThingsJohn Coltrane
My Favorite Things
A landmark soprano-sax reinvention of the show tune into hypnotic modal jazz. Inventive and beloved. A genre touchstone.
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4Free Jazz: A Collective ImprovisationOrnette Coleman
Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation
The double-quartet landmark that named free jazz. Radical and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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5King of the Delta Blues SingersRobert Johnson
King of the Delta Blues Singers
The foundational Delta-blues recordings that influenced virtually everyone who followed, from the Stones to Clapton. Eerie and essential. Where the electric blues lineage begins.