So which one is it for you?

It goes without saying, but I’ll still acknowledge that these categories aren’t exhaustive, and plenty of artists work within/between/outside them.

I mean, it’s FREE. How can it not be the best? In this economy?

Whichever era would include records released on Pacific Jazz/World Pacific from the 1950s. "Cool Jazz" maybe should be an option?

enframed wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 2:16 pm Whichever era would include records released on Pacific Jazz/World Pacific from the 1950s. "Cool Jazz" maybe should be an option?

I'd agree. Dave Brubeck would be grouped into this, yes?

Damn, I shouldn’t have forgotten that one. Classify it as “other,” I guess.

Fusion up until the mid '70s when it got real cheeseball. Has a lot of the free elements, but admittedly I prefer to have some groove element vs. none.

My favorite free stuff still tends to have some structure. Eric Dolphy is probably the best example of that.

Outside of the Coltranes and Pharoah Sanders, I don't know of much 'spiritual' stuff.

I can appreciate the older styles (pre-1958 or so) academically but don't really listen to much of it for fun.

For me, it’s a toss-up between big band and hard bop. Not only are the heights really high, but so are the averages. Mediocre examples from those genres are often at least listenable, if not exceptional.

Least favorite is bebop. As important as Charlie Parker and Gillespie were, I just don’t care for any of it. Neither fish nor fowl.

Great free jazz is transcendent. Bad free jazz isn’t just annoying; it’s also pretentious. “This next song is called ‘Benediction.’” SKRONK screech plunk plunk BLURT skrook whir BLEAT. “And this next song is called ‘Leviticus.’” GROOOMP flurr flurr GRUGG flurt wang wang BOINK.

Same complaint applies to spiritual jazz, where you also run the risk of encountering spoken word. But the best stuff? Sublime.

Great fusion is evocative like little else is, but you run out of it quickly.

Between hard bop and pre-Weather Report fusion.

Non-fusion "chamber jazz" from the 60s, or early 70s piano-based groups like Jarrett's European band.

early fusion / electric (mostly dries up before the mid 70's)