Based on Len Lyons,
The 101 Best Jazz Albums (William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1980, ISBN 0-688-08720-5), and Jim Determan's subsequent updates.
| 14. Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman: Developing an American Orchestra 1923-1927 (Smithsonian Collection R006, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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The vinyl LP has not been reissued on CD or MP3. Determan recomments the 3 CD set below "as a substitute for the listed LP set. It is a reissue of an old LP set, and covers much of the same material." |
| 14-Alternative. Fletcher Henderson: A Study in Frustration: The Fletcher Henderson Story (Columbia) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 15. Duke Ellington: Rockin' in Rhythm, Duke Ellington and the Jungle Band, Vol. 3, 1929-1931 (MCA MCA-2077) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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Determan recommends two alternatives, both listed below. The first "should include everything on the aforementioned LP and more." Regarding the second, Determan says that Lyons "only selected the above LP as second best to early Ellington recordings on Columbia (originally recorded for Okey) which were out of print. This material is now reissued ... [and] is probably a better purchase." |
| 15-Alternative. Duke Ellington: The Original Decca Recordings (The Complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings of Duke Ellington, 1926-1931) (Decca/GRP) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 15-Alternative. Duke Ellington: The Okey Ellington (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 16. Duke Ellington: Duke Ellington - 1940 (Smithsonian Collection R-013, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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Not available in CD or MP3 format. Determan recommends the alternative listed below and notes that "This great set covers the recommended collection plus more, 66 cuts in all! Highly recommended." |
| 16-Alternative. Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band (RCA Bluebird) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | |
| 17. Duke Ellington: The Duke Ellington Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 (Prestige P-34004, 3 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
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This album, which represented the first jazz concert in Carnegie Hall since Benny Goodman's "swing festival" of 1938, is available in all three formats. |
| 18. Duke Ellington: The Golden Duke (Prestige P-24029, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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Not available in CD or MP3 format. Determan recommends the two alternatives listed below. According to him, "The first CD covers the Ellington-Strayhorn piano duets and small group sessions which were the primary reason [Len Lyons] chose the LP, the second CD has the full band sessions from the LP." |
| 18-Alternative. Duke Ellington: Great Times! (Original Jazz Classics) |
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| 18-Alternative. Duke Ellington: Happy Go Lucky Local (Discovery) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 19. Duke Ellington: Pure Gold (RCA ANL1-2811) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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Not available in CD or MP3 format. Determan recommends two alternatives, the British RCA "Duke Ellington in the Sixties" and the Japanese "The Popular Duke Ellington." The first is no longer in print, and the latter is listed below. Determan says that the latter, "if it is still in print, is a reissue of the LP in its original form, with the original title." |
| 19-Alternative. Duke Ellington: The Popular Duke Ellington (RCA Victor Europe) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 20. Count Basie: The Best of Count Basie (MCA MCA2-4050, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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This album is not available in CD or MP3 format, but the alternative listed below "covers the LP and plenty more, great stuff!" (Determan) |
| 20-Alternative. Count Basie: The Complete Decca Recordings (GRP Decca Jazz) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 21. Count Basie: 16 Men Swinging (Verve V-2-2517, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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The album has not been reissued on CD or MP3. There is a CD entitled "Sixteen Men Swinging" by Count Basie, but it is not the same as the vinyl LP. Determan's two recommended alternatives are listed below, and he notes that "Either of these would make a good substitute for the recommended album, I prefer them anyway." |
| 21-Alternative. Count Basie: April in Paris (Verve) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 21-Alternative. Count Basie: Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Verve) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 22. Earl "Fatha" Hines: Another Monday Date (Prestige P-24043, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | |
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Determan: "The 2 LP has been reissued as a single CD, a few cuts had to be left off to make it fit, but all the solo piano performances were retained." As far as I can tell, the CD is missing just three cuts from the vinyl LP. |
| 24. Charlie Christian: Solo Flight (Columbia CG 30779, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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The vinyl LP has not been issued on CD or MP3, but Determan recommends the three alternatives listed below. As he notes, the box set "is the definitive reissue [but for] those wanting a single Charlie Christian CD, the first Columbia single CD makes a good choice." The third CD, according to Determan, "has good sextet material, but Christian's role is less prominent." |
| 24-Alternative. Charlie Christian: Genius of the Electric Guitar, Boxed Set (Sony) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 24-Alternative. Charlie Christian: Genius of the Electric Guitar (Columbia/Sony) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 24-Alternative. Charlie Christian: The Benny Goodman Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian (Columbia/Sony) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 25. Lionel Hampton: The Complete Lionel Hampton, 1937-1941 (RCA AXM6-5536, 6 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | |
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Determan recommends three alternatives to the above vinyl and CD. He comments that "These three volumes contain much of material from the all star sessions that made up the LP boxed set. The first volume is Hampton's pick of his favorites from these sessions." |
| 25-Alternative. Lionel Hampton: Vol. 1 Hot Mallets! The All-Star Groups (RCA) |
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| 25-Alternative. Lionel Hampton: Vol. 2 The Jumpin' Jive: The All-Star Groups: 1937-1939 (RCA) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 25-Alternative. Lionel Hampton: Vol. 3 Tempo and Swing: The All-Star Groups: 1939-1940 (RCA) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 26. Lester Young: The Lester Young Story, Vol. 1 (Columbia JG 33502, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
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About this LP, Determan simply says, "Not reissued." He suggests no alternatives. The four-CD set listed below contains many of the tracks from the above LP. |
| 26-Alternative. Lester Young: The Lester Young Story (Proper Box UK) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 27. Billie Holiday: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 (Columbia KG 32124, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
Determan recommends the alternatives below and writes that the first, the 10-CD set, is "the definitive edition." The second alternative, the 2-CD set, "makes an excellent introduction."
Note that Volumes 1 through 3 of the Quintessential series are listed together in a single set below. These are also available as individual CDs. |
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27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vols. 1, 2, and 3 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 4 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 5 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 6 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 7 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 8 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 9 (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — CD |
27-Alternative. Billie Holiday: Legacy (Sony)
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| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 28. Art Tatum: The Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 3 (Pablo 2310-730) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
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Determan: "As is, but 6 additional cuts were added to the CD, for a total of 16 cuts. (The entire Solo and Group Masterpieces series are available on CD)." |
| 29. The Woody Herman Orchestra: The Three Herds (Columbia Special Products JCL-592) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | |
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Available now in CD> Jim Determan also recommends the alternative below, noting that "This CD covers much of the same material, includes most of the best tracks, plus other good tracks not on LP." |
29-Alternative. The Woody Herman Orchestra: The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (Columbia)
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| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
