#13 - Bill Smith with Dave Brubeck - Baggin' the Dragon - 1961
The most underrated jazz album ever? I dunno. Too many fit that category. But 1961's Near Myth/Brubeck-Smith has to be in the running. It's an entire album of Bill Smith compositions with Smith taking the clarinet lead in Brubeck's Quartet. The quartet never sounded better...
[ This is not a comprehensive list, nor is it representative of the "most important" or "best." Instead, following Duke Ellington's adage that the greatest music and musicians are "beyond category", I'm starting 2020 by sharing 100 jazz tunes I feel everyone should have the chance to hear--really just tunes and performances that I love. ]
