Top 10 Albums of Each Year Part 4 - 1960-1962

Welcome back, today we are looking at the top 3 albums from 1960-1962. I'm reducing the number of years per post so that I can hopefully get them done more quickly.

Giant Steps - John Coltrane

Number 1 for 1960. Number 131 overall.
Very energetic and quite short album, with the saxophone as the star of the show for most of it. I didn't love this album as much as some previous albums, and I think that was mainly that it felt a bit...simple? Naima is the big exception here though, a slow, moody piece, with wonderful atmosphere and a beautiful bass riff accompanied by a soft moving piano and saxophone. Overall the album was a bit repetitive and not that exciting to me but still great.
My Rating: 8/10
RYM Rating: 4.11 from 10,192 ratings.
Genre: Hard Bop, (Modal Jazz)

Blues & Roots - Charlie Mingus

Number 2 for 1960. Number 266 overall.
Another excellent album from Charlie Mingus, who has quickly become my favourite jazz artist. This album is basically more of Mingus Ah Um which I am completely in favour of. Moanin' is an absolute masterpiece of a jazz song. I just love everything about this album, from the excellent sax riffs, to the various saxophone, piano and drum solos scattered throughout to the occasional background shout, it all works together to create an amazing jazz album.
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating: 4.06 from 4,900 ratings.
Genre: Post-Bop, (Hard Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz)

Sketches of Spain - Miles Davis

Number 3 for 1960. Number 490 overall.
Sketches of Spain is a very unique album from Miles Davis, with a lot of Spanish influences. It creates a really excellent atmosphere that gives me the feeling I'm in Spain, especially in the length bookending songs. Really solid but it had a few problems that prevented me from rating it higher, mostly it just wasn't completely my cup of tea.
My Rating: 8/10
RYM Rating: 3.90 from 7,733 ratings.
Genre: Third Stream, Modal Jazz, (Saeta, Flamenco Jazz, Flamenco)

My Favorite Things - John Coltrane

Number 1 for 1961. Number 155 overall.
The title track cover of The Sound of Music's My Favorite Things is a transformative masterpiece, with beautiful piano-playing and soft but energetic drums accompanying the excellent main saxophone melody. The title track is the clear best song here but the whole album is fantastic and is definitely my favourite Coltrane record so far.
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating: 4.11 from 8,752 ratings.
Genre: Modal Jazz, Post-Bop

Olé Coltrane - John Coltrane

Number 2 for 1961. Number 339 overall.
The epic 18 minute opener, Olé, is a remarkable jazz song. It propels itself along the whole time without pause and still manages to be interesting the whole way through. The almost constant piano gives the listener something perpetual to latch onto while other ideas are explored and as it builds and builds your mind gets blown. I think it's utterly brilliant and possibly the best piece of jazz I've ever heard. The rest of the album isn't as remarkable but still excellent on the whole (Aisha is especially good).
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating: 4.03 from 3,908 ratings.
Genre: Modal Jazz, (Post Bop)

Africa / Brass - The John Coltrane Quartet

Number 3 for 1961. Number 418 overall.
It's a hat trick from Coltrane! All 3 of the top three albums of 1961 are by John Coltrane! Africa is another excellent opener with a slight tribal feel at times. It also has an excellent drum solo. The rest of the album is also excellent.
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating: 4.02 from 3,416 ratings.
Genre: Modal Jazz, Post-Bop

Symphonie Nr. 5 - Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

Number 1 for 1962. Number 726 overall.
The first part is an undeniable classic, something that everyone knows, and as such is difficult to judge, but I think it is a great passage. I really liked parts 2 and 4 as well. I don't love classical musical as a whole but I really enjoyed this symphony.
My Rating: 8/10
RYM Rating: 4.03 from 346 ratings.
Genre: Symphony, Classical Period, Romanticism

Mosaic - Art Blakely & The Jazz Messengers

Number 2 for 1962. Number 1,074 overall.
So energetic! The piano and drums just go so fast! Blakely is an absolute monster on the drums, just listen to that solo in the title track. My god. This is a really fantastic Hard Bop album, love it!
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating: 3.92 from 1,075 ratings.
Genre: Hard Bop

Tijuana Moods - Charlie Mingus

Number 3 for 1962. Number 1,041 overall.
Similarly to Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain, this album is clearly influenced by Spain/Mexico. In fact, it is meant to be a 'retelling' of sorts of Mingus' "stay in Mexico's wild and controversial border town. Much like Sketches of Spain, this isn't really my style so I didn't love it that much, I'd say I like it about as much as Sketches.
My Rating: 8/10
RYM Rating: 3.89 from 2,397 ratings.
Genre: Post-Bop, (Flamenco, Flamenco Jazz, Latin Jazz)

The next part will be 1963 & 1964. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!