NOW JAZZ NOW 100 Essential Free Jazz & Improvisation Recordings 1960-80

[Rabshakeh]

Hard to see why they released this now. 

These kinds of lists were once essential. I spent hours over that Thurston Moore list back in the day, awkward jive slang aside. But that was a long time ago, and with the likes of RYM and Discogs that information is now available to anyone who is interested. 

[clifford_thornton]

Discogs and RYM won't be around forever! Also, the verbiage is entertaining.

[T.D.]

I like the list from a (latecomer and relative newbie in the field) listener's perspective.

Being somewhat of an old fart, I find the writing somewhat cringe-inducing. IMO pretentious to a degree and a certain amount of collector's "flexing" as I think someone put it above. Granted that's just my taste, and the enthusiasm is definitely a plus.

[JSngry]

So...the list stops in 1980. Does that mean that somebody who uses this book to drive their primary "discovering" is going to be only a quarter-century behind the times?

[T.D.]

True. But more like almost half a century at present.

An older/superannuated list seems much "safer". From both writing and "discovering" points of view. 😁

[felser]

Well, that was a (to me, THE, ymmv) golden era for that music.  Someone else can write the sequels for 1980-2000 and 2000-2020 if they want.

[JSngry]

Would you read them if they did?

[Chuck Nessa]

10 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Would you read them if they did?

I would.

[T.D.]

12 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

I would.

+1

[Rabshakeh]

I would. It's a real bugbear of mine that no one maps out any of this music past 1982. That goes for non-avantgarde jazz too.

One nice thing about that list is the FIG record. That was and is a good clique of musicians who still don't get enough love.