CANNOPY x Alan Braufman

Alan Braufman ─ I've been asked by Cannopy to compile a list of the ten most influential albums leading up to the recording of my new album, Infinite Love Infinite Tears. Influences often are hard to pin down as the end product may end up not being very similar to the influences that got you there. Most of the albums listed here are from my formative teen years, the albums that started the journey, way back in the 60's—a good decade for influences. 

1) The Oscar Peterson Trio at Newport.

We will start on fairly traditional grounds with The Oscar Peterson Trio at Newport: some of those “friends” were Sonny Stitt and Roy Eldridge—enough said. My early listening was the music my mom would listen to, she had great taste. I had been playing clarinet for a year when I first heard this album. What a revelation to hear Sonny Stitt for the first time! 

2) Patterns by The Modern Jazz Quartet.

The simple melodies—written by John Lewis for the score of the film Odds Against Tomorrow, were so beautiful and creative, a good early lesson in melody. Seeing how I was playing this album so much, my mom took me to see the MJQ when I was 10. Music was beginning to compete with baseball for my interest.

3) Out There by Eric Dolphy.

Another one that my mom brought home, the first time I heard this, I kind of knew, at 10, I was going to be into the stuff that was different and new.

4) Point Of Departure by Andrew Hill.

We are up to 1964, I was 13, I had a subscription to DownBeat, and first became aware of this album by reading the DownBeat review. I clearly recall when, listening to the first tune on the album, “Refuge”, a bit into Eric Dolphy’s solo when I had the epiphany: it was going to be music, not baseball!

5) Complete Communion by Don Cherry.

So much in this album! The “suite” form that Don often used made an impression, the music doesn't have to come to a halt at the end of every tune! And, the tunes were so melodically beautiful! This album was the first time I had heard Gato [Barbieri], who has had a huge influence on my sound. 

6) Unit Structures by Cecil Taylor.

To this day, this remains my favorite Cecil album, the writing is so good on it!  And Jimmy Lyons—his beautiful bebop lines delivered in a harmonically free setting were so cool!

7) Live at Sweet Basil, Vol. 1 by Abdullah Ibrahim and Carlos Ward.

Ibrahim’s beautiful, simple melodies were infectious. A beautiful melody can be just as moving as a burning solo with thousands of notes. I chose this album because it also has one of my all-time favorite alto players, Carlos Ward!

8) The John Coltrane Quartet Plays, with Chim Chim Cherry and Nature Boy.

John Coltrane, all of his albums! But, if I had to pick one to bring to a desert island, it would be The John Coltrane Quartet Plays, the album with Chim Chim Cherry and Nature Boy. Situated right between A Love Supreme and the band’s expansion with Pharoah [Sanders], this album catches Trane at a peak.

9) Tauhid by Pharoah Sanders.

Pharoah’s first album for Impulse, wow! I used to hear Pharoah at Slug's on East 3rd St back in the 60’s. What was so cool was, one night you'd go and the music would be smoking, intense. The next night, you might go and he’d be playing subdued ballads all night and it would also be beautiful! That made the intense nights all the more special. He played that way because he felt it that night, he wasn't going to phone that in just because people expected it. 

10) Something Else by Ornette Coleman.

I certainly can’t finish this list without mentioning Ornette [Coleman]! Something Else!!!! and The Shape Of Jazz To Come got me started.

Infinite Love Infinite Tears was released on May 17, 2024, via Valley of Search.