# Your Favorite Non Classical Instrumental Albums



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Limit it to 20 titles.

Jeff Beck-Blow By Blow
Miles Davis- Miles Smiles
Leo Kottke-6&12 String Guitars
Jean Luc Ponty-Enigmatic Ocean
Bill Frisell/Kermit Driscoll/Joey Baron-Live
Frank Zappa-Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar
Herbie Hancock-Crossings
Michael Hedges-Aerial Boundaries
Bruford-One Of A Kind
Mahavishnu Orchestra-Birds Of Fire
Brand X-Masques
Dixie Dregs-Free Fall
Weather Report-s/t
Pat Metheny Group-Watercolors 
Egberto Gismonti/Charlie Haden-In Montreal
Ralph Towner-Diary
Oregon-Winter Light
Hugh Hopper-Hopper Tunity Box
Nguyen Le-3 Trios
John McLaughlin-Belo Horizonte


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Got a lot in jazz, esp. from mid 20th century. Here are 4 I can think of now -

*Mary Lou Williams "Keyboard HIstory"* - an innovator of jazz piano (bebop), as great as the likes of Thelonius Monk, but not as well known as him. She devoted a lot of her time to teaching, so that kind of explains it (dunno if its also got to do with her being a woman?).









*"Basie Meets Bond" *- The Count's 'take' on themes from the Bond movies. I like the way he makes these tunes we all know, which can be cliched, kind of come to life. Some great playing by the big band here.










*Don Burrows - "Jazz Bros" album,* recorded live at Sydney Opera House, with Burrows on saxes, flutes and so on, and also other great Aussie jazz musos, incl. James Morrison on trumpet. Great music and great atmosphere here.










Legendary guitarist* Wes Montgomery's Paris concert *of 1965, 'Round Midnight' - Now this has to be one of his best, its just great stuff, innovative, engaging, amazing small group playing, the lot.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Joe Satriani - Surfin' With the Alien
Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force, Marching Out, and Trilogy
Vinnie Moore - Mind's Eye, Time Odyssey
Tony MacAlpine - Edge of Insanity, Maximum Security
Jason Becker - Altitude
Marty Friedman - Dragon's Kiss

Jazz
Allan Holdsworth - i.o.u., Metal Fatigue
Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy, Casino
John McLaughlin - Extrapolation
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, Bitches Brew
John Coltrane - Giant Steps
Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Made a bit of a blooper by putting Helen Merrill in before. Can't have vocals - duh. But I also like some of the artists mentioned above - eg. J-Luc Ponty and Miles, but I like virtually any jazz from that time (mid 20th century). But you guys know a lot I don't outside of those types of things.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Could Add Electronic selection but I already got 20 albums listed.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Metal Fatigue and IOU have vocals, but they're two of my favorites anyway.


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## Guest (Jul 26, 2012)

Funny, now you've asked, I can't think of many albums I own that are wholly free of vocals that are amongst the 'favourites' in my collection. So, I've got some cheats in mine.

The only one I'd take to a desert island is

Another Green World (Brian Eno)

Amongst the rest, I'd include 

Small Craft on a Milk Sea (Eno)
Heavy Weather (Weather Report)
Autobahn (Kraftwerk)
Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield)
Von (Sigur Ros)
Masques (Brand X)
Product (Brand X)

I might add some more later, if I may.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

andrew hill - judgment
andrew hill - andrew
miles davis - miles smiles
miles davis - bitches brew
sun ra - atlantis
sun ra - cymbals
teiji ito - meshes of the afternoon
paul desmond - pure desmond
booker little - out front
herbie nichols - complete recordings 
wayne shorter - high life
steve roach - dreamtime return
massacre - killing time
albert ayler - witches and devils
lee morgan - the procrastinator


i'll add the others later.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch


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## ArthurBrain (Aug 19, 2012)

Half a dozen of mine, though there's tons to choose from....


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

ArthurBrain said:


>


metastatic resonance is one of my very favorite ambient tracks too.
Never heard before of "the grand electric palace of variety"


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

A few of my favourites have already been mentioned (glad to see Steve Roach!), but I would add the first two classics by Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene and Equinox.


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## ArthurBrain (Aug 19, 2012)




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## ArthurBrain (Aug 19, 2012)

norman bates said:


> metastatic resonance is one of my very favorite ambient tracks too.
> Never heard before of "the grand electric palace of variety"


Agreed, it's one of Lustmord's best pieces on any album IMO. You might like 'Arecibo' as it's the same guy under a different alias doing more spacey stuff.


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## ArthurBrain (Aug 19, 2012)

Art Rock said:


> A few of my favourites have already been mentioned (glad to see Steve Roach!), but I would add the first two classics by Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene and Equinox.


Wow, must have been thinking along the same lines as I've just added Jarre's first....


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

norman bates said:


> metastatic resonance is one of my very favorite ambient tracks too.


It's a very nice track indeed, Place Where the Black Stars Hang is actually a very soothing album to listen to.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Mine are all synthesizer/electronic/ambient:

Michael Stearns - Planetary Unfolding
Steve Roach - Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces disc 1
Steve Roach - Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces disc 2
Steve Roach - Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces disc 3 
Steve Roach - The Magnificent Void
Steve Roach - On This Planet
Steve Roach & Vir Unis - Blood Machine
Robert Rich - Numena
Brian Eno - Ambient 4: On Land
Klaus Schulze - Moondawn
Klaus Schulze - Mirage
Klaus Schulze - X
Tangerine Dream - Rubycon
Tangerine Dream - Ricochet
Ashra - E2 E4
Ashra - New Age of Earth
Vangelis - Blade Runner
Vangelis - Albedo 0.39
Vangelis - Soil Festivities
Vangelis - Antarctica

etc. etc.


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## ArthurBrain (Aug 19, 2012)




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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I got hooked on Jazz through an older studio mate who grew up an the stuff in the late 1950s and early 60s. I discovered Persian and Indian music through one of Yo-Yo Ma's recordings, while I got interested in Japanese Shakuhachi flute music as a result of some of Takemitsu's music. Some of my absolute favorites. Obviously I would include Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie's classic recordings with Joe Williams; and Frank Sinatra if I were including Jazz recordings with vocals.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)




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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Here are a few of mine:


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## Wandering (Feb 27, 2012)

Mingus' (Moanin') and (Haitian Fight Song), but that's jazz.

As far as 'only intrumentals' on albums, I like the main theme instrumental to Scorsese's 'Goodfellas'. There is also an instrumental I listened to many times as a child on the R.E.M. album 'Automatic for The People'. Sorry these don't exactly fit the criteria.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

This thread has made me realize I virtually never listen to any non-classical instrumental music.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

tdc said:


> This thread has made me realize I virtually never listen to any non-classical instrumental music.


The closest things I can think of are close to being purely instrumental like some film score work by Omar Rodriguez Lopez, and some Daft Punk. Some music by Dead Can Dance almost seems instrumental due to how the voices are used. I like a lot of the drawn out instrumental sections in bands like Pink Floyd and The Mars Volta. I have heaps of respect for a lot of the jazz artists mentioned in this thread, but can't say I listen to them all that often.


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## Iforgotmypassword (May 16, 2011)

Grails- Black Tar Prophecies I, II and III


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## MJongo (Aug 6, 2011)

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Soft Machine - Third (mostly instrumental)
Faust - Faust (mostly instrumental)
Popol Vuh - In Den Garten Pharaos
Popol Vuh - Hosianna Mantra (mostly instrumental)
Klaus Schulze - Irrlicht
John Fahey - Fare Forward Voyagers
Constance Demby - Novus Magnificat


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## Iforgotmypassword (May 16, 2011)

While on the topic of Grails... I just recently played violin in the project of a friend of Emil from Grails. I thought that was kinda cool that it's such a small world.


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## MaryG (Sep 26, 2012)

For me that would be something from Appocalyptica...


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

With some classical influence...La Scala/Parts 1 & 2, Over the Rainbow - Keith Jarrett (ECM, rec. 1995).


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## downward (Sep 18, 2012)

Mono - One Step More and You Die


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)




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## googlebordello (Sep 22, 2012)

Philip said:


>


Exactly what I was about to post.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

^^^^^^^^^^^^
What album is that?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Michael Hedges-Aerial Boundaries


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

1. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
2. John Coltrane - My favorite things
3. Frank Zappa - The Perfect Stranger
4. Frank Zappa - Shut Up 'N Play Your Guitar
5. Frank Zappa - The Yellow Shark
6. Mihály Dresch Quartet - Riding the wind (Mozdulatlan Utazás)
7. Mihály Dresch Quartet - Straight Music
8. Mihály Dresch Quartet - Sharing the shed
9. Mihály Dresch Quartet - Argyélus
10. Avishai Cohen - Continuo
11. Jozef Dumoulin & Lidlboj - Trees are always right
12. Duke Ellington - The Ellington Suites
13. Gábor Gadó - Greetings from the Angel
14. Pat Metheny - Unity Band
15. Esbjörn Svensson Trio - 301
16. Eric Vloeimans - Gatecrashin'
17. Ibrahim Maalouf - Illusions
18. Tigran Hamasyan - Mockroot
19. Miusow Quartet - Let's laugh together (Smejmo se skupaj)
20. Don Cherry - Brown rice


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

1. Keith Jarrett: The Köln Concerto
2. Frank Zappa: The Grand Wazoo
3. Frank Zappa: Jazz from Hell
4. John Coltrane: Meditations
5. John Coltrane: Blue Train 
6. Miles Davis: Sketches Of Spain
7. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
8. Paul Desmond: Glad To Be Unhappy
9. Duke Ellington: Unknown Session
10. Duke Ellington: Braggin' and Brass
11. Herbie Hancock: Thrust
12. Bill Evans & Toots Thielemans: Affinity
13. Bill Evans & Stan Getz Album
14. Bill Evans: Portrait In Jazz
15. Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby
16. Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd: Jazz Samba
17. Stan Getz: Moments in Time
18. Charles Mingus: Blues & Roots
19. Thelonious Monk: It's Monk's Time
20. Sun Ra: Atlantis
*Bonus:
Victor Villadangos: Guitar Music of Argentina, Vol. 1 & 2 
José Antonio Escobar: Guitar Music of Colombia
Jose Antonio Escobar: Guitar Music of Chile
Manha de Carnaval: Guitar Music from Brazil
(These CDs are labeled as 'light classical' on Naxos website, if someone care for those classifications. However, I like the Latin American guitar a lot and I like that CD collection)


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Sun Ra: Atlantis- interesting


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Off the top of my head:

This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You
Tides of Man - Young and Courageous
Tangerine Dream - Tangram, Force Majeure, Ricochet
Edgar Froese - Stuntman
Cloudkicker - Fade
Aphex Twin - I Care Because You Do, Richard D James album
Frank Zappa - Shut Up n Play your Guitar
Russian Circles - Empross, Geneva
Mogwai - Hawk is Howling
Buckethead - Claymation Courtyard , Hold Me Forever, Colma
Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien, Flying in a Blue Dream
Maybeshewill - I Was Here for a Moment
We Lost the Sea - Departure Songs
If These Trees Could Talk - Red Forest


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Buckethead - how do you keep up?


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Fortunately Mr Bucket has been touring in America recently so no new albums. I'm just catching up. The Halloween set of albums last year were utterly atrocious but last few have been good.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Thank god Mr Bucket has slowed down with album releases, otherwise there will be no more plastic left......


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

​
Guilty pleasure.


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

Pugg said:


> ​
> Guilty pleasure.


Pugg, do you think of MILES DAVIS as a "guilty pleasure"??? Really?!?!?! 

I think of Miles as one of the *greatest* and *most important* artists of the 20th century.

In my book, calling Miles Davis a guilty pleasure is akin to calling Pablo Picasso or Federico Fellini or William Faulkner a guilty pleasure. No way it's gonna happen.

Of course, you're entitled to your opinion. It just surprised me.


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2016)

JACE said:


> Pugg, do you think of MILES DAVIS as a "guilty pleasure"??? Really?!?!?!
> 
> I think of Miles as one of the *greatest* and *most important* artists of the 20th century.
> 
> ...


I think he wants to provoke and in this case he succeeded.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Traverso said:


> I think he wants to provoke and in this case he succeeded.


Nah, Pugg grew up in a classical music family and is not a big jazz listener.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

starthrower said:


> Nah, Pugg grew up in a classical music family and is not a big jazz listener.


You never know. Maybe he had an austere classical education and was infected with a dogmatic value system but secretly listens to jazz a lot. He might have some more guilty pleasures we don't know about yet.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

starthrower said:


> Nah, Pugg grew up in a classical music family and is not a big jazz listener.


You've got it in one, my partner is the jazz listener. When not around I might give that CD a spin from time to time.
We also have a disc called Black widow by Lalo Schifrin / Black Widow, like that one to.


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