Lou Curtiss with Tom Waits, 1973

Americans love lists. From George Gallup's most admired public figures to Mr. Blackwell's Ten Worst-Dressed Women, lists cater to that part of the American psyche which craves order and enjoys competition. And, like those two examples, lists can either report fact (top money-making movies) or reflect the tastes and values of their compilers.

But alas, when it comes to grouping things qualitatively, the results are often more satisfying for the reader than for the arbiter, who invariably feels that the list should have been a mile long, wih qualifications and marginal asides included for the sake of comprehensiveness.

Such was the case with putting together thee lists of "essential" record albums. While the purpose was simply to provide the names of albums considered by some to be cornerstones of any respectable record collection, the general consensus among compilers was that it is virtually impossible to narrow the choice down to a modest ten entries. After all, there are literally thousands of albums listed in the Phonolog record catalog, so choosing only ten "important" recordings in any category of music seems a futile untertaking.

Nevertheless the participants, in a praiseworthy display of restraint, came up with the following lists, in four major categories of music. The listings do not appear in order of priority nor do they reflect sales figures or popular taste.

Peter Eros, director and principal conductor of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra 1972-79.

Photo by Jim Coit

Classical

Maestro Peter Eros, a graduate of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and a protege of George Szell, has been the director and principal conductor of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra since 1972. His choices:

1. Brahams, German Requiem (Bruno Walter)...(Victor)
2. Richard Strauss, Salome (Sir Georg Solti)...(London)
3. Wagner, Tristan and Isolde (Furtwangler)...(Angel)
4. Beethoven, String Quartets (Hungarian String Quartet)...(Seraphim)
5. Britten, War Requiem... (London)
6. Bartok, Three Piano Concertos (Geza Anda/Ferenc Frisay)... (Deutsche Grammophon)
7. Dvorak, Symphonies (George Szell)... (Columbia)
8. Mozart Symphonies (Bruno Walter)...(Columbia)
9. Mahler, Song of the Earth (Otto Klemperer)... (Angel)
10. Bartok, Six String Quartets (Amadeus Quartet)... (Deutsche Grammophon)

Igor Stravinsky

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Jonathan Saville is a professor of literature at University of California, San Diego and theater and classical Music critic for the Reader. His choices:

1. Puccini. Tosca (Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, De Sabata)... (Angel)
2. Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) (Toscanini)...(RCA)
3. Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring (Stravinsky)...(Columbia)
4. Mahler, Songs of a Wayfarer and Kindertotenlieder (Fischer-Dieskau, Furtwangler, Kempe)...(Seraphim)
5. Schubert, Trout Quintet (Peter Serkin, Alexander Schneider, et al)... (Vanguard)
6. Chopin, Nocturnes (Rubenstein)...(RCA)
7. J.S. Bach, Suites for Unaccompanied Cello (Starker)...(Mercury)
8. Brahams, Violin Concerto (Szeryng, Monteux)...(RCA)
9. Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 3 and Hebrides Overture (Maag)... (London)
10. Debussy, La Mer (Reiner)... (RCA)

Frederic Chopin

Paul Anderson is an instructor in string chamber music, music history, and music literature at San Diego State University and a cellist. His choices:

1. J.S. Bach, St. Matthew's Passion (Telefunken)
2. Handel, Messiah (Colin-Davis)... (London)
3. Haydn Berg Quartet and Emperor Quartet (Telefunken)
4. Mozart, The Magic Flute (Karl Boehm)...(Richmond)
5. Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 (George Szell)... (Columbia)
6. Schubert, Lieder (Fischer-Dieskau)... (Deutsche Grammophon)
7. Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique (Georg Solti)... (London)
8. Brahams, Four Symphonies (George Szell)...(Columbia)
9. Chopin, Waltzes (Rubenstein)... (RCA)
10. Mahler, Resurrection Symphony (Georg Solti)... (London)

Jazz

Dan Crowley coordinates San Diego City College's annual jazz poll. His choices:

1. Andrew Hill, Spiral (Arista)
2. Anthony Braxton, Five Pices, 1973 (Arista)
3. Charlie Parker, Memorial Album, Vol. 2 (Savoy)
4. Bobby Hutcherson, Total Eclipse (Blue Note)
5. Eric Dolphy, Iron Man (Douglas)
6. Joe Zawinul, Joe Zawinul (Atlantic)
7 Archie Shepp, Live in San Francisco (Impulse)
8. Charles Mingus, Townhall Concert in Minneapolis (Jazz Workshop)
9. John Surman, Morning Glory (Island)
10. Rasaan Roland Kirk and Al Hibbler, A meeting of the Times (Atlantic)

Joe Marillo

Saxophonist Joe Marillo came from Las Vegas to San Diego five years ago and shortly thereafter organized the Society for the Preservation of Jazz and eventually brought jazz artists to the Catamaran Hotel in Mission Bay. His choices:

1. Miles Davis, 'Round About Midnight (Columbia)
2. Hubert Laws, Morning Star (CTI)
3. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Theolonius Monk, Live at Massy Hall in Toronto (Verve)
4. Bill Evans, With Orchestra (Village Vanguard)
5. John Coltrane, Giant Steps (Atlantic)
6. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue Columbia)
7. Charlie Parker, With Strings (Atlantic)
8. Miles Davis and Gil Evans, Porgy and Bess (Columbia)
9. Stan Getz, Focus (Verve)
10. Julian "Cannonball" Adderly, With Strings (Capitol)

Herbie Hancock at Balboa Theater

Ron Dhanifu is program director for KSDS-FM, San Diego City College's all-jazz radio station. His choices:

1. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue Columbia)
2. Charles Mingus, Oh Yeah (Atlantic
3. Charlie Parker, With Strings (Atlantic)
4. John Coltrane,My Favorite Things (Atlantic)
5. Lee Morgan, The Gigolo (Blue Note)
6. Billie Holiday, With Strings (Columbia)
7. Eric Dolphy, At the FIve Spot (Prestige)
8. Julian "Cannonball" Adderly, Live at the Lighthouse (Riverside)
9. Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage (Blue Note)
10. Charles Lloyd, Forest Flower (Atlantic)

Folk

Lou Curtiss is the long-time owner of the Folk Arts store. His choices:

1. Roscoe Holcomb and Wade Ward (Folkways)
2. Dick Burnett and Leonard Rutherford, Ramblin' Reckless Hobo (Rounder)
3. Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, Vol. 1 (County)
4. Glenn Ohrlin, Cowboy Songs (Philo)
5. Mance Lipscomb, Texas Sharecropper and Songster (Arhoolie)
6. Louisiana Cajun Music, Vol. 1 (Old Timey)
7. Buddy Thomas, Kitty Puss and Other Fiddle Tunes (Rounder)
8. Various Artists, Western Swing. Vol. 1 (Old Timey)
9. E.C. and Orna Ball, Fathers Have a Home Sweet Home (Rounder)
10. Hobart Smith, America's Greatest Folk Instrumentalist (Folk Legacy)

Songwriter Jack Tempchin, co-owner of Stingaree with Bob Cowan

Mark Wilson teaches philosophy at the University of California, San Diego and has produced several recordings for the Rounder folk label. His choices:

1. Various Artists, Folkways Anthology of Folk Music (Folkways)
2. Various Artists, Shanties, Lyric Songs, Dance Tunes, and Spirituals (Library of Congress – AAFS2)
3. Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald (Celtic)
4. Various Artists, In the Spirit (Origin Jazz Library)
5. Uncle Dave Macon (RBF?Folkways)
6. Dock Boggs (Folkways)
7. Dick Burnett and Leonard Rutherford, Ramblin' Reckless Hobo (Rounder)
8. The Carter Family, 'Mid the Green Fields of Virginia (Victor)
9. Various Artists, Mississippi Moaners (Origin Jazz Library)

Bob Cowan is owner of the Blue Ridge music store in Encinitas and former co-owner of the Stingaree club with songwriter Jack Tempchin. His choices:

1. Various Artists, May the Circle Be Unbroken (United Artists)
2. Jack Elliott, Young Brigham (Out of print)
3. Doc Watson, First Album (Vanguard)
4. Bob Dylan, Freewheelin' (Columbia)
5. Joan Baez, Any Day Now (Vanguard)
6. Fred Neil, Everybody's Talkin' (Capitol)
7. Woody Guthrie, Greatest Songs of Woody Guthrie (Vanguard)
8. Judy Collins, Maid of Constant Sorrow (Elektra)
9. Pete Seeger, Greatest Hits (Columbia)
10. Cisco Houston, Railroad Ballads (Folkways)

Rock and Popular

"Jessie Bullet" (Richard Bullen) is program director-disc jockey for radio station KPRI-FM. His choices:

1. J. Geils Band, Full House (Atlantic)
2. Eagles, On the Border (Asylum)
3. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (First Album) (Atlantic)
4. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon (Harvest)
5. Allman Brothers, Live at the Fillmore (Capricorn)
6. Bruce Springsteen, The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle (Epic)
7. Who, Who's Next (MCA)
8 Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees (Columbia)
9. Crosby, Stills, and Nash, CSN (Atlantic)
10. Steely Dan, The Royal Scam (ABC)

Steve Capan has been the music director at radio station KGB for one and a half years. His choices:

1. Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Capitol)
2. Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac (Warners)
3. Peter Frampton, Comes Alive! (A&M)
4. The Doors, The Doors (Elektra)
5. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (First Album) (Atlantic)
6. Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority (Columbia)Tommy (MCA)
7. Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Charisma)
8. The Who, Tommy (MCA)
9. Rolling Stones, High Tide and Green Grass (London)
10  Various Artists Homegrown (KGB/United Way)

Stephen Bishop

John D'Agostino's inclusion here is a simple case of charity on the part of the Reader

1. Yes, Close to the Edge (Atlantic)
2. David Crosby, If Only I Could Remember My Name (Atlantic)
3.Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life (Motown)
4. Gentle Giant Free Hand (Capitol)
5. Joni Mitchell Court and Spark (Asylum)
6. Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Capitol)
7. Stephen Bishop, Careless (ABC)
8. The Who, Tommy (MCA)
9. Todd Rundgren, Something/Anything (Bearsville)
10. Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, Brain Salad Surgery (Manticore)

This story first appeared in the Reader on December 22, 1977.