10 best jazz albums for reading: A 9-Hour ambient jazz playlist
Jason Boog
10 jazz albums that are perfect for reading
It is worth noting that this is an unusual jazz playlist. You might notice it is a little dreamy and slow, and doesn't feature many of the jazz greats I could have mentioned.I love all kinds of jazz, but I've been obsessed with the more ambient side of things for the last few years, many are released by ECM Records, a jazz label that's famous for a very particular “ECM sound.” Records from this label are always playing on headphones while I’m working or spinning on my record player when friends visit. With more than 2,000 albums, the ECM catalog contains equally creative feats by masters of almost any instrument, from piano, guitar, bass, sitar, saxophone, vibraphone, or drums.In a Silent Way — Miles Davis
This groundbreaking album showed the world what ambient could feel like, way before the genre was even invented. It's hushed, moody, and evocative, perfect for a reading session.Space 1.8 — Nala Sinephro
I own both of Sinephro's brilliant albums. I find them so meditative without making me sleepy or slow. It actually helps me focus with its amazing soundscape.Köln Concert — Keith Jarrett
This solo piano album got me back into jazz a few years ago. It's an astounding, completely improvised concert that feels both luminous and intimate.The Pavilion of Dreams — Harold Budd
This album has only the lightest jazz influences, but I'm hypnotized every time I hear it in the background while I'm reading or writing.Promises — Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra
This fusion of jazz and classical is transcendent, featuring one of the most innovative jazz musicians who ever lived. It's like having an entire movie unfold in your head as you read.Music for Nine Post Cards — Hiroshi Yoshimura
Whenever I get stressed out, I turn to this ambient Japanese artist. His music was meant to be played in a museum, the perfect soundtrack for reading.Le Pas du Chat Noir — Anouar Brahem
Brahem is a world-renowned Oud player, and I absolutely adore the sound of this melancholy and inspiring jazz album from ECM records.Still Way — Satoshi Ashikawa
This is another amazing Japanese ambient artist, a spare piano and marimba sound that always makes me happy and thoughtful.Journal October — David Darling
Until I heard this solo cello album, I had no idea that cello could be played in a jazz context. This is a haunting and cinematic album, perfect for any reading session.Ondas — Mike Nock
I've been haunted from the very first minute I heard this ECM piano trio. The songs always paint movies for me, giving any book a bit of extra feeling.Keep reading on Fable
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Frequently asked questions
Is jazz good music for reading?
The ambient jazz on this list lets me get swept along by somebody else’s creative flow without the hangover you get from sugary easy-listening music — atmospheric enough to settle into, alive enough that I’m not just tuning it out. It’s exactly the kind of music to read to.What’s the best jazz album for focus?
If I had to pick one, it’s Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert. Jarrett showed up late and exhausted for a sold-out solo show in West Germany, only to discover that the stagehands had delivered him a busted piano — clamped black keys, broken pedals, torn strings. He played it anyway, improvising an hour of the loveliest music I’ve ever heard. If you want something with more action, try Nala Sinephro's album!What is the ECM sound?
ECM Records is the German jazz label founded by producer Manfred Eicher in 1969, and the “ECM sound” is the elusive but distinctive style his label has cultivated for more than fifty years. The ECM catalog contains equally creative feats by masters of almost any instrument, from piano, guitar, bass, sitar, saxophone, vibraphone, or drums. You know it when you hear it: a quiet, human quality that’s perfect during late-night conversations, deep-focus editing sessions, and long reading hours.Where can I find a jazz reading playlist?
You can stream the full 9-hour ambient jazz reading playlist that pairs with this article on Spotify. It collects all 10 albums above in one place, designed to play uninterrupted through a long reading session. If you want to explore further, two ECM-curated playlists I listen to daily are “ECM Meditation” and “ECM Atmospheres.”
Jason Boog