But jazz aces love it when you try, because blowing away boundaries is what it's all about. We admit that if we actually had to try to fit jazz albums into these categories, we'd be stymied by many of the greatest classics. But we're going to put them out here anyway, as general guidelines. In most cases, they're chronological.
Few artists fit into one category, mostly by choice.
Miles Davis, for example, has probably done at least one album that fits each of these styles. And if he had realized he missed any, he would undoubtedly have headed right to the studio. While these categories might be just another structure to subvert for the artists, they're extremely useful for you, the listener, because you can go to your local music store and tell them more accurately what you like. Or you can try listening to a whole class of artists you haven't sampled before. Go, man, go.