BEST little know Jazz Album that you ever heard?

Roger Nelson (Prince) -- "Loring Park Sessions ’77"

Lalo Schifrin -- "Black Widow"

Yuji Ohno -- "Lupin, the 3rd" anime soundtrack

Fish For Fish -- self-titled album and also their "Diving" album as well

And, finally Rhythmstick album which is compilation of various Brazilian artists such as Airto, Flora

"None But The Lonely Heart" 1997 release by Chris Anderson and Charlie Haden on Naim. Yes, that Naim. Anderson was Chick Corea's piano teacher but retired from performing due to his blindness and degenerative bone disease that made playing extremely painful. In this collaboration you can hear the effort he makes in voicing every chord, and Haden is at his peak, releasing 'Beyond the Missiouri Sky' with Pat Metheny that same year. Sound quality is as extraordinary as the performance. 

My favourite lesser-known jazz album is: 'The Don Ewell quartette'

"Yellow Dog Blues" on the 'Audiophile' label 'AP-66 monophonic"

My original copy is a reddish coloured vinyl. I think the recording

and performances are 'top shelf' There are a couple of 'stereo' re-issues

and I have a later 'Audiophile' reissue which is also pretty good.

I play this on friends systems and Everybody wants a copy!

Mine would be Blue Mitchell's "Step Lightly." It was his first date as a leader for Blue Note. It was recorded in 1963 but by the time I got released in 980, Blue was already dead. That's insane.

For a first date, this is an astounding recording, so assured and polished. And Blue's trumpet playing, as always, was divine. If you live in the New York metro area, you might have already heard parts of the title cut--its opening bars were used as the intro the WNYC-FM's Brian Lehrer show for decades.

My favorite cut is the ballad, "Cry Me a River." When Blue finally starts his solo, it's co clear and affecting that this often covered tune sounds fresh again..

Another that might be considered “little known” as a jazz album, but certainly not unfamiliar in terms of the music it contains is “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. 
 

‘Tis the Season!