I'd have to say Sonny Rollins '57. It LEAPS off the vinyl. And, yes, I heard the Thad/Mel Big Band there in the late 60's. I levitated. They have a live album from the V.V.. Find it if you can and it's stereo to boot.
Best "Village Vanguard" or "Blue Note" recording
Many of the great jazz artists seem to have recorded an album at either the Village Vanguard or the Blue Note at some point in their careers, which leads me to the following question: which of the albums recorded at these venues would you rank as the greatest and why?
Some followup possibilities: Do you think playing at one of these venues affects the nature of the artist's performance? i.e., do shows at these venues cause artists to take more risks? play more popular songs? elevate their playing?
Finally, if you have attended shows at both venues, which was your favorite and why?
Some followup possibilities: Do you think playing at one of these venues affects the nature of the artist's performance? i.e., do shows at these venues cause artists to take more risks? play more popular songs? elevate their playing?
Finally, if you have attended shows at both venues, which was your favorite and why?