Jazz Fans-- Name some of your favorite, less well known recordings
@noromance OK. Thanks. @whart: Found the entire J. Callins and a couple cuts from the C. Amy/D. Bolton on youtube-- very nice! I'm familiar with the A. Coltrane-- one of her better small group releases, I'd venture. Will check out the Maisha with G. Bartz. Thanks for your suggestions-- you must have a great collection. @fuzztone: Thanks for the suggestion. |
@jazzbird: I recently bought two Tollivers: "Paper Man" and "The Ringer". Also have some Jackie McLean Blue Notes with Tolliver. "The Ringer" features nearly the same personnel as those Live recordings, with Steve Novosel replacing McBee. as you may be aware, Mosaic released a remastered 3 CD combining the Live at Slugs and Live in Tokyo sets with extra previously unreleased material. I bought it but stupidly didn't keep it for long. Of course, it's now very expensive as it's out of print. |
@czarivey: I'm afraid I don't tend to like most Fusion but I must admit I've never heard the Japanese variety. My main complaint about Fusion is that all too often the material is lacking interest. This is the same reason why shredders such as Vai don't interest me. I prefer playing where melodies and interesting chord progressions are the springboards for improvisation. I prize musicality and emotion far more than blazing chops. Of course, some players can do it all. . . |
@hilde: OK. Different strokes. Harmonically, it's mostly just pentatonics and rhythmically, it's closer to Blues/Rock than anything else. That doesn't qualify as Jazz in my world. It has a lot more in common with the Beatles and Stones than it does with Charlie Parker but I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything-- Just explaining my rationale. |
@hilde: I'm aware of the presence of L. Young and Dave Holland on the Hendrix, but again, harmonically and rhythmically, what they're actually playing is, to my ears, a Blues/Rock jam, not Jazz. I guess Miles really blurred the categories, but even if you listen to a very bluesy "long form" Miles recording, such as Jack Johnson's "Right Off", the players are employing intervals, harmonic shadings and rhythmic devices that separate it from Blues/Rock. And when I say "separate it", I don't mean in some sort of pedantic, scholarly sense-- I mean, you simply won't find this sort of sophistication in the playing of Blues/Rockers. Just the number and variety of chord voicings that McLaughlin utilizes in his accompaniment far exceeds what you'll encounter in the 99% of Blues/Rock players. The way I look at it, it's all about the breadth and depth of the language employed. At the same time time, I don't claim to be an expert nor do I dispute your right to disagree. I was lucky to catch Holland live five times: three times with his quintet, once with his big band and once with Gateway. The latter's the only time I've seen DeJohnette or Abercrombie. Sadly, the venue where I saw these shows (Yoshi's, in Oakland, CA) and quite a few others no longer books Jazz. At those Jazz shows, it was mostly old white guys-- some with their wives. Other genres bring in considerably more money. |
This morning I've been listening to Flora Purim's "perpetual Emotion", from 2001. Seems most F. Purim fans prefer her more Fusion-oriented 70's work but to my ears that stuff sounds dated. I prefer this later, admittedly more mainstream but deeply musical and emotive release. It's an example of music I can easily "get lost in"... and yes-- Airto does play drums. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=flora+puriom+per%5Bpetual+emotion I wish I could discover more Brazilian musicians I enjoy but having spent many, many hours listening, it just hasn't happened. Perhaps starting out with a masterpiece-- Milton Nascimento's "Club Da Esquina" -- was my downfall. Nothing else has come close for me... |
@rok2id: Thanks for that list of Brazilian music-- I will investigate! I had no idea Cannonball had recorded with S. Mendes but I am familiar with the album with Coltrane-- good one! The Pepper Adams is great-- how could it not be, with that list of players? Gonna have to buy that. Yeah, I've got "Unity" (Woody Shaw is one of my favorite trumpet players) but I've never listened to L. Young's pre-Blue Note records. @sbank: Yeah, I've got Blue Serge-- it WAS pricey, but well worth it! ;o) @yogiboy: OK-- thanks!. I once saw Bud Shank play with a bunch of other L.A. hotshots in a group with (dig this) Ravi Shankar and... Yehudi Menuhin ! This was back in the 70's (of course) at some outdoor venue in Ojai. No Charlie Byrd -- studio ace Dennis Budamir (sp?) was on guitar. |
@wsrrsw: I'm a Miles and Pepper fan but haven't listened to those. Thanks for the suggestions. @gsm18439: I suspect I'm just too old to recognize this as Jazz. Not saying it isn't -- it just doesn't fit within the parameters of what I've heard in the Jazz genre. @brillianize: Oh-- the movie was about this guy? I'll check it out. |
@ho249: I'll look into the Mingus and Bley (if they're available on CD). I have the Kenny Wheeler, along with three others. I bought the Pepper Adams years ago but the CD sound was terrible so I didn't keep it. The CTI Joe Farrell albums are not my favorites but no doubt many would like them. I prefer his work with Jacki Byard, Chick Corea and Andrew Hill. For one reason or another, I don't tend to like anything on CTI. "Extrapolation" has long been my favorite McLaughlin release. Wish it sounded better on CD. I haven't gotten around to picking up the Gil Evans but will soon. @acman3: Thanks for your well-wishes. Haven't yet been able to locate an online listening opportunity for Rob Blakeslee.I like the Marcel Ivery, though. @gsm18439: re: Yonnet: Very adventurous in terms of range of material. I find his tone kind of thin-sounding but most of the harmonica playing I typically listen to is Blues playing with a very fat tone through tube amps (aside from S. Wonder). |
I've added links to my initial list: Some4 links are to entire albums , others to just a cut or two. I've stuck with Amazon. Spotify probably has more to offer. Next batch will be somewhat quirkier... Art Farmer Quintet "Blame it On My Youth" 1988. Contemporary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcDVeGWiE1k Gary Bartz and Sonny Fortune "Alto Memories" 1994 Verve Japan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzfGuKuBFU8 Nick Brignola "On A Different Level" 1990 Reservoir https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=niock+brignola+on+a+different+level Joanne Brackeen: "Where Legends Dwell" 1992 Ken Joanne Brackeen: piano/Eddie Gomez: Bass/Jack deJohnette: Drums https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJFAo2PZ5kU Jerry Bergonzi: "Tenor of the TImes" 2006 Savant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsO7ES2WPYY&list=PLccpwGk_xup_DPl8TUwU48GKjQWWII6Sq Hal Galper Quintet: "Reach Out" 1995 Steeplechase https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc2x_WEUUKo&list=OLAK5uy_mioYOHYuIKwHuQjQ6vJro6a0tvCAjC5Ps Stan Getz: "Dynasty" Re-release 2009 Verve https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tms3V-275A&list=OLAK5uy_lb5W9kVw6YFwETtuiG8o1-4gikHrAkG34 Don Grolnick: "The Complete Blue Note Recordings" 1977 Blue Note https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDSgV3F8WyI The anthology brings together two albums: "Weaver of Dreams" and "Nightown" Slide Hampton: "Roots" 1985 Criss Cross Jazz https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Slide+Hampton+Roots Booker Ervin "Booker 'N Brass" 1998 Pacific Jazz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ttj2SN5bOw And just for fun, since I mentioned it, here is Don Grolnick with Linda Rondstadt, performing "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me". Check out Grolnick's extended piano intro... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ttj2SN5bOw |
Just ordered an early British fusion record I hadn't heard before... Ian Carr's "Belladona". . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgDgM2sJe24&list=OLAK5uy_murbl2kM2bAN9P1nijRkSmj0daUqzQZ2U Now, I'm going to have to explore more British Jazz from this era! |
@psion: Thanks-- these might be too "outside" for some listeners but both are indeed classics of their respective genres. @simonmoon: "I view jazz as an evolving living art form, and not a museum piece, so, I will try to focus my recommendations on recent artists and music". This thread can only benefit from your open-eared/open-minded approach. I expect many here are unfamiliar with many of the artists you mention. I hope you will indeed check back in with more recommendations! @jjss49: Thanks for the suggestion-- I was only able to sample one track but in light of a review I found on the All About Jazz site, the track I heard is very representative of the release, overall-- pretty mellow/"late night" (or is that "late nite"?) I suspect it would appeal to many, here. |
@gosta: Of course, as long as you do not mention D. Krall or P. Barber. All references to those two will be cheerfully ignored. Call me elitist but audiophiles really need to over their tunnel vison-fixation on those two. Karin Krog is great. The only one by her I have is "where You At" I'll check out your suggestion. |
Since gosta mentioned Karin Krog, I will list some vocal cds I enjoy... Karin Krog: "Where You At" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR4swScUD_Q Sarah Vaugah: "Live in Tokyo Complete Edition" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meoiTxJofOs Sheila Jordan: "Lost and Found" Can't find any sound samples Sheila Jordan: "Portrait of Sheila" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VFT2zc1lbI&list=PL0q2VleZJVEmZ4zvGNH1l74rupONXEokX Tina May: "More Than You Know" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNnINzQqfbQ Anita O'day:"Sings for Oscar" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Iru1VZR5gc&list=OLAK5uy_mnGDY4a8xtjZmoEovWLzWjiFE4_TLK2aM&i... Betty Carter: The Audience With Betty Carter" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HaMhJF3i88&list=OLAK5uy_nUljP8wcIAGTTGA2m4Yo1W1LkzbfZWVYU Jackie Ryan: "Doozy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5-eje2RMCM Jackie Ryan: "You and the Night and the Music" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8NnVxgmdJ4 Helen Merrill: "A Shade of Difference" and "The Feeling Is Mutual' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B697MtyPgOM And for those with more esoteric tastes... not really jazz but improvisational music on ECM that's uncategorizable: "Sumiglia" and "Songs of An Other". Based in folk music from Greece, Spain, Turkey, eastern Europe that gets very spacy and atonal at times, wandering off into explorations of pure sound I couldn't find any tracks on youtube from these releases but here's a couple live videos. The second one shows at her absolute wildest (some of you may say 'her weirdest" and I won't disagree but it's a type of weird I enjoy). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwW0wt6V30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwW0wt6V30 |
