Jazz for aficionados

Speaking of Spanish pianist's

@curiousjim

I just started streaming right at two years ago. After I realizes that I have a wall of CD’s and vinyl I’m barely touching anymore and the price of a month on any of the streaming services is less than purchasing an album, I turned to the dark side

 The "dark side" is a great thing as you can sample before spending on physical media, whether vinyl or digital.

I started using digital streaming 2 years ago as well. As you already know, being an ex CDL operator, we need music spending 8 - 12 hours per day in the rig.

Anyways Jim I have a suggested listen for you. It is based on your recent posts which indicate that you like piano trio sessions.

This is Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, and Paul Motian recorded live at the Village Vanguard, NYC December 1990. There are two discs available. The most common is the first link which is an entire album.

The second disc is entitled "Unissued Tracks" and is, IMHO, as good or better than the more common release. I could not find on You Tube the complete Unissued Tracks but individual songs are there.

The entire 2 night concert was released on a the DIW Japanese label. Dont ask me why a NYC show was released on a foreign label. The one thing that upsets me is that the label should have issued the 2 separate discs as a 2 disc "Complete Villag Vanguard"

first track on the "Unissued Tracks"

Both are available on Spotify so the hi res streaming services should also have them.

@stuartk Turrentine has always been one of my favorite tenors and Kenny Burrell belongs in any conversation of greatest jazz guitarist's just like @jafant Pat Martino.

Turrentine's Blue Hour and Burrell's Midnight Blue are both on my desert island list.

Two other Kenny Burrell albums that belong on any jazz aficionados "must have jazz guitarist's list's" are All Night Long and All Day Long. The title tracks of those two albums, All Night Long and All Day Long, clocking in at 17 plus minutes and 18 plus minutes, respectively, are alone worth it to buy physical copies of each.

As for Turrentine paired with Burrell I highly suggest Jubilee Shout and Hustlin'

@acman3 Thanks for that Sonny Rollins tonight show clip. That was a prime Sonny displaying why he is often called the best improvisor on saxophone.

Great Scandanavian jazz trio

Here is a physical copy of the Montreal Tapes with all of the musicians who recorded with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian at the venue. As you can see its way over priced because its OOP.

Charlie Haden – The Montreal Tapes (2009, CD) - Discogs

I have hunted down all of the individual performances over the years for very reasonable prices.

I think Qobuz has the complete box set. Have not checked Amazon hi res.

@curiousjim @mahgister I'm glad you both are enjoying the "Scandanavian Jazz".

The Soren Bebe Trio is something I stumbled upon recently. I'm just as new to them as you both are and I think they are a pretty good trio.

Speaking of a trio This is one of my all time favorite live trio recordings. Its on the top shelf of my desert island recordings.

Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

There is also two other "Montreal Tapes" with Haden and Motian but the pianists on the other 2 sets are Geri Allen and Paul Bley. You cant go wrong with any of them and I believe there is a box set available for streaming in hi res.

@stuartk Same gig different night. From Wiki:

In 1989, Haden inaugurated the "Invitation" series at the Montreal Jazz Festival. With different musicians he selected, they performed in concert for eight consecutive nights of the festival. Each of these events was recorded, and most have been released in the series, The Montreal Tapes.

@mahgister Here is an interesting Charles Lloyd article. Lloyd got his start with the great drummer Chico Hamilton's quintet.

It has a list of recommended albums of the best Charles Lloyd collaborations with the Chico Hamilton Quintet.

Charles Lloyd: Defiant Warrior Still On Song article @ All About Jazz

Here is one of the suggested albums on the list. It features the great Hungarian guitarist Gabor Szabo as well

@ho249 That Miroslav Vitous session is great.

At that time (late 60s I believe) Vitous, IMHO, was a great bass player and composer/arranger. The album Mountain in the Clouds was originally released titled Infinite Search.

Vitous later became a core member of Weather Report.

Here is another really good session by Vitous

Tete Montoliu with Archie Shepp, Lars Gullin, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Alex Riel

Tete Montoliu with Dexter Gordon, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Alex Riel 

@daledeee1 Thanks for introducing me to The New Mastersounds. I really like funky stuff. Been listening to many funky infectious groove bands for years but never heard of TNM until now.

Actually I'm surprised because when playing all of the other band I like in that genre TNM never came up as "suggested based on your listening" or "customers who purchased that also like this".

Last night I listened to The Nashville Sessions vol. 1 and 2 in their entirety and really like them. Very tight band. Could benefit with a small brass section like most of the other funky and NOLA bands I listen to.

@coltrane1 

I have that Miles Davis Complete Prestige Sessions box set. Remastered with very good sonics.

Michael Cuscuna R.I.P.

Many years ago, Woody Shaw said of Cuscuna:

“No matter what you produce or do in your life, the thing you’ll be remembered for is rescuing all that Blue Note material.”

Full last interview:

Michael Cuscuna: Lifetime Achievement in Recording (downbeat.com)

David Sanborn R.I.P.

A young David Bowie with a young Davis Sanborn on alto sax. Sanborn solo at 2:15

New jazz and old jazz.

New : The Heavyweight Champion

Old: Undercurrent (Rudy Van Gelder Edition/2007 Remaster)

Both great. 

I was at Grants Tomb in NYC for a concert with trumpeter and composer Jeremy Pelt last week. Jazz is alive and well.

David Murray: Octet Plays Trane

https://youtu.be/4CXK2fsGGuI?si=wibtPo6B5Z-SPQBW

David Murray; tenor sax and bass clarinet

Craig Harris; trombone

D.D. Jackson; piano

Ravi Best; trumpet

Rasul Saddik; trumpet

James Spaulding; alto sax and flute

Mark Johnson; drums

Jaribu Shahid; bass

@wharfy 

I assume you live near Tarrytown or thereabouts. Nice neighborhoods up there.

I live out in Suffolk County L.I.

I have that Bird At 100 disc and its a good one. Herring, Bartz and Watson are all great musicians. I have not seen Bobby Watson yet but plan on it.

Lou Donaldson introduced me to Gary Bartz at the Village Vanguard after Lou preformed. Great conversation. I had quite a few conversations with "Sweet Papa" Lou before he passed on.

First time hearing Richard Baratta. He can definitely swing on the kit. Thanks for sharing.

A great Eric Alexander disc with a great band. "The Link" is one of my favorite tunes.

https://youtu.be/m4ghvBnndOE?si=0kENRYRCKCu1AsQh

Have you listened to saxophonist James Carter? he plays alto, baritone, tenor and soprano and is a master of the saxophone. He is like the "Jimi Hendrix of the sax"

Carter:

https://www.youtube.com/live/4SeWeICqs04?si=qSN7iKjFDTlrlQhq

Hello jazz aficionado's and friends.

Going to Smoke Jazz and Supper Club in NYC tonight to see tenor Eric Alexander and alto Vincent Herring. The rhythm section: piano- Mike Ledonne, bass- John Webber, and drums- Lewis Nash.

The band has a residency at Smoke this week promoting the album release of "Split Decision". I have seen all of these musicians many times with other ensembles as well as the line up featured tonight and on the new album.

They all like to play "straight ahead old school jazz". Music that rok2id would approve of. Is rok still participating on this thread?

Here are some albums/songs I have of these guys and others and others for your consideration:

Quintet I'm seeing tonight:

https://youtu.be/Of_bslZM7zs?si=ZwedCIuWtBUFKPjo

These 2 are from Emmet Cohen's place:

https://youtu.be/NkD_kjId4Mc?si=Ae_7x2XkYsYqV-HF

https://youtu.be/AGAvoqO4eUE?si=1IjOGdtGCpezJiXZ

Album released by Eric Alexander and Mike Ledonne and co. calling the ensemble/sextet "The Heavy Hitters"

https://youtu.be/xtCfwYRhC3A?si=6wxRgyD5HEiNL5Q6

A great song from an older (2001) Eric Alexander album titled "One For All" Live at Smoke. I could not find it on YT so here it is courtesy of Spotify:

Eric Alexander The Second Milestone - playlist by Paul Irishman | Spotify

Lastly, 2 albums by Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring "battling" if you will.

https://youtu.be/KFN0bUwlsDE?si=TaGyX9XDRsufU5EE

https://youtu.be/AmveY183pgU?si=8BHty_IBCiHMCAdX

Have a great weekend everyone!

@wharfy Great show. The acoustics at Smoke are very good that is why so many artists record live shows there.

Herring and Alexander have been playing together over 3 decades and play off of each other really well.

Herring mentioned the 2 "battle albums" - the 2005 Eric Alexander release "The Battle", and the 2011 Vincent Herring release "Friendly Fire". Both were recorded live at Smoke.

The rhythm section of Mike Ledonne on piano, John Webber on bass with Lewis Nash on the drums really know how to swing. I had seen Webber and Nash multiple times but never Ledonne.

Mike Ledonne and I had a 15 minute conversation after the set and it was a great experience. Ledonne graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Jaki Byard in 1978 and has been playing professionally nearly 50 years. 

Mike LeDonne’s Groover Quartet has been the featured Tuesday night band at Smoke for the past 14 years. On any given week you can hear some of the greatest players today like saxophonists Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring, guitarists Peter Bernstein, Paul Bollenback and Ed Cherry, and drummers Joe Farnsworth and Carl Allen.

The late Jimmy Cobb, known for playing drums on Miles Davis’ KOB, really liked when John Webber was available to play bass with him live and in the studio. Webber is deserving of Cobb’s preference. I saw Jimmy Cobb many times and Webber was the bassist on nearly all of these occasions.

Lewis Nash, whom I have also had the privilege of seeing multiple times, is a terrific and highly sought after drummer.

Hello everyone its been a long time. I hope everyone is well. I was listening to A Love Supreme and thought about this thread and everyone posting.

Elvin Jones' 1:31 solo at the beginning of "Pursuance" is one of the greatest openings of any jazz song.

I signed in and clicked "last" and noticed Frogman's excellent virtuosity post at the top and eagerly read it very slowly. Another awesome educational frog post!

Speaking of virtuosity, and wrapping my head (trying!) around frogs post, I thought of this 1957 album by Johnny Griffen titled "A Blowin' Session featuring Griffin, Hank Mobley and yes, John Coltrane. This was one of Coltrane's first sessions after he conquered his heroin and other addictions.

The first song titled "The Way You Look Tonight" is definitely Griffin on the first extended solo and he is as fast as anyone before him and after him but speed, if I am understanding frogs post, is not the only thing virtuosity implies.

I was wondering frogman, when you have the spare time, to give this album a listen and tell us which of the solo(s), after Griffen's opening, are Coltrane's on "The Way You Look Tonight".

And if you have the time, point out Coltrane's entry into the other 3 songs - "Ball Bearing", "All The Things You Are" and "Smokestack".

I think on the first song, "The Way You Look Tonight", Coltrane plays the 3rd solo after 1. Griffin, and 2. Mobley, but I could be wrong.

Here it is:

https://youtu.be/SgA1HD9-K7I?si=0du1DFlF31vDYMjx

Thanks acman. I have that disc ow! with Griffin and Davis and it gets a lot of repeat listening's over here.

Great new Sonny Rollins interview (July 5 2025).

https://youtu.be/StWBlxF3Fg4?si=AVdOGpoZSAf9rgHr

Thanks frog for the fast and detailed response. Listened to a lot of Trane yesterday and I have a few observations I would like to share.

Blue Train, Coltrane's first album as a leader during his last decade on earth 100% addiction free, is basically "straight ahead hard bop" and very accessible to all.

Giant Steps is when I needed repeated listening's to "get it".

A Love Supreme took more listens to "get it" then Giant Steps.

I have listened to Ascension dozens of times and I still don't "get it".

Frogman I apologize for bothering you a second time in 24 hours but was wondering is there a "certain way" with different expectations of listening to Ascension to get the most out of it. Lord knows I have tried.

Dave Liebman, another artist I listen to that often ventures across the border into "free jazz", says of Ascension:

 the album "blew everybody out of the water" and was "the torch that lit the free-jazz thing. I mean, it really begins with Cecil [Taylor] and Ornette [Coleman] in '59, but Ascension was like the patron saint saying, 'It's OK—this is valid.' I think that even had much more of an effect on everybody than A Love Supreme."

Here is an interesting rendition of My Favorite Things by Leibman's Expansions" band recorded in September, 2021.

https://youtu.be/SxxSKrKRciY?si=CWgLv4sJTpUOntLB

@curiousjim 

That is a great Ahmad Jamal album. George Coleman plays tenor on 2 tracks and Idris Muhammad drums.

It has a lot of low passages and really needs good dynamics as you pointed out.

https://youtu.be/2c19skciJA0?si=botPX5DSCh1qa5Za

@wharfy 

Yes I have an SACD from Analog Productions of Nelson’s BATAT. Very good dynamics on both the CD layer as well as SACD.

Here is a dynamic range site with 187,449 albums review’s so far. It is an excellent resource when shopping for both vinyl and digital music.

https://dr.loudness-war.info/

When James Carter has a residency in NYC I seldom miss a show. Have seen him over a dozen times and he never disappoints. Most time its his organ trio with a guest every now and then. He really gets into the performances and has everybody tapping there feet and hands along with head shaking.

In 2013 I saw Carter preform with Odean Pope and the late Pharoah Sanders and it was a real treat seeing those three playing off each other. 

Here is Pope and Carter live

https://youtu.be/R6iLfPUjuk0?si=P1v3lY9EPOZk0QSt

Pharoah Sanders live playing a highly accessible tune showing he is just as comfortable playing softer jazz as he is with the usual dissonant honks and screeches with which he was most known for.

https://youtu.be/MyhD_GPrINA?si=RHgmHj5TdfMOqVTS

OK.

This thread is really ignored now compared to when I first started posting a decade ago. 

Anyway I know a few here (including myself), like Hammond B3 jazz players., Jimmy Smith, who revolutionized the instrument’s role in jazz, along with Wild Bill Davis, Jack McDuff, Big John Patton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and  Joey DeFrancesco to name a few. 

That said, I have been listening to Deep Purple for a couple hours now and Jon Lord, the organ player who was a founding member of DP, along with Ritchie Blackmore, is an incredible organ player.

When I was 22 years old, in 1985, I had the privilege of seeing DP mark II lineup for their one and only reunion tour after they released the album "Perfect Strangers".  Jon Lord did a 15 minute organ solo (he was surrounded by a horseshoe of organs/synths towering above him), and it was awesome.

Back on topic! I love jazz that uses the organ! But.... here is a short video of Jon Lord. God Bless and R.I.P.

https://youtu.be/Byhu1pD0pC4?si=NaQ4mr9VWETvr_Rt