I like to keep my late night listening sessions simple— my favorite leather chair, a small fire on a cold night, bourbon (neat), and jazz that has a beautiful simplicity. I often reach for Chet Baker: Chet (OJC-087). To me it is relaxed, intimate, uncomplicated. There just seems to be space between the notes, and they just float. I am looking for other suggestions like this. Preferably on vinyl. Thanks.
You guys are putting me to sleep! How's about Henry Threadgill's Too Much Sugar for a Dime. @bdgregory , Love the Professor (Lester). Died too darn young, heart attack. Maybe the best trumpet player who ever lived from a technical standpoint.
you can not go wrong with many Bill Evans recordings but if you are willing to go out of the box i highly recommend Tom Waits debut recording closing time. i have listened to this recording many times in a dark room or with a single light bulb and glass of a favorite beverage
So many that I would recommend are already listed here. But I would put a lot of Frisell on this list including ghost town. And an Eberhard Weber album Later That Evening as well which features Frisell.
Last night, I enjoyed Harry Belafonte Sings the Blues featuring sublime performances of numerous Billie Holiday, Johnny Mercer, and Ray Charles titles. Great singing, great band, great recording, great pressing — Analogue Productions (AAPF 1972).
... Bill Charlap - Notes From New York, and Uptown Downtown. Real tasty, well recorded, laid back piano jazz.
He's a fine pianist and a favorite of mine. "I'm Old Fashioned", "'S Wonderful", "Written In the Stars" are all well-recorded (actually, most of his albums are).
Thanks to everyone I now have a larger catalog to stream in. A couple back your way in appreciation is Bill Charlap - Notes From New York, and Uptown Downtown. Real tasty, well recorded, laid back piano jazz.
lalitk...Now I know why I couldn't find it on CD. I heard it on a Youtube video. I just watched Hugh Laurie perform the song. He's not Armstrong, but surprisingly good. I saw the album on eBay a while back. I don't have a turntable, but that might change.
St. James Infirmary (Gambler’s Blues) is my all time favorite track of Armstrong. It appears it’s only available on album - Satchmo Plays King Oliver. I have been hunting for this LP for a while. Fortunately, this album is available on Qobuz :-)
Coletrane - "Blue Train" on Blue Note. Excellent recording and Lee Morgan on trumpet, particularly "Blue Train - Alternate Take - is incredible. First time I heard it I thought it had to be Davis to be that good. Coletrane - Coletrane Plays the Blues" probably already mentioned Davis - "Kind of Blue" of course and already mentioned Duke Ellington - "Legacy" Armstrong - "The Very Best of Louis Armstrong" "What a Wonderful World" and "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" - great songs and excellent recording. A little disappointing because it doesn't have "St. James Infirmary"
I’m sitting here late at night in my dark listening room and spinning Paul Motian Trio into my new BorderPatrol DAC. Just need to fix a drink and then life is good.
Ballads by Coltrane is hard to beat for late-night, "wine"-down listening. (The new release from QRP is amazing) But also try Coltrane’s Crescent, one of my personal favorites and Love Letter by Jimmy Heath.
How come I never read about audiogon folks listening to organ jazz? Nothing like an organ ballad at night. Dig through any organ album, they all have at least one ballad. But even the up stuff is good after dark.
Brother Jack McDuff Don Patterson Joey Defrancesco Jimmy McGriff Shirley Scott Jimmy Smith Charles Earland
@cabfiend: I gave Coltrane and Hartman a late night spin.. and it is indeed a good one. I especially enjoyed Coltrane’s rhythm section — Jones using brushes the whole album, Garrison plucking deep, round notes to go along perfectly with Hartman’s voice. Great recording as well (Impulse AS-40).
At late night, when I listen to jazz, I most often listen to piano, either solo or with one other instrument. In addition to some of the albums listed in previous responses, here are long-time favorites and some that I've been enjoying recently:
Ahmad Jamal -- Ballades Fred Hersch -- Music from Home Bill Evans -- Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby Charlie Haden and Hank Jones -- Steal Away and Come Sunday Charlie Haden and Chet Baker -- Silence
And some exceptions to the rule include: Ben Webster -- Soulville (yep, I'll join the chorus on this one) Ben Webster -- Jazz 'Round Midnight Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau -- Across the Wide Missouri Sky Joe Pass -- Meditation and Unforgettable Happy listening and sweet dreams! Jim
Stacey Kent - Raconti-Moi; The Changing Lights Karrin Allyson - Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane Dorothy Ashby - In A Minor Groove Anouar Brahem - Le Pas Du Chat Noir Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda Gal Costa - Live at the Blue Note Bill Evans - Undercurrent Melody Gardot - Worrisome Heart Tord Gustavson - Being There Keith Jarrett & Charlie Haden - Last Dance Etta Jones - Lonely and Blue
Iggy And The Stooges - Raw Power (jk! seeing if you were paying attention)
Thanks everyone for their awesome recommendations. I was up until 4am last night listening to some of these great jazz artists on Qobuz :-) Dexter Gordon - Don’t Explain Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - My Little Brown Book Johnny Hodges And His Orchestra - Didn’t Know About You
Also thanks @brskie for pointing out Gene Ammons: Boss Tenor (OJC-297). I forgot I had that one. Like Chet Baker: Chet it is another OJC release that provides a high performance/ recording quality to cost ratio and is a great late night spin. Teeing that one up for later tonight. Now to track down some of the other great suggestions.
Grant Green: Idle Moments Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue Gene Ammons: Boss Tenor Jim Hall: Concierto Miles Davis: In a Silent Way Stanley Turrentine With The 3 Sounds: Blue Hour Milt Jackson: Sunflower
All reissued on vinyl from original master tapes on great labels These should keep you busy into the wee hours....
Just listened to Ben Webster’s Soulville 5 times in a row. Don’t know how I never heard it before. Might go for a sixth. Thanks for that recommendation. Thanks to the OP of course.
Chet Baker Bill Evans “Together” WaxTime 771698 Although they only recorded on a couple of occasions, marvelous team! was listening tonight, mc2125, mx110z, Thorens td160 Leather chair, fire, bourbon, no ice!
Try: John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963).... AND, thanks everybody for sending your musical magic our way. I've been on Audiogon for a while now and I am so jazzed to see some people talking about the music beyond the music as a simply a vehicle to assess gear. This is what it is all about when you distill it down. Keep em coming, fellow fiends.
Charlie Haden- NocturneJohn Daversa- Quarentena Note both of these albums feature magical Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Also want to highlight another Ben Webster album- Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster. Check out Rosita. Cheers.
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