Can you recommend some well recorded Hard Bop Jazz CD's? (Remasters) I have some of the JVC 20bit K2's, as many as I could find. Many have been sold out for years. Have some JVC k2 Cd's of Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Coltrane, Miles, Bill Evans etc. Not many out there left to be had. The Columbia jazz recordings (Miles etc) are for the most part excellent recordings. Example: "Miles Davis Qunitet. 1965-68-- if you listen to CD's and don't have this box set, you are missing out on an excellently recorded cd set of great music. Another: the "Miles Davis and John Coltrane, The Complete Columbia Recordings" is another set of excellent music and excellent recordings. Individually too, many of the Columbia CD recordings on jazz are very nice. For sound quality, the Blue Note jazz and RVG Remasters series is hit and miss (mostly miss imo). The music itself is awesome, but many of the recordings are tilted up in the highs and lacking overall sonic weight and bass,(the recordings sound thin), but I own quite a few of these recordings because the artists were too great and their contributions to the Hard Bop genre and Jazz in general are too significant to pass up.
Any suggestions of other well recorded, good sounding, Hard Bop Jazz on CD? (that are still available) Thanks.
If you want box sets you will go crazy with Mosaic Box Sets of Hard Bop. True Blue also has box sets of hard bop. The advantage is hearing music by your favorite artists that you never heard before, the disadvantage is duplication. Tina Brooks and Ike Quebec are fantastic "Hard Bop" tenor saxmen that you might not be too familiar with who are comparable to the best.
For newer recordings, but in that tradition, check out the Sharp Nine record label (www.sharpnine.com). They've got really great talent and their recording quality is consistently first-rate. The Grant Stewart albums, as well as the Anthony Wonsey discs are outstanding. I've never gotten a bad CD from them. Titles are readily available on Amazon.
Blue Note has released a new series of remasters that are supposed to be amazing. I'd do a search. Last I knew, there were only 4 available so far; but more due soon.
Hank Mobley "No Room For Squares" is a CD that I purchased as an LP when it was almost new. It features Lee Morgan, Andrew Hill, Philly Joe Jones, and John Ore. This CD is "Hard Bop" all the way.
I guess a good way to start your journey wold be to buy some very thick book of jazz,and than when you got the time browse threw recomended albums in some good cd store. Personally,its something that gives me great pleasure,specially when I travel,to search and discover shops and editions in them.But,just to name few most popular or ones that you will probaably like at first listening:on guitar,Kenny Burell,Grant Green,on sax,Coleman Hawkins,Ben Webster,Ike Quebec,Stan Getz,Paul Desmond,on trumpet,Dizzy Gillespie,Clark Terry,Miles Davis,Chet Baker,Blue Mitchell,F.Hubbard,on piano,Oscar Peterson,Duke Ellington,Count Basie,Art Tatum,on organ J.Smith,L.Smith,Ruben Wilson,on vocal Johnny Hartman,Lou Rawls,Ella Fitzgerald,Sarah Vaughn...etc.The list is long,or the book is thick,and hope that quality of music will come before of the qulity of recording.
Thanks Alex, but I was looking for recommendations on well recorded Hard Bop. I'm already aware of most of the artists you list, but finding well recorded cd's of these artists is often difficult. Poor recordings seem plentiful.
Have you considered going vinyl? There are original releases available. The Original Jazz Collections (OJC) re-issues are available and often better than the CDs. The new remasters can be very good. Unfortunately, as you know, the original CDs of this era jazz were often done pretty poorly.
Red Rodney, "Then and Now" CheskyJD79. Red takes classic tunes from bop's early years and updates them to '90's versions. Red was a seminal bopper and this was one of his last recordings. Great music very well recorded.
Sonny Clark; Sonny's Crib: Donald Byrd, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trombone; John Coltrane, tenor saxophone; Sonny Clark piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Art Taylor, drums. Blue Note 97367 is so tough, I am going to jamm it twice.
Orpheus10, I see you're still jammin; thanks for the recommendations.
06-30-10: Jfz Blue Note has released a new series of remasters that are supposed to be amazing. I'd do a search. Last I knew, there were only 4 available so far; but more due soon.
Jfz, can you be more specific? I looked around and I can't find any new Blue Note remasters, just the same old RVG series and other Blue Note remasters from years back.
How about Art Blakey's "The Jazz Messengers" CD featuring Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, and Donald Byrd. It's on Columbia ... well recorded, with nearly every cut a winner. Familiar, yet timeless tunes mostly written by Mobley and Silver. Highly recommended.
Orpheus10, it is the same; and I wholeheartedly agree with your HOF statement. Foster_9 didn't mention it in OP, so I thought I'd throw it in. To me, the CD has a very analog quality.
Strateahed, after going through my collection, I discovered I have 4 incarnations of "The Messengers". All of them are so fantastic I could not choose a favorite; however, I did discover some favorite musicians, beside Art Blakey of course. Horace Silver on piano; Donald Byrd on trumpet; in the first group. Lee Morgan on trumpet; Bobby Timmons on piano; on the CD "A Night In Tunisia". On the LP "Moanin", Benny Golson who is an outstanding writer and tenor sax man appears. This music took me back to the time when I was out on the town catching the sets. Enjoy the music.
Foster 9,You should check the ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS,they have just remastered and published some clasic blue note editions on hybrid sacd.Men behind that project are Steve Hofman and Kevin Gray and with Alan Yoshida from xrcd,probably ones of the best experts.The cost is around 30USD per cd,check their site.Did not want to look smart in my last post,hope this will help you more.
Hi Orpheus10, the one I have is: "The Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia" Volume 1. Also have "Moanin" but not the Jazz Messenger recordings mentioned with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan. I know they must be great and will eventually purchase those. $30 per CD for Analogue Productions! I'll wait until I get my next and best CD source to purchase those discs! Hopefully within the next couple weeks! Thanks to you all!
Orpheus10, I thought of one I have not mentioned, and wonder if you own it. "Paris Blues" by Horace Silver. Excellent recording, great playing by the group and one of the masters, a timeless piece.
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