Top 10 Jazz recordings ever

You seem familiar. I think I remember having a talk with you before. Ah yes, Still waiting on that list. BTW, you are consistent also. You were a ignoramus then, and you are a ignoramus now.

sorry
an ignoramus. like to get it correct.

Chazro:

I did something I never do. I never check a person's previous posts. A while ago, I checked some of your previous posts. I now think I understand your musical taste better. I am sorry I called you an ignoramus. It was uncalled for, and not true, but I can't delete it. After reading several of your posts on music, it's obvious to me that we will never agree on anything pertaining to music. So lets just leave it at that. Sorry again about the ignoramus thing. I try to never call names. But, it is good to have music lovers on this site. We need all we can get. Happy listening. BTW, I used to work for IBM in Atlanta.

Damn, just when it was startin' to get good !!!!!

Tpreaves

I promised to fight no more in the new year.

Rok, I'm takin' side bets on that !!!! :)

OK, I appreciate the white flag. Plz understand, it's not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it that disturbs me. You don't care for Coltrane? Fine, not everybody does. You like Wynton? Great! So do I. As a Jazz-lover I worry about the kind of statements you make being detrimental.

But we're cool;)

Tpreaves:

I appreciate your confidence in me. :)

Hey Rok, I plan on making enough juice off the bets to finance a new cartridge !!!! :)

Junglern
Since you asked for vocals 4/5 are vocal recordings.
1-Roberta Gambarini-Easy to Love-Best pure jazz vocalist to emerge in the past 10 years.
2-Susannah McCorkle-How do you Keep the Music Playing-No flash or trash here, just no nonsense vocals with perfect diction.
3-Joe Williams-Nothing but the Blues-Quite possibly his best recording ever.
4-Rare Silk-New Weave-Favorite jazz vocal group recording. Out of print but well worth the cost of obtaining it.
5-Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers-Keystone 3-Branford and Wynton Marsalis are sublime on this recording.
All 5 recordings are sonically above average. With the McCorkle and Williams recordings being reference level.

1. Dee Dee Bridgewater - Love and Peace, A tribute to Horace Silver
2. Ernestine Anderson - Never Make Your Move Too Soon
3. Charles Mingus - Mingus At Antibes
4. Horace Silver - Blowin' The Blues Away
5. Horace Silver - Song For My Father
6. Dee Dee Bridgewater - Eleanora Fagan, To Billie With Love
7. Oscar Peterson Trio - +One with Clark Terry
8. Best of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
9. Gene Harris - The Best of the Concord Years
10. Houston Person & others - Jazz In An R&B Groove

Good places to start. Hard to go wrong with any Oscar Peterson or Horace Silver.

As bad as I hate to admit it, you got good taste in jazz; I have all of the artists and most of the albums.

I don't understand why you think we have 'issues'. Was it something I said?

Rok2id
Regardless if you like it or not, your becoming the latest Agon "star". I make sure to check out all your posts(lol)!!! Keep it up.

Rok2id, whatever it was, it's no longer worth mentioning.

I just recently bought this LP with Gene Harris and the "Three sounds".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPbVVSAWcRI&feature=related

I have several LPs of the three sounds, but only one on CD, 'Babes Blues.' Their CDs seem to be sort of expensive on amazon. I will have to look again and try to find them used. They were one of my favorite groups back in the late 60's. Good 'accessible' Jazz.

Do you have Oscar Pettiford in your collection? He is the best bassist ever. While Charles Mingus is the best "music maker", Pettiford is the best bassist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMaqzjSx7a4

In my opinion, this is his best LP.

By the way, I am absolutely not in that CD, LP debate. It just so happens that the music I seek is only available on high priced LP's. Recently, some of those "high priced LP's" became available on normally priced CD's. I would have no objection to purchasing them if I didn't already own the LP.

I don't have any CDs with Pettiford as a leader. Almost surely as a member of a group. I am not in the debate thingy either. Around 1987 I just stopped buying LPs. And since they are all in storage and hard to get to, I am not exactly sure what I have on LP. Some are stand out records and I remember the album art. Ray Bryant's 'Slow Freight'. I remember the light on the caboose. Great music. I have almost all the essential stuff on CD now. And a few even on SACD.

Orpheus 10 - I agree about Pettiford vs Mingus. I hesitate to call anyone the best ever, but Pettiford is easily in the conversation. My personal favorite is Lynn Seaton, but that's more because I know and learned from him than any particular recording.

This qualifies for "best of the best". It was first posted by Foster_9. What makes this so unique is the fact that it was never recorded on an LP. I bought the LP with "Senor Blues" on it, and this is different and much better. Something happens in a live performance that can never be duplicated. When you look at this you are witnessing an incredible slice of jazz history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOu5iWhexE0

Jazzerdave, normally I preface a statement like that with "in my opinion"; however, I believe OP is the best bassist ever. I make this statement after listening for many years to the other "best bassist" in jazz.

These "Youtube" examples will give you a micro sample of why I think he is the best ever. Listen to how beautiful his "Stardust" is, it takes me away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut6LinT-DJI

Next is "Oscalypso"

http://www.yahoo.com/?r875=1327617038

This is followed by "Titoro"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unI3cfCdZps

Has anyone purchased any of the '8 classic albums' sets being offered on amazon?

Thanks for getting me to listen to more Pettiford. Any albums I should try to find? Lynn Seaton is still my favorite, but once again, I know the man and wouldn't trade the years I spent studying with him for the world. Needless to say, I'm nowhere near impartial.

Jazzerdave, any album you see him on as a sideman, when you like the leader. His LP's are used and expensive. He's a sideman on a few Chris Connor CD's, I like her. My favorite LP is the one shown with those cuts on it.

Maybe you should go a little easy on the 'he is the best' stuff. They all made magic and gave a lot of people pleasure, and just let it go at that.

Rok2id, there you go again. You didn't even make a comment on that Horace Silver post, and now you're telling me what I should post. Since what I'm thinking would be inappropriate to post *&&^^%^$#@, I'll refrain from any comment.

I have been listening to Horace Silver for a hundred years. It was a nice video, but nothing I have not seen or heard before. I just don't know how one determines that a certain Jazz player is 'The Best.' With all the different styles and differnt eras and different types of Jazz, how do you do that? Take Miles for instance: Is he 'better' than Buddy Bolden, Harry 'sweets' Edison, Louis Armstrong, Lee Morgan, or Roy Eldridge? I could name many more. The point is, they were / are all GREAT. If you have a formula for doing this, let the rest of us in on it. And this is my last comment. I swore not to fight this year. " *&&^^%^$#@ " That means 'I surrender.' :)

In regard to the Horace Silver video, you just proved your inability to appreciate something special and Oscar Pettiford is still the "best bassist ever" as far as I am concerned.

I'm late to the game but I didn't notice any mention of:
Gerry Mulligan
Chet Baker
Monk
I did see a vote for Oscar Peterson
Bill Evans
I could go on and on but I think the OP asked for 5

I did not see any mentions of Ornette Coleman, Joe Henderson, Paul Motian, Anita O'Day, Benny Goodman, Charlie Haden - no one likes them here ?

JAnyway for those who want to listen, there are a few recommendations:

JOE HENDERSON : STATE OF THE TENOR LIVE IN THE VILLAGE VANGUARD VOL 1&2 (ridiculously indescribable work)

COUNT BASIE ON PABLO RECORDS produced by Norman Granz, especially BASIE JAM, BASIE JAM #2, 88 BASIE STREET, KANSAS CITY 7, all SATCH AND JOSH piano duets with Oscar Peterson (this is not controversial - do not miss this)
Anyway, for thosen who want to listen
JAN GARBAREK w/TERJE RYPDAHL : ESOTERIC CIRCLE (1969, before George Russell lost Jan to NewAge conflict-free "musical" mystics).

JOHN McLAUGHLIN : EXTRAPOLATION (this was mentioned just once in the 12 years, amazingly, the amazing symbiosis of John Mc.. and John Surman makes it a sleeper of the century).

The big 3;

Kind of Blue.
Time Out.
Ah Um.

Jafant, I think there should be a big 4. That would include "Something Else" led by Cannonball Adderly and Miles.

Has anyone purchased any of the '8 classic albums' sets being offered on amazon?

I did. I got the set of Anita O'Day CDs. Some of the CDs had poor sound quality compared to single CD releases. Some sounded fine. I'll not purchase these again for other artists.

Rockadanny:
Thanks for the reply. I thought it would be too good to be true. I'll take them off my save for later list.
Cheers

Rok, I'm sure you and Rockadanny have "Anita O'Day Sings The Winners"?

Orpheus10 - Certainly. That gal can swing! Of hers I have:

This Is Anita
Pick Yourself Up
Sings the Most
Sings the Winners
Swings Cole Porter
Cool Heat
Swings Rodgers and Hart
Waiter Make Mine Blues
Trav'lin' Light
Time for Two
The Life of a Jazz Singer (DVD)

Orpheus10 & Rockadanny:

I Just clicked 'Place Order' on:

The Winners -- If Orpheus swears by it, that's good enough for me.
The Most -- I didn't know OP was on board.
Pick Yourself Up -- includes Sweet Georgia Brown, with 'sweets' on board, how could I not get it!!

The music on Amazon was good as were the reviews. Thanks for the tips.

Cheers

If there was ever a "jazz singer" it's Anita O' Day. Not only does she sing jazzy, but every move she makes is jazzy. I know you both have checked her out at Newport. Her name should be preceded by "Cool and jazzy" Anita O' Day.

Orpheus10:
She should have fired the guy in charge of Photos / cover art. On almost all her lp/cd covers, she looks as if she is undergoing torture. Also ordered Donald Byrd: CAT WALK. Will report. Today's playlist included Coltrane - My Favorite Things. What a player!! He was awesome before he went over the event horizon. You can hear the genesis of the music that was coming, on this CD. Also listened to The Sidewinder. Sidewinder gets the hype, but I am partial to 'boy, what a night'.
Cheers

I'm glad you saw her at Newport, that's when she was at her peak. "Early Autumn" is my favorite, for sentimental reasons. I saw Coltrane do "My Favorite Things" live with that same group, it was unforgettable.

Although I don't have CAT WALK, you certainly won't go wrong there. I'm familiar with everyone except the bass player, but the rest of that cast are stars in their own right.

Enjoy the music.

On almost all her lp/cd covers, she looks as if she is undergoing torture.

Heroin will do that to you. She should have fired her drummer (drug provider) instead.

If you haven't seen it yet, get the DVD "Jazz on a Summer's Day". It covers the '58 Newport Festival, where she sings Sweet Georgia Brown. IMO, the greatest jazz vocal performance of all time. Other great performers as well (although not Miles Davis - he refused to be recorded on film that day).

Today's playlist:

Sir Roland Hanna - Duke Ellington Piano Solos.
Good recording and good piano playing, but a little too much interpertation of Duke's music. It can't get any better than Duke wrote it. Didn't grab me.

Gene Harris -- In His Hands
Not Jazz but Jazzy. Gospel numbers are the stand-outs. Battle Hymn of the Republic / Will the Circle be Unbroken and The Whole World in His Hands, make the CD. Harris' Daughter sings.

The Max Roach Trio -- featuring the legendary Hasaan
Roach is a great drumer. He plays just like another instrument in the group. Let's the bass keep time. very nice set. Good recording. This is Hasaan's (piano) only recording. A shame.

Jimmy Smith -- House Party
Not as fond of the organ as I used to be. Seemed to sound better on JBL! BUT, with Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson,Tinas Brooks,Kenny Burrell, Donald Bailey and Art Blakey on board, I'll suffer thru it! Five tunes in over 53 minutes. They had a lot to say. :)

Sonny Rollins -- East Broadway Run Down
Indescribable!! This is improvised music of the highest order. Exceptional bass playing by Jimmy Garrison. Freddie Hubbard on the title tune. This is a great CD. This is as 'out there' as Jazz ever needed to go. There is no tone like Rollin's.

Happy Listening
Cheers

"This is a high fidelity recording. For best results observe the R.I.A.A. high frequency roll-off characteristic with a 500 cycle crossover."

This was printed on the fold out of a Max Roach CD. The CD fold out was a copy of the liner notes from the LP. Does anyone know what this means?
Thanks in advance
Cheers

Rok, the explanation is rather long and convoluted. It only applies if you have TT and phono pre that can do those tricks.

RIAA equalization is a form of pre-emphasis on recording and de-emphasis on playback. A recording is made with the low frequencies reduced and the high frequencies boosted, and on playback the opposite occurs. The net result is a flat frequency response, but with attenuation of high frequency noise such as hiss and clicks that arise from the recording medium. Reducing the low frequencies also limits the excursions the cutter needs to make when cutting a groove. Groove width is thus reduced, allowing more grooves to fit into a given surface area, permitting longer recording times. This also reduces physical stresses on the stylus which might otherwise cause distortion or groove damage during playback.

A potential drawback of the system is that rumble from the playback turntable's drive mechanism is amplified by the low frequency boost that occurs on playback. Players must therefore be designed to limit rumble, more so than if RIAA equalization did not occur.

RIAA equalization is not a simple low-pass filter. It defines transition points in three places: 75 µs, 318 µs and 3180 µs, which correspond to 2122 Hz, 500 Hz and 50 Hz.[2] Implementing this characteristic is not especially difficult, but is more involved than a simple amplifier. In the past almost all hi-fi preamplifiers, integrated amplifiers, and receivers had a built-in phono preamplifier with the RIAA characteristic, but it is often omitted in modern designs, due to the gradual obsolescence of vinyl records. Add-on phono preamplifiers with the RIAA equalization curve are available; these adapt a magnetic phono cartridge to an unbalanced −10 dB consumer line-level RCA input. Some modern turntables feature built-in preamplification to the RIAA standard. Special preamplifiers are also available for the various equalization curves used on pre-1954 records.

Digital audio editors often feature the ability to equalize audio samples using standard and custom equalization curves, removing the need for a dedicated hardware preamplifier when capturing audio with a computer. However, this can add an extra step in processing a sample, and may amplify audio quality deficiencies of the sound card being used to capture the signal.

Orpheus10:

Excellent explanation. Even I could understand it. Sure makes a body appreciate CDs even more. :)
Cheers

Rokadanny, on that DVD "Jazz On A Summer's Day", you are witnessing some historic music. Jimmy Guiffre and Bob Brookmeyer are playing "West Coast" jazz. It's a genre that I thought was boss, and it's hard to find. Unfortunately, the very best examples of this music could be heard on movie soundtracks at that time. The movies were forgettable, but the soundtracks were boss. I remember me and another "jazz aficionado" going to the movies at Lackland AFB and grooving to the soundtrack without even knowing what the movie was about. All of my best "West Coast" jazz is on LP's that are too scratched and noisy, but that's the genre I'm trying to presently acquire.

Enjoy the music.

Rok, I picked "Summertime" by Gene Harris with Ray Brown on bass. Gene is a musician, as opposed to someone who plays music. His version digs deeper into the emotion of the tune, than most.

"House Party" by Jimmy Smith is when he was in his prime, I liked every last note. I especially like the way he makes the organ "squeel". "Baby Face Willette" could make an organ squeel like no other player I've ever heard. He was a friend of mine and I drove him to a lot of his sets. I told another organ player how great "Face" was, but couldn't find any recordings to back it up. So when you have the recorded talents of the artists, such as those on "House Party", enjoy them. All of "Face's" best sounds are in my head, and nowhere else.

There's more jazz talent on "House Party" than there is in many people's entire collection.

Enjoy the music.