Pristine Jazz

Warrenh, I cannot recommend the recordings of James Carter highly enough. Incredible sound AND performance. For starters, try 'Chasin' the Gypsy' or 'Jurassic Classics', the former a tribute to Django Reinhardt, the latter a tribute to several of the giants, including classics by Coltrane, Monk, and Ellington/Strayhorn (Carter's version of "Take the 'A' Train" will pin your ears back).

Speaking of giants, how about Sonny Rollins' 'Silver City' or Ornette Coleman's Atlantic box released just a few years ago by Rhino entitled 'Beauty is a Rare Thing'. Although the recordings are several decades old, they sound pretty 'pristine' to me. If you have the least bit of interest in free jazz, these are essential.

I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions on newer artists. Among things I've bought lately, I especially like David Sanchez' 'Melaza' (on Columbia) and Joe Lovano's 'Flights of Fancy' (on Blue Note). Both CDs sound terrific.

I'm looking forward to others' suggestions. If we're lucky, maybe Sdcampbell will chime in. He is our resident jazz scholar and his suggestions are always spot on.

Sc53's suggestion is excellent. The best recording I have of anything is Monk's Riverside Tenor Sessions, which I bought at Acoustic Sounds. I think it's also available on CD--the vinyl is just impossibly good.

Happy Hunting--

The Verve label remasters are all excellent. I have purchased as of late Oscar Peterson "Night Train" and "On the town with...", Ben Webster "w/ the Oscar Peterson trio".
All of the JVC XRCD jazz titles are excellent, especially Blue Mitchell "Blues Moods".
Also, Auturo Sandoval "Remembering Clifford" (tribute of C. Brown)is a sonic dream and a performance to match.

Mapleshade try Norris Turney "Big, Sweet, and Blue"
Also, the Rudy Van Gelder remasters sound pretty good

Speaking of Blue Note,
Sunday Evening there will be a live performance of Arturo Sandoval LIVE!

Warrenh, here are two CD's from ECM that'll keep you out of trouble for a couple of hours: Arild Andersen/If You look Far Enough (ECM 1493) and Charles Lloyd/Canto (ECM 1635).