Date:	06-Dec-1998 17:16:43
From:	steve bidwell (sbidwell@wvu.edu)
	two words: pepper adams. he is the baddest bari sax player you'll ever here. how gerry mulligan gets more recognition is beyond me. i think he did a record of all mingus tunes and it was just fantastic. he also made some records with elvin jones on drums. i just picked up a cd by this group from nyc named Sex Mob. its great.

 

Date:	08-Dec-1998 00:08:02
From:	mjlarkins Sr (mjlsr1@wans.net)
	Kenny G rules? I don't think so!! For a nice 12-pack, try these tasty treats! Cannonball Adderly - Mercy Mercy Mercy Larry Coryell - Space Revisited Dizzy Gillespie - Portrait of Jenny Miles Davis - Get up on It Weather Report - Heavy Weather Al Dimeola - Anything by him John Mclaughlin - Guitar Player (this may not be the actual title of the album, it's the one with his busines card on it like he does weddings and Bar Mitvahs) Tom Waits - Closing Time (listen to the melodies behind the singing) Chick Corea & Gary Burton - (I don't remember the name of this album either) Pat Metheny - American Garage Anything by Coltrane Anything by Billy Cobham Please note the keyboard has been drinking, not I. The content is correct, but the spelling has been seen at the corner bar doing 12-ounce curls Later

 

Date:	08-Dec-1998 09:55:14
From:	John Basile (jbasile@cnc.com)
	Some additions to the fine but obscure jazz album list. 1)Art Farmer, "Sing me Softly of the Blues". Quiet, understated music for the most part, but with a progressive edge. 2) Gerry Mulligan, "What Is There To Say?". A late 50s pianoless quartet featuring Art Farmer. Like Mulligan's earlier quartet records with Chet Baker, this one features intricate baritone/trumpet lines supported by a solid rhythm section. 3)Friedrich Gulda, "Piano and Big Band". Very obscure early 60s recording. German pianist Gulda leads a big band through three classically-influenced compositions. 4)Stan Getz, "Sweet Rain". There are dozens of discs available under Getz' name and this one is often overlooked. The band features Chick Corea on piano and Getz plays at his usual high level.

 

Date:	08-Dec-1998 15:38:12
From:	Randy Slack (mslack@marshill.com)
	McCoy Tyner - Echoes of a Friend. I believe this album was recorded in Japan. Strictly unaccompanied piano solos. His rendition of Naima is unbelievable - haunting.

 

Date:	08-Dec-1998 21:54:20
From:	The Mule
	I scrolled through this entire list and there is not one mention of the late, great Don Ellis. While Blue Note recently reissued his "Live At Monterey" album--and it's excellent--even better is his album "Live In 3 and 2/3 Over 4 Time" which has never been released on cd. Scour the used vinyl stores for this one. Also, vibist Teddy Charles' "Tentet" album on Atlantic is well worth searching for.

 

Date:	09-Dec-1998 05:51:56
From:	José Domingos Raffaelli (jdr@musicshop.com.br)
	Jonathan Kranz, Finally I have the information for the Donald Byrd TCB record. Matter of fact, originally it was released by Warwick label in the name of Pepper Adams and its title was OUT OF THIS WORLD. Out of This World - Warwick 2041 Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Donald Byrd (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (piano), Laymon Jackson (bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums). - Out of This World - Curro's - It's a Beautiful Evening (x) - Mr. Lucky Theme - Bird House - Day Dream (x) according to Leonard Feather's review, on this track a certain Jinx Jingles plays vibes. Probably it is a pseudonym of a well known musician.

 

Date:	14-Dec-1998 20:35:04
From:	Gary Rees (guru@loop.com)
	Check these favorites of mine: Earl Anderza, Outa Sight--hard edged alto with great Jack Wilson piano. Pacific Jazz LP just re-issued on CD. John Handy, In the Vernacular--Some of the best John Handy during his Mingus era. Lovely melodies and out-side glimpses ahead of time. Freddy Redd/Jackie McLean, The Connection--power packed bop with well crafted compositions. Top rated. Miles Davis, Circle in the Round--especially the track with the sitar and tabla. Fusion? You bet. Lou Blackburn, One Note Samba--with Horace Tapscott. Weel worth searching for but hard to find--he's even unlisted in the catalogues. Two albums came out on Imperial. Mingus at Monterrey--Mingus' own favorite. Lee Morgan everything but especially with Art Blakey at the Jazz Corner of the World, Moanin', Big Beat, and his own Candy and City of Lights. John Mclaughlin Shakti--first album Ram Narayan--recordings on Nonesuch, Amigo, and EMI-India Arunachalam--nadaswaram(double reed-South Indian horn)If you can find anything by this guy, it rivals Coltrane--believe it! Coltrane's India

 

Date:	14-Dec-1998 23:40:00
From:	Peter S. (soks823@aol.com)
	After reviewing other people's choices I thought I may have a few CD's that meant a lot to me that nobody else picked up on. 1. Lee Morgan Live At The Lighthouse (Blue Note)--This 3 CD set should have put the saxophonist Bennie Maupin right up there with Coltrane or Joe Henderson. There is non-stop blowing from beginning to end, and you can find everything from ballads to blast offs from this quintet. I'm a big fan of Lee Morgan and love all his hard bop, but this goes one step further. 2. Bobby Hutcherson Live at Montreaux (Blue Note)-- It has the unusual front line of vibes and trumpet (Woody Shaw), but blows hard continuously. This is one of Mr. Hutcherson's best albums, which is something to say considering his previous 60's Blue Note LP's. 3. Phil Woods and the European Jazz Machine at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival (Atlantic)-- I got this one for 25 cents used and it is worth 100x that. Phil takes off and gets as "out" as you will ever hear him. This is one tight unit. 4. Joe Henderson--Inner Urge (Blue Note) 5. McCoy Tyner--The Real McCoy (Blue Note) Both of these CD's utilize almost the same line-up but show the different writing styles of the two leaders. McCoy is more modal and Joe is darker, and playing never gets better than this. 6. Cannonball Adderly-Somethin' Else (Blue Note) This is a Miles Davis LP masquerading itself as a Cannonball LP. If you liked "Kind of Blue" then go right out and get this one, because they are like bookends. Here you don't get Coltrane, but so what? (no pun intended). The playing is phenomenal and there was nobody on the planet before or since who sounds like Miles. 7. Wayne Shorter--"Etc" (Blue Note) All of Wayne Shorter's 60's albums are great, but this one is certainly less well known (probably owing to the fact that it was released in 1980, 15 years after being recorded). I dare you to find a group that played tighter than this one on any jazz LP. It has a rythym section of Herbie Hancock, Cecil McBee, and the under-rated Joe Chambers. 8. Ralph Peterson--"Introduces the Fo'tet" or "Art" (Blue Note)--This is one incredible drummer and composer, and any of his CD's are worth picking up for the compositions and the group interplay. 9. Bill Stewart--"Telepathy" (Blue Note) Exactly what the title says; the group moves as one unit throughout the twists and turns of the leader's pieces. And as an added bonus you have Bill's drumming, which is to the 90's what Tony Williams was to the 60's. 10. Craig Handy--"3 for All + 1" (Arabesque) This is mostly a trio album with the tenor and Charles Fambrough and Ralph Peterson, and it is an amazing cooker. It is jazz and funk and avant garde all rolled into one, and definitely one of the best sax/bass/drums albums since Sonny Rollins at the Village Vanguard.

 

Date:	17-Dec-1998 07:18:47
From:	couw
	hey, nice listing above! I do not have much to add I guess... Good to see a lot of LEE MORGAN. I would add his "Search for the new land" as an absolutely brilliant obscurity with an impressive list of players: Lee Morgan (tp), Wayne Shorter (ts), Herbie Hancock (p), Grant Green (g), Reggie Workman (b), Billy Higgins (ds). The title theme gives me shivers... I miss RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK. The few entries in the list above are far from sufficient in relating his brilliancy (and obscurity). Albums like "We Free Kings," "Domino," "Reeds and Deeds," "Kirk In Copenhagen," "Rip, Rig, and Panic," "The Inflated Tear," and more 'straight' stuff deserve much more credit IMO. But also his 'weird' stuff ("3 sided Dream in Audio Color," "Prepare Thyself...," "Root strata") is among the absolute best. The box-set "Does Your House Have Lions" gives a very good introduction to the man and his music. Then I would like to add FRANK ZAPPA to the list. The man made some weird stuff, amongst which some brilliant jazz. Most people know his album "Hot Rats," but there's also "Hot Rats 2: Waka Jawaka," the title song of which makes me cry everytime I hear it. Further jazz albums would be "The Grand Wazoo" and "Sleep Dirt" (the vinyl version w/o vocals.) All of them highly recommended! Last but not least I would add SFeQ, a dutch modern day jazz band (talk about obscure...) that prefers weird rythms and catchy beats, combined with cool tunes and some rap like singsong. Their latest two albums "SFeQ Utd. Vols. 1 & 2" I can especially recommend. For those who like Dolphy's bas-clarinet on 'trane's Village Vanguard recordings: SFeQ has one too... most impressive. Also a Green-like guitar on some tracks. A bit of a Courtney Pine (Modern Day Jazz Stories, Underground) feeling, but maybe more 'modern day'. OK, I lied. I did have something to add. This was my first posting on this forum, I hope to join you again... greetings, --couw

 

Date:	17-Dec-1998 15:07:37
From:	Henry Koch (hkoch@coqui.net)
	Here are three recordings which may not be timeless "greats," but neither do they deserve to be out of print. 1) Charles Lloyd Quartet: Of Course, Of Course Lloyd's second record for Columbia made in the mid 60's. A tight, working quartet including Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and Hungarian Gabor Szabo on guitar. All originals. 2) Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet: Song Everlasting This is my favorite recording by this band and I can't understand why Blue Note dropped it from the catalog. I've been trying to find their first Blue Note "BreakThrough" which has been widely reccommended and haven't located it. Joe Turner/Count Basie: The Bosses A very good time was had by all including a Norman Granz all star sextet with Harry Edison, Zoot Sims, Ray Brown and Eddie Davis. Joe Turner in fine shouting form. Don't know if this is out of print, but I never see it mentioned anywhere and it is really a good time record.

 

Date:	17-Dec-1998 21:41:36
From:	John MacLeod
	Here are some that *I* think are relatively obscure [no Bird, Monk, Miles, Billie, Duke, Trane, Metheny, etc.] but I keep returning to them over and over: - TOSHIKO MARIANO QUARTET: a very young Toshiko Akiyoshi on piano and then-husband Charlie Mariano on alto. Brilliant playing, excellent songwriting, a flawless album. - FAREWELL TO MINGUS [Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band]: some of my favorite compositions, arrangements, and performances on any TA/LT album, and that's saying a lot. If you haven't heard Toshiko's arrangements here, you simply have not heard what a big band can do. - JAZZ FOR MODERNS [Duane Tatro]: very harmonically advanced and structurally unusual, like Bob Graettinger or Boyd Raeburn, but this nonet also swings hard and memorably. I believe this is Tatro's only album, which is a shame cuz he's a fascinating composer. Also check out Art Pepper's SMACK UP for a Tatro cover that's simply gorgeous. - SPIRIT IN THE AIR [Sonny Greenwich]: combines the spirituality and adventure of Trane with the linear intensity and approachability of Grant Green. - LIVE AT BOURBON ST. [Lenny Breau]: if Art Tatum at his prettiest and most accomplished knew how to play guitar, he'd be Lenny. - BRIDGES [John Hart]: intriguing compositions, interesting angular playing, and Chris Potter! - UNSPOKEN [Chris Potter]: see above. - PURE DESMOND [Paul Desmond]: or any other album Desmond recorded with Ed Bickert, yet another Canadian who plays guitar like God.... - SEEKING [New Art Jazz Ensemble]: free, beautiful, breathtaking technique. The equal of classic Ornette. - URBAN BUSHMEN [Art Ensemble of Chicago]: the AEC run the gamut of musical sound and human feeling, in dazzling audio fidelity. - PLAYS J. WYZUTY [Paul Pacanowski & R.S.P. Jazz Quartet]: Pacanowski lives in my region and released this CD himself -- great sound, excellent musicians, and his mentor Wyzuty's compositions are uncommon and haunting. And one of them ["I Love Your Smile"] is a certifiable classic on a par with "Funny Valentine". - LET'S EAT HOME [Dave Frishberg]: Frishberg's combination of vulnerability, humanity, romanticism, and worldly-wise wit are unique. He also writes a mean tune and plays a mean 88. - V.S.O.P., THE QUINTET: Miles' classic mid-60s quintet, with Freddie Hubbard subbing for Miles, playing live in the late 70s. They didn't get older, they got better. A peak for all involved. - REDISCOVERIES [Art Pepper]: quartet and quintet dates from the early 50s, with some of Art's best compositions. He burns throughout. - TIME WARP COLLECTION: 15-year retrospective of Toronto quartet Time Warp, as eclectic and rooted as Mingus. - GETTING PERSONAL [Nelson Symonds]: Montreal guitarist waited nearly 40 years to lead a date. An injustice, but possibly worth the wait. - LYLE MAYS: first solo outing is wide-ranging, daring, and unfailingly beautiful. Sometimes I put the CD on repeat and leave it there all evening.... - SCOTT HAMILTON WITH STRINGS: Scott's tone is perfect here, his solos are meaty, and Alan Broadbent's string arrangements are the best ever heard on a jazz date, intelligent and inventive. (A close second is Robert Farnon's arrangements for J.J. Johnson's TANGENCE, another frequent guest in my stereo.) - AFTER THE RAIN [Terje Rypdal]: between his early free-jazz and later trance-drones, Terje created some breathtakingly exquisite melodies and harmonies, exemplified in this beautiful masterwork. - PLAYING [Old and New Dreams]: Ornette-style music played live with ECM sonic perfection. And the divine rhythm team of Charlie Haden and the late, more-than-great Ed Blackwell. - THE GUITAR MASTERY OF ED BICKERT: like it sez. - BALLADYNA [Tomasz Stanko]: criminally underrated, Ornette-style European freedom. Other Stanko albums also rule. - CERBERUS [Om]: free quartet from Germany, every musician kills!

 

Date:	19-Dec-1998 03:27:56
From:	Reid (rtt5@gte.net)
	I second Scott's recommendation of John Mclaughlin's Extrapolation. The music is really hard to classify, but it swings hard, and the tunes flow nicely together. This is one of my all-time favorites, and I'm not a big Mclaughlin fan. I also second Bern Nix's Alarms and Excursions. Nix was Ornette's guitarist in the Prime Time band, but don't let the title mislead you. We're not talking distorted guitar here. The album how melodic and grooving "free jazz" can be. Here are some albums that show how good mainstream jazz can be when it's mixed wiht fusion influences: Michael Brecker's self-titled for Impulse! Rick Margitza's Hope Steve Masakowski What It Was Some favorite post-70's fusion: Wayne Shorter's stuff: Atlantis, Phantom Navigator and High Life. He's still writing great tunes. Wayne Krantz--Two Drink Minimum. A guitarist who eschews distortion, but combines rock power with story-telling approach to solos For a more straight-ahead approach: Bobby Watson and Horizon- on bluenote or his live album for Columbia, Midwest Shuffle Andrew Hill--he takes what Monk did, and does his own thing with it

 

Date:	19-Dec-1998 03:30:39
From:	Reid (rtt5@gte.net)
	I second Scott's recommendation of John Mclaughlin's Extrapolation. The music is really hard to classify, but it swings hard, and the tunes flow nicely together. This is one of my all-time favorites, and I'm not a big Mclaughlin fan. I also second Bern Nix's Alarms and Excursions. Nix was Ornette's guitarist in the Prime Time band, but don't let the title mislead you. We're not talking distorted guitar here. The album how melodic and grooving "free jazz" can be. Here are some albums that show how good mainstream jazz can be when it's mixed wiht fusion influences: Michael Brecker's self-titled for Impulse! Rick Margitza's Hope Steve Masakowski What It Was Some favorite post-70's fusion: Wayne Shorter's stuff: Atlantis, Phantom Navigator and High Life. He's still writing great tunes. Wayne Krantz--Two Drink Minimum. A guitarist who eschews distortion, but combines rock power with story-telling approach to solos For a more straight-ahead approach: Bobby Watson and Horizon- on bluenote or his live album for Columbia, Midwest Shuffle Andrew Hill--he takes what Monk did, and does his own thing with it

 

Date:	19-Dec-1998 08:51:52
From:	Peter S. (soks823@aol.com)
	Wayne Krantz "2 Drink Minimum" is a phenomenal album! I'm glad somebody out there recognized it and wrote in. And while we're on the subject of John McLaughlin, what about "Birds of Fire" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra? This is tops as far as jazz-fusion, and where else do you get to hear songs in 15/16 time?

 

Date:	22-Dec-1998 02:06:41
From:	Peter Kenyon (kenyonp@cbs.curtin.edu.au)
	Hmm, difficult, but here goes. These end often up in my CD player, but they are not household albums: Blue Mitchell: Down With It Donald Byrd: Mustang Lee Morgan: Cornbread, Search for the New Land, Candy; Herbie Hancock: The Prisoner Jackie McLean, New Soil, Destination Out; Joe Henderson: Page One Manhattan Jazz Quartet: Funk Strut ... gosh there are lots, not the least a lot of local Aussie jazz which is released on small or independent labels, but which never get to the major markets. Any one want to hear about some of this? Peter

 

Date:	22-Dec-1998 21:00:59
From:	fred stark
	I wanted to add to the discussion. No one has mentioned three albums that are truly great. "Members Don't Get Weary" by Max Roach on Atlantic (currently out of print) "Live at Slugs" by Music Inc. (Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell) on Strata East "Song for Biko" by the late, great bassist Johnny Dyani on SteepleChase

 

Date:	26-Dec-1998 12:40:17
From:	rob d steel (captain.aspirin@virgin.net)
	Here's one that haunts me from 40 years ago.Odds against tomorrow by M.J.Q.I only have it on video soundtrack-poor quality and incomplete.Can anyone help me locate a copy cd or vinyl new or used,I'm in the U.K.and all doors seem to be closed.Help, I really have to get this album,you know how it is,don't you?Thanks Rob.

 

Date:	29-Dec-1998 07:34:27
From:	Wolfgang Kuhnle (wkuhnle@hotmail.com)
	Kenny Wheeler: Angel Music is the top choice, and Charlie Haden & Keny Barron: Night and the City is in the same vein, smooth jazz, but you never get the feeling that you have wasted your money buying these specific records. For more comments, go to my web site http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/3254 and then click on the link "Recent Acquisitions".

 

Date:	30-Dec-1998 06:38:39
From:	estefania (estefania_100@yahoo.com)
	Hey thanks to all of you. I have read all the comments and i found out a lot of interesting things about jazz and its so great to find all of you who have a pasion for jazz. I will go out and look for lee morgan's "cornbread" and "candY". I will also search for cannonball adderley's "country preacher" which sounds like something i'd like, chick corea's "now he sings, now he sobs" and lucky thompson's "lucky strikes". I appreciate all of the knowledge that I found here. I'll be back thanks to all

 

Date:	03-Jan-1999 08:49:33
From:	Israel Waldrop (esroh@juno.com)
	There are several great LP's that Dizzy Gillespie recorded for Verve and Philips in the early 60's which are very underated due to the fact that they have'nt been reissued on CD. These include: An Electifying Evening with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet (which I miraculously found at a used record shop for $3!!), Dizzy on the French Riviera, and New Wave. Here's what Scott Yanow of the *All Music Guide to Jazz* has to say about New Wave: "it is such a pity that Dizzy Gillespie Philip's LPs have yet to be reissued on CD, for the trumpeter (45 at the time of this recording)was at the peak of his powers in the early 60's." As we all know, Dizzy Gillespie was one of the most beloved jazz musicians/personalities and one of America's most renowned artists. If only those big record labels would take a hint and take on the project of reissuing these LP's they would not only realize how satisfied jazz enthusiasts would be but also make huge profits. (If you are a true jazz enthusiast and a serious LP and CD collector and do not own a copy of the *All Music Guide to Jazz*, I strongly suggest that you go out and buy this book--look for the 3rd edition. Also, do any of you subscribe to Cadance magazine? If so, please let me know how you like it!

 

Date:	03-Jan-1999 08:56:53
From:	Israel Waldrop (esroh@juno.com)
	There are several great LP's that Dizzy Gillespie recorded for Verve and Philips in the early 60's which are very underated due to the fact that they have'nt been reissued on CD. These include: An Electifying Evening with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet (which I miraculously found at a used record shop for $3!!), Dizzy on the French Riviera, and New Wave. Here's what Scott Yanow of the *All Music Guide to Jazz* has to say about New Wave: "it is such a pity that Dizzy Gillespie Philip's LPs have yet to be reissued on CD, for the trumpeter (45 at the time of this recording)was at the peak of his powers in the early 60's." As we all know, Dizzy Gillespie was one of the most beloved jazz musicians/personalities and one of America's most renowned artists. If only those big record labels would take a hint and take on the project of reissuing these LP's they would not only realize how satisfied jazz enthusiasts would be but also make huge profits. (If you are a true jazz enthusiast and a serious LP and CD collector and do not own a copy of the *All Music Guide to Jazz*, I strongly suggest that you go out and buy this book--look for the 3rd edition. Also, do any of you subscribe to Cadance magazine? If so, please let me know how you like it!

 

Date:	06-Jan-1999 04:09:50
From:	Gnecco
	Thanks to Larkin for including Tom Waits. The Ellington/Armstrong sessions is magic, top to bottom. (anyone know how to get it on vinyl?) Check out Scofield's "Grace Under Pressure" with Bill frisell, charlie haden, and joey baron. It's some straight ahead bop and some pretty stuff on two guitars. Frisell's playing is tasteful and sensitive-a nice change from his out there solo stuff. Joey Baron's band Baron Down, the album "Tongue in Groove" This is the coolest drummer playing, with a trombone and a sax. It's playful and exhuberant. Anything from John Zorn's Masada. The albums are numbered 1 -13, I think. Its Zorn, Baron, Greg Cohen on Bass, and Dave Douglass on Trumpet. It mixes frenetic bop playing from contemporary masters, in the context of traditional Klezmer. Zorn's Spy vs. Spy album is an intense rendition of Ornette's stuff played on two alto saxes, two drum kits and a bass. It's like being in traffic on speed. Something about Mike Stern's rendition of "Like Someone in Love" on his "Standards" album has stuck with me every day, even though I lost the cd years ago. It has become definitive of the tune for me. Indeed, the early Benson is marvelous.

 

Date:	09-Jan-1999 11:31:54
From:	Peter Schellenberg (pschellenberg@access.ch)
	WHITE JAZZ Casa Loma Band JUMPIN'PUNKINS Ellington (Webster/Blanton) JOHN KIRBY SEXTET 1940 JAZZ OF TWO CITIES Warne Marsh/Ted Brown AMBASSADOR SATCH /WESTEND BLUES Louis Armstrong THE WORLD OF CECIL TAYLOR STUDY IN BROWN Clifford Brown OUT TO LUNCH Eric Dolphy KIND OF BLUE Miles Davis LES JAZZ MODES Julius Watkins / Charlie Rouse

 

Date:	14-Jan-1999 00:05:08
From:	Garry E.
	Bill Barron/Booker Ervin--"The Hot Line": Interesting contrast of two excellent saxophonists (the late Bill is Kenny's brother), and some of this just burns! Reissued on Savoy about 10 years ago. Bob Brookmeyer and Friends: A nice Columbia LP from, I believe, the early '60's, with Stan Getz and Elvin Jones among others. Don Cherry--"Complete Communion": Fascinating music, Cherry's first (and in my opinion best) Blue Note with Gato Barbieri occupying the chair later taken by Pharaoh Sanders. Gato was more "out" at this point (mid '60's) than he later became, but was not nearly the screecher that Sanders then was. Cherry's "Art Deco" on A&M from the late '80's is also a very tasty straight jazz set--something of a surprise from this late lamented master of world music. Stanley Cowell--"Brilliant Circles": Excellent, especially the title track. Cowell, I believe, is a very underrated and versatile pianist. On his late '70's Galaxy solo LP "Waiting for the Moment" he shows just HOW versatile he is: the album apparently aspires to be a history of jazz piano to that point, beginning with ragtime and ending with electric piano/fusion material. Though this arguably gives the sequence of songs too rigid a "timeline" kind of feeling, it's still both impressive and enjoyable. Ron Crotty/Jerry Dodgion/Vince Guaraldi--"Modern Music from San Francisco": This is great, if you can find it. Three different leaders split the album, which may be why (as far as I know) it's never been on CD. Actually, even though he's only a sideman here, I think Sonny Clark's piano steals the show when he gets a chance at the spotlight. Art Farmer--"Manhattan": I had to put something by the wonderfully mellow Art Farmer in here, and this mid-'80's recording for Soul Note seems somewhat obscure at this point. Jimmy Giuffre--"Dragonfly" : Another mid-'80's Soul Note release. I know Giuffre's early trio sides with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow are both interesting and significant, but to be honest I play this and his other Soul Notes more often. They're sort of like Jimmy Giuffre does Weather Report--all good, but this one's my favorite because of "Moonlight," a feature for bass flute that makes me think of Snoopy sneaking across the World War II front at night in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Grant Green--anything, really. "Iron City," say, if you want nice simple tuneful funk, or the 2 CD "Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark" if you want something a little more ambitious that's still fun. Tubby Hayes--"The New York Sessions": Clark Terry on trumpet, the great Horace Parlan on piano. The Columbia CD (now unfortunately out of print) has several good previously unreleased tracks. ANDREW HILL, ANDREW HILL, ANDREW HILL--I love this guy! He has this cerebral way of circling around a melody on the piano, but he is definitely NOT some cold technician. Like no one else. Though his "Point of Departure" is rightfully viewed as a masterpiece, I would not start with that if you're unfamiliar with Hill--it's not his most accessible work. Start with "Shades," an excellent mid-'80's Soul Note with Clifford Jordan on sax (the first Hill album I bought), or his solo "Verona Rag" on the same label, or his late '80's return to Blue Note, "Eternal Spirit." All of these show a mature Hill who, while not compromising his musical vision at all, has still mellowed a little with age. A word also for "Dance with Death," recorded for Blue Note in 1968 but not released until 10 years later; despite the offputting title (the reason, I would guess, that this album is not better known) this is tuneful, fun, intelligent music. Bobby Hutcherson--"Medina": Like (and in some cases with) Hill, Hutcherson (THE jazz vibist in my book) recorded several brilliant albums for Blue Note in the mid-'60's. This representative work has just been rereleased on a CD that also includes most of "Spiral," another goodie. J.J. Johnson--"The Complete Columbia J.J. Johnson Small Group Sessions": This 7 CD set from Mosaic Records won't come cheap but virtually everything on it is great! I'm sure many of these sets from the late '50's and early '60's by Johnson, trombonist/arranger extraordinaire, would have languished in Columbia's vaults for years to come were it not for wonderful Mosaic. (If you don't know about Mosaic, their sets are limited editions that are available only by mail. I think their web site is www.mosaicrecords.com. They save lots of wonderful music from unjustified obscurity--look 'em up!) Elvin Jones--"Illumination": Way too much Elvin Jones awaits reissue on CD, but this excellent Impulse is now available. If you can find it, I think "Puttin' It Together" on Blue Note is even better. Elvin plays so much music on his drums that Joe Farrell on reeds and Jimmy Garrison on bass (both great) are all the support he needs. Duke Jordan--"Duke Jordan": This Savoy reissue, which I think is also known as "Trio and Quintet," is my favorite Jordan (though his "Flight to Jordan," a 1960 Blue Note with Dizzy Reece on trumpet, is great too), if only for his lovely solo piano rendition of "Summertime." Pete LaRoca--"Turkish Women at the Bath": Recently reissued on CD by 32 Jazz, this 1967 session with Chick Corea, as its title might suggest, interestingly evokes other cultures without straying far from mainstream jazz. Very creative. George Lewis--"Homage to Charles Parker": I don't know if this qualifies as obscure given the almost unheard-of 5-star rating it receives in The Penguin Guide to Jazz, but it's a great combination of Lewis' trombone, interesting electronics, etc. Fascinating. John Lewis--"The Wonderful World of Jazz": Much of this is fun for both established jazz fans and those looking for an introduction to jazz. Even my wife, not the dyed-in-the-wool fan I am, loves the opening 15-minute "Body and Soul" with the great Paul Gonsalves on sax. Harold Mabern--"Straight Street": A solid piano trio that covers everything from lesser known Coltrane tunes ("Straight Street," "Crescent") to Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing." This is the only date under Mabern's leadership I own, but I'm convinced I must buy more. Gil Melle--"The Complete Blue Note Fifties Sessions": Melle's music on this 2 CD set is decidedly unusual given most of it is from the 10" LP era: abstract enough to be interesting without becoming offputtingly diffuse. Serious demerits, though, for Melle's own largely irrelevant and self-inflating liner notes, which indicate among other things that he practically invented electronic music (which, in any event, this is not) as we know it today! Blue Mitchell--"Blue Soul," "Step Lightly": Excellent, tuneful. If you like Blue's work with Horace Silver, these are for you. Lee Morgan--"Sonic Boom": Lee Morgan recorded so much great music that some of it just had to fall through the cracks. This Blue Note LP combines Morgan's magical trumpet with David "Fathead" Newman's chugging sax; it's great fun if you can find it. Herbie Nichols--anything. Like Thelonious Monk and Andrew Hill, an original. Grab his complete Blue Note recordings if you can. Horace Parlan--"Happy Frame of Mind": An excellent Blue Note with a title that tells you what his music will probably put you in. I love his song "Wailin'," available in trio format on "Us Three" and with the Turrentine brothers on trumpet and tenor sax on "Headin' South." Oscar Pettiford--"The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet": If you can find this, originally recorded for Charles Mingus' Debut label and reissued 5 or 10 years ago on Original Jazz Classics (LP only), grab it. Pettiford plays cello with Mingus on bass on some cuts. Ike Quebec--"Heavy Soul": Ike Quebec's warm tenor sax was just made for late night city barroom jukeboxes. This CD has a great version of "The Man I Love" that changes tempo from sleepy-slow to finger-snapping, and later back again, without missing a beat. Dizzy Reece--anything: a sadly neglected trumpet player who last recorded, to my knowledge, with Clifford Jordan's big band on the late '80's "Down Through the Years." His Blue Notes ("Blues in Trinity," "Star Bright," "Soundin' Off") are all good straight-ahead jazz; the U.S. CD reissue of "Blues in Trinity" adds several unreleased tracks. His sole OJC, "Asia Minor," while not completely of a piece with his earlier work, is also very good. Woody Shaw--"Setting Standards": Glad to see Woody Shaw, another sorely underrated trumpeter, has already been mentioned several times on this site. This is a lovely '80's session for Muse, which, while mostly (naturally) standards, includes a fun version of the theme from TV's "Spiderman"!! Shaw's "Imagination," recently reissued by 32 Jazz, is another excellent set similar to this one. Gabor Szabo--"Bacchanal": A guilty pleasure. Szabo is a very "sixties" guitarist in my opinion (his "The Sorcerer" on Impulse almost makes me feel like I was a college student smoking dope in Haight-Ashbury at the time instead of an elementary school kid in Indiana), but dated doesn't have to mean boring: I think the way he constantly speeds up the tempo in the last minute of the title track is amazing. Henry Threadgill--"Too Much Sugar for a Dime": Not for the faint-hearted perhaps, and I have no idea what most of his song titles mean, but Threadgill's is exhilirating, adventurous music. The Three Sounds--"Babe's Blues" "Introducing the Three Sounds" "Standards": Or, probably, anything else by this consistently entertaining group. It seems the Three Sounds took some critical bashing when (and probably, because) they were popular, back in the early '60's. A piano trio that swings? What's wrong with that? McCoy Tyner--"Sahara": Tyner has released many excellent albums over the years. This one features everything from a solo piano song for his family to cuts featuring the Japanese koto--which I believe is what he's holding in the striking cover photograph (which, like so many good old album covers, is greatly diminished by its condensation for CD). Randy Weston--"Little Niles": This Blue Note double LP, a 1979 reissue of most of three late '50's sessions, is excellent. Look also for Weston's recent Verve release of Ellington numbers, "Caravan"; I love to play the opening drum sequence on the title track really loud as I drive home from work on Fridays. Weston's integrations of African musics and jazz are always great. Gerald Wilson--"Theme for Monterey": Among many highlights, Wilson's big band does a great reworking of "Summertime" with lots of crisp guitar. Jack Wilson--"Ramblin'", "Something Personal": A cool California pianist with bass, drums and Roy Ayers on vibes tackles Ornette Coleman, Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder," Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" and other interesting choices. These make great late night music. Larry Young--"The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Larry Young": Another Mosaic set, 6 great CDs, but sadly out of print. The early sets with Grant Green are great organ/guitar combo jazz, but the later ones are even more interesting, like no other jazz organist's work, forward-looking without becoming inaccessible or amelodic. Blue Note has reissued some of these as single CDs, including Young's "Unity" with Woody Shaw. Whew!! Thanks, this was fun!

 

Date:	15-Jan-1999 21:42:31
From:	zan (mizzan@yahoo.com)
	Who among you has listened to the great jazz guitarist George Barnes? Among the 30-plus recordings he made under his own name, MOVIN' EASY with the Jazz Renaissance Quintet (Jack Lesberg on bass, Cliff Leeman on drums, Billy Bauer on rhythm, the amazing Hank D'Amico on clarinet) is one of the best -- he was a fascinating compsoer/arranger. If you find it in a rare records website, don't hesitate to get it. His guitar duo work with the inimitable Carl Kress in the 60's was unparalleled -- even when he teamed up with Bucky Pizzarelli later that decade on GUITARS, PURE AND HONEST in '69 and a guitar summit recorded at New York's Town Hall by Columbia in 1971 (theirs was a very different, and fine, partnership). But George & Carl were kindred musical spirits and you can hear it in the handful of albums they produced together (GUITARS, ANYONE?, SMOKY & INTIMATE with Al Cohn's vocalist wife Flo Handy), TWO GUITARS AND A HORN (with Bud Freeman, still in print), THE TOWN HALL CONCERT and a still-available Music Minus One album. The most currently-available stuff with George is on Concord Jazz (the Gershwin album with Ruby Braff, GEMS with Joe Venuti, two releases with the acclaimed quartet George had right before his death with three wonderful Bay Area players). There's also LIVE AT THE NEW SCHOOL by the Braff-Barnes Quartet on Hank O'Neal's Chiaroscuro label. They were especially great live; blew Benny Goodman's band reunion out of the water at the Newport Jazz Festival/New York at Carnegie Hall in 1973; also recorded on Chiaroscuro. Also, look for anything by vocal group THE DOUBLE SIX OF PARIS, especially the first album, produced in 1961 (I think) by Quincy Jones. Michael LeGrand's sister, Christianne, is one of the astounding voices.

 

Date:	21-Jan-1999 03:55:18
From:	Peter Kenyon (kenyonp@cbs.curtin.edu.au)
	Oh and one or two more (To be added to my list above)! Tina Brooks - Back From the Tracks Freddie Hubbard - Open Sesame I would love to get hold of Tina Brooks' 'True Blue' but it is out of print. However, I did see Chick Corea's 'Now He Sings, Now He Sobs' and given the comments above, I think I will pick it up.

 

Date:	28-Jan-1999 23:00:17
From:	Benj (btmoony@aol.com)
	from a (mostly) swing lover’s perspective – all but one reissued on CD The series on Vanguard put together by John Hammond, led by Buck Clayton, Jimmy Rushing and Vic Dickenson, featuring also Ruby Braff and Buddy Tate, among others – these are superb examples of swing in the Basie style, but with more room than the old 78’s allowed, and it is well used. Braff is very young on these dates, but playing masterfully. Someone else put the Clayton release of music from the vaults (on Columbia) on their list – this is much the same, maybe better. The Blues Hot and Cold, Bob Brookmeyer – the elegant and witty Brookmeyer, rooted deeply in jazz tradition, playing standards and originals. The level of swing is very high. Not available on CD that I have found. Personal Choice, Jack Teagarden All Stars – this is a CD reissue of a wonderful session in the 50s that features Ruby Braff and Lucky Thompson as well. Teagarden is fabulous on this disk, but Braff and Thompson match him. The drums are woefully overrecorded. J. S. Bach, Preludes and Fugues, John Lewis – my wife loves Bach and piano music, so she is crazy about this record. I like horns, so I am less wild about it, but it is lovely quiet music, good for the right setting or right person. Dicky Wells in Paris, Dicky Wells – there is a quality to these recordings in Paris with Django Reinhardt and Bill Coleman, among others, that is absolutely charming -- more of this is issued under Django's name, with some great cuts. JATP, Vol 1. – not the big names that are featured in later concerts, but this is wonderful music. Jacquet and Nat King Cole stand out, but so does Les Paul. On Body and Soul there is a classic double-time with a fine Cole solo (a variation of what he did on the same song recording with Lester Young), and a very fine, subtle solo by Jacquet. Boss of the Blues, Joe Turner – one of my first jazz records, bought when it came out in the mid-50s. Turner playing with excellent musicians, including Pete Johnson, and both of them sounding better than they did in the 30s and 40s, for my money. Gerry Mulligan in Paris, Vols. 1-2 – the concert with Brookmeyer, a very fine collection of Mulligan at his best – relatively short versions of fine songs, some his compositions and other standards, note the two versions of Laura. Roy Eldridge and the Swing Trumpets, a two-CD set featuring a number of great players, including Joe Thomas and Emmett Berry. Uneven, but with 50 or so songs out of the Commodore archives, there is a lot of fine stuff. One of the GREAT versions of Don’t Be That Way, by Eldridge, Thomas and Berry, with a superb rhythm section of Guarnieri, Hinton and Cozy Cole. Johnny Frigo with Bucky and John Pizzarelli -- fiddle and guitars, much in the style of Grapelli, but maybe even with more. Some great tunes chosen.

 

Date:	17-Feb-1999 16:57:00
From:	Joop Aarts (jaarts@freemail.nl)
	Tony Fruscella,who outbakers Chet on Atlantic. Stan Getz,very lyrical on Forest Eyes (CBS). Lucky Thompson,the most sensual blower in the business on Dancing Sunbeams(ABC Impulse). Jimmy Heath,with Hubbard on Triple Threat (Riverside). Hank Mobley,bless him ,on Soul Station (Blue Note). Tina Brooks on a Japanese collector item called Minor Move. Billy Mitchell:The Colossus of Detroit.(Xanadu) Lenny McBrowne:Eastern Lights (Riverside) with Donald Sleet and the mysterious saxplayer Daniel Jackson.Does anyone know what became of him ?

 

Date:	18-Feb-1999 01:56:49
From:	Kathy (Cowgirl52@aol.com)
	Incredible... that's what I'm thinking after scanning all these great postings... Anyhow, I'll be 21 in May and have been checking out jazz for about 2 years. I had a class called Intro to American Music and became intrigued by this guy called Duke Ellington. I'd heard of him, but never heard his stuff (that I knew, anyway). The rest is history... Since I'm just now hopping on the CD bandwagon (don't have a CD player yet; resisted for a long time because of cost and viability), my jazz collection is in its infancy. I don't regret acquiring a single one. Here's what I own so far: (Vinyl) Basie and Duke's First Time! Battle Royal. For some reason, my country-lovin' family had this in the basement. I have no idea who owned it before me, but I quickly claimed it. A happy, swingin', playful album. (Cassette)Ellington, 16 Most Requested Songs. This is what started me on the jazz/swing/blues road. It has most of his classics. I play this on those occasions when I find myself in a funk. Ivie Anderson torchin' out 'Sophisticated Lady' is incredible. I sing myself, and she leaves me green with envy in this rendition. (Cassette)Louis Armstrong's All Time Greatest Hits. Yes, I went the easy way and started with 'greatest hits' compilations. I find him charming and entertaining. 'Skokiaan' -- what fun! (Cassette) Harry Connick Jr. 20 and Star Turtle. Some of you will want to shoot me for this one, I know. But the way I see it, all this music is related. Plus, I love it all... and Harry's a babe. So there. (Cassette) Miles & Coltrane. Bought this one because it had two guys I knew I wanted to investigate. It paid off. It's fast, furious virtuosos playing and working side by side. (Cassette) Ellington: The Duke's Men: Small Groups, Vol. 1. Will I ever find vol. 2? Probably not. But this wide variety of stuff is pleasing and jumping. (Cassette) Jason & the G-men: "G" as in Men and Walkin' the Beat. A Christian jazz group. You've never heard church music like this. (CD)Jazz Cafe. A grab bag of artists available at Borders. It was a buck... and I'm the bargain princess... and it has 'Pennsylvania 6-5000'. (Cassette)Mingus Big Band, Que Viva Mingus! Shh... dubbed this from a library copy. It's what I found while I was searching for... (CD) Charles Mingus, Live at the Bohemia. In my creative writing class last semester, we brought in music and played it all period long. Some guy played 'Jump Monk'. I found it arousing... that's not weird, right? ;P (CD)Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Of course I bought it after seeing the TV special every Christmas. Didn't you? It's good music. (CD) Kurt Elling, Close Your Eyes. He's from Rockford, IL, which is where I work. Saw him last spring in concert -- had never heard of him, really, before I won tickets for the show from the local NPR station. What a voice! Only once before have I heard a singer (well, a quartet) use their voice in such *odd* ways. (Cassette) The "Swingers" soundtrack. I have the movie, too, and a poster. Great movie, great soundtrack. Put together well. (CD) Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool. Just bought this last week. I'm really diggin' it. As you can probably see, I'm very new to jazz. I'm trying to utilize my local library's collection, because I'm too darn poor to buy all the music I'd like to have! (And isn't that why we work in the *first* place?) My next purchases will probably be Elling's other two albums, The Messenger and This Time It's Love; and Davis' Bitches Brew. All I can say is, I love my local NPR station, WNIJ. They help plant seeds in my musical garden. Kathy p.s. What did I listen to before jazz? I had a brief affair with top 40 and country a long time ago; I'm glad to say we've parted non-amicably. I still listen to classic rock, classical, barbershop, Johnny Cash, and Patsy Cline. I'm also investigating funk, reggae, blues, and ska. That about covers it, right?

 

Date:	25-Feb-1999 23:41:55
From:	Mark John Larkins Sr (mjlsr1@wans.net )
	I forgot (but I still remember those 12-oz curls) Joe Pass Great guitarist Papa John Creach (it may not be jazz in the strictist sense) Dave Brubeck is good, but I don't know if he's obscure I'll have more later!

 

Date:	27-Feb-1999 20:59:10
From:	Harry Onickel (honickel@aol.com)
	Rahsaan Roland Kirk-Bright Moments Charles Mingus-the Candid recordings with Eric Dolphy John Coltrane-Afro Blue Impressions Sun Ra-Atlantis (not for the beginner!) Charlie Haden/Hampton Hawes-As Long As There's Music Joe Henderson-The State of the Tenor Dexter Gordon-Homecoming Ellington/Mingus/Roach-Money Jungle Frank Morgan-You Must Believe in Spring Why these? Listen and find out, especially to Frank Morgan who seems to be one of the great unknowns, really unknown.

 

Date:	05-Mar-1999 15:36:13
From:	ADR (ADRobin@aol.com)
	I was beaten to some of my selections. Most of these titles are Blue Notes from the 60's, which is mostly what I own. I think these titles are all excellent, distinctive, and yet somewhat obscure (some of the Blue Notes are obscure merely because they are out of print). 1. Freddie Redd - "Shades of Redd" - Great arrangements by Redd. I particularly like his voicings for tenor and alto sax in the ensemble passages of the songs; of course it helps that Tina Brooks and Jackie McLean were playing the two horns on the album. 2. Booker Ervin - "The Freedom Book" - Somebody else mentioned Booker earlier, but didn't mention this great album. 3. Kenny Dorham - "Una Mas" - underrated album with Joe Henderson, the title track has become a jazz standard. 4. Dave Holland - "Jumpin to It" - tremendous, progressive post bop/free jazz album on ECM with Steve Coleman on sax. 5. Pete LaRoca - "Basra" - great album with Joe Henderson which is obscure mainly because it is impossible to find. The rest of my choices were already mentioned but bear repeating. 6. Harold Land - "The Fox" 7.Wayne Shorter - "ETC." - to me this album is better than other more heralded Blue Notes such as "Ju Ju" and "Adams Apple". I agree with the earlier poster that it is probably underrated because it wasn't released until 1980. 8. Andrew Hill - "Black Fire" 9. Lee Morgan - "Search for the New Land" 10. Tina Brooks - "True Blue" - another impossible to locate BN.

 

Date:	22-Mar-1999 01:59:42
From:	Murph (baadmoon@flash.net)
	I'll try my best to stay away from the perennial top ten candidates, but no guarantees (I'm only a 2-3 month old jazz fan(atic)): John Coltrane: Live At Birdland (his absolute best, IMO) Lee Morgan: The Sidewinder (I'm gonna have to check out Search For The New Land and Cornbread one of these days) Grant Green: Matador Grant Green: Solid (I got into Green originally simply because I love Elvin Jones' drumming (which Green wisely recruited) -- but Green is now by far my favorite jazz guitarist; a direct link to the blues-influenced styling of Christian and a notably unique sound next to Burrell, Montgomery, and the host of other guitarists that sound like those two) Larry Young: Into Somethin' (Unity is the slightly better album, but it's too famous... Into Somethin' has Elvin Jones, Grant Green, Sam Rivers, and Young -- and that lineup ain't half as impressive on your computer screen as it will be to your ears) Miles: Highlights From The Plugged Nickel (I'm admittedly not HUGE on Miles, but I do love the second quintet and, Miles Smiles not withstanding, I think this is their best -- straight-ahead but definitely risky with undeniable virtuosity from every member of the group -- Williams, Hancock, and Shorter steal the show, for me) That's it for now -- Murph

 

Date:	23-Mar-1999 16:11:57
From:	Ken Dryden (kenjazz@vei.net)
	Some LPs long out of print and not out on CD that I love: Dil Jones: Davenport Blues Chiaroscuro Jazz Piano Masters, which features live sets by Teddy Wilson, Claude Hopkins, Dil Jones and Eubie Blake- Chiaroscuro Jazz Piano Quartet w/ Hank Jones, Dick Hyman, Marian McPartland and Roland Hanna: Let It Happen RCA McCoy Tyner: Passion Dance Milestone Jim Hall Live! Horizon/A&M These are just a few of the many LPs I treasure that need to join the ranks of CD reissues.

 

Date:	25-Mar-1999 09:07:43
From:	Antonino D'Angelo
	I love the usual suspects and: John Scofield - Meant to be Keith Jarrett - At the Blue Note Kenny Garrett - Triology Brad Mehldau - At the Village Vanguard Peter Erskine - You never know Oliver Nelson - The blues and the abstract truth

 

Date:	25-Mar-1999 17:07:04
From:	jerry
	Here are a few of my unheralded favs: Randy Weston's African Cookbook Mulgrew Miller-With Our Own Eyes Benny Golson-Groovin' with Golson

 

Date:	05-Apr-1999 00:05:13
From:	R. Weismann
	I am compelled to add to this LONG list of fave's: Stan Getz - "Focus" John Coltrane - Stellar Regions The Ray Draper Quintet featruing John Coltrane (Jazz goes TUBA!?!?!) Charles Mingus - Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

 

Date:	08-Apr-1999 09:51:54
From:	DB
	Maybe not so obscure, but what I love to play. 1. Blue 'n' Groovy - A great compilation, worth it for the Don Wilkerson track. 2. Chet in Paris, Vol 2. 3. The Witch Doctor - My first Art Blakey album, and still my favourite. 4. Inside & Out - Braff and Kellaway - two originals. 5. Feelin' the Spirit - Grant Green - go with the flow music. 6. Double Rainbow - or anything by Joe Henderson. 7. Wahoo or The Right Touch - D. Pearson. 8. Straight Life - or anything by Art Pepper. 9. Flip Wails: The Best of .. - Flip Phillips. 10.Rhythm and Blues Years - Big Joe Turner.

 

Date:	09-Apr-1999 12:16:32
From:	Nick (campain@capespan.co.uk)
	And what about: Coleman Hawkins/Ben Webster "Blue Saxophones" Ralph Sutton "Eye Opener" Dick Hyman and Dick Wellstood "Stride Monster" I've got more when I have the time.

 

Date:	13-Apr-1999 11:58:36
From:	Neil Loughran (neil_loughran@hotmail.com)
	Great topic! I am a 30 year old English Pianist who has been in love with Jazz ever since hearing Herbie Hancocks 1973 Headhunters album way back in about 1985. Since then My tastes have grown to include the following which at present take up much of my listening time. McCoy Tyner - Fly with the Wind (Milestone 1976) Tyner's playing has always compelled me and his solo's always completely blow me away on everything. Patrice Rushen - Prelusion (Prestige 1974) I've always quite liked Patrice Rushen especially when she goes into Herbie Hancock mode as evidenced on this album. Perhaps contains the greatest Fender Rhodes solo of all time on H'Awright Now? Any doubters!?! Woody Shaw - Rosewood (Sony 1977) I really like this album as it contains a great variety of music settings and sounds like as though the band are really enjoying themselves. Hush and Thunder - Yusef Lateef (Atlantic 1973) Kenny Barron is for me one of the funkiest and most influential pianists out there, and this album showcases a few of his tracks with Yusef Lateef. The track Sunset is an all time classic. That will do for now!! Cheers Neil

 

Date:	15-Apr-1999 02:24:14
From:	Patrick Tiglao (bentiglao@prodigy.com)
	Chick Corea Akoustic Band Live at The Blue Note , Trio Music live in Europe Elektric Band Inside Out Branford Marsalis Trio- Bloomington, The Beautiful ones.. John Coltrane - Transitons,Meditations,Coltrane's Sound Crescent Cal Tjader- Grace Cathedral concert,Latin Concert Jackie Terrasson- Any CD Brad Mehldau- Live at the Village Vanguard Kenny Garrett-Triology Any Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Any Non-Lifetime Tony Williams Count Basie -Live in Europe Philly joe Jones-big band sounds Miles Davis Sorceror Highlights of the Plugged Nickel Dave Holland - Razor's Edge Gateway feat. John Abercrombie, Dave holland and Jack Dejohnette Any small group Benny Goodman,Count Basie ,Duke Ellington, Any Jelly Roll Morton Early Early Dizzy Gillespie Big band John Mcglaughlin -Free Spirits Live at the Blue note Tokyo .....Best i could do without taking up too much space or time..

 

Date:	21-Apr-1999 03:41:49
From:	Tommy (stn@iname.com)
	1.gerry mulligan meets ben webster. 2.salt & paper- sonny sttit& paul gonsalves. 3. gene hammons- boss tenor

 

Date:	03-May-1999 13:42:46
From:	Nathanial Hendler
	Here's some albums that I wouldn't leave off of a top 100 list, but other people do (damn them!)... Jimmy Giuffre 3 Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan Ellington at Newport (ok, nobody leaves this off their list) Money Jungle Undercurrent - Evans/Hall Bassie '88 Soundtrack for Kansas City

 

Date:	03-May-1999 15:34:17
From:	Marc
	Check out the Armstrong/Bruebek "the Real Ambassadors".

 

Date:	08-May-1999 01:21:01
From:	Nick Meyer
	A very obscure, extraordinary album is: "String Fever" by Chuck Wayne which is a big band recording by Columbia Record in the very late 50's. Al Cohn and Don Joseph are in the band - a small big band that plays together beautifully. Incredible chemistry. This is also Wayne at his most directly emotional best. I wish someone at Columbia would go thru the vaults and reissue this - it was an excellent sound recording at the time. It also has historical importance - not only that Wayne was involved, but also it was the first big band session led by a guitarist. The arrangements were by Wayne also.

 

Date:	10-May-1999 22:07:51
From:	David (dj45rpm@aol.com)
	Actually one gem I haven't seen on the list (or may have just bleeped over) is: Freddie Hubbard's "Night of the Cookers: Live at Club La Marchal" 2cd on Blue Note. With Hubbard and Lee Morgan on (occas. dueling) trumpets and Big Black on Conga, this package smokes. Every track breaks the 19 minute barrier, but it's worth the time. Other CDs worth checking out: Art Blakely - The Freedom Rider, etc. Ornette Coleman - Chappaqua Suite 2cd (sadly only currently available as an import), Tomorrow is the Question, etc. and the usual suspects, inc. the works of Albert Ayler, Anthony Braxton, Derek Bailey, and Mr. Sun Ra. Most Underrated Jazz Book: New Dutch Swing by Kevin Whitehead. Anyone more familar with Amsterdam Jazz (Han Bennink, Misha Mengelberg, Clusone 3, etc.) want to make any recommendations?

 

Date:	10-May-1999 22:13:01
From:	david (dj45rpm@aol.com)
	Almost Forgot: Cal Tjader - Soul Sauce (Verve)

 

Date:	24-May-1999 09:06:58
From:	J Russo
	Bill Evans - Conversations with Myself Billie, Ella, Lena, Sarah Cassandra Wilson - New Moon Daughter Terrence Blanchard - Jazz in Film Miles Davis and John Coltrane Anything by Mlies, Trane, Duke, McCoy Tyner (almost anything), Thelonius Monk, etc. I also think that Anita Baker totally missed her calling - she should have sung with some of these greats! Have fun

 

Date:	31-May-1999 15:16:25
From:	tomasaba (unearth@aol.com)
	some choice material that most would label as "non jazz" yet still incorporates all of the best improvisational elements. tony williams lifetime - spectrum miles davis' former child prodigy, williams here explores and pioneers the apex of jazz-fusion. experimental, beautiful and awesome. with larry young, john mclaughlin, jack bruce, ron carter etc. velvet underground - white light/white heat anyone who doesn't believe that "sister ray" is fusion hasn't really listened. nick drake - fruit tree drake beautifully blends folk and jazz influences creating delicate shimmering gems. van morrison - astral weeks a sublime suite with richard davis' and co. framing the truly remarkable vocals of van. bob dylan - blonde on blonde imagine for a moment that the harmonica was considered a serious improvisational instrument. dylan's use of the mouth harp as a naked form of expression is magical here. add to that; soulful organ flourishes, perfect time drumming, dazzling guitar flashes and the greatest performing poet of our age. miles davis - filles de kilamanjaro no explanation needed

 

Date:	02-Jun-1999 00:26:45
From:	J. A. Williams (la98slim@aol.com)
	Hal Galper (WILD BIRD)

 

Date:	05-Jun-1999 18:23:41
From:	WTKoltek
	RICHARD DAVIS: Epistrophy and Now's The Time (Muse 1972). Live in a NYC club, the two title pieces are springboards for some of the most sympathetic collective improvisation recorded in that era. Group includes Clifford Jordan, Joe Bonner and Hannibal Peterson. CD ahs a third bonus track and a young Gary Giddins wrote the liner notes. JAN GARBAREK: Triptykon (ECM 1973). When critics invoke Albert Ayler in their discussion of early Garbarek, they probably have this album in mind. It's a trio recording with Arild Andersen on bass and Edward Vesala on drums. This is as free as Garbarek ever got on record. Ultimately what Garbarek took from Ayler was the notion that folk idioms could be used as raw material for improvised music. The album has one of his first uses of an old Norwegian folk tune. DON CHERRY: Symphony for Improvisers (Blue Note 1966). With Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri, J.F. Jenny-Clark, Ed Blackwell, this is a beautifully realized suite of simple, beguiling melodies and intense solo work that anticipates Cherry's later world music explorations.

 

Date:	06-Jun-1999 20:58:18
From:	Paulo Sá Pereira (pspsp@tba.com.br)
	Thanks a lot people, I really love this place. - Yusef Lateef - Psychicemotus - Impulse A92 - McCoy Tyner - Cosmos - BlueNote LA460 - - Horizon - Milestone 9094 - Dexter Gordon - A day in Copenhagen - MPS 1574 - Zoot Sims - Brother in Swing - Inner City 7005 - Woody Shaw - Setting Standards - Muse 5318 - Pete Fountain - Pete's Place - Coral 9228 - Billy Strayhorn - The Orchestra - Verve 1430 - Elvin Jones Trio - Puttin'it together - BlueNote 84282 - The Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop - Stormy Weather- Barnaby 6015 Thats it. Thanks again.

 

Date:	07-Jun-1999 07:06:19
From:	Kip Vai
	hello everyone! in my opinion THE album that all of us who can appreciate good music is pat metheny´s WE LIVE HERE. the reason being that it just makes you forget the earthly worries and is guaranteed to lift you to a higher ground where everything is in sweet harmony and you feel good...

 

Date:	07-Jun-1999 07:24:45
From:	Kip Vai
	scusi, i left out the important words ´should own´ from my comment above.

 

Date:	22-Jun-1999 11:42:41
From:	Kerry
	CASTLES OF GHANA by John Carter John Carter, Terry Jenoure, Marty Ehrlich, Bobby Bradford, Baikida Carroll, Benny Powell, Richard Davis, and Andrew Cyrille. Beautiful, subtle, profound compositions with, as you can see, an absolutely first rate cast. And I do not use "profound" lightly - this is great jazz.

 

Date:	08-Jul-1999 16:02:26
From:	Tobias Brathwaite (tbrathwa@cablevision.com)
	One of my favorite albums that doesn't get mentioned often is BAGS MEETS WES, MILT JACKSON AND WES MONTGOMERY. In particular the first cut of the Album, SKJ, dedicated to Milts Wife. The syncronicity of these two great artists is uncanny, this album is swingin'.

 

Date:	23-Jul-1999 00:38:11
From:	Kenan Hebert (fluxion23@hotmail.com)
	Jimmy Guiffre 3 Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh Yusef Lateef: Best of (It's a piece of vinyl that I don't know if you can get anymore, but I know I can't get it off my turntable lately.) Lee Morgan: Candy Charles Mingus Plays Piano (The song "Myself When I Am Real" is a true all-time favorite track.) Ruben Gonzales: Introducing (It's from 1997, and it's far from unknown, but I can't help but mention it. Just Listen to this guy and tell me he hasn't got the grace of God on his side.) And to all of you who've already mentioned these albums, I second that emotion.

 

Date:	03-Aug-1999 19:54:05
From:	Jim H.
	I recently bought a great piano trio recording by Teddy Wilson. He covers The Duke (Brubeck), Rosetta (Earl Hines), Round Midnight (Monk),Misty (Erroll Garner) & Sophisticated Lady (Ellington). 12 composers, 12 tunes, great stuff done by Teddy Wilson in his own unique way with style and class. It was a Columbia import cut-out called "And Then They Wrote..." taped in December of 1959. If you ever see this disc, BUY IT!

 

Date:	18-Aug-1999 05:17:50
From:	Ron Santen (santenr@iinet.net.au)
	Its hard to ignore the 'great' albums in favour of those I like best and play most often. So in other circumstances I would definitely list Louis Armstrongs Hot Fives and Sevens, Kind of Blue, a stack of Mingus albums, Tatums Solo Masterpieces, Bill Evans at the Village Vanguard (both CDs) and piles of Ellington and Basie. Anyway here goes with my 'favourites': 'Focus' -Stan Getz; 'Nothing But The Blues' - Herb Ellis; The Ben Webster-Art Tatum set from the 'Art Tatum Group Masterpieces'; 'Dick Hyman & Ralph Sutton at Maybeck Hall'; 'Thelonius Himself' - Thelonius Monk; 'Fats at His Finest' - Fats Waller 'Somethin' Else' - Cannonball Adderley All the Buck Clayton Sessions on Mosaic referred to by another person - now there is a real treasure trove; 'Soulville" and 'Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson' by Ben Webster; 'Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section' - Art Pepper; 'Winter Moon' - Art Pepper; 'Music From The Danish Jungle' - Pierre Dorge and the New Jungle Orchestra; While Jazz is my first musical love -I find it hard when talking about my favourite CDs to only mention Jazz - more and more I mix Ali Farka Toure and Oumou Sangare CDs with my Jazz CDs on my multi-disc player and all those great blues players always sneak in as well - there is just so much great stuff out there!

 

Date:	18-Aug-1999 05:50:09
From:	julian saul (julian.saul@meespierson.co.uk)
	I've been drumming for a year now and jazz drumming is my big thing so my favourite recordings tend to reflect this: 1. Philly Jo and Elvin Jones - Together! 2. Art Blakey - The Jazz Messenger (1957 Columbia: This album features some of Arts most infectious latin rhythms) 3. Sun Ra with his Allstars - Stars that shine darkly v1,v2 - An extremely rare Saturn release featuring a superb lineup that includes Philly Jo Jones and Don Cherry among others 4. John Coltrane - Coltrane (no further comments necessary) 5. Lalo Schifrin - Bossa Nova (How come Lalo Schifrin has yet to be mentioned in previous lists ? -This is the best Latin infused jazz album I've come across so far and features the sweet tones of Eddie Harris) I'd love to hear of any similar Latin flavoured releases out there 6. Roy Haynes - Out of the Afternoon - featuring some really beautiful flute and 'strich' solos by a blind artist whose name I can't remember 7. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (Yes I know, a Usual Suspect) 8. Dave Brubeck - Take Five (As above, but give me a chance I'm new to jazz) 9. Wayne Shorter - Adams Apple (Especially 'Footprints') 10. Art Blakey - Indestructable (Yet again Art's hard driving Latin beats do it for me like nobody else)

 

Date:	20-Aug-1999 11:19:22
From:	DYRDRE WILLIAMS (COCOPURE@11YAHOO.COM)
	CAN YOU GUYS TELL ME? WHEN DOES J.SPENCER ( SAXOPHONE) PLAYER WILL MAKE SOMETHING NEW!!!?

 

Date:	23-Aug-1999 19:03:50
From:	Zimbo
	My very favorite obscure album/CD is Hal McKusick's NOW'S THE TIME which is a Decca CD. This is music from 1957-58 with McKusick as the arranger and alto sax, clarinet, and bass clarinet player. McKusick worked closely with George Russell so his music has a very elegant, composed swing to it somewhat like Gerry Mulligan's. It has the sound of big band arrangements for small groups - wonderful players, a wonderful bounce to the sound, swings like no tommorrow. Here's the main line-up: Hal McKusick - alto, clarinet, bass clarinet Art Farmer - trumpet Eddie Costa or Bill Evans - piano Milt Hinton or Paul Chambers bass Gus Johnson, Connie Kay, or Charlie Persip drums Others include Barry Gailbraith on guitar. Frank Socolow, Dick Hafer, and Jay Cameron on saxes on some cuts. This is a group of young stars on the rise who play with passion and verve, working first rate material. This CD is a continual joy - one great cut after another. I love it.

 

Date:	25-Aug-1999 01:03:25
From:	jon wang (monstrom@home.net)
	TUBBY HAYES "TUBBY'S GROOVE". This is perhaps the best kept secret of all of the preceeding entries!. was a tenor player of almost unparalled stature who played with the intensity of Coltrane,had the melodic splendor of a Getz, and the ability to absolutely burn at the freakiest tempos. His ballad playing was immensely ROMANTIC and lyrical. Tubby's tone was thick and lush and full of color. Hayes was the kind of player who could just knock you out in a "ROLLINESQUE" way by the utter weight and rhythmic stability of his line and the ideas that came forth were almost always first rate or way beyond.

 

Date:	25-Aug-1999 01:20:17
From:	jon wang (monstrom@home.net)
	TUBBY HAYES "TUBBY'S GROOVE". This is perhaps the best kept secret of all of the preceeding entries!.TUBBY HAYES was a tenor player of almost unparalled stature who played with the intensity of Coltrane,had the melodic splendor of a Getz, and the ability to absolutely burn at the freakiest tempos. His ballad playing was immensely ROMANTIC and lyrical. Tubby's tone was thick and lush and full of color. Hayes was the kind of player who could just knock you out in a "ROLLINESQUE" way by the utter weight and rhythmic stability of his line and the ideas that came forth were almost always first rate or way beyond. "TUBBY'S GROOVE" recorded in 1959 has the tenor player at the absolute height of his prowess. "LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE" is a complex and stunningly beautiful lyric, romantic masterwork and should be acknowledged as the finest recorded reading of that standard. "TIN TIN DEO" IS ANOTHER piece of power from this giant and is shocking in its seeming unyeilding mommentum and level of ideas generated. "SUNDAY MONDAY" is simply one of the hippest/jazziest tenor recordings ever made and it grooves so hard that it would make more than a few "soulmEn" seriously contemplate an entirely different career!. HIS uptempo reading of "SURREY WITH A FRINGE ON TOP" IS ANOTHER JAW DROPPER and is simply over the top in terms of what HAYES is able to sustain for chorus after chorus of super hipness. IT IS AN UNFORGIVABLE SHAME THAT PEOPLE LIKE PHIL SHAPP ARE STILL SINGING THE PRAISES OF MOLDY OLD KAZOO PLAYERS LIKE coleman hawkins WHILE FORGETTING THE GENIUS OF HAYES. I'M NOT AGAINST PRAISING THE MASTERS, BUT LET'S START ACKNOWLEDGING SOME OTHER TRUE MASTERS. ONE MUST ALSO CHECK OUT "ALL OF YOU" FROM HAYES LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT'S FROM 1962(?). THIS IS ANOTHER OF HAYES' EXTENDED MASTERPIECES.

 

Date:	26-Aug-1999 08:24:35
From:	Zeek
	Moldy old kazoo player????????????????? Coleman Hawkins??? wow . . .

 

Date:	26-Aug-1999 09:20:48
From:	Bunky
	TUBBY HAYES is dross baby, admit it man, Tubby wouldn't have stood a ghost of a chance if he was on the same bandstand as some of those mouldy old kazoo players which your doltish and obviously impaired brain has conjoured up for us. Anybody who thinks the Hawk sounded like he was playing the kazoo ain't heard him solo on Monk's 'Off Minor'where he traded with the 'Trane. Mouldy? Kazoo? Moron...

 

Date:	26-Aug-1999 19:50:45
From:	tubbs
	Bunky, if you want to call that dude a moron- (and I thought this was a forum for opinion and not personal insults) then you (whatever sickening incarnation of human being -sans ears you are) are A frickin' absolute total moron and a gutless wonder. Coleman hawkins has his place and that place has been reaffirmed more TIMES than most of us would care to admit. TUBBY HAYES WOULD MAKE COLEMAN HAWKINS SHIT HIS PANTS! TUBBY HAYES WOULD CUT COLEMAN HAWKINS A NEW ASS! AND THE GHOST OF TUBBY WILL SURELY COME FOR YOU- YOU FOOLASS LIGHTWEIGHT PSEUDO JAZZ WANNA BE EARLESS WONDER!

 

Date:	28-Aug-1999 09:06:33
From:	Zeek
	Well, that was certainly an enlightening contribution - wasn't it.

 

Date:	29-Aug-1999 12:01:26
From:	B_Badenov_jr (diba@warwick.net)
	Everybody knows about the Basie band but not many know his trio sides which are fantastic. Zoot and the Basie trio did an album which is out on CD. Everybody knows the great Chet Baker-Jerry Mulligan sides from the 50s but have you heard the Jack Sheldon and Jimmy Giuffre sides from 1954? I'm afraid they're only available now on a Mosaic 6 CD Jimmy Giuffre set ($$$) but what a set. Giuffre's guitarist throughout was Jim Hall. A whole CD features Brookmeyer with the group (this is the group that opens Jazz for a Summer's Day). Then there are some tracks with the MJQ. Duke Ellington did an album in the 60s featuring violins: Ray Nance (of course), Stephane Grapelli and Swen Asmussen.

 

Date:	29-Aug-1999 12:02:20
From:	Ludwig Wittgenstein
	Hey, maybe we could up the level of commentary here - a bit?

 

Date:	29-Aug-1999 12:56:29
From:	Paul Hawkins (zigaboogaloo@bellsouth.net)
	Here are some of my personal faves that don't get a lot of noize: Special EFX / Mystique Pharoah Sanders / Save Our Children Mo Better Blues / soundtrack Miles Davis / Tribute to Jack Johnson McBride, Payton, Whitfield / Fingerpainting Kamau Daáood / Leimert Park James Carter / In A Carterian Fashion Greg Osby / Zero Don Byron / Bug Music Nicholas Payton / Payton's Place: This is where I got my email name.

 

Date:	30-Aug-1999 10:00:12
From:	dan patten (dpatten@mtt.ca)
	obscure albums: 1/sonny stitt/jack mcduff/gene ammons-soul summit-prestige 2/art pepper/zoot sims-art'n'zoot-pablo 3/philly joe jones-mo'jo'-blacklion 4/jimmy smith-sum serious blues-milestone 5/eddie lockjaw davis-swingin till the girls come home or all of me-both steeplechase 6/ben webster-stormy weather-blacklion 7/coleman hawkins/milt jackson-bean bags-koch 8/oscar peterson/buddy defranco-hark-ojc 9/zoot sims/joe newman-locking horns-freshsound

 

Date:	05-Sep-1999 02:23:54
From:	LUKE (shredguy@hotmail.com)
	"Sunscreams"- Mick Goodrick Quartet "None Too Soon"- Allan Holdsworth "So Near So Far"- Joe Henderson "Alive"- Chick Corea Akoustic Band "Extensions"- Dave Holland Quartet "Lunar Crush"- Fiuczynski/Medeski "Solstice"- Ralph Towner "Live"- Frank Gambale "After The Rain"- John Mclaughlin

 

Date:	14-Oct-1999 17:33:49
From:	MikeJ
	I hesitate to call any of my recommendations "obscure", but I'm not sure that any of the following have appeared above: JACKIE MCLEAN: "Let Freedom Ring" If it were possible to wear out the laser on a cd player, this cd would do it. I rank it in the top 5 hardbob recordings ever made. It is THAT good. SONNY CLARk: "Leapin' and Lopin'" HANK MOBLEY: "Third Season" Sonny Geenwich's guitar is a hidden gem JOE HENDERSON: "Mode for Joe" and "In n' Out" There are lots more, but I thought I'd start with these. Not to be redundant, repetitive, tautological, and say the same thing twice, but you will never regret buying "Let Freedom Ring"!

 

Date:	20-Oct-1999 16:21:26
From:	Kristopher Bell (kris@spie.org)
	Sonny Stitt-- Endgame Brilliance Art Farmer-- Blame it on My Youth Mingus-- Cumbia and Jazz Fusion

 

Date:	24-Oct-1999 09:53:17
From:	Simone
	LUCKY THOMPSON & MARTIAL SOLAL: "Lucky in Paris" STEVE LACY AND MAL WALDRON: "Communique" CHUCK WAYNE & ZOOT SIMS: "Tasty Pudding" RANDY KLEIN & HARVIE SWARTZ: "Love Notes from the Bass" JIMMY RANEY & HAL OVERTON: "A"

 

Date:	24-Oct-1999 11:41:57
From:	Cecil
	Two of the great big band albums since the swing era are: GEORGE RUSSELL: "Jazz in the Space Age" which are Russell compositions featuring a 1960s line-up with the pianists Bill Evans and Paul Bley as the featured soloists!! Other notables include Bob Brookmeyer, Milt Hinton, Charlie Persip, Bary Galbraith, Frank Rehak, Hal McKusick etc. etc. MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS ORCHESTRA: "Blu Blu Blu" this is simply one of the best big band albums released in the 1990s with Jack Walrath, Lindsey Horner, Warren Smith, Thurman Barker etc. etc.

 

Date:	27-Oct-1999 01:33:04
From:	Phil Kelly (lonearrngr@nas.com)
	Speaking of Geo. Russell: 1. NEW YORK NEW YORK w/ Coltrane, Bill Evans, and a hell of a band .. 2. Gerry Mulligan CONCERT JAZZ BAND - w/ Russell's AA ABOUT ROSIE Both great record

 

Date:	28-Oct-1999 20:05:51
From:	Brian Rajski (Brian.Rajski@m.cc.utah.edu)
	1: Wayne Shorter - Etc. just as good as "speak no evil," dark and beautiful 2: Andrew Hill - Point of Departure terrific group performance by a unique composer

 

Date:	02-Nov-1999 01:13:59
From:	gareth
	Don Pullen-Ode to life Chick Corea and Orgin-change JOe Lovano-tenor Legacy

 

Date:	17-Nov-1999 23:55:35
From:	Biskit (roth@igc.org)
	My 10 or so:\ Dave Holland - Conference of the Birds I am more of a Coltrane and classics fan, but this is one of my all-time favorites Keith Jarrett - Facing You He is out of fashion and sometimes a jerk and released too many albums, but this is a good one. Mingus Changes One This is not maybe his most classic, but it moves. Bobby Timmons Easy Does It with Sam Jones and Jimmy Cobb, underrated Parker, Powell, Gillespie, Mingus, Roach - Greatest Jazz Concert Ever Maybe not greatest ever, but damn close. Art Blakey Moanin' Great Lee Morgan playing, title track never leaves my head. Jaki Byard The Jaki Byard Experience This is a great record, Roland Kirk is fantastic. The first cut takes off. This is a flat out great record, obscure or not. Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come Lonely Woman is so haunting. This is a usual suspect, but how many people really listen to it. Re-check it out. What was once considered unlistenable now sounds almost like great old standards. Ornette - The Art of the Improvisers - Another usual suspect, but for good reason. Ornette - Dancin' in My Head If ever there was an aptly named record Stanley Cowell - Illusion Suite Great piano stuff. Blues for the Viet Cong is another good title by him. Miles Davis - Facets Lesser known Miles, even has a good vocal number. Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage This was pretty standard stuff, but holds up over time. Elvin Jones - Genesis Best cut-out I ever purchased. Andrew Hill Black Fire Jan Garbarek - Belonging. My favorite European title. Arnie Lawrence - Look Toward a Dream This is the best most obscure record. Larry Coryell and Roy Haynes and it is good. John Coltrane - Giant Steps One of the most usual suspects still does it for me as does My Favorite Things Seems that there are lots of fusion fans on this list. I was just talking the other day that a Chick Corea Return to Forever concert with Bill Connors in Basel, Switzerland of all places, and a John McLaughlin Inner Mounting Flame era concert were among the best I ever heard and that no records ever come close to approximating the live performances I heard.

 

Date:	28-Nov-1999 14:02:34
From:	Soozie
	Out of all the Grant Green records I've heard over the past few years, and I've heard a lot of them, my favorites are: IDLE MOMENTS with Joe Henderson, Duke Peason, Bobby Hutcherson, etc. This is superb!! Interesting instrumental mix & sound. Classy, sophisticated sound. A straight ahead 2CD quartet set with the pianist Sonny Clark is a real showcase for both Grant Green and the always subtle Sonny Clark. It's called GRANT GREEN THE COMPLETE QUARTETS WITH SONNY CLARK. And anything which has the great tenor Ike Quebec on it : the CDs that have Green, Clark, and Quebec on are heavenly. My favorites are: IKE QUEBEC-BLUE AND SENTIMENTAL; and GRANT GREEN- BORN TO BE BLUE. Enjoy!

 

Date:	10-Dec-1999 15:00:44
From:	david sleet (dds6@cdc.gov)
	If you have heard or have "All Members" (pacific Jazz) with my brother, and trumpter DON SLEET (or any other with him like Lenny McBrown and 4 Souls)I would like to get a copy/buy a copy/make a CD? Can you help?

 

Date:	10-Dec-1999 15:02:50
From:	david sleet (dds6@cdc.gov)
	If you have heard or have "All Members" (pacific Jazz) with my brother, and trumpter DON SLEET (or any other with him like Lenny McBrown and 4 Souls)I would like to get a copy/buy a copy/make a CD? Can you help?

 

Date:	27-Dec-1999 18:28:03
From:	A music lover
	There's a group outta Nashville called The Guy Smiley Blues Exchange- surprisingly fun jazz based in groove, funk, and improv. Lots of saxes, incredible rhythm section, great tunes, full arrangements and sound. A breath of fresh air in a stagnant decade of jazz. Check 'em out.

 

Date:	30-Dec-1999 05:14:39
From:	Alexander (alx)
	Keith Jarrett "Tokyo'96" Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue" Pharoah Sanders "Cresent With Love"

 

Date:	26-Jan-2000 15:23:14
From:	JALAL LATIF (JALATIF77@HOTMAIL.COM)
	my ten are,and not necessary in this order;ole'-trane.; the great concert-mingus(the vinyl,the cd is the 1st day,the best performance was the issue on vinyl which was the 2nd day except for the cut with johnnie coles on it that cut was from the 1st day) (