Today's Listen:
Michel Legrand -- LEGRAND JAZZ
Jazz standards arranged by the Frenchman Michel Legrand. Great lineup.
Miles, Trane, Evans, Woods, Ben Webster and many more. Just by looking at the photos in the booklet, and reading the notes, it is obvious that this guy is full of himself!!
They came close to giving him credit for creating Jazz. Well, at least it seemed that way.
I will have to admit that I liked the arrangments. He managed to avoid sterlizing the music. And of course the playing was great.
Started off with the Thomas 'Fats' Waller tune 'The Jitterbug Waltz'. Always like to see the music of 'Fats' Waller represented. Speaking of underrated!
Some of the photos in the booklet show him apparently 'directing' the best players in Jazz. I hate that!
Sonny Clark -- SONNY'S CRIB
One of the better Blue Note era recordings. Excellent material and very cohesive playing. Trane and Donald Byrd on board.
A must have!
Phineas Newborn Jr -- THE GREAT JAZZ PIANO OF PHINEAS NEWBORN
This guy has great skill on the keyboards. Tunes by Bud Powell, Bobby Timmons, Miles, Rollins and Ellington. Leroy Vinnegar on Bass on half the tunes, Sam Jones on the other half.
I remember Vinnegar from Les McCann's 'Swiss Movement'. Nice set. If you like Newborn, this is one of his best.
Cheers