CD Recommendations

Lev:

Dunno whether it's "New Age" or "modern classical" or exactly where to categorize it, but check out Liz Story. Very beautiful solo piano. You can hear samples at www.cdnow.com of this and gabillions of other cds. I find it an easy way to try out new music without buying too many clinkers, and their prices are pretty good, too.

chas (Who assures one and all I don't work for cdnow)

Yes, last I heard Don Randi still owns the Baked Potato

This is a great CD with a good variety of sounds, with a tribal South American flavour.

Not too new though. The movie was also pretty interesting, and worth watching with Bobby DeNiro and Jeremy Irons.

Your note suggests that you may be ready to move on to some REAL jazz. The great releases by artists such as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Charles Mingus, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, etc., etc., have the singular virtue of inspiring and moving you, even after many, many hearings. Unlike much of "fusion" and "contemporary" jazz which tends to be pretty formulaic, the works by the great masters of jazz is American music that is, in the best sense, classical. During the past 6 months, I have made several long posts in various discussions about jazz, and I suggest you check back through the Audiogon archives for those threads.

Try anything from Charlie Hunter. He is the next coming of the jazz guitar god.