Jazz for aficionados

LOVE Sophisticated Giant! I've got my original beat up vinyl copy, a used European pristine vinyl copy, and the CD! Columbia released 'Montreux Summit', 2 dbl LP's featuring their artist roster live in Montreux during the 70's. Largely a monster Fusion-fest but sprinkled in the mix were solo cuts of Stan Getz AND a few cuts featuring Dexter and his Sophisticated Giant band, very rare and special for a fan such as myself.

Also LOVE Phil Woods, I own close to 20 different recordings of his. I'd recommend:
Phil & Quill
Rights Of Swing
Musique Du Bois
Images (W/Michel LeGrand) - side B
Live From the Showboat
Song For Sisyphus
Phil Woods/Lew Tabakin
Evolution (W/the Little Big band)
Real life (also w/LBG)
An Affair To Remember
Celebration
Groovin' To Marty Paich
American Songbook
....and this is just some, not all, of my PW collection. What's amazing is that I probably own less than 50% of his discography! He's been playing for almost as long as I've been alive (60). One of the last of the originals still with us. I think he was married to Charlie Parker's daughter, a true living legend!

Chazro, agree about Woods; one of the greats. BTW, he was married to Charlie Parker's wife. I posted this a while ago and think it fell through the cracks. Interesting look at his life as a jazz musician with some great commentary:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6SJxmCzYpoo

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

The coolest video ever! See how many people you recognize.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNCzfPhdd2M

*****The coolest video ever!*****

It could be!!!

Great atmosphere, singing and playing. The Band was awesome. I think I recognized everyone the camera zoomed in on. Just don't ask me to name them. Comes with age.

Good to see Ella. They are all gone now. :(

Frank looked amazingly like Herbert von Karajan did in his later years. After his, Karajan's, pompadour collapsed. :)

Good clip.

Cheers