Thad Jones

Hi Mitch,
 Yes I truly understand your point.  No matter how much jazz music listening and exposure there's still someone new to discover.  I have a pretty good size collection of jazz recordings but not as large as yours.

You are so right in that there's so much recorded jazz you could live two lifetimes and yet would be unable to hear it all. I've been a devout jazz listener 30 years and attend live jazz venues quite regularly. This experience of hearing the musicians live has profoundly impacted how I judge/choose audio components😊.

Since the topic is regarding a renowned jazz trumpeter,  are you familiar with Trumpeters Lee Morgan,  Kenny Dorham or Fats Navarro? I listen to a lot of Miles and Chet Baker. 
Charles 

I knew of Thad as a player but not as a bandleader so this has been great. Listened to some Thad/Mel Lewis stuff and some of Thad's solo stuff. Great music and playing and excellent sound quality across the board thus far. Thanks for starting the thread Mitch and Frogman and Charles for sharing your voluminous jazz knowledge. And happy Friday all!

Charles1dad, my current trumpet faves are Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell, early 60's Donald Byrd and of course Miles.  The catalogs of just this handful of guys as leaders and as sidemen is exhaustive.

I've heard of Kenny Dorham and Fats Navarro...but never listened to any of their music.  Their music is easily available on my paid subscription service, but I've just never gotten around to giving them a try.  I've listened to Chet Baker a few times over the years..but he's not in my regular trumpet rotation.

My current project is to find EVERYTHING I can by Randy Brecker as a jazz sideman.  As a leader, I'm not that thrilled, but the few times I've heard him as a sideman...he REALLY sparkles.

I think that “sparkles” is a great way to describe Randy Brecker’s playing. He plays with a very brilliant tone, very modern harmonic concept and a swing feel that is informed by his extensive experience in the rock and fusion worlds. Speaking of musical families, he and his brother Michael (RIP) have fronted some of the best fusion ensembles in the genre. If you like Randy’s playing you may want to check out Woody Shaw. While Shaw doesn’t hint of a fusion influence I find that there are similarities in their style and advanced harmonic concept; all at an arguably even higher level.

Re Thad Jones: his arranging skills were fantastic, but his skill as a composer shouldn’t be overlooked. Probably his best known composition:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-M2ADUgffFE

Btw, as a testament to how highly regarded he was among his piers consider that ever since the decline in the popularity of big bands playing in one has not been a money making proposition at all for busy players. They did it for the love of the music and that type of musical setting; and take a look at who is in the reed section in the live clip of “Groove Merchant” that I posted: Joe Henderson, Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Eddie Daniels and Pepper Adams. Not too shabby!

"A Child Is Born" absolutely a beautiful classic written by Thad. Pepper Adams (Baritone Saxophone) did a wonderful cover of this song as have many others.

Mitch, Navarro had some very nice sessions with Tadd Dameron. He was a superb Bop trumpeter. Not nearly as well known as the iconic Dizzy Gillespie but I prefer Fats Navarro’s playing more. Sadly he died at the tender age of 27.
Charles