Vocals allowed?
Karin Krog - Something Borrowed....Something New
Karin Krog - Something Borrowed....Something New
Jazz Fans-- Name some of your favorite, less well known recordings
I'm inviting you to share the sort of recordings you won't typically encounter on a "100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time" sort of list. they need not be obscure-- but please, no "Kind of Blue", "Sunday at the Village Vanguard", "Blue Train", etc.
The dates are for CD release, which are, in some cases, was quite later than the release dates for titles that first came out on vinyl.
OK-- I'll start with a handful of mine...
Art Farmer Quintet
"Blame it On My Youth" 1988. Contemporary
Art Farmer; trumpet/Clifford Jordan: Tenor Sax/Victor Lewis: Drums/Rufus Reid: Bass/James Williams: Piano
A. F. in his late prime in skilled company exploring a nice mix of tunes. The first and best of three releases by this group.
Gary Bartz and Sonny Fortune
"Alto Memories" 1994 Verve Japan
G. Bartz: Alto Sax/Sonny Fortune: Alto Sax/Jack Dejohnette: drums/Buster Williams: Bass/Kenny Barron: Piano
Not easy to find but worthwhile if you enjoy the two altoists, who work very well together. Note the stellar band.
Nick Brignola
"On A Different Level" 1990 Reservoir
Nick Brignola: Baritone Sax/Kenny Barron: PIano/Jack Dejohnette: Drums/Dave Holland: Bass
Most of Brignola's recordings feature him on a variety of horns but here, it's all Baritone.
Another good one is "Flight of the Eagle", also on Reservoir.
Joanne Brackeen:
"Where Legends Dwell" 1992 Ken
Joanne Brackeen: piano/Eddie Gomez: Bass/Jack deJohnette: Drums
A very "muscular" player with a delightfully idiosyncratic approach to composition.
Jerry Bergonzi:
"Tenor of the TImes" 2006 Savant
Jerry Bergonzi: Tenor/Renato Chicco: PIano/Dave Santoro:bass/Andrea Michelutti: Drums
Contemporary Boston master.
Hal Galper Quintet:
"Reach Out" 1995 Steeplechase
Hal Galper: Piano/.Michael Brecker: Tenor Sax/Randy Brecker: Trumpet/Billy Hart: Drums/Wayne Dockery: Bass
Terrific live showcase for this group.
Stan Getz:
"Dynasty" Re-release 2009 Verve
Stan Getz: Tenor Sax/Eddy Louise: organ/Rene Thomas: Guitar/Bernard Lubat: Drums
Live. Stan sitting in with Louise's trio. They don't let him coast.
Don Grolnick:
"The Complete Blue Note Recordings" 1977 Blue Note
Don Grolnick: Composer, Piano/Randy Brecker: Trumpet/Barry Rodgers, Steve Turre: Trombone/
Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Bob Mintzer: Tenor Sax/Marty Ehrlich: Bass Clarinet/Dave Holland: Bass/
Peter Erkine, Bill Stewart; Drums
Focuses on Grolnick the composer. Lots of vivid instrumental colors and unpredictable intervals, here.
Check out the players!
To pay bills, Grolnick MD'd Linda Ronstadt's touring band but I promise you these Blue Note recordings
won't remotely bring to mind "Blue Bayou"!
Slide Hampton:
"Roots" 1985 Criss Cross Jazz
Slide Hampton: Trombone/Clifford Jordan: Tenor Sax/Cedar Walton: Piano/David Wiliams: Bass/Billy Higgins: Drums
Simply a great mainstream Jazz record as you might expect, given the personnel.
Booker Ervin
"Booker 'N Brass" 1998 Pacific Jazz
Booker Ervin: Tenor Sax with a "small big band" including, to name a few:
Freddie Hubbard: Trumpet/Kenny Barron: Piano/Bennie Green: Trombone/Lenny McBrowne: Drums/Reggie
Johnson: Bass
Punchy, swinging and soulful.
The dates are for CD release, which are, in some cases, was quite later than the release dates for titles that first came out on vinyl.
OK-- I'll start with a handful of mine...
Art Farmer Quintet
"Blame it On My Youth" 1988. Contemporary
Art Farmer; trumpet/Clifford Jordan: Tenor Sax/Victor Lewis: Drums/Rufus Reid: Bass/James Williams: Piano
A. F. in his late prime in skilled company exploring a nice mix of tunes. The first and best of three releases by this group.
Gary Bartz and Sonny Fortune
"Alto Memories" 1994 Verve Japan
G. Bartz: Alto Sax/Sonny Fortune: Alto Sax/Jack Dejohnette: drums/Buster Williams: Bass/Kenny Barron: Piano
Not easy to find but worthwhile if you enjoy the two altoists, who work very well together. Note the stellar band.
Nick Brignola
"On A Different Level" 1990 Reservoir
Nick Brignola: Baritone Sax/Kenny Barron: PIano/Jack Dejohnette: Drums/Dave Holland: Bass
Most of Brignola's recordings feature him on a variety of horns but here, it's all Baritone.
Another good one is "Flight of the Eagle", also on Reservoir.
Joanne Brackeen:
"Where Legends Dwell" 1992 Ken
Joanne Brackeen: piano/Eddie Gomez: Bass/Jack deJohnette: Drums
A very "muscular" player with a delightfully idiosyncratic approach to composition.
Jerry Bergonzi:
"Tenor of the TImes" 2006 Savant
Jerry Bergonzi: Tenor/Renato Chicco: PIano/Dave Santoro:bass/Andrea Michelutti: Drums
Contemporary Boston master.
Hal Galper Quintet:
"Reach Out" 1995 Steeplechase
Hal Galper: Piano/.Michael Brecker: Tenor Sax/Randy Brecker: Trumpet/Billy Hart: Drums/Wayne Dockery: Bass
Terrific live showcase for this group.
Stan Getz:
"Dynasty" Re-release 2009 Verve
Stan Getz: Tenor Sax/Eddy Louise: organ/Rene Thomas: Guitar/Bernard Lubat: Drums
Live. Stan sitting in with Louise's trio. They don't let him coast.
Don Grolnick:
"The Complete Blue Note Recordings" 1977 Blue Note
Don Grolnick: Composer, Piano/Randy Brecker: Trumpet/Barry Rodgers, Steve Turre: Trombone/
Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Bob Mintzer: Tenor Sax/Marty Ehrlich: Bass Clarinet/Dave Holland: Bass/
Peter Erkine, Bill Stewart; Drums
Focuses on Grolnick the composer. Lots of vivid instrumental colors and unpredictable intervals, here.
Check out the players!
To pay bills, Grolnick MD'd Linda Ronstadt's touring band but I promise you these Blue Note recordings
won't remotely bring to mind "Blue Bayou"!
Slide Hampton:
"Roots" 1985 Criss Cross Jazz
Slide Hampton: Trombone/Clifford Jordan: Tenor Sax/Cedar Walton: Piano/David Wiliams: Bass/Billy Higgins: Drums
Simply a great mainstream Jazz record as you might expect, given the personnel.
Booker Ervin
"Booker 'N Brass" 1998 Pacific Jazz
Booker Ervin: Tenor Sax with a "small big band" including, to name a few:
Freddie Hubbard: Trumpet/Kenny Barron: Piano/Bennie Green: Trombone/Lenny McBrowne: Drums/Reggie
Johnson: Bass
Punchy, swinging and soulful.
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- 87 posts total
@stuartk - Hi Stuart, thanks for the nice words. I have a blog if you look up my name-bill hart- and "vinyl" you should be able to find it. There is easily 5 years worth of writing there, not necessarily all jazz. In the meantime, I'll give some thought to the question of "more." I like stuff between the cracks, got bored with straight ahead stuff and some of the soul jazz and spiritual jazz has really caught fire in the last few years. Some of the Lloyd McNeill records are wonderful but now stratospherically priced. Nathan Davis was wonderful- not just his Paris years, but when he came back to the States and set up the jazz studies program at the University of Pittsburgh. I had spent time collecting Vertigo Swirls, partly because some of them were really good musically and sonically (mostly psych and prog rock, but some jazz rock, including Ian Carr) but not on the radar of most people except for collectors; did manage to get some of the Strata-East and Nimbus catalogs before the prices went crazy. My learning process has hardly been linear--but I'm listening to more different music than ever and enjoying it. This is a good thread in looking for more offbeat stuff, which is what I find appealing, personally. |
@gosta: Of course, as long as you do not mention D. Krall or P. Barber. All references to those two will be cheerfully ignored. Call me elitist but audiophiles really need to over their tunnel vison-fixation on those two. Karin Krog is great. The only one by her I have is "where You At" I'll check out your suggestion. |
Since gosta mentioned Karin Krog, I will list some vocal cds I enjoy... Karin Krog: "Where You At" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR4swScUD_Q Sarah Vaugah: "Live in Tokyo Complete Edition" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meoiTxJofOs Sheila Jordan: "Lost and Found" Can't find any sound samples Sheila Jordan: "Portrait of Sheila" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VFT2zc1lbI&list=PL0q2VleZJVEmZ4zvGNH1l74rupONXEokX Tina May: "More Than You Know" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNnINzQqfbQ Anita O'day:"Sings for Oscar" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Iru1VZR5gc&list=OLAK5uy_mnGDY4a8xtjZmoEovWLzWjiFE4_TLK2aM&i... Betty Carter: The Audience With Betty Carter" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HaMhJF3i88&list=OLAK5uy_nUljP8wcIAGTTGA2m4Yo1W1LkzbfZWVYU Jackie Ryan: "Doozy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5-eje2RMCM Jackie Ryan: "You and the Night and the Music" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8NnVxgmdJ4 Helen Merrill: "A Shade of Difference" and "The Feeling Is Mutual' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B697MtyPgOM And for those with more esoteric tastes... not really jazz but improvisational music on ECM that's uncategorizable: "Sumiglia" and "Songs of An Other". Based in folk music from Greece, Spain, Turkey, eastern Europe that gets very spacy and atonal at times, wandering off into explorations of pure sound I couldn't find any tracks on youtube from these releases but here's a couple live videos. The second one shows at her absolute wildest (some of you may say 'her weirdest" and I won't disagree but it's a type of weird I enjoy). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwW0wt6V30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwW0wt6V30 |
- 87 posts total