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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. 







 




  
stuartk
goofyfoot's avatar
goofyfoot
1,383 posts
 
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simonmoon's avatar
simonmoon
541 posts
 
I like the mention of Joanne Brackeen. She is pretty unknown and underappreciated. 

Those recordings of original material she did in the 80's were great. Ancient Dynasty, Special Identity Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven are pretty special.

Unfortunately for my tastes, she has gotten into recording after recording of "standards". Boring...

Darcy James Argue and Secret Society - very creative 18 piece big band. Three recording released so far, of very creative stuff. Even uses 12 tone classical methods from time to time. 

Octafish - very progressive German fusion band influenced by Frank Zappa. They call their style, "Fake Industrial Jazz". World class musicianship, complex arrangements and time signatures, but they don't take themselves too seriously. 

Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Cuban pianist with otherworldly chops. If there is a current player with better chops, and understanding of advanced jazz language, I'd like to know about it. "Rapsodia" and "Antiqua" are great recordings of original material. He also has plenty of recordings of standards too.
simonmoon's avatar
simonmoon
541 posts
 
Here’s a few more.

Jonathan Finlayson - one of the best contemporary trumpet players. Whether a sideman or leader, his playing is never boring, and his technique is as good as it gets. His latest release as a leader, 3 Times Round, was placed near the top best releases of 2016 by the NY Times.

Tim Berne - excellent contemporary sax player. Interesting thing about Berne, is, he never had interest in playing an instrument, until he got to college at the age of 19, when he heard a Julius Hemphill playing on a dorm stereo system in 1973. Pretty late to pick up an instrument, and to get as good as he is, is really difficult. His group, Snakeoil is really good. But his entire discography is worth checking out.
simonmoon's avatar
simonmoon
541 posts
 
Here's a couple of older ones.

Arti e Mestieri - Italian band, that is one of the best at straddling the line between jazz-fusion, and prog. Their first album from '73, Tilt!, is their best. So many great melodies, and world class playing, especially by monster drummer, Furio Chirico. But keys, violin and guitar are incredible too. Might be a little too prog for many jazz fans, so, YMMV. Their 2nd release, was actually more on the jazz side. 

Passport - probably the best known German fusion band, lead by sax great, Klaus Doldinger. Their albums are a little hit or miss, but the best tracks are worth the price of admission. Much better live, when they added guitarist, Volker Kreigal. 

 
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