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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
simonmoon's avatar
simonmoon
541 posts
 
Terrific ! This thread is greatly enhanced by your participation.
 
Thanks!

I will continue to post more, even if not too many people are interested.

It is still fun!
phcollie's avatar
phcollie
342 posts
 
Probably not in the category of "not well known" but I am throroughly enjoying listening to Till Brönner "On Vacation". Fairly recent release and I’m on my third pass through this album.
edgewear
543 posts
 
Great thread, thanks for the many interesting suggestions.

For Brazilian jazz, Quarteto Novo (s/t) on emi/odeon is indispensable (late 60's seminal group with Hermeto and Airto), as are the first two Airto albums on buddah: 'Natural Feelings' and 'Seeds on the Ground'. Again with Hermeto, Sivuca, Flora and Ron Carter.

Fairly obscure but marvellous is Walt Dickerson's 'Impressions on a Patch of Blue' on verve (with Sun Ra at the keyboards no less!).

Also somewhat under the radar is Paul Bley's 'Blood' on Fontana, with one Mark Levinson on bass! Fantastic trio record. Equally good, but perhaps more familiar is Chick Corea's 'Now He Sings, Now he Sobs' on solid state, with Miroslav Vitous and Roy Haynes.

Because no jazz list can be complete without blue note, a lesser known title not to be missed is Andrew Hill's 'Andrew' (with John Gilmore).

More to follow.....
celtic66
1,680 posts
 
“The Junior Mance Trio”. 3 albums on 2 CDs.  Excellent performances and strong production quality.
femoore12's avatar
femoore12
683 posts
 
Madhouse 8 and Madhouse 16 by Prince and Eric Leeds. These were released by Prince without any marketing. Sheila E actually plays drums on The Madhouse 16 album.
More to discover