The Good Stuff

Wes Montgomery

SMOKIN' AT THE HALF NOTE

Verve    1965 / 2005

Wynton Kelly(piano), Wes Montgomery(guitar), Paul Chambers(bass), Jimmy Cobb(drums)

Notes: A legendary session recorded live at a New York nightclub, Smokin' at the Half Note captures Wes Montgomery at the height of his improvisational powers....Many consider it the best performance on record by one of the most inventive guitarists in Jazz history.

No Blues : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiWXHq_xvjg&t=246s

Willow Weep for Me : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGZ5WJDsUmE

Four on Six : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvMM3LZyYuU

Misty : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvG4LAZpYGw

Cheers

Art Farmer

SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR : THE MUSIC OF BILLY STRAYHORN

Comtemporary    1987

Flugelhorn: Art Farmer, Saxophone: Clifford Jordan, Piano: James Williams, Bass (vocal): Rufus Reid, Drums: Marvin Smith

Art Farmer appeared quite often on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.

Billy Strayhorn, Ellington collaborator, died of cancer, and he wrote several tunes based on his ordeal, such as, Blood Count, Unit 7, and Upper Manhattan Medical Group.

Creepy.

Isfahan : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWYygx5Ng8A

Johnny Come Lately : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSYYY_UfoXE

Raincheck : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j9UTAOEsF8

Something to Live For : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiqhOBDfo8U

Cheers

Modern Jazz Quartet

DEDICATED TO CONNIE

Atlantic Records    2CD Set     1960 / 1995

Notes: Last December our friend and drummer of 40 years, Connie Kay, passed away.  In an effort to re-live some of the marvelous moments we had been fortunate to share with him, I began going through some of our concert tapes recorded all over the world during our long career.  In doing so I stumbled upon this 1960 Live Recording that we made in Slovenia.  In my opinion, never before or since has the Modern Jazz Quartet played better, whether on stage or in the recording studio. -- John Lewis, February, 1995

Bag's Groove : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PDLN8VQc9M

It Don't Mean a Thing : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naPJczAG-9s

Django : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68EXSmRjfFw

How High the Moon : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyPUxIYrH9I

Skating in Central park : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKyrJIFNUCo

'Round Midnight : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04VajFTTpTY

Cheers

Ike Quebec 

BLUE & SENTIMENTAL

Ike Quebec(tenor sax), Grant Green(guitar), Paul Chambers(bass), Philly Joe Jones(drums), Sam Jones(bass), Louis Hayes(drums)

Blue Note     1961 / 2007   (Rudy Van Gelder Edition)

Notes: Over the years Blue Note has developed a well-deserved reputation as a label which continually fosters new talent.  It has not, as of 1962, slackened its activity in this direction.  Newcomers Freddie Hubbard, Grant Green, and Stanley Turrentine are testimony to this. ☺

Hard to think these guys were once 'newcomers'.

Blue and Sentimental : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwf9NnOQ03k

Blues for Charlie : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q2vwVpI39I

Don't Take your love from me : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zi44c2403w

That Old Black Magic : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzOHwfPLIpw

Cheers

Art Tatum

BEST OF THE COMPLETE PABLO GROUP MASTERPIECES

Pablo            1954, 55, 56 / 2003

Excellent notes by Scott Yanow.

During the last three years of his life, Art Tatum was extensively recorded by producer Norman Granz for his Clef and Verve labels, including 125 solo performances contained in the seven-CD Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces (Pablo 4404). Granz knew that Tatum also excelled when teamed with stimulating players, so 80 selections were recorded with all-star groups and collected in the six-CD Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces (Pablo 4401). It is from the latter that the dozen selections on this "best of" set are drawn.

Perdido : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl0hQ1l2Xjs

Body and Soul : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5b_hFXRZWc

Deep Night : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNhzhwgZUd0

Just One of Those Things : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRnKQUyNIcE

All the Things You Are : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2YMl5o8sck

Cheers