Best Jazz Recording(s)

[fini]

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[jazman]

Wow, through all this, it's hard to believe no one's mentioned Cal Tjader. Last night I listened to Latin Concert, and it was a wonderful experience. Tjader on vibes, Mongo Santamaria on congas, Vince Guaraldi on piano, Al McKibbon on bass, Wille Bobo on timbales. This is one, I venture to guess, everyone will dig.

fini,

Cal is one of many outstanding vibraphone players in the world of Jazz and deserves your vote. The level and diversity of the musicians, the wide selection of musical instruments that are employed, the musicians display of artistry on their instruments, plus the diveristy of musical selections recorded, at least for me, make Jazz recordings impossible to narrow down to a "Best" recording.

Klipsch out.

[boomac]

I agree that it's impossible to name the best but I figure we all have records that we tend to favor. I bet "Page One" gets a lot of time on that VPI Aries Edmund! There's no question that I spin "Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes" more than the others.

[garymd]

Wow, through all this, it's hard to believe no one's mentioned Cal Tjader. Last night I listened to Latin Concert, and it was a wonderful experience. Tjader on vibes, Mongo Santamaria on congas, Vince Guaraldi on piano, Al McKibbon on bass, Wille Bobo on timbales. This is one, I venture to guess, everyone will dig.

I have 2 Cal Tjader LPs. Soul Sauce gets played a couple times a year but I'm not sure I've ever played the other, Warm Wave - with strings (which is probably why I haven't played it). Maybe I'll give it a spin tonight. I'm looking at it now and Hank Jones and Kenny Burrell join him, among others. It was one of the 80 cent LPs I picked up a couple years ago and looks to be pretty minty. I seem to find a gem in that batch every now and then. Thanks for bringing him up Gregg.

[garymd]

Ah well. Not one of Mr. Van Gelder's best efforts either.

Anyone interested in a copy of Warm Wave, cheap?[]

At least it took me to the "T" section of my LPs. Now listening to Stanley Turrentine & The 3 Sounds, Blue Hour. Much better.[]

[Allan Songer]

Ahhh. Stanley!

You know, even when he was turning out one crap album after another during the 80's he would blow into town and play a club and do nothing but smoking soul-bop as if the LPs he was churning out had NOTHING to do with the music he wanted to play.

I remember asking him between sets at the late, great Long Beach club Birdland West why he wasn't putting out records like the stuff he was playing live and he just smiled and said "nobody would buy them." This was in about 1988 or so.

The last time I heard him live was at the Jazz Bakery about a year or so before he passed and he put it ALL on the table. What a player.

I think I'll go spin Dearly Beloved, the first record he made with his wife, B3 goddess Shirley Scott.

[funkyhambone]

i thought i would add 2 of my favorites from the nineties. i saw no mention of either but this is one hell of a thread and i may have overlooked.

1990- Maceo Parker "Roots Revisited"

1999-Brother Jack McDuff "Bringin' it Home"

[jazman]

I agree that it's impossible to name the best but I figure we all have records that we tend to favor. I bet "Page One" gets a lot of time on that VPI Aries Edmund! There's no question that I spin "Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes" more than the others.

Scott,

It's no secret I love the Page One LP, but it's more accurate to state that Joe Henderson is one of my favorite Jazz artists, therefore there is usually something recorded by Joe that's in my rotation of vinyl all the time, not always Page One. There's also usually something by Miles, Mingus, Monk, Cannonball, Coltrane, Dexter, Jackie Mc, and Lee Morgan in that rotation at all times also. Likewise, my list of "frequently" played artists probably extends to more than 2 dozen individuals. On different days, in different moods, there's just no way to tell what LP, by whom, will get multiple plays. I love Jazz music, and have loved it since I was 13, which makes it really hard to pick a best. If I had to be stranded on an island with only a few pieces of music, I would not be without Kind of Blue, but that does not make it the "Best", but my favorite over all these years. Another LP on that island list would be Miles and Monk at Newport.(surprise!)

Klipsch out.

[fini]

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[boomac]

"Miles and Monk at Newport" is not yet in my collection but come to think of it, I have very few Miles Davis Records. Since the selection and purchase of most of my LPs and CDs have been based on "Forum" recommendations, I find that interesting. Can anyone explain that Mr. Songer?

[Allan Songer]

I own a copy (sometimes two copies if there were mono and stereo issues) of every Miles Davis record. I own all of the Mosaic Miles Davis box sets. I listen to Miles Davis at least once or twice a week. I think I never bring him up because I just figure everyone knows his body of work like the back of their hand, I guess. If you want some Miles reccomendations, then I suggest you start with Birth of the Cool and then buy every single record up through Doo-Bop. After that, go ahead and get all of the stuff released after Miles passed away and all of the Mosaic sets and don't forget the live Stockholm records on Dragon, either!

All kidding aside, what can you say about Miles and what he accomplished? I often wonder how the same brain could have conceived both Donna Lee and Miles Runs the Voo Doo Down.

But if I had to reccomend just a handful of titles--let's say only six--here they are. This list could be different tomorrow, but at 7:58 AM this morning--

1, Kind of Blue

2. Miles Smiles

3. Relaxin'

4. Round About Midnight

5. ******* Brew

6. Miles Ahead

But I'll bet almost everyone who listens to jazz much at all already has these records, right?

[garymd]

Those and about 10 or 15 others.

[boomac]

Still! If you go back through most of the jazz discussions, (on the Forum) you will rarely find, other than "Kind of Blue" many Miles Davis recommendations. Allan, is your assumption that everybody knows Miles based on a belief that he stands well above the others or because he has done and accomplished more or what? Is it because he was a leader and worked with so many of the greats? Don't get me wrong here. I enjoy most of what I have by Miles Davis. It just seems that he is not mentioned as much or played as much as many other jazz icons.

BTW, I have:

Birth of Cool, Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, Workin', Relaxin', Cookin' and Steamin', but none are a weekly event for me.

[fini]

+(_

[garymd]

I understand what both of you are saying. Here's my Miles collection:

Kind Of Blue

Sketches Of Spain

Seven Steps To Heaven

******* Brew

Someday My Prince Will Come

Miles Smiles

Volume 3 (10") BN 5040

In A Silent Way

Birth Of Cool

Workin'

Greatest Hits

Round About Midnight

My Old Flame

Saturday Night In Person Volume II

Relaxin'

Cookin'

Quiet Nights

Steamin'

Miles Ahead

Porgy & Bess

Not huge by any means. He put out a ton of LPs!

[fini]

!@#

[jazman]

"I think I never bring him up because I just figure everyone knows his body of work like the back of their hand, I guess."

Allan,

I love "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" It's very easy to not mention Miles because he has such a large body of recordings, almost everyone has a few in their stack. This also makes it easy to overlook some excellent music by some of the groups he recorded with. The Miles and Monk at Newport easy to miss because only one side is MIles, the other side is Monk with Pee Wee Russell on clarinet as special guest artist, and the Monk side is worth hearing as well. I'd like to list a few more that aren't on Gary's list, but you surely have.

Odyssey! Prestige Stereo 7540 Miles, trumpet; Milt Jackson, vibes; Jackie McLean, alto; Ray Bryant, piano; Percy Heath, bass; Art Taylor, drums.

Walkin' Prestige Stereo 7608 the LP includes MIles; J.J. Johnson, trombone; Lucky Thompson, tenor;HOrace Silver, piano; Percy Heath, bass; Kenny Clark, drums. It's also the/my only known appearance of Dave Schildkraut, alto sax on side B.

Milstones Columbia 9428 This LP includes Cannonball Adderly; John Coltrane; Red Garland; Paul Chambers; Philly Joe Jones.

There is also the set of recordings done live at the Blackhawk in San Francisco. Friday and Saturday Night at the Blackhawk in particular. These are only a few of the many contributions of Mr. Miles Davis. There are so many, many more.

Klipsch out.

[garymd]

There is also the set of recordings done live at the Blackhawk in San Francisco. Friday and Saturday Night at the Blackhawk in particular. These are only a few of the many contributions of Mr. Miles Davis. There are so many, many more.

Klipsch out.

I love Saturday Night at the Blackhawk. I remember emailing Allan after listening to the live version of So What for the first time. It gave me chills.

[fini]

&*(

[Allan Songer]

One of the few vintage LPs I have ever bought SEALED was the 2-record set "Friday and Satruday Night at the Blackhawk." It's a 6-eye mono.

It's so cool to hear Hank Mobley being Hank Mobley on this set--he didn't try at all to fill Trane's shoes--he was just himself and it's freakin' beautiful!