Some on this thread have said that many jazz recordings are done in group sessions and live audience performance. This is true and I believe it is because much of jazz is by nature improvised. Superb improvisers like Parker, Gillespe, and Monk have to lead groups of musicians that are equally adept at making the music work 'in real time'. It would be almost impossible to improvise in the vacuum of an overdub (Charles Mingus did overdub his bass line on "Bud Powell Live at Massy Hall" with disastrous results).
As for recorded live performances losing their novelty I do disagree. You can't recreate performances and groups of performers from recordings like Newport Jazz Fest 19xx and others. On those cuts it might have been the only time or one of a few times those cats ever played together. They are historically novel. Even if I have memorized the performance it is still thrilling in the context of the whole and I listen as often as the perfomance occurs to me.
As far as listening in a live venue. I guess if someone really liked Beethoven's 9th and experienced it dozens of times by dozens of symphony orchestras it would make each experience novel but I would rather spread my available music dollars around to include other performances. I do not say this with a strident voice JMHO.
