1. Home
  2. music
  3. 169789-13640

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
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
6,046 posts
 
Let me offer a weird one: Hendrix, 9 to the Universe.
Check out the personnel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_to_the_Universe#Personnel
stuartk OP
4,050 posts
 
@jazzbird:

I recently bought two Tollivers:  "Paper Man" and "The Ringer". Also have some Jackie McLean Blue Notes with Tolliver. "The Ringer" features nearly the same personnel as those Live recordings, with Steve Novosel  replacing McBee. as you may be aware, Mosaic released a remastered  3 CD combining the Live at Slugs and Live in Tokyo sets with extra previously unreleased material. I bought it but stupidly didn't keep it for long. Of course, it's now very expensive as it's out of print. 


stuartk OP
4,050 posts
 
@czarivey:

I'm afraid I don't tend to like most Fusion but I must admit I've never heard the Japanese variety. 

My main complaint about Fusion is that all too often the material is lacking interest. This is the same reason why shredders such as Vai don't interest me. I prefer playing where melodies and interesting chord progressions are the springboards for improvisation. I prize musicality and emotion far more than blazing chops. 

Of course, some players can do it all. . .  



 
stuartk OP
4,050 posts
 
@hilde45;

Well, OK-- not Jazz-- but I like Hendrix. . . 


hilde45's avatar
hilde45
6,046 posts
 
@stuartk I've heard a lot of jazz fusion in my day, and given the personnel on this album (Dave Holland, Larry Young, more) and the long form open improvisation of the album, it very much seems like jazz to me. Not sure what your definition is, but if you compare these cuts to rock cuts from the Beatles, Stones, or even other Hendrix, I think it's safe to call this jazz. IMHO.
More to discover