Share some under appreciated jazz album titles


I’ve been on a journey to discover more older jazz albums deeper down the catalog that share two traits; I like/love the music and the recording shines, quite possibly unexpectedly. By that I mean, I probably have a bias that leads me expect recordings from the fifties and sixties to be less detailed or “audiophile” than more recent recordings. I’m finding this bias to be truly misguided to say the least. 
Please share some of your favorite lesser known jazz gems with both traits. To roll the ball…  Dave Brubeck “In Time”, Johnny Hodges “Not So Dukish” and “Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges”  

Yes, I’ve been on a Johnny Hodges kick lately 

happy listening everyone 

 

david_principato

Thank you all for your contributions and comments, looks like I’ve got a lot of homework to do, and of the best kind. I wasn’t expecting Peter Frampton either, but let’s see what he has up his sleeve. 
if anyone knows anything technical about the jazz recordings of the fifties and sixties, please comment. I’m just kind of blown away by how good some of them sound. For instance, on my system, Dave Brubeck’s “Time Out” sounds better than Pat Metheny’s “Watercolors”, both streaming on Qobuz. One would think the later recording would be the more “audiophile”.

Thanks again, it’s gonna take some time to sample this list!

Under-appreciated?  Sure.

Katanga! one of the best of the Tone Poet reissues.

Art Pepper Today- for the track Patricia with Cecil McBee, Stanley Cowell and Roy Haynes

Woody Shaw- Blackstone Legacy- it took me time to find a clean OG; it has been reissued and though I have not heard the issue others say it is good. Far cheaper than an OG in clean playing condition today.

Jothan Callins- Winds of Change- fairly obscure, also reissued recently; I have the OG, but bought a reissue to see how that sounds.

Alternate Spaces- Cecil McBee as featured artist, on India Navigation- should not set you back a fortune for an OG if you can find it. 

Gary Bartz and Maisha- direct to disc- an audiophile record of something that is more than sonic wallpaper- Bartz was one of the original sidemen from the spiritual jazz era. This won't cost a fortune and sounds good.

Nate Morgan, Retribution, Reparation-- an OG is hard to find, was reissued by Pure Pleasure though not my first choice given the lack of transparency on sources, any newer copy is bound to be from a digital file. His Journey into Nigritia is well worth the trouble as an OG. 

Ronnie Boykins (The Will Come, Is Now)- this one is a little more offbeat, sounds out of tune, but deliberately so, and they pull it together harmoniously.  Known for his work with Sun Ra.

Horace Tapscott- Live at the IUCC--West Coast avant-garde ensemble, side three is a killer. 

Cochemea Gastelum- All My Relations- native American style jazz, horn played through a wah-wah. He is part of the Dap-Kings, backed Sharon Jones before her untimely death. Another bargain- gettable on Amazon. 

Nathan Davis- The 6th Sense in the 11th House Life- Segue label. There was a guy selling these sealed a few years ago, pulled them out of a dumpster when the studio went bankrupt. Davis was a seminal figure in Paris, returned to set up jazz studies at Pitt. 

Winter in America- Gil Scott Heron- classic, spoken word and Rhodes, also released in the UK as The Bottle (cheaper, since the US pressing is on Strata-East, a highly collectible label). 

Enough for now. Enjoy~

Thanks whart  for this interesting post and well motivated  suggestions.. yes