What jazz music are you listening to?

[PHC1]

Taking this album for a "stream"

[PHC1]

"Saturday discoveries" have led me to this album which I enjoyed very much.

[bart]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Bet you can't listen to just "one" Hodges album Two is the absolute minimum dose.

Ha! I couldn't!

Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges
via Qobuz




Both saxophonists have a delicious tone.
There is another album of them on Qobuz, that I'm going to explore.

Gerry Mulligan's 1959 studio date with Johnny Hodges is one of the most satisfying sessions of his various meetings with different saxophonists for Verve, yet it was inexplicably the last to be made available on CD. With a hand-picked rhythm section consisting of pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Buddy Clark, and drummer Mel Lewis, and three originals contributed by each of the two leaders, everything gels nicely, though several tracks took more than three takes (in spite of liner note writer Nat Hentoff's assertions) to reach their final form. Mulligan contributed the gorgeous ballad "What's the Rush" (where he sat back to enjoy Hodges' solo and never plays his own horn), the easygoing swinger "Bunny," and the brisk cooker "18 Carrots (For Rabbit)," the latter which its composer would revisit with his Concert Jazz Band. The veteran alto saxophonist contributed the low-key ballad "Shady Side," the sassy blues "Back Beat" (later re-recorded by Hodges during a still unreleased 1960 studio meeting with Ben Webster), and "What It's All About," another potent blues. Throughout the date, the two saxophonists blend beautifully and complement one another's efforts, even though this was their only opportunity to record together in the studio. Sadly, no alternate takes or unissued numbers (at least two of which exist) have been added to this long anticipated reissue.

© Ken Dryden /TiVo

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by bart

Ha! I couldn't!

Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges
via Qobuz




Both saxophonists have a delicious tone.
There is another album of them on Qobuz, that I'm going to explore.

Gerry Mulligan's 1959 studio date with Johnny Hodges is one of the most satisfying sessions of his various meetings with different saxophonists for Verve, yet it was inexplicably the last to be made available on CD. With a hand-picked rhythm section consisting of pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Buddy Clark, and drummer Mel Lewis, and three originals contributed by each of the two leaders, everything gels nicely, though several tracks took more than three takes (in spite of liner note writer Nat Hentoff's assertions) to reach their final form. Mulligan contributed the gorgeous ballad "What's the Rush" (where he sat back to enjoy Hodges' solo and never plays his own horn), the easygoing swinger "Bunny," and the brisk cooker "18 Carrots (For Rabbit)," the latter which its composer would revisit with his Concert Jazz Band. The veteran alto saxophonist contributed the low-key ballad "Shady Side," the sassy blues "Back Beat" (later re-recorded by Hodges during a still unreleased 1960 studio meeting with Ben Webster), and "What It's All About," another potent blues. Throughout the date, the two saxophonists blend beautifully and complement one another's efforts, even though this was their only opportunity to record together in the studio. Sadly, no alternate takes or unissued numbers (at least two of which exist) have been added to this long anticipated reissue.

© Ken Dryden /TiVo

Beauty of an album.

[bart]

Originally Posted by joel_hifi

Dianne Reeves - The Grand Encounter

Recorded in 1996, released on Blue Note Records

This is pretty good!

This CD could have been titled Finally! Dianne Reeves has long had the potential to be the top female jazz singer, but so many of her previous recordings were erratic as she skipped back and forth between idioms without committing herself. However, after years of flirting with jazz and being seemingly undecided whether she would rather be a pop star, she at last came out with a full jazz album in 1996, and it is a gem. The supporting cast on the ten selections (which feature different personnel on each cut) is remarkable and everyone gets a chance to play: trumpeters Clark Terry and Harry "Sweets" Edison, altoists Phil Woods and Bobby Watson, tenorman James Moody, trombonist Al Grey, harmonica great Toots Thielemans (on "Besame Mucho"), pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rodney Whitaker, and drummer Herlin Riley. In addition, Joe Williams shares the vocal spotlight on "Let Me Love You" and a touching version of "Tenderly," Germaine Bazzle sings along with Reeves on "Side by Side," and a rendition of Charlie Ventura's "Ha!" has a vocal group consisting of Reeves, Bazzle, Terry, Moody, and the young Kimberley Longstreth. Other highlights include Nat Adderley's "Old Country," "Some Other Spring," and "Cherokee." Despite the heavy "competition," the leader emerges as the star of the set due to her beautiful voice and highly expressive singing. This highly recommended CD is the Dianne Reeves release to get.

© Scott Yanow /TiVo

[bart]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Discovery Saturday.

Hank Crawford (1934-2009)
A Memphis-born musician, Benny “Hank” Crawford, was one of the premier soul-jazz alto saxophonists of the 60s and 70s. His big break came when he joined Ray Charles’ band in 1958 (where he originally played baritone sax), which helped to launch his solo career at Atlantic Records. Crawford’s expressive, blues-inflected sound exerted a profound influence on a contemporary alto great, David Sanborn.

Powerful, honest and good sounding album!
A very nice discovery.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Gary Burton - Good Vibes
Atlantic 1970 (vinyl)

One of my teachers when I was in school

Revisiting this old favorite.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Revisiting this old favorite.

Nice! That is some funky vibraphone playing.

I just read Burton used to tour with George Shearing Quintet in 1963 and I was listening to this album the other day.

[PHC1]

One more album to wrap up "Discovery Saturday."

[bart]

Hank Crawford - From The Heart
via Qobuz




I was curious about this saxophonist with his rather raw and edgy tone, after I heard the album Serge posted yesterday.
This is recorded '61-'62 and as interesting as 'More Soul'.

Hank Crawford - alto saxophone, piano
Phil Guilbeau, John Hunt - trumpet
David Newman - tenor saxophone
Leroy Cooper - baritone saxophone
Sonny Forriest - guitar (tracks 1, 3, 5 & 6)
Edgar Willis - bass
Bruno Carr - drums