What jazz music are you listening to?

[bart]

Count Basie - Basie jam 2
via Qobuz




Recorded in '76.

Count Basie - piano
Benny Carter - alto saxophone
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor saxophone
Al Grey - trombone
Clark Terry - trumpet
Joe Pass - guitar
John Heard - double bass
Louie Bellson - drums


For this enjoyable jam session, Count Basie heads up a very impressive cast of players, including altoist Benny Carter, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis on tenor, trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Al Grey and guitarist Joe Pass. The four lengthy performances give each of the principals plenty of solo space and the results are predictably exciting. It's a big improvement over the first Basie Jam.

© Scott Yanow /TiVo


I must say I enjoy that first Basie Jam also.

[bart]

Count Basie - Basie Jam 3
via Qobuz




Why not play the third album in this series?!

Recorded in '76.

Count Basie - piano
Benny Carter - alto saxophone
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor saxophone
Al Grey - trombone
Clark Terry - trumpet
Joe Pass - guitar
John Heard - double bass
Louie Bellson - drums

[ehoove]

Elixer
Fourplay
A fabulous offering and an amazing recording.
Warner Brothers 9 45922-2
Regards,
Jim

[ehoove]

Currency of Man
Melody Gardot
Fabulous!
Verve B0023184-02
Regards,
Jim

[PHC1]

Smooth Tenor Sax of Houston Person.

Released 2003
Recorded May 8, 2003
Studio Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre Jazz
Label HighNote




Houston Person – tenor saxophone
Stan Hope – piano
Paul Bollenback − guitar
Per-Ola Gadd – bass
Chip White – drums

[PHC1]

Released 1961
Recorded July 11, 1961
Studio Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre Jazz
Length 33:02
Label Prestige
Producer Esmond Edwards

Roland Kirk – tenor saxophone, manzello, strich, flute, siren
Jack McDuff – Hammond organ
Joe Benjamin – bass
Arthur Taylor – drums

Kirk's Work, Rahsaan Roland Kirk's third long-player, teams him up with organist "Brother" Jack McDuff for Kirk's most soulful post-bop set to date. His unorthodox performance style incorporates the polyphonies of a tenor sax, flute, manzello, and stritch.

(The latter instrument is Kirk's own modification of a second-generation B-flat soprano sax.) This contributes to the unique sonic textures and overtones Kirk creates when playing two -- and often three -- of those lead instruments simultaneously.

The loose and soulful nature of McDuff's Hammond organ lends itself to the swinging R&B vibe pervasive throughout the album. Completing the quartet is Joe Benjamin (bass) and Art Taylor (drums), both veteran jazzmen in their own right.

They lend their expertise as well as innate sense of rhythm to the up-tempo "revival meetin'" rendition of Sammy Kahn's "Makin' Whoopee" as well as the ominous swing of the title track.

[PHC1]

Arguably the most exciting saxophone soloist in jazz history, Kirk was a post-modernist before that term even existed. Kirk played the continuum of jazz tradition as an instrument unto itself; he felt little compunction about mixing and matching elements from the music's history, and his concoctions usually seemed natural, if not inevitable.

When discussing Kirk, a great deal of attention is always paid to his eccentricities -- playing several horns at once, making his own instruments, clowning on stage. However, Kirk was an immensely creative artist; perhaps no improvising saxophonist has ever possessed a more comprehensive technique -- one that covered every aspect of jazz, from Dixieland to free -- and perhaps no other jazz musician has ever been more spontaneously inventive.

His skills in constructing a solo are of particular note. Kirk had the ability to pace, shape, and elevate his improvisations to an extraordinary degree. During any given Kirk solo, just at the point in the course of his performance when it appeared he could not raise the intensity level any higher, he always seemed able to turn it up yet another notch.

[PHC1]

Pleasant listen when in the mood for a jazz organ/Hammond B-3. Smooth Tenor of Houston Person and Seldon Powell. Nice, live recording with plenty of ambiance.

[PHC1]

Guitarist Herb Ellis considers this is his favorite personal album and it is easy to see why. With trumpeter Roy Eldridge and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz contributing contrasting but equally rewarding solos and lots of inspired riffing while bassist Ray Brown and drummer Stan Levey join Ellis in the piano-less rhythm section, these performances have plenty of color and drive.

Ellis does indeed stick to the blues during the original eight selections yet there is also a surprising amount of variety. This CD reissue has been augmented by four numbers from 1958 originally recorded for a European soundtrack. Getz, Eldridge, and Coleman Hawkins all have their features but Dizzy Gillespie fares best.


Herb Ellis
guitar

Roy Eldridge
trumpet

Stan Getz
tenor saxophone

Ray Brown
bass

Stan Levey
drums

Norman Granz
producer

[PHC1]

Nearly as famous for his reluctance to play as for his outstanding abilities, guitarist Tal Farlow did not take up the instrument until he was already 21, but within a year was playing professionally and in 1948 was with Marjorie Hyams' band.

While with the Red Norvo Trio (which originally included Charles Mingus) from 1949-1953, Farlow became famous in the jazz world. His huge hands and ability to play rapid yet light lines made him one of the top guitarists of the era.

After six months with Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five in 1953, Farlow put together his own group, which for a time included pianist Eddie Costa. Late in 1958, Farlow settled on the East Coast, became a sign painter, and just played locally. He only made one record as a leader during 1960-1975, but emerged a bit more often during 1976-1984, recording for Concord fairly regularly before largely disappearing again.

Profiled in the definitive documentary Talmage Farlow, the guitarist can be heard on his own records for Blue Note (1954), Verve, Prestige (1969), and Concord. He died of cancer July 25, 1998, at age 77.