Good point. Yes these albums focus on particular antique instruments so if you like that level of detail then the booklets are essential. They really are a part of those albums. I only have the first volume but it's excellent.
Congrats. I think you'll like Mar West. Sound quality is very good on those pressings and they are well recorded.
A real favorite of mine. I never saw the original band but I did see the second incarnation with Ralph Moore on tenor and David Williams on bass. David Williams was a monster bass player. Every time I saw him he was great. Totally in control and "big ears." There was a recording Live At Yoshi's released from shows during a week I saw them which was cool. Cedar Walton wrote some good tunes and he was in a lot of right places/right time, a real contributor.
Can't go wrong with Kenny Dorham and Cannoball Adderly on Riverside Records. Some nice playing by Cedar Walton on here also. NP: Kenny Dorham Septet - Blue Spring (80'sOJC vinyl). I need to look up Jack Matthews who did the mastering and the Hydrofeeds lathe as mentioned in the liner notes.
Another one from the trip to Rays - this was to replace the copy of Marching Song that was in the car when it was stolen last year. But this is an upgrade - an extra disc of early Westbrook and a decent booklet with contemporary reviews and background, and recent commentary from Westbrook himself. Nicely put together.
This is one of many recordings that I felt I should enjoy more simply because of who's in the band. Not saying it isn't a good album, just saying I was more excited in anticipation of listening to it than I was in actually experiencing it. Even so, seeing this post I'll go back and have another listen this afternoon.
I haven't played any RCA era Sonny in a while. Might need to do something about it. NP Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny - Missouri Sky (Verve) Right now I'm waking up with tea in hand so I need something a little less busy.
I once found an entire "book" of ten 12 inch Keynote 78s for a few dollars in a junk shop in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains. I had to pack it very carefully while tent camping in the woods
I like all of the periods of Sonny. He was probably the most exciting jazz performer, visually, that I ever saw.
I was watching a youtube video of the Norwegian jazz guitarist Lage Lund performing with his trio at the Berklee School of Music and about halfway through the host pauses to talk a bit about Berklee attendees and graduates. This prompted me to look up a list of famous Berklee graduates and interestingly it includes more rock-oriented folks like Elliott Easton, Aimee Mann and Bruce Cockburn. But the biggest surprise on the list to me was Sonny Sharrock! Anyway this is a cool performance by the Lage Lund Trio:
Louis Armstrong" Satchmo Plays King Oliver" Essential Jazz CD version. Not the best Pops but still fun and sounds great.
I find his Mileston years to be patchy tbh. I have some lps and the Silver City box but I don't play them much at all. Give me his early years and his RCA years for listening. Now live is another matter. That was Sonny in his true element imo. The times I saw him were always thrilling. I am not saying there is nothing worthy in the Milestone discography, just that to my ears, it pales to his earlier recorded work. *stands back and awaits the sticks and stones*
NP The Great Jazz Trio - Collaboration (88's) SACD with Richard Davis and Elvin Jones from 2002. Hank didn't record much with his brothers so the few recordings out there are special imo. This trio is a real favorite of mine. Hank's playing is subtle when you compare what he does to someone like Andrew Hill or Don Pullen. This trio brings out a more aggresive playing style in Hank which is fun to hear.
