With all due respect for those who are suffering with the Covid19 situation... This could have been a glorious period for me, listening wise. I've been working from home since mid March. So I've cut the commute hours. In my mind I could just work some hours then play a couple of albums and work some more. But I'm struggling with work and can't take much time off. So, I have headphones connected to my laptop and I've been playing today - with several stops - these two albums: Oliver Nelson and Art Farmer. I don't have these albums, I'm listening thru YouTube. Glorious sound
Oscar Pettiford - Oscar Pettiford Sextet Wow! This was a most delightful set of straight ahead bop; hummable tunes with lots of good-natured, toe-tappin', head-bobbin', shoulder-swayin' goodness. Pettitford's bass is as lively as ever and the entire sextet are groovin' fine, but I gotta give a special shout out to Tal Farlow, who has maybe his best ever guitar tone on this album, along with some very thoughtful soloing.
Is anyone here familiar with Hugh Fraser? Hugh Fraser, Canadian jazz great, has died | JAZZ.FM91 Vancouver jazz musician Hugh Fraser dies aged 62
My CD copy is my pride & joy. The record company edited out so much amazing music on the original Turn it Over.
Steve Turre - Colors for the Masters As the album title and many of the individual song titles indicate, this album is trombonist Steve Turre's homage some of the jazz greats who have preceded and inspired him. Turre is joined by Javon Jackson on sax and the modern day's ultimate dream team rhythm section of Ron Carter on Bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, and Kenny Barron on piano. There's lots of fine contemporary jazz with classic influences here, all very skillfully delivered. That said, nothing really jumped out and excited me about returning to this album. Most of the album just seemed a little too smooth. My favorites were the lively original "JoCo Blue," the entertaining cover of J.J. Johnson's "Coffee Pot," and the title cut, which is the closest thing this album offers to something adventurous.
Lou Donaldson - LD + 3 (Blue Note/AudioWave AWMXR-0005) Donaldson with The Three Sounds from February 1959. Very nice !
Capitol ECJ-88034 [Japan] - The Les Brown All Stars - Dave Pell Ensemble [June 17, 1955] - Ronny Lang Saxtet [June 23, 1955] - Don Fagerquist Nonette [June 21, 1955] - Ray Sims With Strings [June 27, 1955]
@SJR - How is the sound of the Lmlr reissues? I hadn't heard of this French label before your post but see a handful of jazz titles. This one was pressed at GZ Media. Is it digitally sourced? Cool color vinyl
Back in the listening room, after a 13 mile bike ride up and down the local hills. (I kept thinking how much easier a 20k would be in The Netherlands ) Since I watched "Elevator to the Gallows" last night for the first time, I just played Miles' "Jazz Track" (a mono 6 eye) that had a skip (!!) at the beginning of the last track on side 1. Now playing "Sargasso Sea", by John Abercrombie. This was one of the many ECM lps I unburdened Fender Relic of a spring or two ago. Playing it loud and it sounds like they are in the room playing .
NP: Cy Touff - His Octet and Quintet [Pacific Jazz original 1956] A Woody Herman trumpet vet on his debut as a leader.
Thanks! I've come across the "Orbit of Sun Ra" compilation in a few places -- how does this strike you as an overview? Marshall Allen Presents Sun Ra And His Arkestra* - In The Orbit Of Ra I seriously love Lanquidity, so I might be inclined to check out the two you (and another in this thread) recommended. Looks like both can be acquired on the cheap here, but I can't tell if they're on the CD format or not. Has anyone had any experience buying from here? Search - Wayside Music
For more traditional music the later Sun Ra recordings on Hat Hut and A&M Horizon. There's a quartet from the 70's, Other Voices Other Blues, that's extraordinary on the Italian Horo label but the double album is selling for north of $130 on discogs. For sonic blow out my choice is It's After the End of the World on BASF, live at Donaueschingen and Berlin Festivals. I also like the well recorded Space Is The Place which I think is on Blue Thumb. The Magic City, which was released by Impulse in edited form got a high quality re-release in the last couple years, and the Evidence series is worth checking out. For his earlier music try the reissued Jazz In Silhouette. And everyone knows Heliocentric Worlds. Phil Cohran, who was in the Arkestra, made wonderful recordings himself in the same spirit of Afro-Futurism for years after and was also a founding member of the AACM. On The Beach is a legendary session with very deep grooves.