What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Bogey]

Good to see you're still around - I was starting to worry.

now:


Gene Krupa - Quartet (1955)

Report when you can.

[George]

Collecting Ellington is harder than collecting Armstrong.  And that is saying something.  Report in full, buddy....including dates.

Not the greatest sound compared to many of my other jazz CDs, but I have it on more than one good authority that for this material (Ellington's first LP) this is as good as it gets for sound.

More info here - https://www.discogs.com/Duke-Ellington-And-His-Orchestra-Masterpieces-By-Ellington/release/9133672

Still in print and also on LP.

[San Antone]

First spin, mono SACD mastered by Ryan Smith for Analogue Productions.

I listened to that recording the other day, but not the remastered version - I really like it, with the extended arrangement for Mood Indigo, and the rest.  Where do you find these remastered recordings?

[George]

I listened to that recording the other day, but not the remastered version - I really like it, with the extended arrangement for Mood Indigo, and the rest.  Where do you find these remastered recordings?

I buy my SACDs and audiophile masterings at Acoustic Sounds these days: http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/98202/Duke_Ellington-Masterpieces_By_Ellington-Hybrid_Mono_SACD

If you spend over $89 (3 SACDs +), then FedEx ground shipping is free.

[San Antone]

I buy my SACDs and audiophile masterings at Acoustic Sounds these days: http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/98202/Duke_Ellington-Masterpieces_By_Ellington-Hybrid_Mono_SACD

If you spend over $89 (3 SACDs +), then FedEx ground shipping is free.

Cool.  Now all I need is a SACD player.      

[George]

Cool.  Now all I need is a SACD player.      

Actually don't own an sacd player - all of my sacds are hybrids so they play in my CD player. I buy them because of their Superior mastering not for the sacd layer.

[SimonNZ]

Report when you can.

Its a solid, enjoyable album, but I'm used to Krupa being a bit more of a showman. On this he seems happy to be mostly in the background on the mid tempo show tune standards providing brushwork and leaving the spotlight to Eddie Shu.

now:



Jelly Roll Morton - The Piano Rolls

[Bogey]

Its a solid, enjoyable album, but I'm used to Krupa being a bit more of a showman. On this he seems happy to be mostly in the background on the mid tempo show tune standards providing brushwork and leaving the spotlight to Eddie Shu.

Thanks.  Might be nice to add to the variety.

Now, probably my favorite Adderly effort and quickly moving into one of my all time favorite jazz albums. From 1970 (and originally titled The Cannonball Adderley Quintet & Orchestra):



Many of the tracks makes me think of Harry Callahan entering a nightclub looking for some information.  I can listen to this three or four times before it gets switched out of my player.  I do not believe it gets a ton of love, so I am here to make up for this shortcoming.

[George]

First spin of this SACD, mastered by the great Kevin Gray.

[Spineur]

Enrico Rava: New York days.  I enjoy this type of moody introspective jazz.  It took me a long time to buy this CD as some people complain about the lack of swing.  True - but the 1950s are over and it is nice to hear something different.

[asin]B001CWOCU4[/asin]

[king ubu]

Not too big on "Masterpieces by Ellington" myself, but it's an important landmark in jazz history, as it was, to my knowledge, the first LP dedicated to a jazz artist (in 1951) ... in jazz, most labels only made the transition to LP (12" that is) in the mid fifties, roughly 1955/56 (and quite a few early 12-inchers were so short, they could have fit onto a 10" record) ... from around 1950 to 1955, it was 78 rpms, 10" and later on 12" co-existing, labels such as Verve (or rather, to be exact, at that point still NorGran and Clef), Prestige or Contemporary would reissue 10" LPs with additional material or in new configurations with longer playing time. Blue Note did the same for their classic Monk and Bud, just to name their two most prominent examples - initially, all their Monk was on 78 rpm shellac platters, then transitioned to 10" and finally to 12" (while Powell stayed with the label long enough to make several actual LPs later on). Jazz being "race" music and "popular" music, this Ellington LP has to be important, just because. Before that, Ellington's extended compositions were only performed live, the few that were recorded were split up into two or four sides, so you had to flip or change the record every three minutes.

There was - but I guess that's not much more than a footnote - also 10" (or was it 12"?) shellac that allowed for over four minutes per side - some of the glorious Coleman Hawkins on Keynote makes great uses of it, but most labels would save on cost and stick with the standard.

--

Thread duty - arrived today, first spin, and I'm thrilled, to say the least:

[San Antone]

Enrico Rava: New York days.  I enjoy this type of moody introspective jazz.  It took me a long time to buy this CD as some people complain about the lack of swing.  True - but the 1950s are over and it is nice to hear something different.

[asin]B001CWOCU4[/asin]

I like Enrico Rava - and this one is one of his best, imo.

[San Antone]

Louis Armstrong : The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings

Love these.  I finally started reading the Gunther Schuller book, Early Jazz, and while I don't like his writing much, he does do some decent analysis of many of the songs included in this set.

[SimonNZ]

Not too big on "Masterpieces by Ellington" myself, but it's an important landmark in jazz history, as it was, to my knowledge, the first LP dedicated to a jazz artist (in 1951) ... in jazz, most labels only made the transition to LP (12" that is) in the mid fifties, roughly 1955/56 (and quite a few early 12-inchers were so short, they could have fit onto a 10" record) ... from around 1950 to 1955, it was 78 rpms, 10" and later on 12" co-existing, labels such as Verve (or rather, to be exact, at that point still NorGran and Clef), Prestige or Contemporary would reissue 10" LPs with additional material or in new configurations with longer playing time. Blue Note did the same for their classic Monk and Bud, just to name their two most prominent examples - initially, all their Monk was on 78 rpm shellac platters, then transitioned to 10" and finally to 12" (while Powell stayed with the label long enough to make several actual LPs later on). Jazz being "race" music and "popular" music, this Ellington LP has to be important, just because. Before that, Ellington's extended compositions were only performed live, the few that were recorded were split up into two or four sides, so you had to flip or change the record every three minutes.

I remember reading in a book on Blue Note that they almost went bankrupt after having reissued their backlist on 10" and the market suddenly showing a preference for the 12" format, and having to reissue everything all over again.

now:



Curtis Fuller and Hampton Hawes - With French Horns (1957)

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

I like Enrico Rava - and this one is one of his best, imo.

Tribe is my favorite but Wild Dance was pretty dull by comparison. How does this one compare? Will try to listen on Spotify soon.

Listening to this tonite:

June Christy Ballads for Night People

[king ubu]

I like Enrico Rava - and this one is one of his best, imo.

Agreed!

I remember reading in a book on Blue Note that they almost went bankrupt after having reissued their backlist on 10" and the market suddenly showing a preference for the 12" format, and having to reissue everything all over again.

Yep, those were difficult times for independent labels!

[Bogey]

Louis Armstrong : The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings

Love these.  I finally started reading the Gunther Schuller book, Early Jazz, and while I don't like his writing much, he does do some decent analysis of many of the songs included in this set.

Absolutely some of the best jazz recordings EVER! I will be listening to my complete JSP set some time in the next week or two as I continue working through all my jazz recordings I have on my cd shelf.

[Bogey]

Two more from my Adderly run:

From 1962:



This one is terrific with Adderly channeling some My Favorite Things in the Gemini track, Louis Hayes crushing it on drums,and set of music that deserves repeat listenings.  Highly recommended.

From 1966:



A nice live set, but I preferred the one above so much more that this one probably did not get a fair listen. I will have to return to it,

[SimonNZ]

Mick Goodrick - In Pas(s)ing (1979)

[king ubu]

@Bogey Cannonball in Europe is one of my favourites by that much beloved musician! There's also Lateef blowing a mean blues on oboe ... it was one of the group of albums that Cannon took with him, when he left Riverside, to be released on his new label, Capitol. When I first heard these, they were on Keepnews' later label Landmark, CDs from the mid/late 80s I think. They then re-appeared again on Capitol/EMI, luckily (but at that time you had to be careful not to fall for the copy-crap cactus discs, as the logo depicted on the cover you linked shows ...)