What jazz music are you listening to?

[Antonmb]

Tina Brooks - The Waiting Game
Blue Note Tone Poet (1985/2021), vinyl

Another one of those delayed releases, recorded in 1961 but not released until ‘85.

[bart]

Etta Jones - Don't Go To Strangers
via Qobuz




Nice recommendation in 'Stereo' of this month.
The 16/44.1 stream on Qobuz sounds considerably better than the hi-res version.

Recorded June 21, '60.

Etta Jones - vocals
Frank Wess — flute, tenor saxophone
Richard Wyands — piano
Skeeter Best — guitar
George Duvivier — bass
Roy Haynes — drums

A reviewer of Dusty Groove stated: "Could anyone ever utter a sexier line than "'Don't go to strangers, come to me?' We think not, and it's material like that that makes the album a real killer from Etta Jones – one of her best from the 60s, cut when she was really developing her skills as a vocalist, but still had enough of an edge to be interesting. Backing is by a small group that includes Frank Wess, Roy Haynes, and Richard Wyands – and the album has a relaxed, jazzy quality that easily makes it one of the real standouts in Etta's career!"

[bart]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Tina Brooks - The Waiting Game
Blue Note Tone Poet (1985/2021), vinyl

Another one of those delayed releases, recorded in 1961 but not released until ‘85.

Tony, I had only listened to one of his albums before. This is a nice discovery!

Like two of his other three albums, Tina Brooks' final session as a leader (in March 1961) was sequenced and prepared for release, but remained on the shelves until well after the tenor's tragically early death. That's why the title of The Waiting Game is not only apt, but sadly poignant. Despite Blue Note's reservations at the time, Brooks' output for the label was uniformly strong, demonstrating his skills as a smooth, graceful soloist and a composer of considerable dexterity within the hard bop idiom. Swinging and bluesy, yet sophisticated and refined, The Waiting Game upholds the high standard Brooks set with his previous sessions. Brooks is especially fine on his minor-key compositions, such as "Talkin' About" and "Dhyana," which allow his streak of melancholy romanticism to emerge (as does the lone cover here, the Tony Bennett hit "Stranger in Paradise"). With its hints of Eastern modalities, "David the King" is perhaps the most challenging piece here; in fact, it had been attempted without success at the Back to the Tracks sessions. Brooks sounds especially searching on the album-closing title cut, and pianist Kenny Drew and trumpeter Johnny Coles contribute some long, fluid lines of their own. Hard bop fans will find The Waiting Game just as necessary as Brooks' other albums. Not counting the out-of-print Mosaic box, The Waiting Game was first issued as its own entity in 1999 in Japan, and was finally released in the U.S. in October 2002.

© Steve Huey /TiVo

[joel_hifi]

A couple of nice albums earlier today


Sonny Stitt/Bud Powell/J.J. Johnson

Excellent performance, poor recording!

Recorded in 1949/50 (Prestige), via Qobuz

Sonny Stitt - Tenor Sax
J.J. Johnson - Trombone
Bud Powell, John Lewis - Piano
Curly Russell - Bass
Max Roach - Drums





Sonny Stitt - Blows The Blues

Very good performance, nice recording!

Recorded in 1959 (Verve), via Qobuz 24/192

Sonny Stitt - Alto Sax
Lou Levy - Piano
Leroy Vinnegar - Bass
Mel Lewis - Drums

[bart]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Curtis Amy & Dupree Bolton - Katanga!
Pacific Jazz/Blue Note Tone Poet (1963/2021), vinyl

Dupree Bolton, trumpet; Curtis Amy, tenor, soprano sax; Jack Wilson, piano; Ray Crawford, guitar; Vic Gaskin, bass; Doug Sides, drums

Gorgeous recording and music. I think the Doors must have heard the cut “Native Land.” I’m hooked on these Tone Poet releases.

Another nice suggestion Tony.
I had never heard of Curtis Amy nor Dupree Bolton.
The stream sounds good (24/96).

[joel_hifi]

Fred Hersch & Julian Lage - Free Flying

Inspired by Julian Lage's new release "Squint" showing on Qobuz, I'm playing this collaboration recorded live in 2013, via Qobuz

Fred Hersch - Piano
Julian Lage - Guitar

[bart]

You guys are playing terrific jazz!


I am currently enjoying this:

Martial Solal - Coming Yesterday - Live at Salle Gaveau 2019
via Qobuz (Challenge)




I wasn't expecting too much, I was just being curious.
How does a 91 year old piano player (°1927) fare in a solo concert?
Well, I invite you to listen.
He's still incredibly good!
And the sound is always good with this label.

Coming Yesterday is the recording of what turns out to be Martial's last concert, he decided to stop playing piano after that show:

Martial Solal
"When I walked onto the stage on January 23, 2019, I did not yet know that I would decide not to play piano anymore after this concert, more than seventy years after my debut. To maintain a certain level, this instrument requires your daily attention; it requires delicacy, brutality, and especially energy. I have lived with these demands all my life, with the joy of seeing the progress, the technical and musical advances, the rhythmic and harmonic enrichments that we acquire over time. Of course, everything goes very fast at first. As long as you are gifted, if you spend a little time on it, if you listen to what was done before you, if you choose a path, everything may seem easy. Progress is rapid, illusions are immense, and then walls arise, walls that you want to reach and overcome. Seventy years to achieve this is a minimum... When energy is no longer available, it is better to stop.

[PierreB]

Muddy Waters : Folk Singer
MCA/CHESS CHD 12027

[bart]

Grant Green Trio - Remembering Grant Green
via Qobuz




Very relaxed album.
Decent sound.

Recorded August 29, '61.

Grant Green – guitar
Wilbur Ware – bass
Al Harewood – drums

[bart]

Originally Posted by joel_hifi

A couple of nice albums earlier today


Sonny Stitt - Blows The Blues

Very good performance, nice recording!

Recorded in 1959 (Verve), via Qobuz 24/192

Sonny Stitt - Alto Sax
Lou Levy - Piano
Leroy Vinnegar - Bass
Mel Lewis - Drums

We're enjoying this also!