Blow me away! (jazzwise...)

[Freek]

So you invite me over to your place, we have some nice conversation and then I tell you I'm a jazz newbie and I really like late 50's / early 60's hardbop but I'm only just scratching the surface...

What record would you put on to completely blow me away???


Very eager to read your recommendations.

Later,
Freek.

[lone_wolf]

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers "Moanin'" (1958)

That's what got me hooked!

[Tenorman]

I would suggest that you try something a bit closer to home.

Tubby Hayes - Mexican Green (any of his albums actually, but that one is particularily good)

Don Rendell / Ian Carr Quintet. (Don Rendell at 78 can still them down)

[nkipa]

Dexter Gordon-- Our Man in Paris (Blue Note)

[stopbobby]

probably Sam Rivers "Fuchsia Swing Song" (partly because i see you enjoy Jaki Byard) . . . or Eric Dolphy "Out to Lunch" . . . or maybe Grant Green "Idle Moments" (but just the title track: when i first bought that album i listened to the first song over and over, all night---every solo is perfect).

[Hutch]

i would have to go with miles davis on this one - the man who got me interested in jazz. and the right CD would be "birth of the cool" on capitol records. everything hard bop can be derived from these sessions.

[LAL]

If one had to limit it to just the period mentioned, these records may just do the trick...

Booker Ervin - Freedom Book (OJC)
Hank Mobley - Soul Station (Blue Note)
Jackie McLean - New Soil (Blue Note)
Wes Montgomery - Bags Meets Wes! (OJC)

[Freek]

Thanks everybody!

First on my list of "albums-to-check-out" are Booker Ervin's "Freedom book"and "Space book" (partly because Jaki Byard plays on those albums) and Art Blakey's "Moaning" (I've been hearing about this album a lot lately, so it must be really something?). I'm also going to check out the "Evening at Birdland" albums by Blakey because I heard some bits and pieces of them and they sound like great, raw and rocking hardbop!

And it seems like I should check out more of the bluenote stuf of late 50's / early 60's... Any recomendations?

Keep it coming!

later,
Freek.

[jazzguyfromnc]

The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
The Hawk Relaxes
Round Midnight by Miles

[Phil Kelly]

How's about some of the 50s ( pre Trane ) tenor sax guys?

Sonny Stitt /Gene Ammons

Johnny Griffin

George Coleman

Hank Mobley

and of course, Newk ( Sonny Rollins )

[clifton]

Art Blakey "Free For All"
Kenny Dorham "Whistle Stop"
Johnny Griffin "Blowin' Session"

[lone_wolf]

Although some great stuff has been mentioned here already, no hard bop collection is complete without Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder". "Candy" and "Cornbread" are pretty essential, too. If you're looking for classic hard bop on Blue Note, you can't go wrong with these three Lee Morgan sets. It's like tapping the motherlode!

I just got "Bags meets Wes", and that's a killer set also, from start to finish, though I think the Lee Morgan sets are more quintessential hard-bop.

[Saundra Hummer]

Mile is always a good choice, as his choice of music, the songs usually appeal to everyone. It is usually music anyone can relate to. Not so alien to their ears and senses.

Try "Ray Bryant Trio" 1956, on Epic. Some good songs there. Benny Golson with Art Farmer on the album "Meet the Jazztet." "The Best of Lee Morgan," 1956.... Red Garland, on the album "When There are Gray Skys" released in 1962, but it is earlier music that is being played. Some really great old blues songs on this album, like St. James Infirmary. ....>> I really enjoy this one. "Ben & Sweets" with Ben Webster and "Sweets" Edison. .......>> Dexter Gordon "Getting Around" on Blue Note. Pete Rugolo "Rugolomania" 1954. "New York Scene" with Benny Golson 1957, featuring Charlie Persip, Wynton Kelly, Art Farmer. "Greatest Hists, Mose Alison," 1957. "Coleman Hawkins 1951 1957", OUt of Nowhere. This is good!.....>>>> Lots more, but this is from a list of mine, albums I would like to have. Lots more, and lots more out there by these same musicians, but this was a handy list to look up.

[clifton]

Dizzy Gillespie "Sonny Side Up", features Diz with Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. The track "The Eternal Triangle" features a tenor battle between Rollins and Stitt that must be heard to be believed. Don't miss it.

[LAL]

Some Horace Silver Blue Note albums to check out:

- Figger Poppin'
- Six Pieces of Silver
- Song For My Father

[wjd]

Charles Mingus--Mingus Ah Um
Thelonious Monk--Brilliant Corners

[lone_wolf]

Here's another one that will literally blow you away...

"The Beginning and the End" (1952) - Clifford Brown.

As Scott Yanow of AMG says, "essential for all jazz collections".

[Saundra Hummer]

To kind of break the mood of some of the other albums, here is one that is a lot of fun, nostalgic for me, in more than one way, as they are songs that were ones I loved when I was little, and then I got to hear and see Sonny, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne and others play them when I was older. It is Way out West, from 1957.

The songs are over ten minutes long on some of them and they are old cowboy songs, done as only Sonny, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne can do them. Lots of good music, and good fun on this album. Great shot of Sonny in vintage looking Cowoy gear on the cover.

[Freek]

Thanks again everybody and keep it coming!

Later,
Freek.