Underrated Jazz Gems in The Jazz Club Forum

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Underrated Jazz Gems

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Tom 1960

Underrated Jazz Gems

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6152

Apr 17 07 12:24 AM

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Something which certainly qualifies in my mind is a recent purchase of mine, Oliver Nelson's "Afro/American Sketches". user posted image

In the past when someone asked for a Oliver Nelson recommendation, without hesitation I would have recommended "Blues And The Abstract Truth". Many others would tend to agree. Now adays, I would recommend this album, hands down. I've found myself playing this alot these days. Oliver in a big band enviroment with some great arrangements. So for now, this is mine. What are some of the gems you already own you feel don't get the respect they deserve?

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imbenurnot

#1

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Posts: 357

Apr 17 07 12:36 AM

Jack Bruce plus John McLaughlin? Definately needs more attention.

Here are a couple of samples

Blue Condtion

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lowell X

#2

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Posts: 866

Apr 17 07 12:59 AM

I'll talk about this one 'til I go mute
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Even though the Moon is smaller than the Earth, it is farther away-- Ernie Kovaks

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lowell X

#3

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Posts: 866

Apr 17 07 1:24 AM

Here's another one:
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Even though the Moon is smaller than the Earth, it is farther away-- Ernie Kovaks

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Blue Trane

#4

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 2056

Apr 17 07 1:38 AM

Lucky Thompson: Lucky Strikes

A real delight from beginning to end- has you muttering why haven't I ever heard this before.

Johnny Hodges: Three Shades of Blue aka Oliver Nelson: Black Brown and Beautiful
Rabbit's last recording with deeply swinging and evocative Oliver Nelson charts especially Empty Ballroom Blues.

Duke Ellington: And his Mother Called Him Bill-a Strayhorn Tribute album and beautiful autumnal Ellington with special guest Clark Terry,

Terry Gibbs: Dream Band, (Volume 1) take the cream of LA sidemen-Conte Condoli, Richie Kamuca, Frank Rosolino, Med Flory, Mel Lewis etc, etc circa 1960 and stir it up with some fiery and fervent arrangements and you get one of the great live albums in Jazz. Period.

All the best,

Jeff T

St Louis, MO
" Jazz is the music of the freedom of collective improvisation."- Duke Ellington in Music Is My Mistress.

“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.”
Duke Ellington quote

It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character.-James Weldon Johnson

"And what gift of America to the rest of the world is actually most appreciated by the rest of the world? It is African-American jazz and its offshoots. What is my definition of jazz? 'Safe sex of the highest order.'"-Kurt Vonnegut

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Blue Trane

#5

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 2056

Apr 18 07 10:06 AM

Bill Watrous: Manhattan Wildlife Refuge

McCoy Tyner : Atlantis-featuring Azar Lawrence. Is he still alive? Playing?

Leo Parker: Blue Note reissues

All the best,

Jeff T.

St Louis, MO
" Jazz is the music of the freedom of collective improvisation."- Duke Ellington in Music Is My Mistress.

“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.”
Duke Ellington quote

It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character.-James Weldon Johnson

"And what gift of America to the rest of the world is actually most appreciated by the rest of the world? It is African-American jazz and its offshoots. What is my definition of jazz? 'Safe sex of the highest order.'"-Kurt Vonnegut

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lowell X

#6

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Posts: 866

Apr 18 07 11:28 AM

Portrait of Jenny- Diz
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Even though the Moon is smaller than the Earth, it is farther away-- Ernie Kovaks

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Sundog

#7

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Posts: 547

Apr 19 07 1:13 AM

Stephane Grappelli- Young Django
user posted image

Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine are sublime on this one.

- Tom

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joesblues

#8

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Posts: 161

Apr 19 07 2:45 AM

Anything by SUN RA!

...almost all of Raashan Roland Kirk's material.

...so much is overlooked and therefore I think is underrated.

Early Count Basie and Duke Ellington...I mean the thirties (or twenties in Duke's case.) Bix...everything seems to be forgotten. No one would say these recordings are underrated but when was the last time most of us heard them?

Great thread, let me think for a day or two and I'm looking in to some of the albums listed above already.

Joe

"Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say "Why not?"

Robert F. Kennedy
(paraphrasing George Bernard Shaw)

"Men who are minds dream; men who are bodies sleep soundly."
"A shallow mind is a sin against God...a man who does not struggle is a fool."

Chaim Potok
"In the Beginning[COLOR=blue]

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Graham Henderson

#9

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Posts: 1447

Apr 19 07 4:02 AM

I believe the theme from The Adventures Of Hajji Baba, a film of the '50's and sung by Nat King Cole is a song that should have lived forever, and for the life of me I can't understand why it didn't.
I remembered the tune and the lyrics all my life even though I had only heard it once when I saw the movie all those years ago.
The movie itself, was rather forgetable, bar for all those scantily (for the time) slave girls (and after all. You sen one slave gorl, you seen 'emn all), but the song stuck forever for me.
And I also think it would develop into a real good Trance/Dance tyupe of thing.
Are you listening natalle?
It could be a vehichle for you to get another of Dad's noises out in a new way.
Graham

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=7032

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stef

#10

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Posts: 1

Apr 19 07 8:39 AM

Hi guys and a special salute to Tom!

There are a lot of artists in Jazz that are not getting the recognition they deserve. In my opinion one of the greatest is Phineas Newborn Jr. When discussions about Jazz piano take place, noone quote him. Everyone talks about Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson few more cats (cats that I love don't get me wrong). But noone knows Phineas. Phineas is in the Art Tatum category. Every album from Phineas is a gem but I point out especially the three he recorded with Ray Brown and Elvin Jones. Among the three the one I love the most is Harlem Blues. In my opinion an unbelievable album.

Another one that really don't get the attention he deserves is Lennie Niehaus. Every Lennie album from the fifties shines!!!!

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Swinger

#11

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Posts: 63

Apr 20 07 8:09 AM

Joe Farrell: Moon Germs

Maybe it's quite straightforward,funky music but I really appreciate this album. I play it very often.

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lowell X

#12

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Posts: 866

Apr 20 07 1:26 PM

I love this album.
No Sun in Venice- MJQ
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Even though the Moon is smaller than the Earth, it is farther away-- Ernie Kovaks

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7844473

#13

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Apr 20 07 2:01 PM

About artists themselves, I wonder if pianist Tete Montoliu or guitarist Ren� Thomas ever got the recognition they deserved.

Rene
Paris, France.

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Sherman

#14

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 9608

Apr 20 07 2:15 PM

Phil Woods Quintet made two albums with guitarist Harry Leahey; they are �Live From The Showboat� and �Song For Sisyphus�. Harry is the most underrated Jazz musician I can think of; in fact he�s the finest Jazz guitarist most people have never heard. (including Jazz fans!).

Rebecca, Rebecca, get your big legs off of me,
Rebecca, Rebecca, get your big legs off of me,
It may be sending you baby, but it's worrying the hell out of me.

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Blue Trane

#15

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 2056

Apr 20 07 2:16 PM

Rene-which of Tete's albums would you recommend? I've only heard his music a handful of times but remember being impressed with his distinctive voice.

While I'm at it: Phil Woods' Musique Du Bois with Jaki Bayard, Richard Davis and Alan Dawson seems to me to be an unjustly neglected album. The playing is topflight, the program well conceived and the musicians mesh as if they had played together for years. All in all a wonderful addition to any jazz lover's collection.

Peace, love and all that hippy jazz,

Jeff T

St Louis, MO
" Jazz is the music of the freedom of collective improvisation."- Duke Ellington in Music Is My Mistress.

“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.”
Duke Ellington quote

It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character.-James Weldon Johnson

"And what gift of America to the rest of the world is actually most appreciated by the rest of the world? It is African-American jazz and its offshoots. What is my definition of jazz? 'Safe sex of the highest order.'"-Kurt Vonnegut

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7844473

#16

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Apr 20 07 5:17 PM

QUOTE (Blue Trane @ Apr 20 2007, 04:16 PM)

Rene-which of Tete's albums would you recommend? I've only heard his music a handful of times but remember being impressed with his distinctive voice.

Sherman, that's when my "I-used-to-be-a-jazz-lover-long-ago" problem pops up : I remember falling in love with Tete's piano playing when I first heard him.
I must have been 19 or 20.
But it's going to be over 25 years since I heard anything by him.

And I just can't remember what were the albums I loved so much !

I think he's on the Live at Cafe Montmartre albums by Dexter Gordon and as I recall, he has some very fine moments on those, but I think he's even more worth listening to as his own leader, in trio or solo format.

So if anyone could answer Sherman's question, they sure would make my day !

Rene
Paris, France.

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chris olivarez

#17

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 10192

Apr 20 07 6:44 PM

QUOTE (imbenurnot @ Apr 17 2007, 12:36 AM)

Jack Bruce plus John McLaughlin? Definately needs more attention.

Here are a couple of samples

The other guys on this aren't too shabby either.

Everybody looks good at the starting line. Get on your mark,get ready but you better keep this in mind. You can hit the ground running like you're shot from a gun but going the distance is the hard part son. Everybody looks good at the starting line.

Paul Thorn

Chris Olivarez, Pagosa Springs,in most beautiful Colorado.

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lowell X

#18

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Posts: 866

Apr 20 07 7:02 PM

Another vibes album.
Johnny Lytle- Moon Child
--------------------
Click here to view the attachment

Even though the Moon is smaller than the Earth, it is farther away-- Ernie Kovaks

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rshurman

#19

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 3244

Apr 20 07 7:17 PM

QUOTE (lowell X @ Apr 20 2007, 01:02 PM)

Another vibes album.
Johnny Lytle- Moon Child

Johnny Lytle is very overlooked in general. Otis Rush did a great live version of his song "Lela."

Chicagoland

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Blue Trane

#20

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 2056

Apr 24 07 1:30 AM

Barry Harris At The Jazz Workshop. A really fine trio date with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes-always swinging, inventive etc...

Jeff T'

St Louis, MO
" Jazz is the music of the freedom of collective improvisation."- Duke Ellington in Music Is My Mistress.

“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.”
Duke Ellington quote

It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character.-James Weldon Johnson

"And what gift of America to the rest of the world is actually most appreciated by the rest of the world? It is African-American jazz and its offshoots. What is my definition of jazz? 'Safe sex of the highest order.'"-Kurt Vonnegut

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