Peter Friedman

As has been said often, "Different Strokes for Different Folks". The Jackie McLean recordings that I most enjoy are has Prestige sessions and his "early" Blue Notes. Never cared for his date with Ornette, or the "Bought Soul" album. To my ears his Steeplechase abums are a mixed bag. I like some and don't care for others. I do dig his 1999 session "Nature Boy" with Cedar Walton, David Williams, and Billy Higgins. One of the first LPs I bought was Jackie's album on the Ad Lib label when it was first released. I have a warm spot in my heart for that one. It has been reissued on Fresh Sound

Not long after I got out of the US Army and returned home to Detroit, I often went to a jazz club to hear the Joe Henderson Quartet.. Joe was living in Detroit. It was so very many years ago I am unable to recall who made up the rhythm section for that gig. Though Joe was a new name to me, I recall digging Joe's tenor playing very much. It was not very long after that when Joe's first Blue Note record was released.

Kirk Lightsey lived in Detroit for a time while I was still living there. One day when I was hanging out at my favorite record shop, Kirk walked in. I recall speaking with him and telling him how much I enjoyed his playing on the 5 Chet Baker albums. He seemed pleased to hear that.

HutchFan, Your list inspired me to put together a list of my favorites. However I modified it to select only Piano Trio albums. In some cases it was a very difficult choice, and on another day I might pick a different album. Monty Alexander - Threesome - Soul Note Kenny Barron - Live at Bradleys - EmArcy Bruce Barth - Live at the Village Vanguard - Max Jazz Count Basie - For The First Time - Pablo Richie Beirach - Summer Night - Venus Alan Broadbent - Everything I Love - Discovery Ray Bryant - trio - Prestige George Cables - But Beautiful - M & T Bill Charlap - Souveniers - Criss Cross Cyrus Chestnut - Midnight Melodies - Smoke Sessions Stanley Cowell - We Three - DIW Harold Danko - Hindsight - Steeplechase Walter Davis,Jr. - Live Au Dreher - Paris Jazz Corner Kenny Drew - If You Could See Me Now - Steeplechase Bill Evans - Explorations - Riverside Tommy Flanagan - Eclypso - Enja Don Friedman - Days Of Wine And Roses - Soul Note Red Garland - Red In Bluesville - Prestige Benny Green - Happiness: live At Kumbwa - Sunnyside Al Haig - Portrait of Bud Powell - Trio Tardo Hammer - Tardo's Tempo - Sharp Nine Roland Hanna - Glove - Storyville Barry Harris - Magnificent - Prestige Hampton Hawes - Blues For Bud - Black Lion David Hazeltine - Close To You - Criss Cross Tamir Hendelman - Destinations - Challenge Fred Hersch - ECT - John Hicks - Is That So - Timeless Eddie Higgins - Again - Venus Elmo Hope - Meditations - Prestige Pete Jolly - Yeah - VSOP Hank Jones - Blues-Ette - Black & Blue Duke Jordan - Two Loves - Steeplechase Dick Katz - 3 Way Play - Reservoir Roger Kellaway - Heroes - IPO Wynton Kelly - Full View - Milestone Steve Kuhn - Years Later - Concord John Lewis - Delaunay's Dilemma - EmArcy Mike LeDonne - Common Ground - Criss Cross Lou Levy - The Kid's Got Ears - Jazzizz Jan Lundgren - A Swinging Rendezvous - Marshmellow Pete Malinverni - A Very Good Year - Reservoir Ronnie Mathews - Lament For Love - DIW Bill Mays - Summer Sketches - Palmetto Dave McKenna - The Piano Scene - Koch Mike Melvoin - You Know - City Light Mulgrew Miller - Live At Yoshi's ,Vol.1 - Max Jazz Paul Moer - Trio - Del-Fi Thelonious Monk - Unique - Riverside Dado Moroni - Live In Beverly Hills - Resonance Bill Mays - Summer Sketches - Palmetto Phineas Newborn,Jr. - Here is Phineas - Atlantic David Newton - Inspired - Bright New Day Hod O'Brien - Blues Alley- Third Set - Reservoir Horace Parlan - No Blues - Steeplechase Jeb Patton - Tenish: Live in New York - Cellar Live Carl Perkins - Introducing Oscar Peterson - We Get Requests - Verve Enrico Pieranunzi - Live In Paris - Challenge Bud Powell - Trio - Roost Eric Reed - Blue Monk - M & T Renee Rosnes - A Time For Love - Video Arts Jimmy Rowles - Our Delight - VSOP Rob Schneiderman - Smooth Sailing - Reservoir Shirley Scott - Skylark - Candid Norman Simmons - In Private - Savant Rossano Sportiello - Strictly Confidential - Arbors Frank Strazzeri - I Remember You - Fresh Sound Charles Thomas - The Finishing Touch - Space Time Bobby Timmons - Easy Does It - Riverside McCoy Tyner - Reaching Fourth - Impulse Cedar Walton - Cedar - Timeless Kenny Werner - With A Song In My Heart - Venus James Williams - I Remember Cliffordm - DIW Claude Williamson - New Departure - Interplay Larry Willis - How Do You Keep The Music Playing - Steeplechase Mike Wofford - Live at Anthenaeum - Capri Richard Wyands - Reunited - Criss Cross