Well…
I was born and raised in Louisiana, but have spent most of my adult life in Texas, where I currently reside. I have a wife and kid and work for a large telecom company. Inevitably, someone will ask “do you play an instrument”? I did play guitar throughout my childhood, but when it started to interfere with college studying/partying, I put it down…perhaps the biggest regret of my life. Someday, I’d like to take up bass, though. It seems I’m always listening for it in most songs I check out, even rock. Speaking of which, my other musical interests cover blues, folk-rock prog rock/fusion and some classic rock. But jazz has always been my main love.
It’s probably impossible to come up with a comprehensive list of favorites without forgetting some. What I’ll attempt instead is a representative cross section of what I like (without including the more obvious choices like “Kind Of Blue” and “Time Out”). Many of the artists listed below are by no means obscure, but these albums are ones that didn’t get the recognition they got from other albums (but are still great, IMO):
Tim Byrne – Diminuative Mysteries
John Scofield – Shinola
Grant Green – Matador
Chick Corea – Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
Michael Wolff Trio – Jumpstart!
Dave Brubeck Quartet – At Carnegie Hall
Tony Williams –Tokyo Live
Roland Kirk – Rip. Rig and Panic/Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith
Pat Martino – Head & Heart
Monty Alexander – Yard Movement
Jerry Granelli - Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing
Henry Threadgill – Song Out Of My Trees
Pharoah Sanders – Journey To The One
Dave Holland Quintet – Prime Directive
Miles Davis – The Complete Silent Way Sessions
Joe Henderson – Tetragon
Paul Gonsalves – Getting’ Together
Art Pepper/George Cables – Goin’ Home
Emily Remler – East To Wes
Horace Parlan – Complete Blue Note Sessions
Bobby Hutcherson – Dialogue
Larry Young – Into Somethin’
Crusaders – 2nd Crusade (OK, I know, it’s pushing it calling this “jazz”, but I likes it ;&) )
Peter Brotzmann – Machine Gun
Jimmy Smith – Root Down
Jean-Luc Ponty – King Kong
Keith Jarrett – Facing You
Peter Erskine – Sweet Soul
John Abercrombie – Abercrombie/Johnson/Erskine
Brian Blade Fellowship – Perceptual
Sonny Sharrock – Ask The Ages
Kenny Garrett – Songbook
Archie Shepp - Fire Music
Sam Rivers – Complete Blue Note
Sonny Stitt – Endgame Brilliance
Danny Gatton, et al – New York Stories
Don Pullen – New Beginnings
Eric Dolphy/Booker Little – Far Cry
Ike Quebec – Blue and Sentimental
Eberhard Weber – Fluid Rustle
A few recent releases I’ve been diggin’:
Miles Davis – Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
Miles Davis – In Person Saturday Night at the Blackhawk, Complete
Pat Martino – Live At Yohshi’s
Kurt Rosenwinkel - Heartcore
Garage A Trios – Emphasizer
Inevitably, I’ll think of something else that I want to share my excitement over…but I’ll choose the appropriate thread to put in my two pesos
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!
Regards,
SS