Essential; Blue Note Recordings

[Peter]

Occassionally I'm struck by the (almost certainly irrational) fear that there are essential, classic and yet obscure jazz recordings missing from my collection. Currently my obsession is focused on the venerable Blue Note label. Anybody care to name some of their favorite obscurities from that label?

Edited May 20, 2004 by Peter

[jazzbo]

The Art Hodes sessions. Sadly, not comprehensively reissued in the states outside of the Mosaic set (long out of print). But. . . one might still find the "Runnin' Wild" cd out under Sidney Bechet's name here and there, and well worth the hunt. Hodes is a big part of the success of the sessions and plays extremely well, as does Bech and Wild Bill!

[Rooster_Ties]

I sure like this one...

[JSngry]

I doubt that it's truly "essential", but it came and went on CD quickly enough to still be considered "obscure", and I find it to be very much a "classic" on its own terms.

[catesta]

Good one Jim.

[DrJ]

Harder to track down and/or less heralded BN favorites of mine:

Freddie Hubbard - HERE TO STAY (I think due for RVG reissue soon - GET IT)

Gil Melle COMPLETE BLUE NOTE 50's SESSIONS (Connoisseur Series)

Clifford Jordan CLIFF CRAFT (Connoisseur) - one of the most enjoyable 50's hard bop sessions you'll ever hear

For the earlier era of the label:

The Art Hodes sessions Lon mentions are glorious. You might try and find the Japanese reissues of this stuff that came out a few years back, very good sound and with original cover art.

Also a huge fan of the "Victory Stride" session with Ben Webster and James P. Johnson (out last in the U.S. on the BLUE NOTE JAZZMEN compilation, also reissued in better sound in the Japanese series I mentioned above)

Edited May 20, 2004 by DrJ

[MartyJazz]

I doubt that it's truly "essential", but it came and went on CD quickly enough to still be considered "obscure", and I find it to be very much a "classic" on its own terms.

Let me tell you a story you may find funny concerning this album. Back in '71, I was working at a record store specializing in jazz in Greenwich Village. Booker had passed away the previous year. Anyway, a Caucasian woman (reference to race will be appreciated later) walks into the store and asks for this album, the only one Booker ever recorded for Blue Note. I'm a hot shot "jazz expert" and not fully appreciating this album at that time, I try to turn her on to a couple of Booker's Prestige LPs (e.g., "Heavy", etc.) that I felt were superior. After patiently listening to me extol the virtues of various Booker LPs other than the one she came in for, she tells me that she is Booker's widow and that she really wanted this one as she did not yet own it. I've stuck my foot in my mouth plenty of times but that's one occasion I remember doing so quite vividly. I mean, looking at her how was I to naturally expect that she had been married to him? (BTW, she may have been the "Tyra" that's the title of the last track on that album).

Needless to say I have the album (on LP only).

[Swinging Swede]

Well, this one obviously...

A real classic, and yet very few have heard it.

[JSngry]

It would have been less obsure with this cover.

[jazzbo]

Thanks for sharing that story Marty!

[WD45]

The Art Hodes sessions. Sadly, not comprehensively reissued in the states outside of the Mosaic set (long out of print). But. . . one might still find the "Runnin' Wild" cd out under Sidney Bechet's name here and there, and well worth the hunt. Hodes is a big part of the success of the sessions and plays extremely well, as does Bech and Wild Bill!

I'll second that rec. Wild Bill is all over that.

[jazzbo]

Nice covers. . . but shouldn't that session be called "Mikey no Likey"?

[Rooster_Ties]

I find Booker's The In Between to be a rather schizophrenic album.

Not to say that it isn't good (cuz it is!!), but it's funny - about half of the tracks are really fairly progressive, with both aggressive playing, and some fairly forward-thinking stuff going on ('context'-wise, as much as solo-wise, especially with Richard Williams). And yet, the other half of the tracks are much more 'inside', and something that wouldn't bother your mother-in-law one bit, as background music over dinner (if played quietly).

Don't get me wrong... I'm not doggin' the album, cuz I dig it, and always have. It just seems odd that there's such a wide range of 'insidedness' and 'outsidedness' goin' on here. It's almost as if it can't make up it's mind what it wants to be --- progressive, or conservative. It's kinda both, kinda 'in between'.... Hey!! - wait a minute!!

[Eric]

I nominate Black Fire by Andrew Hill. Highly satisfying album and very representative of the more progressive stuff BN was doing in the sixties. I think it is coming out as a new RVG this summer.

[Big Wheel]

Does Sonny Clark's "Leapin' and Lopin" count as obscure?

Also a vote for the 1963 session with Tony Williams on Jackie's "Vertigo."

[sidewinder]

In terms of overlooked Blue Note 'classics', I would definitely put forward Kenny Drew's 'Undercurrent'. This is a very fine hard bop session with 'dream team' front line of Freddie Hubbard and Hank Mobley. In fact, a real sleeper in the Hank discography. He plays superbly throughout.

Can never understand why this one is always so overlooked..

[Stefan Wood]

This one:

[MartyJazz]

Perhaps as the rhythm section is not of the "classic" Blue Note variety (with the exception of Art Taylor), I nominate this Dizzy Reece session as one that is overlooked:

Some great Tubby Hayes on this one as well as the added, somewhat superfluous, presence of Donald Byrd. The title track is a real cooker!

[couw]

found a copy of A.T.'s delight recently. There is some smoking stuff on there. Essential is a heavy term, but this one is essential in A.T.'s discography I'd say

[JSngry]

Great story, Marty!

[Big Wheel]

Two I forgot that may qualify as essential:

Sabu Martinez: "Palo Congo"

Art Blakey: "The African Beat"

[JSngry]

I find Booker's The In Between to be a rather schizophrenic album....Don't get me wrong... I'm not doggin' the album, cuz I dig it, and always have. It just seems odd that there's such a wide range of 'insidedness' and 'outsidedness' goin' on here. It's almost as if it can't make up it's mind what it wants to be --- progressive, or conservative. It's kinda both, kinda 'in between'.... Hey!! - wait a minute!!

BINGO!

[JSngry]

And yet, the other half of the tracks are much more 'inside', and something that wouldn't bother your mother-in-law one bit, as background music over dinner (if played quietly).

Wanna trade mother-in-laws?

[brownie]

The following sessions seem to be overlooked. They're among the very best BN dates:

- Jimmy Smith 'Live at Club Baby Grand'

- Fred Jackson 'Hootin 'n Tootin'

and last (or first) but not least the Edmund Hall/Charlie Christian Celestial Express sides.

[LarryCurleyMoe]

Andrew Hill - "Compulsion" BN 4217

Elvin Jones - "Genesis" BN 4369

Grant Green - "Visions" BN 4373

Blue Mitchell - "Bantu Village" BN 4324

Blue Mitchell - "Collision in Black" BN 4300

Kenny Cox - "Introducing" BN 4302

Kenny Cox - "Multidirection" BN 4339

Ronnie Foster - "Freap with Two Heads" BN 4382

and another vote for the Tyrone Washington "Natural Essence" BN 4274

All rare and deserving of REISSUE! B)

Edited May 20, 2004 by LarryCurleyMoe