Which Mosaic Are You Enjoying Right Now?

[Matthew]

The Complete Columbia J.J. Johnson Small Group Sessions. Disk seven. I really dig some of the song titles on this disk: Turnpike, Mohawk, Flat Rock, Bloozineff, and my favorite -- Full Moon and Empty Arms .

On the edit: JJ's solo on the Bloozineff master take -- wow

I'm also adding a for JJ's rendition of I Waited For You -- just beautiful playing by a master.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

The Complete Columbia J.J. Johnson Small Group Sessions. Disk seven. I really dig some of the song titles on this disk: Turnpike, Mohawk, Flat Rock, Bloozineff, and my favorite -- Full Moon and Empty Arms .

On the edit: JJ's solo on the Bloozineff master take -- wow

I'm also adding a for JJ's rendition of I Waited For You -- just beautiful playing by a master.

I've just started reading Fred Wesley's autobiography. He talks about the first time he heard J J - it was the "J is for Jazz" LP, and he says it wrecked him. Hm, should I reconsider this box, I wonder. The only J J I've got is the Yokohama concert with Nat Adderley - that's a little on the hard bop side for me. Is that typical J J?

MG

[sidewinder]

Monk Black Lion/Vogue CD2

[king ubu]

Thanks for the bigger jpg - I wonder why google didn't find that when I did my search!

MG: the JJ is much more.... let's say "sophisticated" than just some hardbop throwaway stuff. I assume we agree that what ultimately makes hardbop fun is the quality of the soloists and the fun grooves and blues feeling, but not the arrangements and most often neither the selection of tunes (and the originals are mostly fun but not really intriguing - save for Horace Silver and similar off-kilter tunes).

Anyway, that's where the JJJ is much stronger: beautiful arrangements, no standard solo successions, no need that everyone solos on each tune, much more variation. Plus beautiful playing by JJJ, Bobby Jaspar, Nat Adderley, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Jordan, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers, Max Roach, Tootie Heath, Victor Feldman etc. I consider it one of the best Mosaics! The one that I'd compare it to most is the Jazztet, for the stress of good tunes and great arrangements and variation of solo order etc.

[LAL]

Duke Pearson discs 1 to 3

~ half of the set has some 'relaxing' music for a lazy Sunday afternoon

~ never liked Flora Plurim's vocals on Chick Corea albums and others, but these are an exception

[kinuta]

JJ Johnson Disc 5

Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Solid State Disc 3

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Bennie Green Disc 2

MG

[ghost of miles]

Finally finished listening to the Jazz Crusaders set, which I ended up enjoying even more than I thought I would. Started in on the Dizzy this weekend, and man, THE GREATEST TRUMPET OF THEM ALL is a wonderful record (second half of CD 1). Also dug the earlier date with Mobley and Wade Legge--is there any more of that particular group on tape somewhere?

[Ron S]

All 3 discs:

Still one of my favorites.

[desertblues]

Jazztet discs 2 + 4....

[mgraham333]

J.J. Johnson

I don't play this one enough.

[paul secor]

Jackie McLean - LP 5 - the Consequence session

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Bennie Green Mosaic disc 1

MG

[BruceH]

The Morgan/Shorter Vee-Jay. (What else? )

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Bennie Green select disc 2

MG

[BruceH]

As of last night: The Columbia Jazz Piano Moods Sessions.

[Matthew]

J.J. Johnson: Complete Columbia Small Group Recordings. Disk 2.

[brownie]

Andrew Hill Select, disc 1

[Uncle Skid]

Andrew Hill (Complete Blue Note Sessions): Discs 1-4.

[mikelz777]

Right now I'm thoroughly enjoying my first run-through of Horace Parlan's set, discs 1 & 2. This set is awesome so far and I haven't even gotten to the Turrentine brothers and Booker Ervin stuff yet! I had never heard of Parlan before I read a lot of positive comments about him and this box set on some jazz forums. Very highly recommended to those who are curious and don't already have this one. It would be a big shame to miss it before it goes out of print.

[7/4]

[jeffrey r]

Right now I'm thoroughly enjoying my first run-through of Horace Parlan's set, discs 1 & 2. This set is awesome so far and I haven't even gotten to the Turrentine brothers and Booker Ervin stuff yet! I had never heard of Parlan before I read a lot of positive comments about him and this box set on some jazz forums. Very highly recommended to those who are curious and don't already have this one. It would be a big shame to miss it before it goes out of print.

I totally agree with your assessment of the Parlan boxset. I've been listening to it alot lately.

As I posted in the 10% off thread, this boxset is killer. It doesn't seem to get the kudos some of the other boxes get, although I really have never seen a bad thing said about it. The trios on the first couple of discs are outstanding. And the boxset really picks up when the Turrentines and Booker Ervin get involved. Definitely one to pick up before it disappears.

[mrjazzman]

I LOVE the Parlan stuff with Turrentine and Ervin, but IMO his trio stuff is weaker by comparison.....

[mikelz777]

Right now I'm thoroughly enjoying my first run-through of Horace Parlan's set, discs 1 & 2. This set is awesome so far and I haven't even gotten to the Turrentine brothers and Booker Ervin stuff yet! I had never heard of Parlan before I read a lot of positive comments about him and this box set on some jazz forums. Very highly recommended to those who are curious and don't already have this one. It would be a big shame to miss it before it goes out of print.

I totally agree with your assessment of the Parlan boxset. I've been listening to it alot lately.

As I posted in the 10% off thread, this boxset is killer. It doesn't seem to get the kudos some of the other boxes get, although I really have never seen a bad thing said about it. The trios on the first couple of discs are outstanding. And the boxset really picks up when the Turrentines and Booker Ervin get involved. Definitely one to pick up before it disappears.

You're right, this one doesn't seem to get much attention and is definitely a sleeper. It would be a great one to spring on someone who likes jazz but who would say, "Who in the heck is Horace Parlan?" I've listened to the first two discs and there isn't a single "turd in the punchbowl", so to speak. They were 2(+) hours of trio music and I didn't even remotely come close to being bored or disinterested. I generally hate bowed bass solos and there was even one of those that I enjoyed on the 2nd disc. This one seems to be a winner and a definite keeper.

Edited August 3, 2006 by mikelz777

[mikelz777]

I LOVE the Parlan stuff with Turrentine and Ervin, but IMO his trio stuff is weaker by comparison.....

So far, I've only listened to the trio stuff. I have heard Parlan's trio with Stanley Turrentine on one of Mr. T's recordings so I'm really looking forward to hearing him with the Turrentines and Ervin. Isn't Grant Green in there somewhere as well?

For me, I wouldn't say that the trio stuff is weaker by comparison, just different. Given a choice, I would probably listen to a quartet or quintet over a trio more often than not because it is a little more interesting with the added layers, interplay and exchanges. The trio has a little more work cut out for them to keep your attention and Parlan's trio passes that test with flying colors. When I'm in the mood for a trio recording, these are surely going to be among the ones I reach for first.