Gene Harris ... recommendations

[neveronfriday]

So, with my limited budget I've been on a Gene Harris buying "binge" ...

I got:

01. Gene Harris. The Best of the Concord Years. Concord 2000.

02. Gene Harris. Live at Otter Crest. Concord 2001.

03. Gene Harris. Ballad Essentials. Concord 2003.

I like very much what I'm hearing and I'd like to delve a bit deeper.

What should I be gettin'?

Earlier stuff?

Same period?

Recommendations?

I can only afford two more, so recommend the best ... please.

Cheers!

[Dan Gould]

Well I guess the former Gene Harris Fanatic has to jump in here, right?

If you like what you're hearing from his Concord years, I would most recommend the following:

and

A Little Piece of Heaven - Live at Ste Chappelle Winery

If you're a Frank Wess fan, you might substitute this live date instead:

Its the Real Soul

If you want to go backward in time, any Three Sounds recording you can find is worth hearing.

[neveronfriday]

Thanks, Dan!

Yes, Frank Wess sounds like the way to go.

I'll have a look at the others as well.

Cheers!

[neveronfriday]

P.S.:

Why "former"?

[Dan Gould]

P.S.:

Why "former"?

Believe me, I'm still a Gene Harris fanatic but that was my handle at the BNBB and I decided a change was in order when I registered here.

[etherbored]

[John L]

Dan is certainly the man to give you recs for Gene Harris. I haven't even heard more than half of his output.

But if you also like Stanley Turrentine, the Gene Harris Trio + 1 disc is VERY satisfying. I love it.

[neveronfriday]

P.S.:

Why "former"?

Believe me, I'm still a Gene Harris fanatic but that was my handle at the BNBB and I decided a change was in order when I registered here.

Ah.

I didn't know.

Cheers!

[neveronfriday]

I have that one!

I forgot to mention that I have a rather large Ray Brown collection as well.

Cheers!

Edited December 8, 2004 by deus62

[neveronfriday]

Dan is certainly the man to give you recs for Gene Harris. I haven't even heard more than half of his output.

But if you also like Stanley Turrentine, the Gene Harris Trio + 1 disc is VERY satisfying. I love it.

I'll check it out!

Thanks!

[Alon Marcus]

His recital from the Maybeck series is really good.

[Dan Gould]

Silly of me to forget Trio + 1. Definitely a highlight of his Concord years.

[king ubu]

Dan is certainly the man to give you recs for Gene Harris. I haven't even heard more than half of his output.

But if you also like Stanley Turrentine, the Gene Harris Trio + 1 disc is VERY satisfying. I love it.

I guess I'm safe to assume you have this one:

My Harris is pretty thin, this one, two Three Sounds CDs (Lighthouse, Black Orchid), and a swiss live recording (you certainly have that one, Dan? First set in quartet, second set with Frank Wess, Johnny Griffin [drunk], and Clark Terry sitting in).

"Blue Hour" is just that - late night music, very easy, very laid back. A classic.

ubu

[Brandon Burke]

People tend to be on one side of the fence or the other regarding this period of his work, but I listened to "Sittin' Duck" (on the first side of Elegant Soul) three times in a row today. And that tune is over nine minutes long...!

[John L]

King Ubu: Yes, I do have that and enjoy it. But I actually like Gene Harris Trio + 1 even more. It has a bit more spark to it.

[neveronfriday]

King Ubu: Yes, I do have that and enjoy it. But I actually like Gene Harris Trio + 1 even more. It has a bit more spark to it.

Ordered the Hybrid SACD, my first one.

Cheers!

[neveronfriday]

Any opinions on this one?

Cheers!

[Brad]

What about the Three Sounds stuff or do you already have that. If not, let me know and I'll see if I can help. BTW, I think Michael C. is planning to reisse a Three Sounds cd sometime in the near future.

Edited December 9, 2004 by Brad

[Dan Gould]

Any opinions on this one?

Cheers!

There were a number of Big band recordings led by Gene. They're nice, if you want big band, but if you're looking for Gene there are other places to go first. That one is one of the better one's though.

[Dave James]

Agee with Dan that "Black & Blue" is not to be missed. "Another Star" is a dynamite opening track. I'm also partial to another Harris release on Concord, "Listen Here!" Some good 'uns on that one including my personal favorite, "Lullabye".

Up over and out.

Edited December 9, 2004 by Dave James

[neveronfriday]

Thanks very much everyone!

I don't have much time to write at the moment, but I'm keeping a close eye on this thread.

Dan ... yes, I need some Three Sounds recommendations.

Make it a shopping list ...

Thanks again!

Cheers!

Edit: typo

Edited December 9, 2004 by deus62

[Brad]

I'll let Dan do most of the recommending but I'd start with Moods (his avatar).

[Dan Gould]

Brad is right, Moods is the one to get first.

As for others, I would say to bear in mind that pretty much all of the first Blue Notes are very good, and difficult to distinguish between. And since they're tough to find, with only a few seeing regular EMI reissue, any that you find are worth getting.

That being said, Live at the Lighthouse and the two It Club volumes come from their second tour with Blue Note when the group got more funky and the original members of the Sounds started to leave and the focus shifted more strongly to Gene. I dig them but they're different from the classic BN era and I'd probably get them last.

[neveronfriday]

Dan, Brad, Dave and everyone else ...

thanks a million for your recommendations.

Once I've taken in what I got these past few days (am listening to the Trio Plus One SACD as I type this), I'll get back to this thread.

Thanks for making some bleak days brighter by "making" me buy some good music.

Cheers!

[Dan Gould]

Thanks for making some bleak days brighter by "making" me buy some good music.

Cheers!

Gene always makes bleak days brighter for me!