What are your recommendations for hard bop big band records?

[Dmitry]

Any particular favorites?

[brownie]

Art Blakey's 'Big Band' date on Bethlehem!

Also any Slide Hampton sessions from the late '50s/early '60s. Not a big band as far as to the numbers of musicians on hand but sure sounded like BIG!

[sidewinder]

Charles Tolliver 'Impact' on Strata-East

Second the recommendation for Art Blakey's Big Band and the Slide Hamptons.

[Rooster_Ties]

Charles Tolliver 'Impact' on Strata-East

And don't forget Tolliver's earlier "Music Inc + Big Band" date.

Also, would any of the Gerald Wilson Mosaic qualify?? First thing I thought of, but I'm not sure how "hard bop" people here would consider it to be.

[felser]

Charles Tolliver 'Impact' on Strata-East

And don't forget Tolliver's earlier "Music Inc + Big Band" date.

That's the one I like.

[Free For All]

Hard bop is a fairly general term and can be interpreted differently by different people.

If you're talking about bands that were active in the 60s and embraced that style, that could include some Bill Holman (like his Big Band In A Jazz Orbit), Gerald Wilson and Terry Gibbs. Rob McConnell came along later, but he play a lot of tunes associated with the hard bop repertoire. Gerry Mulligan's band could be viewed as a hard bop group, too.

There are certainly a lot of published arrangements of tunes associated with the hard bop style arranged for big band.

Edited December 12, 2006 by Free For All

[Eric]

Not sure if this is hard bop, but I liked just about everything from the Akiyoshi/Tabackin big band. Insight is a personal favorite.

Clifford Jordan has a pretty cool date on Mapleshade. Much better than the one on Milestone.

I also like the Joe Henderson record on Verve.

Edited December 12, 2006 by Eric

[John Tapscott]

Yes, the Joe Henderson might be the closest of all to what I would interpret as a hard bop big band CD. And it's a good one.

Danny D'Imperio's Big Band Bloviation Cd's Vol 1 & Vol 2 might qualify, too.

I'll probably think of some more.

Here's one. "Presenting the Thad Jones- Mel Lewis Big Band" (their first album on Solid State and IMHO, the best album they every made).

Edited December 12, 2006 by John Tapscott

[jazzbo]

Not exactly what you're asking for throughout, but MAN!

[jazzbo]

Not sure if this is hard bop, but I liked just about everything from the Akiyoshi/Tabackin big band. Insight is a personal favorite.

Let me mirror all you have to say about the ATBB!

[jazzbo]

Okay. . . how do you feel about the Clarke Boland Big Band? Some of their lps qualify as big band hard bop! (Plus)

[Rooster_Ties]

Billy Harper's first Strata East date?? (LP title = Capra Black, as best I remember - at work at the moment.)

Everything I seem to be trying to think of is post-1970.

"Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band" and also Pearson's "Now Hear This!" maybe?? (Certainly the Chick tune 'Straight up and Down' from "Introducing..." would qualify.)

What I'd be REALLY interested are in any titles for this thread from the 50's and 60's. Like what was the first "hard bop big band" record??

EXCELLENT thread topic!!

Edited December 12, 2006 by Rooster_Ties

[Dmitry]

To answer my own question - Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band sides with Lee Morgan and Benny Golson are very good big band hard bop.

This album is what made me curious about other hard bop biog band records -

Yes, I am mainly interested in the hey-day recordings, ca.1956-1965, but keep 'em all comin'.

[etherbored]

ANY clarke boland date you can get your hands on is worthy. very worthy. highly recommended sides currently available in one country or another include:

'all blues'

'all smiles'

'more smiles'

'fellini 712'

'now hear our meanin'

'calypso blues'

'sax no end'

and of course the blue note 'the golden 8'.

my opinion is that if you have even a passing interest in big band and don't have any of these titles you're really missing out on some tasty stuff. clarke boland was a very unique ensemble that had all the pieces of a big band but used them in a real breathable interchangable way.

regards,

-e-

[JSngry]

Only 7 horns, but it's arranged & played like a big band, mostly.

[couw]

[jazzbo]

Good choice John!

[Chalupa]

Does this count???

or this one???

[Rooster_Ties]

Good choice John!

Wow, has that ever been on CD??

(the Vaclav Zahrdnik disc, that is)

Edited December 12, 2006 by Rooster_Ties

[couw]

Good choice John!

Wow, has that ever been on CD??

(the Vaclav Zahrdnik disc, that is)

I don't think so. The LP is relatively easy to find, though. Someone posted a sample track (B1 - "Hello Tony") on his blog recently.

[sidewinder]

ANY clarke boland date you can get your hands on is worthy. very worthy. highly recommended sides currently available in one country or another include:

'all blues'

'all smiles'

'more smiles'

'fellini 712'

'now hear our meanin'

'calypso blues'

'sax no end'

and of course the blue note 'the golden 8'.

my opinion is that if you have even a passing interest in big band and don't have any of these titles you're really missing out on some tasty stuff. clarke boland was a very unique ensemble that had all the pieces of a big band but used them in a real breathable interchangable way.

regards,

-e-

Check out the Schema/Rearward site for lots of CBBB nuggets on CD and LP !

[mikeweil]

Jimmy Heath - Really Big (Riverside)

Johnny Griffin - Big Soul Band (Riverside)

[sidewinder]

I guess John Coltrane 'Africa Brass' would fall into this territory.

How about also 'Sahib Shihab and the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra' (Octav)

[ep1str0phy]

Maybe a little "avant" in spots, but John Surman's excellent Tales of the Algonquin might fit.

[sidewinder]

Maybe a little "avant" in spots, but John Surman's excellent Tales of the Algonquin might fit.

Yep, I would agree. THat one also crossed my mind. Add Mike Westbrook's 'Celebration', 'Metropolis' and 'Citadel/Room 315' also to that category.

Edited December 13, 2006 by sidewinder