100 INESSENTIAL, but rather enjoyable, Jazz Albums

[Hot Ptah]

I agree absolutely with everyone who's said that the material away from the "acknowledged masters" is both revealing and interesting in its own right.

I was surprised to see I have as many as 8 of those albums (plus probably quite a lot of the material on the Red Allen in a different form and maybe also some of the historical Ellington (I don't know what that album covers)).

Equally surprised to see that there are only two that I used to have and got rid of because I didn't enjoy them.

And REALLY surprised to see "Hi bop Ska" there I love that album, though I love "Greetings from Skamania" even more.

NG

The historical Ellington which you mention is this album, a 1956 release on Bethlehem:

It features mostly recreations of Ellington compositions of the past, although "U.M.M.G." has its debut here. I really like the feeling of the session, and there are many excellent solos by Johnny Hodges, Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Ray Nance, and others. I became aware of the album in 1978 when Richard Davis, my jazz history professor, told our class that the album contains his favorite version of "Black and Tan Fantasy." I had to check that out.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I agree absolutely with everyone who's said that the material away from the "acknowledged masters" is both revealing and interesting in its own right.

I was surprised to see I have as many as 8 of those albums (plus probably quite a lot of the material on the Red Allen in a different form and maybe also some of the historical Ellington (I don't know what that album covers)).

Equally surprised to see that there are only two that I used to have and got rid of because I didn't enjoy them.

And REALLY surprised to see "Hi bop Ska" there I love that album, though I love "Greetings from Skamania" even more.

NG

The historical Ellington which you mention is this album, a 1956 release on Bethlehem:

It features mostly recreations of Ellington compositions of the past, although "U.M.M.G." has its debut here. I really like the feeling of the session, and there are many excellent solos by Johnny Hodges, Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Ray Nance, and others. I became aware of the album in 1978 when Richard Davis, my jazz history professor, told our class that the album contains his favorite version of "Black and Tan Fantasy." I had to check that out.

Ah, I haven't got that one. So that's 8 + 1 sort of.

MG

[kh1958]

Another album like that is bluesman Johnny Copeland's "Copeland Special", where Byard Lancaster, George Adams and Hamiet Bluiett fit in really well into the blues music, playing their uncompromised solos but working as seamless parts of the blues band too.

That's an excellent album. I quite like Copeland--I happily once got to see him perform in a small auditorium at the Dallas Museum of Art. None of those guys were present, but his guitar sounded mighty nice in person.

[kh1958]

Actually, I estimate that I have 52 of the recordings in this list. An excellent list!

[AllenLowe]

I was astounded to see this listed as inessential:

Louis Armstrong--Swing That Music (1936-38, MCA)

this perod is one of the greatest for Armstrong - as a matter of fact, the liner notes on this issue (by Dan Morgenstern) almost single-handedly led to a re-evaluation of this whole era for Armssttrong - and the music is superlative -

IGNORE THIS LIST

(or I will kill another puppy)

[Hot Ptah]

I was astounded to see this listed as inessential:

Louis Armstrong--Swing That Music (1936-38, MCA)

this perod is one of the greatest for Armstrong - as a matter of fact, the liner notes on this issue (by Dan Morgenstern) almost single-handedly led to a re-evaluation of this whole era for Armssttrong - and the music is superlative -

IGNORE THIS LIST

(or I will kill another puppy)

Good point Allen. I was thinking that in relation to the Hot 5's and Hot 7's, which to me rocked the foundations of all of music, this MCA album is not quite as essential. But it's way up there in quality, certainly.

I wanted to have certain major artists listed, but it was difficult to draw the line at essential/non-essential. I couldn't think of any Eric Dolphy albums which were non-essential, for example.

[AllenLowe]

sorry I over-reacted - just trying to protect you from Stanley Crouch - and everybody knows he hates puppies -

[Hot Ptah]

sorry I over-reacted - just trying to protect you from Stanley Crouch - and everybody knows he hates puppies -

Yikes! I never thought of that!

I have not made anything close to an exhaustive search, but have not found the contents of the MCA album "Swing That Music" on a readily available CD. Does anyone know of a CD reissue?

[Hot Ptah]

I was astounded to see this listed as inessential:

Louis Armstrong--Swing That Music (1936-38, MCA)

this perod is one of the greatest for Armstrong - as a matter of fact, the liner notes on this issue (by Dan Morgenstern) almost single-handedly led to a re-evaluation of this whole era for Armssttrong - and the music is superlative -

IGNORE THIS LIST

(or I will kill another puppy)

Allen, your post made me pull out this LP last night. The liner notes on my copies from this 1980 MCA reissue series of Armstrong LPs are by Alain Gerber. Are we thinking about the same album?

In any event, the music is superb. I just wonder if this era of Armstrong was reissued in another form, (maybe a better form), with notes by Morgenstern?

[AllenLowe]

there was an old Decca fake-stereo LP version of this with Dan's notes; great music, horrible sound - the best thing to do if you want these recordings is to find the ones Steve Leasker did for GNP (may be out of print), or some Euro issues on CD or LP (there was a Swedish label that did an OK job on the Deccas, at least at first) - Classics has done a half-decent job on them also -

Edited June 17, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Hot Ptah]

there was an old Decca fake-stereo LP version of this with Dan's notes; great music, horrible sound - the best thing to do if you want these recordings is to find the ones Steve Leasker did for GNP (may be out of print), or some Euro issues on CD or LP (there was a Swedish label that did an OK job on the Deccas, at least at first) - Classics has done a half-decent job on them also -

Thanks for that information. I have wanted to get a more complete set of this material--I have some but not all of the MCA 1980 Louis Armstrong reissues.

[BruceH]

Sonny Clark's Sonny's Crib, and Rollins's Alfie are kind of "essential" in my book. Jazz Party is kind of up there, too, if not as lofty as Such Sweet Thunder. I think a lot of people have already remarked that Tijuana Moods should not be considered inessential. Art Tatum and Ben Webster is also a personal favorite. Everyone's mileage may vary, of course.