Good various artist compilation recommendations?

[BeBop]

No discography available right now, but Savoy put out some great two-LP sets. Black California, Brothers and Other Mothers, Modern Jazz Piano, Tenor Sax Album

Thanks Romualdo. That's basically what I was trying to conjure up from memory.

[king ubu]

That one may be the best Zoot Sims on record, I think. I've heard a lot of Zoot over the years and have gotten kind of..."blase" about hearing him these days, even the really good stuff, but this one made me stop and listen, involuntarily.

When they talk about Zoot being a true jammer, this is what they mean. The dude is unfettered, unenclosed, and unstoppable, and all with good cause.

That's a fitting description indeed!

Got to send another round of warm thankyous brownie's way for this!

[clifford_thornton]

[Chuck Nessa]

Since this thread has ventured out of control, I offer:

[danasgoodstuff]

What's Shakin'?! on Elecktra, circa 1966: 5 by the Butterfield Blues Band, 3 by Clapton/Bruce/Winwood, 4 by the Lovin' Spoonful, all exclusive to it at the time. Cordon Blue on UK(?) BN, all tunes with food related titles, silly concept but surprisingly listenable.

[clifford_thornton]

Since this thread has ventured out of control, I offer:

Almost posted that one myself. A great set and the book is indispensable.

[AllenLowe]

the Membrans (am I spelling it right?) that I have heard are some of the worst, over-processed things, in existence. Better to stick with JSP and Proper, both of which have gotten pretty consistenly good.

Edited April 2, 2014 by AllenLowe

[Stefan Wood]

Membran seems to have turned the corner on the sound quality issue in the past couple of years. Perhaps it is becaue they are ripping off from better sources.....

[colinmce]

Coming back down to earth, you also can't go wrong with any early jazz comps done by RCA/Bluebird or Columbia in the 80s. There are tons and they're all very cheap.

[soulpope]

Membran.......... Perhaps it is becaue they are ripping off from better sources.....

Share this sentiment........

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes, this has fast become a pretty far-ranging "throw your hat in the ring too" free-for-all.

Not sure what the thread starter exactly means by "early jazz" but assuming that many come from a "hard bop and beyond" jazz listening experience where Bird is VERY old jazz , to many jazz listeners this term probably (and unfortunately) is not limited to its original meaning of PRE-swing era jazz anymore.

So here's another plug to second the recommended SAVOY 2200-series 2-LP sets. And if you feel like you would like to explore the very early post-war R&B side of jazz too, then don't overlook the "Roots of Rock'n'Roll" series of twofers (the Joe Turner item listed above is only the tip of the iceberg).

A few V.A. compilations of note in that "Roots" series are:

The Roots of Rock'n'Roll (SJL 2221)

Honkers & Screamers (SJL 2234)

The Shouters (SJL 2244)

Ladies Sing The Blues Vol. 1 + 2 (SJL 2223 + 2256)

The Vocal Group Album (SJL 2241)

Southern Blues (SJL 2255)

As for nice V.A. compilations of ACTUAL "early jazz", also try those on the JAZZ ORACLE label (and take your pick ... you will be busy ... ) Many of the compilations have a regional focus.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[awesome_welles]

Yes, this has fast become a pretty far-ranging "throw your hat in the ring too" free-for-all.

Not sure what the thread starter exactly means by "early jazz" but assuming that many come from a "hard bop and beyond" jazz listening experience where Bird is VERY old jazz , to many jazz listeners this term probably (and unfortunately) is not limited to its original meaning of PRE-swing era jazz anymore.

Not that it will change the trajectory of the thread now but I was thinking of the early stride piano stuff (which I'm not as familiar with as I'd like to be) so I guess that's around the 1920s and a bit later? I definitely don't consider Charlie Parker to be early jazz! Thanks for the recommendations!

Edited April 3, 2014 by awesome_welles

[Big Beat Steve]

... so I guess that's around the 1920s and a bit later?

That's indeed more or less what I referred to as "pre-swing era" jazz.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[Joe]

I've always been fond of the Smithsonian CLASSIC JAZZ PIANO box. The selection and sequencing of material by Martin Williams is very good, as are the notes provided by Williams, Dick Katz and Francis Davis. I also seem to recall that it include some tracks that were otherwise not easy to track down, e.g., Avery Parrish's "After Hours." I certainly would never have known about Herbie Nichols' music if not for this set. Looks like it has since gone out of print, but that relatively cheap copies are available second-hand via Amazon.

I think this set has been mentioned on this board before...

Fewer household names here, but, as a document, plenty enjoyable and increasingly significant, I think.

Finally, not all of these tracks come off, but the ones that do (Konitz "meets" Zorn) are quite memorable.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Joe

[duaneiac]

This 2 CD set has selections from Sidney Bechet, Jack teagarden, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Jelly Roll Morton and many other swing era musicians.

This CD delivers what its title says, 20 tracks from a variety of pianists including Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, Jay McShann and Mary Lou Williams.

[JSngry]

60 Years Of Music America Loves Best, if you want to go there, although for how long and/or for what purpose, that's between you and your soul and how you like the odds going in and of coming out. But yeah,

Let it serve as recommendation and/or warning that this was in the household growing up for as long as I can remember and got played fairly regularly, part of the benefits/hazards of belonging to the RCA Record Club, ok? I mean, my answer to the question, "Jeez, how many Frankie Carle records do you need, anyway?" would not have been the same as my dad's, but otoh, hey, I knew who Caruso and Duke Ellington and Hugo Winterhalter were before I could write cursive, so...whatever, to name but a few.

Definite win, though - I did not learn Day-O at no stinkin' ballpark. Ok?

[ArtSalt]

The Fantasy label put out a nice series of various artists discs focused on different composers, such aThis 4 CD boxed set has some good tarditional jazz both from "originalists" like Kid Ory and Willie "The Lion" Smith and "revivalists" like Turk Murphy and Clancy Hayes.

That has tremendously effervescent version of Alabama Bound by Santo Pecora on there as well. Worth the entry fee for that alone IMCO.