CJ Shearn Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Where to next? so far I have the following with Gene: Trio+ One 25th Fujitsu Concord Jazz Festival (GREAT set on disc 1 with his quartet then with Scott Hamilton on disc 2) 26th Fujitsu Concord Jazz Festival (nice big band set on disc 2) Ray Brown Trio: Live from New York to Tokyo (twofer with "Red Hot Ray Brown Trio" and "Bam Bam Bam" really great records) I know "Live at Otter Crest" is highly recommended Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I'm no expert, but many of the Three Sounds CDs on Blue Note are worthwhile IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 If you haven't listened to any Three Sounds, well, those are a must, if you like Gene Harris. There's also Stanley Turrentine and The Three Sounds. Just great music. I'm no expert, but many of the Three Sounds CDs on Blue Note are worthwhile IMHO. Dan Gould is the Gene Harris expert here. He can give you more recommendations than anybody else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I used to have "Blue Hour", maybe I should get another copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 yeah, that one I like a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I am not a fan of most of the Three Sounds recordings (there are a couple of exceptions). I much prefer the recordings with Gene Harris as leader on Concord. Here are some I can recommend beyond the ones you already have. The Gene Harris Quartet at Ste. Chapelle Winery The Gene Harris Quartet - Funky Gene's The Gene Harris Quartet - Black And Blue The Gene Harris Quartet with Special Guest Frank Wess - It's The Real Soul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 If you buy LPs, Three Sounds records on Blue Note can be obtained at reasonable prices relative to other Blue Note releases--they seem to be more common than most (popular in their day, I assume) and not so much in demand now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.D. Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I like the Otter Crest disc (very cheap on Amazon iirc), but don't know where it ranks among GH recordings. I think his Live at Maybeck solo piano CD is excellent; one of my favorites in the Maybeck series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I still prefer the Blue Note albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted February 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Thanks for the recs so far!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 All i can tell you is that I went along thinking 3 Sounds = same old piano trio, WAITRESS, then I was driving around high one day, heard this on the AMjazzradio, and BOOM, lightbulb CLICKED about how piano trios that are really TRIOS work (no one answer, but definitely answers), and ever since then, anything by 3 Sounds on BN, I go for. And if at all possible, go for the LPs. The whole "side" thing about programming really works for them. One LP side is usually a thing unto itself, people say, oh, no Mosaic for 3 Sounds, it all too much sounds the same, and yeah, sure, but fuck that, get the LPs and experience pie the way it tastes best, one slice at a time, not the whole damn pie at once, what kind of a gluttonous dummard eats a whole pie at once? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I used to have "Blue Hour", maybe I should get another copy. Yeah, that record is like the 24 hour sex cafe, we're here all the time, not going anywhere, take your time, we ain't runnin' out of anything, ever, so luxuriate in all you want for as long as you want, and we ALWAYS keep it dark in here. Dark, you know? Not just less lit, but DARK. 24 hour sex cafe. Coffee, pie (by the slice of course, even if you eventually DO eat the whole thing, you'll do it one slice at a time or else you'll not do it at all, not in this place), and all that's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I love that description Jim!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 The record is even better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Just when I miss a couple of days of posts, I miss my cue. Sorry 'bout that, CJ! :blush: Among the early BN records, the ones I hold in highest esteem are: Moods; Feelin' Good and Here We Come - I don't know if its a coincidence but I see according to AMG they were all released in 1960. Moods is number one though. Among the Concords that haven't been mentioned - you should consider At Last, which is the studio collaboration with Scott Hamilton; And I can't recommend strongly enough the Gene Harris Trio Plus 1, the one being Stanley Turrentine. Live at the Blue Note, if you think Blue Hour is sleepy well this one ain't, Gene and Stan wail on three blues, a gospel tune and a ballad. Tremendous record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Just when I miss a couple of days of posts, I miss my cue. Sorry 'bout that, CJ! :blush: Among the early BN records, the ones I hold in highest esteem are: Moods; Feelin' Good and Here We Come - I don't know if its a coincidence but I see according to AMG they were all released in 1960. Moods is number one though. Among the Concords that haven't been mentioned - you should consider At Last, which is the studio collaboration with Scott Hamilton; And I can't recommend strongly enough the Gene Harris Trio Plus 1, the one being Stanley Turrentine. Live at the Blue Note, if you think Blue Hour is sleepy well this one ain't, Gene and Stan wail on three blues, a gospel tune and a ballad. Tremendous record. Like I said, I have +1 Smokin indeed. What about the "Big Band Soul" twofer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 The two Philip Morris Superband CDs collected on that one are fine, with a strong Count Basie influence in the arrangements. Not the best place to hear Gene per se but enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Here's one that doesn't get a lot of attention but is really great, perhaps the best of the 'all-star' jam sessions: Absolutely love the version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I have "Live" Gene Harris and the Philip Morris allstars on the way to me, and a real CD copy of "Plus 1", I want to retire the CDR I made from the emusic download ten years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 It doesn't get much better than Live at the Blue Hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 The one Three Sounds CD that I have enjoyed is - Babe's Blues - on Blue Note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 OK Peter then I have to ask: If everyone says that there is such a "sameness" to all of their records, at least all of the ones in their first BN tenure, then what it is about Babe's Blues that you like, and what do you dislike about all of the others? I can get it that people don't like it but I fail to comprehend how someone can dig one, typical album but not like any of the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Dan, haven't listened to it in a long time so just pulled "Babes Blues" and will play it soon. My recollection about hearing some of the Three Sounds albums years ago is that they lacked depth , which is difficult to describe. I suppose I was looking for more vitality / energy/ hard swinging. It all seemed a bit too superficial. In fairness, as this was a long time ago I need to do some fresh listening to see what I believe now. The strange thing is that over time I began to consider bass player Andy Simpkins to be really outstanding. I saw him live at a Jazz Party where a number of other fine bass players such as Peter Washington and John Clayton and others also performed. Andy was my favorite. Once Gene Harris began recording under his own name for Concord I started to like his playing a great deal. He swung hard, showed a deep love for the blues and exhibited far more energy than I recall when with the Three Sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Well I think it's definitely true that in the 20+ years between the first run with BN and his return to prominence thru his association with Concord, Gene's style had evolved to a much more aggressive brand of swing which I hear as more of an Oscar Peterson influence than was present earlier. But the blues has always been so prominent in his style. If you go back to some of the other Three Sounds records you may find you enjoy them more, at least for what Andy Simpkins brings to them. I do think that the Sounds was a true trio, while Gene's records as a leader for Concord were much more Gene plus supporting cast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Dan, just finished listening to - Babe's Blues. To be honest, it was less than I had expected it to be. Most of the tunes were very short which did not allow the players to say much that I found to be of interest. Overall, the CD struck me as lacking substance and was on the dull side. This might be a CD useful for introducing a person to jazz? I will be placing it in my disposal box. I agree with your comments on how Gene's playing has evolved over the years. I took a look through many of my Concord CDs under the leadership of Gene Harris. In contrast with Babe's Blues, I saw no tracks under 4 minutes in length, and most were over 5 minutes long. This allowed Gene and his musical colleagues to stretch out a bit. I saw Gene Harris play live a couple of times and truly enjoyed it very much. The Three Sounds albums I have heard do not reflect the qualities i liked so much. Needless to say, all of this is just my personal opinion, and as is said here often - your mileage may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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