Good Jazz Albums from 1979?

[Teasing the Korean]

9 hours ago, felser said:

Just out of curiosity, why do you ask?

A few reasons:

1, I am asking for a friend - literally - as part of 1979-themed programming at a radio station for which I volunteer.  Given that my jazz accumulation focuses primarily on late-1930s to mid-1970s, it is very likely that I have no jazz albums from 1979.  

2. 1979 is the year when I first began listening to jazz radio on the aforementioned station.  While they were playing older classic stuff, of course, they were playing new stuff also, so I wanted to jog my memory with regard to new things that may have been in heavier rotation.

3. As I (probably) have no jazz albums from 1979, I am curious to learn where jazz was as it stood at the threshold of that most dreaded of decades:  the 1980s.

Thanks all for the recs so far.  I will sample these albums on the InterTubes.

[JSngry]

Bobby Hutcherson - Conception: The Gift of Love

I'm taking the OP's question at face value - "good" "jazz records". This more than qualifies - it is not a GREAT JAZZ RECORD by any stretch of the imagination, but it is nicely arranged, superbly executed, and is quite easy on the ears. I first got it on a cassette while doing a road gig, and it got played a LOT during that time. Easy to listen to, but never insulting or condescending. It's one of those records that wants to be your friend and knows that you need some chill time once in a while.

Cedar Walton is the arranger/producer, by the way!

More than qualifies as a "good jazz record" from 1979, imo.

This also might be the only list it ever makes, but, hey - list gonna list!

[Teasing the Korean]

4 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Bobby Hutcherson - Conception: The Gift of Love

Interesting that you mention Bobby Hutcherson.  I first encountered him via this station via the release of Patterns.  although this was from one year later (1980).  (I realize this is an older session.)

[Larry Kart]

6 hours ago, soulpope said:

Buck Hill "Scope" (SteepleChase)

Paul Motian Trio "Le Voyage" (ECM)

Don Cherry + Dewey Redman + Charlie Haden + Ed Blackwell "Old And New Dreams" (ECM)

Who has their albums classified by year of release? Given the number of CDs I have, I'd go nuts if I tried to sort things out that way.

[Teasing the Korean]

3 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Who has their albums classified by year of release? Given the number of CDs I have, I'd go nuts if I tried to sort things out that way.

Well, digital collections can be sorted by year, provided they use the year of original release and not the year of the CD release.

[JSngry]

12 minutes ago, Teasing the Korean said:

Interesting that you mention Bobby Hutcherson.  I first encountered him via this station via the release of Patterns.  although this was from one year later (1980).  (I realize this is an older session.)

Bobby Hutcherson left us with a vast, diverse catalog. Something for every taste, I daresay, except for the curiously obtuse species of listeners who cannot stand vibes, period.

HAs anybody mentioned Bunky Green - Places We've Never Been

1979...you could create a "negative space" playlist just from people who, by any actuarial standard of "normal" behavior SHOULD (probably) have been alive in 1979, but weren't.

[soulpope]

21 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Who has their albums classified by year of release? Given the number of CDs I have, I'd go nuts if I tried to sort things out that way.

I`ve simlply rechecked the discographies of some label I would expect to have qualtity releases in that year .... and was not disappointed ....

[mjzee]

47 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Who has their albums classified by year of release? Given the number of CDs I have, I'd go nuts if I tried to sort things out that way.

In iTunes (now Apple Music), Gracenote usually lists albums with year of release; more unhelpfully, it's usually year of first CD release.  I change the info to reflect recording year.  But there was an interesting debate here a few years ago as to which is the more relevant date: recording date or date of first release?  Recording date reflects what was influencing the artist when the album was recorded, but release date reflects the time that album, now released, was able to influence its listeners.

Larry, since you're now an iTunes/Apple Music software user, it's very easy to sort by year.  Here's how I do it: Go to File > New > Smart Playlist...  In the dialog box, check "Match for the following rule:" and enter "Year" "is" "1979".  Also check "Live updating" and click OK.  That's it.  That playlist will now show all albums whose year is listed as 1979, and also add new albums as they are entered.  You can now name the playlist "Playlist 1979."

Edited September 3, 2021 by mjzee

[JSngry]

12 minutes ago, soulpope said:

I`ve simlply rechecked the discographies of some label I would expect to have qualtity releases in that year .... and was not disappointed ....

Here's what seems to be the 1979 releases of Black Saint. Not a weak one in the bunch, really. And most are top-shelf, or damn near to it.

• BSR 0026 George Lewis & Douglas Ewart Jila - Save! Mon. - The Imaginary Suite
• BSR 0027 World Saxophone Quartet Steppin' with the World Saxophone Quartet
• BSR 0028 Don Pullen featuring Don Moye Milano Strut
• BSR 0029 George Lewis Homage to Charles Parker
• BSR 0030 Andrew Cyrille, Jeanne Lee & Jimmy Lyons Nuba
• BSR 0031 String Trio of New York First String
• BSR 0032 Muhal Richard Abrams Spihumonesty
• BSR 0033 Leroy Jenkins & Muhal Richard Abrams Lifelong Ambitions
• BSR 0034 Air Live Air
• BSR 0035 Steve Lacy Quintet Troubles
• BSR 0036 Chico Freeman No Time Left
• BSR 0037 Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre Quartet Peace and Blessings
• BSR 0038 Joseph Jarman, Don Pullen & Don Moye The Magic Triangle

1979 Soul Note, less in quantity, but still very high in quality:

• SN 1001 Billy Harper Billy Harper Quintet in Europe
• SN 1002 Beaver Harris 360 Degree Music Experience Beautiful Africa
• SN 1003 Max Roach Quartet Pictures in a Frame
• SN 1004 George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet Don't Lose Control
• SN 1005 Dannie Richmond Quartet Ode to Mingus

[soulpope]

Obviously I chose my favourites ... otherwise we could just copy and pace discographies ....

[JSngry]

Those 1979 BS/SN records are all favorites! What an amazing set of release/recordings from one year and one label, can anything else compare in that regard?. Not a dud in the bunch, all more than meeting the criteria of "good jazz records" - and then some.

[Dub Modal]

The 3rd disc of these Selects went unreleased before Mosaic issued them, and both were recorded in '79:

Also, probably mentioned already but Joe Henderson's Relaxin' at Camarillo; Ronnie Mathews' Legacy; Brignola's Burn Brigade; & Art Pepper's Stardust are some great one's from that year. 

[Mark Stryker]

52 minutes ago, JSngry said:

 

Has anybody mentioned Bunky Green - Places We've Never Been

 

To me, this is THE Bunky Green record. 

Also, add to the 1979 list: Roland Hanna, "Swing Me Now Waltzes" -- also for me THE Roland Hanna record.

Edited September 3, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[soulpope]

Hard to find .... but worth hunting ....

[Mark Stryker]

12 hours ago, JSngry said:

Don't Ask - Sonny Rollins 

In 1979, I was ambivalent about it except one or two cuts (aks "Milestone Syndrome"), but 40+ years later I keep reaching for it and the ambivalence recedes into simple pleasure at hearing a tenor played like that. Nobody could do it then, nobody can do it now, nobody will likely ever do it again.

 

I always thought that "Disco Monk" was a real low point for Sonny -- dorky, obvious pandering to the most hoary commercial style of the moment and all that -- and I couldn't  figure out why the disco part of the track was connected to what otherwise was quite lovely ballad playing. But a few years ago in a multi-contributor Twitter conversation about disco tracks by jazz and jazz -adjacent musicians, Sonny's longtime publicist Terri Hinte suggested an alternate interpretation that I've come around to -- that the disco part of the tune is actually affectionate satire, a playful nod to Monk's own humor and quirkiness by parodying the au currant style, but that the ballad sections are sincere expressions of Sonny's true feelings for Monk, who of course was still alive in 1979. . 

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[Rabshakeh]

Big thumbs up to the Black Saint love above. Great label and very much of this era.

One day that label is going to be "discovered" by the Grockles, like what happened with Strata-East and Black Jazz.

I am hoping I will have the whole set long before then!! 

[JSngry]

12 minutes ago, Mark Stryker said:

I always thought that "Disco Monk" was a real low point for Sonny -- dorky, obvious pandering to the most hoary commercial style of the moment and all that -- and I couldn't  figure out why the disco part of the track was connected to what otherwise was quite lovely ballad playing. But a few years ago in a multi-contributor Twitter conversation about disco tracks by jazz and jazz -adjacent musicians, Sonny's longtime publicist Terri Hinte suggested an alternate interpretation that I've come around to -- that the disco part of the tune is actually affectionate satire, a playful nod to Monk's own humor and quirkiness by parodying the au currant style, but that the ballad sections are sincere expressions of Sonny's true feelings for Monk, who of course was still alive in 1979. . 

And then to remove all doubt, there's that live version on one of the Road Shows records...

But I didn't mind the studio version, tbh. I have never seen Sonny actually "pandering"...trying things with less than full certainty, yes, but never in a cynical way.

Besides, "Harlem Boys" is one of the highlights of that record, just an awesome track (caused me to get a speeding ticket and almost a trip to jail, but that's another story for another time/audience), and that's actually....danceable!

[Larry Kart]

46 minutes ago, Mark Stryker said:

To me, this is THE Bunky Green record. 

Also, add to the 1979 list: Roland Hanna, "Swing Me Now Waltzes" -- also for me THE Roland Hanna record.

Agreed on that Bunky album. As it happens, I think that the first piece I wrote for Down Beat back in 1967 was about the tape of a Chicago TV show that featured Bunky and Stu Katz (on vibes), "Tale of a TV Taping."

 

[Peter Friedman]

Reviewing all the recordings mentioned here I found about a dozen that would make my list of sessions I like.

[HutchFan]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Bobby Hutcherson left us with a vast, diverse catalog. Something for every taste, I daresay, except for the curiously obtuse species of listeners who cannot stand vibes, period.

Hear, hear!  

 

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

HAs anybody mentioned Bunky Green - Places We've Never Been

It's on my list.   

 

1 hour ago, Mark Stryker said:

To me, this is THE Bunky Green record. 

Also, add to the 1979 list: Roland Hanna, "Swing Me Now Waltzes" -- also for me THE Roland Hanna record.

Oh yeah!  I'd forgotten about that Sir Roland record.  Excellent stuff! 

Agreed on the Bunky too.

 

[T.D.]

Very much agree on the Hanna, but I thought it was recorded 1979, released 1980.

To be pedantic, the dates of various titles mentioned above can be questioned. For instance, I was going to mention Cyrille's Metamusicians' Stomp, but DQd it because of apparent (discogs) 1978 release date. If we widen the time window to 1978-80, the number of recommendations will grow out of control...

[HutchFan]

40 minutes ago, JSngry said:

And then to remove all doubt, there's that live version on one of the Road Shows records...

But I didn't mind the studio version, tbh. I have never seen Sonny actually "pandering"...trying things with less than full certainty, yes, but never in a cynical way.

Besides, "Harlem Boys" is one of the highlights of that record, just an awesome track (caused me to get a speeding ticket and almost a trip to jail, but that's another story for another time/audience), and that's actually....danceable!

I agree 100%.  I don't think Sonny saw it as any sort of sellout whatsoever.  I think he was just exploring possibilities, different ways of putting across his music.  Sonny wanted to his music to connect with people -- and I get a sense that the "art vs. commerce" dichotomy that's so prevalent in many (most?) jazz circles was an idea that did NOT mean much to Sonny.

Coming at Sonny from the perspective of Soul Jazz -- and bringing along all the very different assumptions that go with that sub-genre -- re-contextualizes Sonny's Milestone stuff. ... Or, at the very least, understanding Soul Jazz better has definitely changed the way that I approach & think about the records from Sonny's later years.

Of course, I'm not saying that Sonny was, strictly-speaking, a "soul jazz musician."  Not at all.  But I do think it was one of the streams that fed into his conception -- especially from the 1970s onward.

"Did You See Harold Vick?"

 

2 minutes ago, T.D. said:

Very much agree on the Hanna, but I thought it was recorded 1979, released 1980.

To be pedantic, the dates of various titles mentioned above can be questioned. For instance, I was going to mention Cyrille's Metamusicians' Stomp, but DQd it because of apparent (discogs) 1978 release date. If we widen the time window to 1978-80, the number of recommendations will grow out of control...

Fair enough.

I tried to limit my choices to those recorded in 1979.  I think others were posting based on 1979 release date.

I think this may account for many of these discrepancies.

 

[T.D.]

7 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

...

Fair enough.

I tried to limit my choices to those recorded in 1979.  I think others were posting based on 1979 release date.

I think this may account for many of these discrepancies.

 

No big deal. I was one of those going by release date. Not a problem here, always happy to get recommendations, not going to quibble about a year either way. And sources differ: I saw some disagreements between allmusic and discogs, for instance. Probably need original LP jackets to be certain.

[JSngry]

Recording date vs release date...if it was recorded in 1979 and not released until 1985, yeah, ok, there's two ways to look at the, both valid.

But recorded in 1979 and not released until 2019...40 years, what difference does that make, it's 1979 music, period.

IMO, of course.

Hey now, lookiehere!

Takin it to the disco!

[HutchFan]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Hey now, lookiehere!

Takin it to the disco!

Is that an extended mix?  Or the same music that's on the album in 45rpm format?