ghost of miles Posted November 21, 2003 Report Posted November 21, 2003 I have to admit that when I first started listening to jazz, I found the vibraphone to sound kind of--uh, "corny," I guess. I didn't even like Milt Jackson, for God's sake! These days, however, I greatly enjoy the texture that well-played vibes bring to a jazz date. Bobby Hutcherson's work w/Jackie McLean was the entry point for me; I think it was DESTINATION OUT that really made my ears wake up to what vibes could contribute to a record. Since then I've also become quite a fan of Jackson's work, in addition to that of Walt Dickerson, Lem Winchester, Eddie Costa, and newcomer Stefan Harris. I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting at the moment as well. In any case, who are your faves, if a vibes fan you be? Quote
7/4 Posted November 21, 2003 Report Posted November 21, 2003 Gary Burton for his work with Ralph Towner and Pat Metheny. Steve Nelson for the Dave Holland Group material and also because of his local work in New Brunswick, NJ in the mid-'80's : the New Brunswick Jazz Collective (mostly for the memory, this was a real early stage for him) and later with drummer Bill Elder around '85-'86. Anyone know what's up with Bill Elder? I haven't talked to him in about 10 years. And I like my vibes with the vibrato OFF! Quote
Jazzmoose Posted November 21, 2003 Report Posted November 21, 2003 Believe it or not, it was probably Stefan Harris who first made me notice the instrument. The vibes seemed so...refined and elegant in the hands of people like Milt Jackson (which sounds strange considering how most people seem to look at him as the "wild man" of the MJQ!). Lately I've gone on a Bobby Hutcherson tear, though, and I'm really loving his stuff... Quote
vibes Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 I'm surprised there has been no mention of Hamp on this thread. He's the one who started it all. Great recordings with Hamp include the Charlie Christian box and the Verve Quartets/Quintets box with Oscar Peterson. Bobby Hutcherson is wonderful. One of my favorite things about Hutch is the fact that he can be found in so many different contexts, from Al Grey's "Snap Your Fingers" to Prince Lasha/Sonny Simmons' "Firebirds" to Big John Patton's "Let 'em Roll." His own albums are great too, with "Happenings" and "Oblique" being my favorites. Never heard a Walt Dickerson album I didn't like. "Impressions of A Patch of Blue" and "Jazz Impressions of Lawrence of Arabia" are personal favorites. I really like Gary McFarland's playing on the album he did with Bill Evans. It's only available in the Bill Evans Verve box. I've been listening to a fair amount of Milt Jackson lately. "Statements" and "In a New Setting" are very fine 60's dates. The vibraphone is a great instrument. I love hearing it in non-jazz contexts, too. There are some great songs done by such artists as Stone Temple Pilots, the Beastie Boys and Scott Weiland using the vibraphone. It adds very nice textures to the music. Quote
PHILLYQ Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 (edited) Gary Burton w Chick Corea on 'Crystal Silence'-exquisite Seve Nelson on the new Dave Holland, 'Extended Play' Jazzmoose, you mentioned how Milt Jackson seemed so refined to you- I used to think the same thing a long time ago. Then one night I went to the Village Vanguard to see Keith Jarrett, and they had a rare double bill of KJ & Milt Jackson. Well, Milt Jackson swung so hard I nearly fell off my chair! He had the instrumentation of the MJQ, but a very different kind of music, very hard bop that swung like crazy. Since that gig I became a vibes fan. Edited November 22, 2003 by PHILLYQ Quote
ghost of miles Posted November 22, 2003 Author Report Posted November 22, 2003 (edited) I first heard Jackson on the Blue Note sides that he did w/Monk, and I couldn't appreciate him--thought his sound was too bright for that setting (now I enjoy his presence on those records). I think what I missed was the blues in his sound, because he strikes me as a very bluesy player. It's funny how many prejudices you can have when you first start listening to jazz. I probably did associate him w/the MJQ, a group that I slowly warmed to as well (and now love--gotta get that new Fantasy box!). Alas, the darkness of the closed mind! But only joy for the illumination of an opening one... Edited November 22, 2003 by ghost of miles Quote
kenny weir Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 I'm still a bit of a newbie when it comes to vibes, in terms of CD numbers anyway. My favourite for sheer and easy pleasure is Johnny Lytle. I also like Stefon Harris - Black Action Figure in particular, although I'm still undecided about The Grand Unification Theory. A question: Are there any vibes album that are longer works/suites along the lines of, say, Mingus's Black Saint, Miles/Evans Miles Ahead etc? Quote
mikeweil Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 Roy Ayers - the most beautiful vibes sound ever is on his "Daddy Bug". Check out his dates with Jack Wilson. Cal Tjader - Ayers' inspiration for picking up the instrument - I'm a big fan of his. Fats Sadi (Lallemand) - Europe's greatest vibist so far. Dave Pike - the most underrated of America's great jazz vibists. I love to listen to Milt Jackson (pure bop ornamentation), Bobby Hutcherson (especially the Land/Cowell dates) and most others too, but Ayers - he has more pure melody than all the others, and enormous rhythmic drive at the same time - listen to his solo on "Paper Man" on the Herbie Mann "Windows Opened" LP. His playing on the Buster Williams "Crystal Relection" album (Muse) is gorgeous! Quote
chris olivarez Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 I've been a fan of the instrument ever since I've been into jazz. My earliest favorites were Gary Burton and Bobby Hutcherson. Later on it was Cal Tjader and Johnny Otis. One of my favorite albums was Dave Pike's " Times Out Of Mind" I just about wore it out. Since then I've picked up the cd and I've just about worn it out. I love the sound of that instrument. If I was going to try and play any instrument it would be the vibes. Quote
mikeweil Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 One of my favorite albums was Dave Pike's " Times Out Of Mind" I just about wore it out. Since then I've picked up the cd and I've just about worn it out. I just got me a copy of that CD after wearing out an LP ... Beautiful album! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 Al Francis, Earl Griffith and Bobby Naughton - an unsung trinity. Quote
street singer Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 (edited) The first jazz album I heard w/ vibes was Milt Jackson's 'Sunflower'. I was intrigued by the instrument and its sound...thought the album was good (now think it's pretty darn great), but the presentation of the music, as stated previously here, seemed a bit "corny" to me. Then along came a little album called 'Out To Lunch'. BOBBY HUTCHERSON. His presence on that album just completely blew me away!!! The vibes MAKE that album, in my opinion. After that, there have been many more albums I've enjoyed...a few more Bobby Hutcherson's, ofcourse...but I enjoy none as much as Jackie McClean's 'Destination Out'. That album, and the playing of Hutcherson, is just magical. I love the way the vibes just ring for daaays.... I've recently listened to 'One Step Beyond' for the first time (thanks to the Grachan Moncur III Mosaic Select) and am enjoy Hutcherson's work on that one as well. Doesn't quite take me to that same place/space as 'Destination Out', but pretty close... B) Edited November 22, 2003 by street singer Quote
brownie Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 Grew up on Milt Jackson and Lionel Hampton. Then dug Eddie Costa, Bobby Hutcherson and Walt Dickerson. Mourned the lack of Earl Griffith material. One player I have always enjoyed though he is not often mentioned around here is Terry Gibbs. Check his Impulse album 'Take It From Me' with Kenny Burrell, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes! Gibbs swung! Quote
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 Yes to Dave Pike. The title track on 'Bophead' really gets the juices flowing! Quote
Brad Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 I dig Vibes and obviously dig Bags, not so much his work with MJQ but some of his early work. Count me in for Johnny Lyttle and Lem Winchester. I've come to like Bobby Hutcherson more and more and really like the San Francisco cd that I picked up a while ago. I happened to see a vibist by the name of Steve Nelson last night as part of the Dave Holland Quintet. I looked what I heard. Vibes just happen to have a certain rythmic almost relaxing quality that I can't put my hands on. Anyway, I'm a fan. Quote
mikeweil Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 (edited) I happened to see a vibist by the name of Steve Nelson last night as part of the Dave Holland Quintet. I looked what I heard. Dig this: On Sunnyside, one of the most beautiful 78 minutes of vibes jazz you will ever hear. With Kirk Lightsey and Ray Drummond, vibes/piano/bass trio, and as beautifully recorded! Edited November 22, 2003 by mikeweil Quote
Alexander Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 Before I got into jazz, I would occasionally hear people refer to "vibes" (as an instrument) in various contexts (Woody Allen mentions playing vibes in an early stand-up rountine I had on a record as a kid), but I had no idea what it meant! Meaning, I had no picture in my head of what "vibes" looked like! So for the longest time, I imagined this weird kind of combination piano-glass-organ (or whatever you call it when people make music by running a wet finger over the rims of drinking glasses filled to various heights with water) thing. Then, the very first weekend I started listening to jazz, I was exposed to some of Monk's Blue Note recordings, including several with Milt Jackson. "I Mean You" was the one that got me. I loved it. And I loved it all the more since I couldn't figure out what that "chiming" instrument was! I asked my friend (who owned the tape I was listening to), but he didn't know what it was either. I soon found out that it was a "vibraphone" or "vibes." Okay, now I knew what vibes sounded like, but I still didn't know what they LOOKED like! I was still picturing something that looked like a piano (in hindsight, I was probably thinking of the celeste, which is a keyboard instrument that chimes). Eventually, of course, I finally saw a picture of somebody (probably Bags or Hamp) playing vibes, and I understood what it was. Anyway, the point is that I've loved vibes (and Bags in particular) for as long as I've loved jazz. Hamp, Bags, Cal, Burton, Hutcherson, Nelson, Harris...I enjoy all of them. It's a very expressive instrument, with a lot of untapped potential... Quote
7/4 Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 Before I got into jazz, I would occasionally hear people refer to "vibes" (as an instrument) in various contexts (Woody Allen mentions playing vibes in an early stand-up rountine I had on a record as a kid), but I had no idea what it meant! Meaning, I had no picture in my head of what "vibes" looked like! So for the longest time, I imagined this weird kind of combination piano-glass-organ (or whatever you call it when people make music by running a wet finger over the rims of drinking glasses filled to various heights with water) thing. Glass Harmonica It's a very expressive instrument, with a lot of untapped potential... A bit hard to change the pitch once you've hit the key. What we need are vibes that can be retuned on the fly like a pedal steel guitar! Quote
7/4 Posted November 22, 2003 Report Posted November 22, 2003 (edited) ubu I said "I hate to break this to you Ubu, but a Marimba is not a Vibraphone. The Vibes have metal bars, while a Marimba has wodden keys. They sound so different. Yes, they are tuned percussion, but not the same thing. I think Music for 18 Musicans uses the Vibes. I'd check, but I'm in the middle of a personal Anthony Braxton fest right now..... " And I just checked the Steve Reich box, and Sextet does have vibes. Nevermind. Edited November 23, 2003 by 7/4 Quote
Jim R Posted November 23, 2003 Report Posted November 23, 2003 The vibraphone is a great instrument. I love hearing it in non-jazz contexts, too. There are some great songs done by such artists as Stone Temple Pilots, the Beastie Boys and Scott Weiland using the vibraphone. It adds very nice textures to the music. Before I got into jazz, I think my first exposure to great vibraphone playing was seeing Geoff Palmer with The Sons Of Champlin, back in the early 70's. I'm a fan of many of those already mentioned, and I'll just add some props for Buddy Montgomery (I'm definitely a Mastersounds/Montgomery Brothers fan), and Victor Feldman. I also have a healthy respect for the late great Red Norvo, even if he's not among my favorites on the instrument. Who else...? Quote
Leeway Posted November 23, 2003 Report Posted November 23, 2003 MIKEWEIL: Roy Ayers - the most beautiful vibes sound ever is on his "Daddy Bug". Check out his dates with Jack Wilson. I dig Roy Ayers too. For me, it's "Virgo Vibes." I really like that album. Not only Ayers on vibes, but Joe Henderson on tenor and Charles Tolliver on trumpet. A very cool album. Quote
paul secor Posted November 23, 2003 Report Posted November 23, 2003 Al Francis, Earl Griffith and Bobby Naughton - an unsung trinity. Amen to those three. Unless I've missed it, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Khan Jamal. He's recorded a number of fine albums under his own name, and recorded a duo LP on marimba with vibist Bill Lewis. Any other duo vibes recordings out there? Quote
GA Russell Posted November 23, 2003 Report Posted November 23, 2003 1) Cal Tjader - Did he ever make a bad record? I have a number of his, and they are all four stars - none of them are essential, but all of them are outstanding. 2) Dave Pike - I got a couple of things of his in college - The Doors of Perception and Herbie Mann's Standing Ovation at Newport. I liked what he did there. He had a youthful vitality I like regardless of intrument. 3) Eddie Costa - Can anybody recommend a good album from him? I don't think I've ever heard him, but maybe he was on a John Graas album I have. 4) Victor Feldman - How about a recommendation for him? I get the impression that I would like his work, but I don't recall ever hearing him on the vibes. Quote
Joe Posted November 23, 2003 Report Posted November 23, 2003 (edited) Walt Dickerson Jay Hoggard -- his solo vibes set on India Navigation is worth checking out, as are his various collaborations with Anthony Davis (the duets on UNDER THE DOUBLE MOON especially). Check out the vibes work on this record, too... Dusty Groove description Edited November 23, 2003 by Joe Quote
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