Peter Friedman

Mingus said many things that were simply bullshit. He was a great player, but beyond that ....?

Sonny Rollins - Newk’s Time - Blue Note

Grieg - Piano Concert - Philippe Entremont - Philadelphia Orchestra - Eugene Ormandy - Sony

Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio - Live in Bern - Capri

Lee Morgan with Clifford Jordan - Expoobident - Vee Jay

Mendelssohn - String Quintet No.1 + Fine Arts Quartet plus Danili Rossi - Naxos

I have never cared much for bass plyers who approach their instrument like it was a guitar. It is that big bottom sound that I love the most about the bass. Many years ago I spent an evening listening to Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morrell. Bill played very well, but Gomez bugged me quite a bit. He took long solos on every tune and demonstrated his technical skill by playing mainly in the high register. After the first or second tune I found his solos simply boring. In later years I have heard some much more interesting playing from Gomez with a greater use of the lower register and less emphasis on pyrotechnical displays. I loved the playing of the late George Tucker, Andy Simpkins, Doug Watkins, and Sam Jones. Other bass players now on the scene that I very much like are George Mraz, Buster Williams and David Williams to name just a few.

I had both King Richard and Horn of Plenty on the original RCA LP’s. Bought them when they were first issued. Years later I sold them when I acquired the two sessions on RCA CD’s. Always liked both of them.

Brahms - Symphony No.2 - Leonard Bernstein - New York Philharmonic - Sony

Count Basie and His Orchestra Play Neal Hefti Complete Studio Sessions 1951-1962

Cedar Walton Trio - Manhattan Afternoon - Criss Cross with David Williams and Billy Higgins A fine session by one of my favorite jazz pianists.

Brahms - Piano Quartet No.2 - Derek Han, Isabelle Faust, Bruno, Giuranna, Alain Meunier

Thelonious Monk - Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960

Truth be told, I found most of the CTI cover very unpleasant. Too bright and glaring and with nothing at all to do with the music. My taste in jazz covers leans to photo’s of the musicians or at least with a direct link to the music being played. i suppose the covers on CTI albums share with the music inside that overproduced quality which fits well as an entire pqckage.

Doing some traveling this summer. Listened to the following two below on my iphone while out walking in the Colorado Rockies. Wheatleigh Hall - one of the great Sonny Rollins solos. Full of creativity and swings like mad. from The Eternal Triangles session. Sighin’’ and Cryin’ - this track from the Song For My Father album is all Horace Silver on piano with some horns in the background. The playing here by Horace is so damned good that I want to keep playing this track over and over again.

Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra - All My Yesterdays

Never cared for most CTI albums. Contrary to what many others have said, Milt Jackson’s Sunflower album is not to my taste. At one time I had both Sunflower and Goodbye and disposed of both. I love Milt Jackson and have countless other of his recordings I like a great deal. Though I am not home to check, my recollection is that the only 3 CTI albums I have and enjoy are : Paul Desmond - Pure Desmond Stanley Turrentine with Milt Jackson - Cherry Jim Hall - Concertierto

Buck Clayton and his Swing Band - A Swingin’ Dream - Stash Records

Johnny O’Neal - In The Moment - Smoke Sessions with Roy Hargrove, Grant Stewart, Ben Rubens, Itay Morchi

Eddie Daniels Quartet - Mean What You Say - IPO

To be honest, Pony Poindexter has never been a favorite of mine. One I do like is Pony’s Express mainly because it has many other saxophone players I like, and the arrangements are good. When I think of the alto sax players I like, Pony comes far far down the list. I sense a certain shrillness to his sound, and I don’t find his solos to be interesting, though there are likely a few exceptions. My comments are not in line with what others here have said, but it is just my personal opinion.

Claire Martin - Make This City Ours - Honest

Ruby Braff Trio & Quintet - You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me - Arbors

Dado Moroni, Eddie Gomez, Joe La Barbera - Kind Of Bill - Zenart Records

Molique - String Quartets Vol.1, Op.18/1 & Op.18/2 - Mannheimer Streichquartett