Peter Friedman

My favorite recordings by Sal Mosca all date from the mid-50's when he was a sideman. Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh - Atlantic (and Mosaic) 1955 Lee Konitz Quartet - Inside Hi Fi - Atlantic (and Mosaic) 1956 Lee Konitz Quintet - Very Cool - Verve 1957 His things on the Wave label from the late 1950's were nice too.

Not long ago the British Vocalion label reissued on CD a session by Paul Gonsalves titled HUMMING BIRD. This one has Paul with Kenny Wheeler, David Horler(tb),Stan Tracey on piano, and other British musicians. It is an unusual date for Gonsalves. I don't recall that the Paul Gonsalves-Ray Nance recording - JUST A SITTIN' AND A ROCKIN' on Black Lion has been mentioned. It's a good one.

Newborn was an outstanding pianist. I have just about everything he recorded. His recordings on Contemporary as both leader and sideman are marvelous as is the Roy Haynes "We Three" session. His trio date on Atlantic is also one to have. The RCA, & Roulette recordings are good, but not up the standard I mentioned above. I also have these CDs by Phineas as leader. Plays Again - Blue Moon Look Out -Phineas Is Back - Pablo C Jam Blues - Paddlewheel Tivoli Encounter - Storyville Solo Piano - 32 Jazz I had a couple of CDs by Phineas on Steeplechase but disposed of them as I found the playing and sound quality to be sub-par.

I always liked Meirsdorf album covers very much. Once when visiting an art gallery, I was surprised to find some Meirsdorf original watercolors of jazz musicians on display. I purchased two of them which have been gracing the walls of my home for a number of years.

In general I much prefer one piano to two. Piano duos are frequently too dense with players stepping on each other. However, given that above comment, here are some I do enjoy. Pete Jolly & Jan Lundgren - Collaboration - Fresh Sound Tommy Flanagan & Hank Jones - Our Delights - Galaxy Andre Previn & Russ Freeman - Double Play - Contemporary Bill Evans & Bob Brookmeyer - The Ivory Hunters - Liberty David Newton & Brian Lemon - Play Hoagy Carmichael - Zephyr Kenny Drew & Hank Jones - New York Stories - Alfa John Lewis & Hank Jones - An Evening With Two Grand Pianos - Atlantic John Lewis & Hank Jones - Django - All Art (They play as a duo on 3 tracks) Barry Harris & Kenny Barron - Confirmation - Candid Rein De Graaf - Nostalgia - Timeless (2 tracks feature Rein De Graaf playing a piano duo with Barry Harris)

Personally, before getting J.G., I would suggest picking up these 3 Riverside CDs. The Little Giant (with Blue Mitchell, Julian Priester, Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, Tootie Heath) Johnny Griffin Sextet (with Donald Byrd, Pepper Adams, Kenny Drew, Wilbur Ware, Philly Joe Jones) Way Out (with Kenny Drew, Wilbur Ware, Philly Joe Jones)

What a treat to see and hear that Kenny Dorham video. It sure brightened up my day!

Here Are some unmentioned John Hicks Trio sessions that I like. Cry Me A River - Venus Gentle Rain - Sound Hills Lover Man - Red Baron I'll Give You Something To Remember Me By - Limetree On The Wings Of An Eagle - Chesky

There are many fine jazz piano players not yet mentioned. Here are some that quickly come to mind. Peter Beets , Rein de Graaf and Cees Slinger from The Netherlands John Pearce, Victor Feldman, Keith Ingham, Brian Dee, John Horler, Terry Shannon and Mick Pyne from the British Isles Lars Sjosten, Nils Lindberg and Ake Johansson from Sweden Mark Eisenman, Don Thompson, David Restivo, Wray Downes and Bernie Senensky from Canada

Just now placed my order for both volumes.

I have been a huge fan of Barry Harris for about 50 years. I have all of his recordings as leader and probably almost all as a sideman. With rare exceptions, all of his recordings are great favorites of mine. You won't go wrong grabbing any you are able to find.

I don't suppose that they were tenor "battles", but the many sessions with Zoot Sims and Al Cohn together are damn good. More recent recordings of Teddy Edwards and Houston Person together are also highly enjoyable.

I have all the ones Chuck mentioned and they are all very good. They would be my first choices to purchase. Some other CDs with Buddy Tate as leader that I like include. Buddy Tate with Humphrey Lyttelton - Swinging Scorpio - Black Lion Buddy Tate and His Buddies - Chiaroscuro Buddy Tate - Swinging Like Tate - London Buddy Tate/Nat Simpkins/Houston Person - Just Friends - Muse Buddy Tate/Paul Quinichette/Jay McShann - Kansas City Joys - Sonet Buddy Tate All Stars - Jive At Five - Storyville

Two of the early ones that Chuck mentioned are among my favorites. Pairing Off The Young Bloods Some others I like that have not already been mentioned include: Integrity - Red Woodlore - Prestige & Space Jazz Trio - Phil's Mood - Philology Here's To My Lady - Chesky Birds Of A Feather - Antilles

They forgot to mention an unidentified vocal group on Take The A Train - sounds much like the Gordons. The folks in Barcelona are the only ones who care for stuff like this, it seems. I'm glad they do. I have had the CD indicated below for a number of years. It has 10 tracks from this session. Lionel Hampton - My Man - Excelsior EXL-2-5318

Just about everything by Jug is worth having. My favorite Prestige session is probably - THE HAPPY BLUES. The group includes along with Ammons - Art Farmer, Jackie Mclean, Duke Jordan, Addison Farmer, Art Taylor, and Candido. One thing that makes this session a favorite is that Duke Jordan is the pianist. I prefer his playing to that of Mal Waldron who appears on a very large number of Prestige recording sessions.

I have mixed feelings about Gary Burton's recordings. As a vibes player I much prefer the more swinging, bluesy, style of playing by people such as Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Lem Winchester, Dave Pike, Steve Nelson, and a number of others. Nonetheless, I do enjoy SOME of Burton's recordings. Here are my favorite CDs by Gary Burton as leader. & Makoto Ozone -Face To Face - GRP & Keith Jarrett / Throb - Rhino Atlantic (2 LPs on one cd) & Stephane Grappelli - Paris Encounter - Atlantic Duster -Koch Jazz Country Roads & other Places - Koch Jazz Departure - Concord Jazz

These are the Bennie Wallace CD that I have. They are all good ones. Bennie Wallace - Audioquest (with Tommy Flanagan) The Old Songs - Audioquest (with Lou Levy) Someone To Watch Over Me - Enja (with Mulgrew Miller) In Berlin - Enja (with George Cables) The Nearness Of You - Enja/Justin Time (with Kenny Barron) Disorder At The Border: The Music Of Coleman Hawkins - Enja/Justin Time (a nonet session) Moodsville - Groove Note SACD (with Mulgrew Miller) I find it interesting that Bennie Wallace selected such an excellent number of piano players for these CDs.

Here are two quite recent Steeplechase releases that I like very much. Harold Danko Quintet - Oatts & Perry Rich Perry (Quartet) - At The Kitano 1

Adam, There are a many many good things on Steeplechase. Here are just a few that I would recommend. George Cables - Bluesology Junior Cook - On A misty night Stanley Cowell - Sienna Walter Davis,Jr. - Scorpio Rising Kenny Drew - Black Beauty Jimmy Knepper (with Al Cohn) - Cunningbird Horace Parlan - Glad I Met Pat

These would be my top choices too.

My take on Junior Mance is that he is a solid journeyman jazz piano player, but not one of my true favorites. Where I differ from Chuck is that I see him at his best as a blues player. His blues sound very "natural" to me. In fact Junior does his best to bring the blues or a blues feeling into most of what he plays. I attended one of his recording sessions for the Sackville label, and the blues feeling permeated the entire afternoon. On non-blues jazz tunes and standards, Junior's solos don't raise to the level I hear in many other piano players. He is definitely a very nice guy.

Yep, I agree with Chuck on this, the earlier recordings are a little better. I don't know if they are available on cd. Yes, this is a very good set. I have it on a 4 CD set as follows - Sony Classical SM4K 46738

I am especially partial to the JVC XRCD remasterings. Among my XRCD favorites are: The Poll Winners Sarah Vaughan - Crazy and Mixed Up Miles Davis All-Stars - Walkin' Miles Davis - Bag's Groove

Some other good small group sessions with Idrees Sulieman: Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High - Riverside/Milestone Horace Parlan Quintet - Arrival - Steeplechase Red Mitchell Quintet - Chocolate Cadillac - Steeplechase