Peter Friedman

While it is by no means the only factor, I wonder what such outstanding players as Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Benny Carter, Wes Montgomery, and Kenny Dorham would say about edc's opinion of Tommy and Hank? While we will never know for sure, I have a strong suspicion they would consider his views peculiar at best.

All of a sudden this thread has become a comparison of Ellington and Tommy Flanagan. That strikes me as absurd. Jazz has a large enough tent to include a broad range of musicians and styles. Why should a player be downrated because he/she is not the greatest innovator or MOST creative improvisor. Taste is the utimate factor for those who have some experience in listening to jazz. edc prefers Harold Mabern to Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones. To my ears there is no comparison. Mabern is a solid journeyman piano player who at times I find tedious, but Flanagan and Hank are far more creative and interesting players in my opinion. I find Flanagan's solos to be among the brightest sparkling parts of almost every recording on which he appears.

edc, You seem to put very narrow limits on what is acceptable jazz. You are entitled to do so if that floats your boat, but I view things quite differently. One of the great pleasures of jazz for me is the great diversity of styles, genres, etc. Being able to dig Jelly Roll, Hines, Teddy Wilson, Tatum, Duke, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Barry Harris, Cedar Walton, Bud Powell, Sonny Clark, John Lewis, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron, Thelonious Monk, Al Haig, and Basie (along with many other pianists) is one of my great pleasures. Given your comments, it would seem logical that you consider Teddy Wilson to be a cocktail pianist too? If you are unable to distinguish between Tommy Flanagan and Debussy, things are worse than I suspected. Pardon me while I go look to see if I can locate that wonderful Debussy CD where he plays "Relaxin' At Camerillo", "Confirmation", and "Oleo". Wonder who Claude has in the rhythm section on that CD?

Clementine, To each his own, taste is a personal thing, but if you are unable to appreciate Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones, you have my sympathy.

I have a couple of CDs on Fresh Sound by Eddie Bert that I believe have not been mentioned. Eddie Bert - The Human Factor - FSR 5005 with Jerry Dodgion, Carmen Leggio, Duke Jordan, Ray Drummond & Mel Lewis Recorded in November 1987 Eddie Bert & J.R. Monterose - Live At Birdland - FSR 198 with Ben Aronov,Bill Crow, & Eddie Locke Recorded in September 1991 Both these CDs are worth getting if you like these musicians.

Kenny Dorham is without doubt, one of my favorite trumpet players. There is a beauty and great depth in his playing that reaches me in a special way. I only remember seeing him live once back when I was living in Detroit.

In my view, the best Jerome Richardson CD is this one: Jerome Richardson - Jazz Station Runaway - TCB 97402 with Russell Malone, David Hazeltine, George Mraz, and Lewis Nash Richardson's playing sounds more mature to me, and this CD swings more than the two earlier ones. As for Richard Wyands, there are many trio CDs that have been issued. I have 7 in my collection. They may not all be currently available, but I suspect that you should be able to find at least a few of them. Richard Wyands Trio CDs Reunited - Criss Cross Half And Half - Criss Cross The Arrival - DIW As Long As There's Music - Savant Get Out Of Town - Steeplechase Then, Here And Now - Storyville Lady Of The Lavender Night

Tom Harrell plays as a sideman on many small group CDs that I like. Here are just some of them. Rein de Graff Quintet - New York Jazz - Timeless Bill Mays Quintet - Tha's Delight - Trend Hod O'Brien Quintet - Opalessence - Criss Cross Mike LeDonne Quintet - 'Bout Time - Criss Cross Ted Rosenthal - New Tunes, New Traditions - Ken Mike LeDonne - The Feeling Of Jazz - Criss Cross Ralph Lalama Quintet - Feelin' And Dealin' - Criss Cross John Swana And Friends - Criss Cross and of course on quite a number of Phil Woods CDs.

Is it worth getting? I think so. If you like Cecil Payne, Bennie Green(tb), Clark Terry, Duke Jordan,Ron Carter and Charlie Persip you will enjoy this one.

Pianist Kenny Drew played a classical piece on many of his trio albums. Here are some of them. Evergreen - Alfa Jazz - Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata The Lullaby - Baystate - Brahms - Wiegenlied Tippin' - Baystate - Rodrigo - Concerto De Aranjuez Dreams - Baystate - Schubert - Traumerei

Red Square Blue - Jazz Impressions Of Russian Composers - Angel with: Fred Hersch,James Newton,Toots Thielemans, Phil Woods, Erik Friedlander,Steve LaSpina, Jeff Hirshfield Fred Hersch - The French Collection - Jazz Impressions - Angel pieces by Debussy, Ravel, Faure,Poulenc, & Satie played by Eddie Daniels, Toots Thielemans, Kevin Eubank, Fred Hersch, Steve Laspina, Joey Baron or Jeff Hieshfield

I like Bellson on many of the Basie small group sessions done for Pablo.

Just put on the Fresh Sound re-issue of 2 Cecil Payne sessions (Performing Charlie Parker Music / The Connection) on one CD. R.I.P. Cecil

I had this one on LP and have been waiting for many years to have it re-issued on CD. Al's playing on this Earl Coleman session is simply GREAT!!!!! I suppose that since Earl Coleman is not well known this may never get reissued on CD. DRAG!

Stanley plays very well on the organ recordings, but my favorites are his hard bop sessions on Blue Note. I especially like his recordings with Horace Parlan. As a sideman with Art Taylor, with Sonny Clark, and with Duke Jordan he is damn fine too. By coincidence, I was just playing a CD on the Bainbridge label called STAN "THE MAN" TURRENTINE. This was originally on Timeless and has either Tommy Flanagan or Sonny Clark on piano along with George Duvivier,bass; and Max Roach on drums.

Just listened to another lovely version of WHAT'S NEW. This one by" Ruby Braff and His New England Song Hounds. Vol.2" on Concord Jazz.

There are so very many fine versions it's hard to pick one or two. Here are some that I like a lot. Dexter Gordon - Live at Jazzhus Montmarte - Black Lion Jackie McLean - Swing, Swang, Swingin" - Blue Note Art Farmer Quartet - Live At The Half Note - Atlantic Art Pepper - Among Friends - Interplay

I only have one CD by Jimmy Reed, but it's a good one. Jimmy Reed - Bright Lights, Big City - Vee Jay/Hall Of Fame

I only have one CD by Jimmy Reed, but it's a good one. Jimmy Reed - Bright Lights, Big City - Vee Jay/Hall Of Fame

This is one of my least favorite recordings by Howard McGhee. I found it rather dull. I would suggest only getting this one if you have all the other ones recommended in this thread and are a Howard McGhee completist. I sold my copy some time ago.

Just discovered a CD in my collection that has Jack Wilson on piano that has not been mentioned. It is an Australian CD as follows: Sonny Stitt & Richie Cole - Battle Of The Saxes - AIM label Jack Wilson(p), Ed Gaston (b), Allan Turnbull (dr) Recorded in Sydney,Australia in December 1981

The Randy Brecker "straight ahead" style playing that I like is on these CD's. In The Idiom - Denon Nick Brignola - What It Takes - Reservoir Marc Copland Quintet - Stompin' With Savoy - Savoy Lew Tabackin - Tenority - Concord Jazz Kerry Strayer Septet - jeru Blue: A tribute To Gerry Mulligan - Palmetto Horace Silver - You Gotta Take A little Love - Blue Note Horace Silver - In Pursuit Of The 27th Man - Blue Note Horace Silver - A Perscription For The Blues - Impulse

I have listened to a lot of Gary Peacock as part of the Keith Jarrett Standards Trio recordings. To my ears Gary sounds marvelous. His playing is filled with passion, a large "woody' bass sound, and his solos are highly interesting. I don't hear all that much Scott La Faro influence in his playing in the Jarrett Trio sessions.

Jim, I respect your right to make those choices. It probably won't surprise you to know that my choices would be the opposite of yours. A key factor for me is the ultimate quality of the music (which of course is a matter of opinion). In my judgement, the Cannonball albums after a certain point in time lost their "true essence". Rather than Cannonball moving to find " his own true voice", my interpretation is that Cannonball was looking for the commercial hooks to sell records and gigs. He was jumping on the currently "hip" bandwagon and no longer being true to his deepest jazz essence. This is just a personal opinion that you seemingly don't share, and that's ok. In looking over the entire discography of Cannonball, or any other musician, a key for me is to identify the very best musical performances. I don't focus on whether they are trying to forge new directions, or digging further into the rich lodes of what has proven to be the style in which the player has been most comfortable over time. What music has the most depth, and what do I emotionally and/or intellectually respond to the most.

It's also interesting that a large percentage of musicians started making "theme" albums at about the same time. Coincidence? I think not. Retreat is more like it. I mean, hell, when the "conservative moderns" stop moving ahead, that's a sure sign that stuff is coming to a halt, and sure enough it did. We've been down this road many times in many places on this board, but I'm of the unshakeable opinion that "jazz" today is a foregone conclusion, and if it isn't, then people are gonna get all up in arms about it not being jazz, if they do anything at all. Not at all my idea of a good time, but your mileage may vary. Sometimes it makes sense to retreat when you find you have driven into a cul-de-sac. There are many ways to be "modern" if that is one's goal.