Balladeer

Christa Ludwig - The Art of Christa Ludwig (Warner Classics,box) CD 3 Schubert-Lieder

Beethoven Trio op. 11, Brahms Trio op 114, Weber Grand duo op 48 (Harmonia Mundi) Jon Manasse (cl), Jon Nakamatsu (pn), Clive Greensmith (clo)

Brahms Clarinet Sonatas 1 & 2 (Harmonia Mundi) Jon Manasse & Jon Nakamatsu

Kyle Bielfield (tenor), Lachlan Glen (pn), Michael Samis (clo) Stopping by (Delos)

Lukas Genusias - Emancipation of Consonance (Melodiya)

Javier Perianes plays Mendelssohn Lieder ohne Worte/Songs without words (Harmonia Mundi)

Matthias Goerne, Helmut Deutsch, Eric Scheider - Schubert: Wanderers Nachtlied (Harmonia Mundi)

Ian Venables - The Song of the Severn:Roderick Williams (baritone), Graham Lloyd (Piano) & Carducci String Quartet (Signum)

GIorgio Gaslini - Incanti Piano Solo (Camjazz) Faure, Tschaikovsky, Monteverdi, Bartok, Handel, Elgar - and one piece Porter (one of the most ravishing interpretations of Everytime we say Goodbye) - that´s why I file it under this thread. But it doesn´t matter if its jazz or classical music because this is a fantastic recital. Gaslini was really a master of the piano and an artist of the highest caliber. Worth checking it our while it´s still available.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson & Julius Drake - Songs by Brahms and Schumann (Wigmore Hall Live)

Flavio Apro - The Brazilian Guitar (Brilliant Classics)

Barber - The Complete Songs (Deutsche Grammophon) Those songs are fascinating stuff. Overall Thomas Hampson does better but Cheryl Studer is gorgous on the earlier songs (disc 1). Pianist John Browning plays in a class of its own - magnificent.

Discovered Paul Bley with his otherworldly duo "Diane" with Chet Baker, Later I realiised how early he began to play magnificent music by way of Fresh Sound releases. Then I got back to later work on Steeplechase. It could go on this way forever. I´m not finished by far. What an amzaing artistic cosmos. One of the last really great jazz artists has left this planet. His music will remain. Thank you for that, Paul Bley!

Max Greger

True, Bill. Thats why he´s been nicknamed "Vice President"

Paul Quinichette - You belong to me

Movie coming soon http://www.slashfilm.com/born-to-be-blue-clip/ BTW: short film "The Deaths of CB" is an atmospheric play from different angles about how Chet might have come to death in Amsterdam´s hotel Prins Henrik.

Make me smile - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel

I agree about Bud Freeman (and what ought to have been his stature in the U.S., AFAICS ;)). But the European ones you mention did receive their fair share of recognition and admiration in the jazz circles of quite a few EUROPEAN countries with a thriving jazz audience, which is just about what you could reasonably expect for a major European jazzman around that time. LASTING jazz stardom in the U.S. at that time (not much later on among collectors) would have been out of reach for most Europeans anyway. (Yes I know about Lars Gullin and his impact on the U.S. scene for a while in the 50s, but what was his LASTING status, I wonder?) Maybe, but I suspect those European saxophonists got some amount of recognition mostly in their home countries.But beyond their borders? Another candidate from Europe who is rather unknown: Anders Lindskog, excellent tenorist with a fascinating tone. Listen to his "Fine together" and "Cry me a river", still available - wonderful music!

Bud Freeman (USA) Hans Koller, Guy Lafitte, Arne Domnerus (Europe)

Joao Donato - Bateu pra tras

John Williams is a great choice - fine, distinctive pianist and certainly overlooked. Did some marvellous work in Zoot Sims groups in the mid-fifties. Did I read somewhere that he quit music soon after? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSR3nSnJ0q4 You´re right, Bill. Unfortunately JW stopped making music in his prime and became a banker and later on a city commissioner. Too bad! http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2011/01/an_old_bit_of_confusion.html The superb Fresh Sound Collection "John Willams Trio - Complete Master Takes 1954-55" belongs to my dearest piano trio recordings from the Fifties. Always return to this for relaxing enjoyment.

Dick Twardzik Bill Triglia John Williams (Getz sideman, not the film composer) Russ Freeman

Renato Sellani

Francis Hime - Illusao