HutchFan

The George Benson Quartet featuring Lonnie Smith: It's a good 'un !

More Lonnie Smith; this time as a sideman with Lou Donaldson:

I would not put the V.S.O.P. Quintet in the same category as the Massey Hall group, if only because -- unlike Bird, Diz, et al -- the music that V.S.O.P. was making was self-consciously retrospective. I don't mean to imply that backwards-looking music isn't or can't be important or excellent or even "Great." I also don't mean to imply that V.S.O.P.'s music can't be equally important as the Massey Hall concert to you -- on a personal level. (And I think that's the most important kind of important.) But if I was trying to write a history-of-jazz type book -- an "objective" one (if that's even possible) -- I wouldn't put those two groups on equal footing. That's my 2 cents.

Yup. It's probably my all-time fave from LS. More from the late, great Doctor:

R.I.P.

I'd never thought about a connection between those two LPs. But now that you mention it, I can see what you're talking about.

and

Me too. It's a one-of-a-kind in Ellington's discography. Nothing else quite like it.

Now spinning: Duke Ellington's My People (Flying Dutchman; originally released on Contact, 1965)

Now: James Moody - Heritage Hum and The Teachers (Collectables) Both LPs originally released on Perception Records

Dub, I mentioned Leo Rising (Arabesque) earlier in the thread. It's a very strong small-group date released in 1997. Larry also mentioned it in positive terms.

I agree! Wofford worked extensively with Manne, and I think they sound great together. One example that's likely below the radar for many: Scott Joplin: Interpretations '76 (Flying Dutchman) Ignore the strange cover art and don't expect "ragtime-y" pianism. Like the title implies, Wofford gives these Joplin works modern readings. Manne is on drums. Good stuff!

Don't overlook Moody's Vanguard LPs. They're products of their time, but they're definitely well worth hearing -- particularly Sun Journey and the "Summit" record with Elvin and Clark Terry.

Yep!

I have one of Moody's Novus records, Something Special. It's very good -- but, IMO, it's not quite on the same level as those prime years. From Moody's later years, my favorite very well could be Our Delight with Hank Jones on IPO.

I'm happy that the Moody bug bit you. The man made amazing, SOULFUL music that's often overlooked.

Disc 2 - Originally released as Fathead Comes On and House of David Funny how we all hear things so differently. Because I love that album. To my ears, it's a bit of a stylistic and generational "mismatch" -- perhaps comparable to Ellington's recordings with Coltrane -- that works beautifully despite those differences (and maybe even, on some level, because of those differences).

Powerful indeed. Hooray for James Moody!

Basie with Diz:

Especially the Latin-flavored titled cut. It kicks ass. As far as that CD being Sonny's last... don't want to think about it. I'm not going there yet. You can't make me.

Yep! Ab-so-lute-ly.

Probably.