HutchFan

Yep.

On my first birthday after our marriage, my wife gave me the of gift of four CDs. We were in grad school at the time, so it was a VERY extravagant gift. Even better, she didn't even ask me what I wanted. She just knew. The discs? - Charles Mingus - Pithecanthropus Erectus - Bill Evan - Waltz for Debby - Miles - Workin' with the MD Quintet - Thelonious - Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 One of the best gifts I ever received. That was nearly 30 years ago, and I still remember opening the box and being so happy... and not just because of the music.

One of KB's finest large-ensemble recordings, IMO. I'd probably even choose this one over the much more well-known Guitar Forms. and

Count Basie - The Golden Years (Pablo) Disc 3 - Big Band Studio Recordings Solid compilation of tracks from Basie's final years.

Oh yeah! It's a wonderful record.

and

I'm listening to the CD, which also includes the complete Cleopatra – Feelin' Jazzy album.

More KB -- with Don Sebesky arrangements. and Joanne Brackeen & Clint Houston - New True Illusion (Timeless) Superb duo recording.

Love that James Moody sound! YES.

Continuing my recent Burrell binge with: Kenny Burrell - Night Song (Verve, 1969) First listen. Just arrived in the mail today from Euclid.

NP: Big THUMBS UP on both counts -- the dedication and the music.

It's probably the Sun Ra album that I've played the most over the years. Trombone Cholly is good fun. It's hard to resist with that front-line -- Vic with Frank Wess and Joe Newman.

Gerald Wilson with "Groove" Holmes. Two favorites together. as heard on:

I'm with you, Gheorghe. Horizon is outstanding. ... And I'm jealous that you got to see that band! I only had the opportunity to see McCoy one time, in a trio with Stanley Clarke and Eric Gravatt. But I'm grateful for that. NP: David Liebman Big Band - Beyond the Line (OmniTone, 2003) I've never seen that before, no idea that it existed. Will have to keep an eye out for it.

and

McCoy Tyner - Time for Tyner (Blue Note, 1969) with Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Lewis, and Freddie Waits For whatever reason, I haven't listened to this LP in years. I'd forgotten how good it is.

Next up: Stanley Turrentine - West Side Highway (Fantasy, 1978) Arranged by Claus Ogerman. This was Turrentine's second collaboration with Ogerman, after Nightwings (Fantasy, 1977). These are two of the strongest LPs in Turrentine's run on Fantasy, IMO.

Weekly Recap - PLAYING FAVORITES: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s Vic Dickenson – Plays Bessie Smith: 'Trombone Cholly' (Sonet, 1976) Martial Solal & Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – Movability (MPS/PAUSA, 1976) Archie Shepp – Steam (Enja, 1976) John Lewis & Helen Merill – John Lewis / Helen Merrill (Mercury, 1977) Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band – Insights (RCA, 1976) Teddy Edwards – The Inimitable Teddy Edwards (Xanadu/Elemental, 1976) Sun Ra & His Arkestra – Live at Montreux (Saturn/Inner City, 1976) A solid batch, I think. This week, I was able to provide a few sentences and YT videos for each entry. Be sure to take a peek at the blog.