HutchFan

Count Basie & His Orchestra - America's #1 Band: The Columbia Years (Sony) Disc 1 - Small Groups Really enjoying Basie's piano playing this morning. Love that pared-down-so-every-note-counts sound.

How about a set containing the Complete Columbia/Sony & RCA recordings of Charles Ives? We were discussing some of this music recently when we were discussing the Gregg Smith Singers' recordings of Ives' choral music, the best of which has never been issued in any digital format. The set would also include Ormandy's superb recording of the Holidays Symphony for RCA, which was only available in digital format as a CD-R through arkivmusic.com. Naturally, it would also include all of the great Columbia/Sony recordings by Bernstein, Stokowski, and MTT. It's unlikely to happen because it's probably not financially viable. But one can still hope.

More Pops. Louis Armstrong - I've Got the World on a String (Verve) Arranged & conducted by Russell Garcia

Louis Armstrong - European Concert Recordings by Ambassador Satch (Columbia/Legacy)

My favorite Nucleus record is Labyrinth, which features vocals by Norma Winstone. Since the band is expanded for this particular record, this group is billed as "Nucleus Plus."

Thanks for the heads-up, duaneiac. I'll add it to my list. NP: George Colligan - Past-Present-Future (Criss Cross) with Vincente Archer & Bill Stewart

That's a superb set!

Johnny Lytle - The Soulful Rebel / People & Love (Milestone / Real Gone) The George Shearing Trio with NHØP and Louis Stewart - Windows (MPS)

Mongo Santamaria - Sofrito (Vaya, 1976)

Charlie Palmieri - Impulsos (Coco, 1975) Ray Barretto - Que Viva La Musica (Fania, 1972)

Amen to all that Jim said. Hang in there, Chuck.

NP: Anthony Davis, James Newton Quartet - Hidden Voices (India Navigation) Earlier: Joseph Jarman - Don Moye featuring Johnny Dyani - Black Paladins (Black Saint) Such beautiful music. R.I.P. Joseph Jarman

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ghost. I've been listening to a couple of David Newman's earliest records: Fathead: Ray Charles Presents (Atlantic, 1960) with his colleagues from Ray Charles' band Straight Ahead (Atlantic, 1961) with Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Charlie Persip

Mickey Tucker - Mister Mysterious (Muse, 1979) Listening to this music, the first thing I notice: Cecil McBee is a badass. Phew!!! I dig. ... And not just McBee. The whole band is superb, and this is an excellent record. JackieMac on Blue Note = Great Music.

Enrico Pieranunzi's compositions as performed by the Brussels JO, Bert Joris, and EP.

What do you think of it, ghost? I've not heard Origami Harvest, but I've enjoyed Akinmusire's other records.

George Cables Trio - A Letter to Dexter (Kind of Blue Records) Louis Armstrong - The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (BMG) Disc 3

I have one other Petrucciani record on Owl. It's titled Date with Time.

Sorry to hear this terrible news. R.I.P.

Heads of State - Four in One (Smoke Sessions) Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio (Verve)

Michel Petrucciani - Oracle's Destiny: Big Sur, California (Owl) Solo piano. I'm stoked about the "new" archival recording by Petrucciani that's about to be released. Exquisite late-in-the-day Duke.

I agree. I think he's filling a much-needed niche. I don't read his blog religiously, but there's some cool stuff there. Sure, I sometimes disagree with Meyer's assessments. But so what? That's true of everyone -- even my younger self sometimes.

Larry Willis - Sanctuary (Mapleshade, 2003) Gorgeous playing, composing & arranging from one of my favorite pianists.

VERY exciting. Thanks for the heads-up!