HutchFan

Tito Puente - 50 Years of Swing (RMM) Disc 3

Miles Davis - Dark Magus (Columbia/Legacy) Listening to this, it's not hard to understand why people started calling Miles "The Prince of Darkness" during these years.

James Moody - Hi Fi Party (Prestige/OJC) I'm still really grooving to Moody. I love his sophisticated-but-straightforward, R&B-meets-bebop feeling. The guy's got SOUL by the bucketful.

Listening to more Sonny Stitt: Dumpy Mama (Flying Dutchman) and Black Vibrations (Prestige)

Now giving this another spin:

More Chico Hamilton: EDIT: After listening to Hamilton's preceding Impulse recordings, The Dealer seems much more conventional -- and less interesting -- in comparison (Richard Davis notwithstanding).

Chico and Chick:

Tucker plays so well on the Eddie Jefferson LP above that I decided to give this one a spin:

Eddie Jefferson - Things Are Getting Better (Muse)

Wonderful music!

I bet one of them just delivered the punchline of a good joke, and the photographer captured the moment. Who told the joke? Based on their facial expressions, my money's on Elvin.

Just arrived in the mail today.

Elvin Jones, James Moody, Clark Terry, et al - Summit Meeting (Vanguard)

Over ice. Inexpensive but still pretty good.

NP: Ketil Bjørnstad - Finnes du noensteds ikveld (Philips Norway) with Knut Riisnæs (ts, ss), Arild Andersen (b), and Pål Thowsen (d) Earlier: Charles Sullivan - Re-Entry (Whynot) with Rene McLean (as, ts), Kenny Barron (p), Buster Williams (b), Billy Hart (d)

That one goes to my desert island. The "falling tree" line from the refrain of "You Upset Me Baby" always slays me: You upset me baby Yes you upset me baby Like being hit by a falling tree Woman, woman what you do to me I'm now listening to Wayne's Odyssey of Iska again: Two gems, no doubt.

I don't think it's ever been reissued. Not sure why -- because the music is very good. IIRC, it was Tjader's first LP after returning to Fantasy from Verve and then Skye Records. . . . It's definitely got a 1970's vibe to it. Lots of electric piano from Al Zulaica. I'd say if you like Tjader's music from around this time -- things like Agua Dulce and Live at the Funky Quarters -- then you'll almost certainly like Tjader. Here's one of the best cuts from the LP, a piece called "Mambero" composed by Tjader. VERY groovy. Oh yes. I remember that. . . . Not good.

Bobby Hutcherson - Oblique (Blue Note) Hutcherson's two quartet records with Herbie -- this one and Happenings -- are among his very best, IMO.