Rabshakeh

Yank Lawson And His Yankee Clippers Featuring Chico Hamilton – Olé Dixie I never really understood the original cover in this case.

There are worse out there, surely.

He's a classic jazz entrepreneur/critic. I don't mean that in a positive way. But I don't dislike him like you do. I would follow one of his recommendations over a recommendation from someone like Chinen. I think his special skill is at least finding out when music has a pulse, which is pretty rare for younger professional jazz critics these days.

Perhaps something from the early modernist era that isn't too esoteric, like Charlie Ventura or early cool jazz (including the likes of Lars Gullen in Europe) is what you're looking for.

This is proving to be a good blog. The recent Alan Pasqua's Milagro record is excellent and was completely unknown to me.

This is a great response. Thanks everyone!

Wilson Das Neves – Samba - Tropi

Does anyone have any favourites by the core players in the "West Coast jazz" category (Bud Shank, Shorty Rogers, Bob Cooper etc) from 1975 onwards? We had a nice discussion on the excellent Atlas records a while back but I would be interested in other recommendations. Probably for ease of use, it may be a good idea to exclude Art Pepper's obvious post prison leader dates.

Los Corraleros – Esta Sí Es Salsa! Not really Salsa, or "Salsa" in the earlier sense of generalised Spanish Carribbean big band format music.

My Dad got like this when he hit 70. He was very depressed to find himself "three score and ten". Well he's four score and three now and seems to have never been happier. More of a social life than I have (42) and definitely a hipper crowd.

Evan Parker, Barry Guy and Paul Lytton + Peter Evans - Scenes In The House Of Music I was listening to their second yesterday. A good group. Where are you based? I enjoy the seasonal updates.

Della Reese - Della Della Cha Cha Cha This is a greatly underrated vocal pop record in my view. Just pure fun.

Pleased to see that the Vic Reeves album is now the face of Evan Parker.

In honour of the (to my ears a little average) recent Melissa Aldana album, I would be grateful for recommendations for latin vocal albums that have a strong influence from jazz on the vocal performance. I am not looking for (1) jazzy bossa / samba records, or (2) afro-cuban records that just have big band instrumentation or descarga passages. That's not because they're not interesting but because they're easily located via Google, rym, allmusic etc. I am aware of the bolero subgenre of 'Filin' and am basically looking for that kind of music: not necessarily bolero specialists but singers who are clearly aware of the likes of Ella Fitzgerald or Helen Merrill. I am thinking of albums like this one: Jose Antonio Mendez – Canta Solo Para Enamorados Any recommendations are welcome.

Cachao Y Su Típica – Super-Danzones Vol. 2 Three times on repeat now and ready for another go. Incredible record.