AfricaBrass

At the risk of getting flamed, it might be a good idea to list some Grateful Dead albums NOT to start with. If I was just getting into the group, I would avoid: Go to Heaven - I like Alabama Getaway, but that's about it. Built to Last - There's a lot I like about In the Dark (the album before this one), but I've never been able to get into Built to Last. Others that I wouldn't put high on my list, but some might be fans of: Steal Your Face - you're better off downloading live recordings from those same shows for free. There has always been a very negative buzz about this album, so I never bothered with it. Shakedown Street & Terrapin Station - I know I'll get blasted for this, but I just can't get into the production of this and Terrapin Station. There are great songs on both of these albums, but the live versions are MUCH better, to me. I'm not saying not to get these eventually, but as first purchases, you could do better. I'll put my asbestos coat on. Flame away! :rsmile:

I was going to make a joke about the alias. I was going to mention that George Lane fellow and how much Eric Dolphy ripped off his style.

Cool! It would be a desert island choice for me too. I really loved Garcia's pedal steel playing. I've tried to find every album that he played steel on. It's too bad he gave it up. :rsmile:

Speaking of Don Cherry. I saw a movie once called the Holy Mountain by a director with the name, Jodorowski. I guess Don Cherry did the score for it, and I really dug it. Do any of you know if the music is available? :rsmile:

That's a great observation! I'll have to do that during the next storm. I can just picture the storm building up with the music.

LOL

Man, you're pulling away like a bullet train! Whoosh!!! During the last week, I felt like I was the guy checking his rearview mirrors as the faster traffic caught him. It was fun while it lasted. I tried the edit thing, it didn't work for me. :rsmile:

Sal, I'm the same way about jazz and the Dead. I usually listen to some Dead everyday. I just love the stuff. I've gone nuts downloading live shows over the last couple years. The J.J. Johnson is a neat set. I think the most pleasant surprise about it was Bobby Jasper. I was unfamiliar with him before I got the set and I really enjoy his playing on it. Johnson's no slouch either. I agree with Ghost, I too am surprised it's still around. One thing, it's a whole lot of trombone. :rsmile:

After reading this thread, I was starting to wonder if I had made a bad choice. I hadn't actually listened to this album in a couple years and I was going on how much I remembered liking it. So, three days into this album of the week, I finally put it on. I LOVED IT! I'm not going to write a detailed review of it right now, but I really love when Coltrane takes me away to another land like he does on Ole. I forgot how much I dug Dolphy's flute playing and I even like Hubbard. I love the brashness of his early playing. I thought these guys kept up just fine. Ah, the joys of Tyner's chords. I loved that style. I'm a big fan of east indian music and I really dig the drones and feel of this first track. The twin basses are very cool and Elvin. What can I say about Elvin? Dahomey Dance. I didn't really remember this track as much as Ole. I thought it was just fine. I dig Dolphy's AnGuLar solo. Hubbard is having a fine time. Coltrane's great as usual. There's something about Coltrane's playing that I don't get from anyone else. I love it that much! Tyner's solo is nice, but I just love his comping. Aisha. I like this it's nice. Overall, I think this is a fine date. For me ALL of Coltrane's Atlantic's are GREAT. I really enjoy this period of his development. I've always thought Dolphy was a great foil for Coltrane. :rsmile:

Well it looks like I've been passed and Rooster Ties is pulling away.

I went with Horace too. It's funny, he seems to always slip under my radar. I'll be looking for something to listen to and usually pass over the Horace Parlan titles, but when I do stop and listen to his music, my reaction ALWAYS is "Why don't I listen to this more often - THIS IS GREAT!" :rsmile:

Yeah Sal, I dig the Mud Love Buddy Jam too! impossible, I must have been typing my last post when you were typing yours. You have some great suggestions. Weir's Ace really is a lost Dead album. The track list from this album sounds like your average 1973 show. Reckoning is also a great recommendation. Those acoustic sets from 1980 were one of the biggest highlights of that decade. I used to watch the video from those shows all the time as a Dead newbie. A couple Dead related albums that I love are David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name and Paul Kantner/Grace Slick's Blows Against the Empire. These were recorded in 1970 around the same time and have many of the same revolving musicians form the Dead, Airplane, CSN. There is some great playing by Garcia and the boys on these albums. At gdlive.com, they have outtakes from the sessions available for download (they're called the P.E.R.R.O. sessions, short for Planet Earth Rock n' Roll Orchestra). The track Mud Love Buddy Jam that Sal mentions is actually the changes from another Paul Kanter song that Garcia appeared on called Mind Left Body. Hence the similar sounding titles. It's nice to see so many Deadheads around here. I was afraid of bringing them up for fear of hearing crickets or or worse. :rsmile:

Sal is right. There was some good stuff happening in the late eighties/early nineties. It seemed like they were having fun again for a little while. I thought 1989 was a really good year for them. Pretty much 1988-1992 has a lot of worthwhile stuff for me. If you like Without a Net, check out Dozin' At the Knick. This is a triple cd set from 1990. I really enjoyed the shows when Hornsby and Welnick were both playing. Hornsby really seemed to help Garcia get the fire in his belly again. Also, they seemed to light up when Branford Marsalis appeared as a guest. I never meant to completely ignore the later period, but whenever I'm talking to someone who doesn't like the Dead, it seems as if they're talking about the group in the eighties and nineties. They can't believe the group was ever as innovative as they were from 66-77. To me the early shows were often uniformally good while in the later years, they were more hit-and-miss. :rsmile:

Welcome to the board Sal! I've only got the Blue Mitchell, but the Hodges and Turrentine are must-buys for me. I have albums that are on the sets and I know how much I like them. I think you'll be very happy with your sets. When you've had some time with them, please tell us how you like them. As for shipping time. I'm in California, and I usually have my sets within a week of ordering them. :rsmile:

Thanks again, Rooster! I haven't really explored Ives' piano music. I'll pick up some of those Vox sets. I've got some of their other releases and they are fine. Cheap cds are a good thing! I'm a fan of his symphonies too. I really like his first one. I know it's not as advanced as his later ones, but I just love hearing it. Yeah, the marching band thing did it for me too. I loved dissonance, but Ives took it to a whole new level for me. My teacher told us a story about when Ives was a boy. In his town they would have band contests, but when the different bands were riding into town on their wagons. They would be playing. From the town, Ives could here the different bands playing different tunes, and my professor said that is how he came up with that approach. :rsmile:

Thanks Rooster Ties! I have a few of the composers on your list. I agree with your statement about Ives. I've been a huge fan of his since I first heard his Three Places in New England (I think that's the title) back when I was in college. It's neat that you mention Howard Hanson. I've got a bunch of those Mercury Living Presence reissues. I've got all the Hanson's in the series. They are some of my favorites. One favorite of mine from that series is the first volume of Music for Quiet Listening. I'll put your suggestions down for future purchases. Thanks! :rsmile:

Thanks Mr. Jazz! I'll check them out. Matthew, I think you'll be very happy about the Dick's Pick! Sorry about your wallet. :rsmile:

Mnytime, I agree with your picks. The only reason I chose Dick's Picks 1 & 3 was because 1) Dick's Picks 1 is available in stores. I wasn't sure if Matthew wanted to order them online and it's a good representation of December 1973. Also, the version of Here Comes Sunshine is a huge favorite of mine. I agree that these releases are hurt because they are only 2 cd sets also. In regards to Dick's Picks 3, I put that down because there is nothing else available (for purchase) from that amazing month of shows. I agree Dick's Picks 4 is ESSENTIAL. That and volume 8 are very important documents from 1970. I just figured Matthew would get the two studio albums from that era first. I was trying to pick some good cds for getting into the different periods. I couldn't imagine not having these releases either. If I was suggesting Dick's Picks I would have also added vols 10 (12/29-30/77), 11 (9/27/72), 14 (11/30/73 & 12/2/73), 16 (11/8/69), 19 (10/19/73), 20, 22, 23. Basically, they're all worth getting. I have the ones from 78 on, and they're good, but they don't do as much for me as the earlier ones. Mnytime, thanks for calling me on these. I was trying to cram as much as I could into my first post that I neglected mentioning these great shows. Matthew, for Dead reading, I'd also recommend the three volumes of the Deadhead's Taping Compendium. They break down the different shows for you here. It's not a perfect set of books, but they're informative and enjoyable. :rsmile:

Wow! It must have been amazing watching this all happen. I wasn't able to get on the bus until the 80's (I was born in 1969), but that early period always kills me. I usually listen to something from the Dead everyday. I didn't used to appreciate Pigpen. I've really come to see him as the heart of the band. I love hearing his raps and his songs always pick me up. :rsmile:

Thanks BFrank! I didn't know that. I have a couple Tolliver's already, but I'll check it out. I've avoided Dusty Groove because I know I'll get in trouble if I shop there. I hear that place is addictive.

Thanks, Rooster! I realize I need to expand on my contemporary classical listening. :rsmile:

I'm just glad I can eat my lunch again while checking out the board.

I wish much of the Strata East catalog was available. Also, some of the Muse albums that 32 jazz didn't reissue would be nice. And a couple thousand other things.... :rsmile:

Soul Stream, I understand your concerns about this board not attracting enough members. That was my initial reason for embracing AAJ, but I just dug hanging out here so much that I spent my time here. One thing I have done a lot of is mention this place on other bulletin boards I frequent. I play guitar, so I spend time on guitar boards and when the subject of jazz comes up, I'm usually right there saying, "you should check out the organissimo forums...." I think this place was easy to adjust to because it was made up of BNBB's. AAJ was like coming into someone else's town and trying to fit in. It was sort of a question of personalities. The funny thing is that I see you guys on organissimo, AAJ, and Jazz Corner. It's like a little bit of home everywhere I go. :rsmile:

Your list makes me realize that I need to check these composers out. I'm a huge fan of Charles Ives. It's neat to see that he won the award. Any suggestions from the newer composers here? :rsmile: