The Missing Recordings
I just found a bag of CD's that I once brought to play for intermission music at a gig. They are some of my favorites and I had been missing them. I thought I'd share the list with LAjazz.com readers. Three of these I had the pleasure of playing drums on. I'm not ashamed to say that I still like them a lot. (Gotta give yourself a break now and then!)
The list:
Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington (Riverside)
Monk's first recording under his own name. A trio with Oscar Pettiford and Kenny Clarke. Even non-Monk types might like this. Smooth tribute to one of his mentors. Check out the similarities in piano styles.
Dizzy Gillespie - Cool Breeze-Big Band "Live" 1957 (Hindsight)
An uproarious live date with Moody, Persip et al. Band is tight and smokin.'
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall (Blue Note)
A recent discovery of a 1957 concert from archive tapes. Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and probably the best quality recording of drummer Shadow Wilson. He's an unsung hero.
On Green Dolphin Street - Bill Evans with Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones (Milestone)
Extra cuts by the rhythm section of a Chet Baker date. Great "off-the-cuff" playing by the masters. The final track, All of You, with Lafaro and Motian shows where the trio went later.
Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing (Chess)
A classic "must have" with Israel Crosby (b) and Vernel Fournier (d). Features the legendary "Poinciana." Fournier's drum beat stolen by every drummer since!
Duke Ellington Live at Newport (Columbia)
The newer version has better sound and no overdubs. Famous Paul Gonsalves romp on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue. Crowd goes nuts, women rush the stage, Woodyard double bass drum solo... could be the first "Rock Concert"-type experience.
Mile Davis - Sketches of Spain - Arrangements by Gil Evans (Columbia)
What can you say?
Miles Davis Allstars (Prestige)
A real grooving mid-period date (1954) with JJ Johnson, Lucky Thomson, Horace Silver, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. You'll want to leave this one in the playlist for a while.
Coltrane Plays the Blues (Atlantic)
This was one of his first with McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones. Beautiful relaxed feel. Recorded by Tom Dowd upstairs in the Atlantic offices.
The Definitive Sonny Rollins (Verve)
from Ken Burns Jazz
Highlights from the career of a living master.
...And three of my favorites that I got to drum on!
Lanny Morgan - A Suite for Yardbird (Fresh Sound)
Ace altoist doing an all-Bird program. One of the last recordings by piano jazz-great and friend Lou Levy. Tom Warrington on bass. Another personal favorite.
Bill Perkins Big Band - Our Man Woody (Jazz Mark)
All-star L.A. big band with outstanding arrangements by several writers. Bill Perkins is in great form and taking no prisoners in this tribute to his former boss.
The Legacy Lives On (Mack Avenue)
This "shirtsleeves" date was produced by Stix Hooper. It features "cameo" appearances by legends like James Moody, Al McKibbon, Ray Brown, Shirley Horn, Pete Jolly, Kenny Burrell, Ernie Andrews, Jon Hendricks, Teddy Edwards, and Cedar Walton. My buddy bassist Luther Hughes and drummer Willie Jones III also play on some tracks.
I hope the readers will enjoy the music on this list. Some of it you may be familiar with already and might dig hearing again. Any you haven't heard will surely be a treat!
'Til next time...
Best, Paul
