Date: 15-Nov-1998 19:04:46
From: PrezPal ( Rifftide@yahoo.com )
Just surfing....thought I'd add a couple:
Bengt Berger 'Bitter Funeral Beer' on ECM Europe. Features Don Cherry. Based on Ghanaian funeral music. Lots of percussion, some African instruments; tough to locate but well worth the hunt.

Duke Ellington 'Piano in the Background' Beautifully recorded, swinging Ellington from 1960 with some arrangements by Gerald Wilson. Crank it way up for 'Mainstem' and let the chills run up and down your spine. Wow!

Two new re-releases: Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' One of the most beautiful jazz albums ever for my money. 'I Talk With the Spitits' from Roland Kirk, all flute and lots of fun.

Date: 17-Nov-1998 22:22:34
From: Bryan Zuraw ( bzuraw@ucla.edu )
Some current and some lasting favorites:
Louis Moholo—Spirits Rejoice (Ogun) not available on CD
the drummer from the Blue Notes, a group of S. African exiles who set up in London in the 60's. this late 70's recording features some of the best British musicians—Evan parker, etc.—playing gorgeous music with a deep groove.
Bern Nix—Alarms and Excursions (New World Countercurrents)the guitarist from Ornette Coleman's Prime Time, playing in a trio with Fred Hopkins and Reggie Nicholson. the sound is much more open and 'light' than Prime Time, but the music is satisfyingly knotty.
Misha Mengelberg—Who's Bridge (AVANT)
my favorite piano trio record. A conventional setup that Mengelberg keeps driving off the rails. And, the tunes actually stick in yr head.
Gil Melle—Patterns in Jazz (Blue Note)
baritone/trombone/guitar/bass and drums, with Ed Thigpen, Oscar Pettiford, Eddie Bert and Joe Cinderella. Compositions that straddle bop and cool, and a lovely, low-end emphasis. This was recently reissued on CD as part of the Complete Gil Melle Blue Note Fifties Sessions, all of which is good.
Ab Baars—Sprok (geestgronden) a dutch saxophonist i trio. i really like his sound and the writing, for a trio, is heady chamber jazz—inspired more by Cage or Cowell than Mozart.
Art Tatum—God is in the House (High Note) this was just
issued on CD. Some of Tatum's music is too richly decorated for my taste, but this is fantastic—relaxed, never fussy. They're recordings made in after hours clubs, so the sound isn't crystal-clear.
Steve Beresford—Signals For Tea( AVANT) this doesn't appeal to conventional jazz tastes—Beresford's singing isn't much. but he plays a set of silly songs with dry wit and precision accompaniment by the members of Masada.
Ruby Braff/Dick Hyman—I've been enjoying both Fireworks (inner City- Hyman on piano) and America the Beautiful (Concord? -Hyman on pipe organ). melodic improvisations on standards and some classical pieces.

Date: 19-Nov-1998 17:41:18
From: Jim Hendrickson
Enjoyed reading all the comments. Sherman is a hell
of a drummer. Here's some I've not seen mentioned but
like......Lou Donaldson/Best of (Vol. I or II) I was
listening to some of this today, good choices
The Quiet Side of John Coltrane.....nothing
far out, a thoughtful anthology, great stuff, my favor-
ite J.C.
The new trio and quartet reissues of 60"s
Grant Green stuff. G.G. was a guitarist, more of a
single note line player. A lot of fine playing on these
two. The new Burton/Corea/Metheny has nice moments.

Date: 19-Nov-1998 17:57:34
From: Jim Hendrickson
I'm not so good at this.Sherman, by the way, is a fine
drummer. OK...Best of Lou Donaldson(vol I and II). The
new trio and quartet reissues of 60's guitarist Grant
Green, lot's of fine playing that was new to me.The
Gentle(quiet?) Side of John Coltrane, a thoughtful and
not far out anthology, a treasure.Lately I've enjoyed
the Concord anthology of Barney Kessel. The new Burton/
Corea/Metheny disc has some nice moments.

Date: 20-Nov-1998 17:12:14
From: Dave Nathan ( dnathan18@hotmail.com )
Dare I add a vocalist to this list? I suggest anything by Irene Kral. Two of her wonderful albums include those she made with Alan Bradbent and Junior Mance.

A nonvocal entrant is "I Concentate on You" with Lee Konitz and Red Mitchell.

Date: 21-Nov-1998 23:22:52
From: Dave Hughes ( jazz_fanatic@hotmail.com )
Here's a few CDs (I've limited it to CDs for this posting) of a more contemporary nature that even some of you straight-ahead jazz lovers might enjoy:

Flim & the BBs, "Big Notes" (DMP)—Recorded live in the studio (no overdubs), direct to digital tape. It's creative, playful and spontaneous, with phenomenal musicianship. This band has a style and personality all its own. Their "Tunnel" album runs a close second.

Manteca, "Extra Extra" (Nova)—This is a compilation disc from one of jazz's most exciting and underrated bands. The Toronto-based band consists of two trumpets, two saxophones, two percussionists, drums, keys, bass. Nova is out of business now, so this CD may be difficult to find. Their newest, a live album called "No Net" (Justin Time) is still available and is also good.

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