Wes Montgomery – Riverside Profiles (2006)

Aug 31, 2007 by Mr. Nau This compilation serves as a fine introduction to Wes Montgomery, one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all time. This set features a variety of his recordings from the early 60s and features names like Kenny Burrell, Tommy Flanagan, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Johnny Griffin. […]

Clifford Brown & Max Roach – More Live at the Bee Hive (2006)

Aug 31, 2007 by Mr. Nau Clifford Brown joins the Max Roach Quintet in playing some great standards and a pair of original tunes. The musicianship — especially among Brown, Roach, Richie Powell (piano), Harold Land (tenor sax) and a young Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) — is consistently great, with most of the tunes over […]

Dizzy Gillespie – To Diz With Love (1992)

Aug 31, 2007 by Mr. Nau Dizzy Gillespie’s last record includes five standards featuring all of the best known trumpet players in jazz — Red Rodney, Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis, Wallace Roney, Claudio Roditi, Doc Cheatham, and Charlie Sepulveda. The obvious love they have for Diz and some unbelievable moments make this recording an amazingly […]

Eric Dolphy – The Illinois Concert (1999)

Aug 28, 2007 by Mr. Nau This live concert by Eric Dolphy and a great rhythm section (including young Herbie Hancock) was lost for almost four decades, discovered and released in 1999. Most of these tunes are Dolphy originals and they’re all brilliant. Dolphy’s work on God Bless the Child is a jaw-droppingly unforgettable interpretation. […]

Donald Byrd – The Cat Walk (1961)

Aug 28, 2007 by Mr. Nau Donald Byrd (trumpet) leads a phenomenal quintet with Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Duke Pearson (piano), Philly Joe Jones (drums), and Laymon Johnson (bass) in this amazingly listenable collection of original compositions. Byrd, Adams, and Pearson trade agile solos on this unusually entertaining date, complete with some superb rhythm section […]

Lee Morgan – Take Twelve (1962)

Aug 27, 2007 by Mr. Nau Tragically short-lived trumpet prodigy, Lee Morgan, leads a quintet in this solid date that features Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone. The songs are a collection of Morgan’s compositions and the playing is first rate throughout the record. This hard bop album is immensely enjoyable, with lots of great improvisation. […]

The J. J. Johnson Memorial Album (2003)

Aug 27, 2007 by Mr. Nau This beautiful compilation pays tribute to the legendary J. J. Johnson, the greatest bebop trombonist of all time. Johnson is featured on a range of standards that stretch across almost four decades of his discography. Collaborators on this great set include every big name in jazz active since the […]

Cal Tjader – Mambo With Tjader (1954)

Aug 24, 2007 by Mr. Nau Vibrophonist Cal Tjader leads a talented group of Latin musicians in this set of standards reimagined as mambo tunes. The fresh approach to standards like I’ll Remember April, Midnight Sun, Sonny Boy, Autumn Leaves, and This Can’t Be Love make this set unforgettable and easily accessible even five decades […]

Gerry Mulligan – On the Road (2006)

Aug 07, 2007 by Mr. Nau Gerry Mulligan leads an unbelievably talented set of stars in the early 50s on this double disk set that features standards and original charts in innovative pianoless quartet arrangements. The solo work by Mulligan, Chet Baker, Jon Eardley, Lee Konitz, and Chico Hamilton must have completely astonished the California […]

Stevie Wonder – Natural Wonder (1995)

Aug 03, 2007 by Mr. Nau Stevie Wonder pours his talent and passion into this two disk set of his live concerts in Tel Aviv and Osaka. All of his familiar tunes are here, as well as a few brand new ones. The music is astonishing and so is the sheer joy that permeates his […]

« go back — keep looking »