Sonny Stitt and Richie Cole – Battle of the Saxes (1981)

Jul 17, 2007 by Mr. Nau Sonny Stitt and Richie Cole team up on this exceptionally fun recording where they trade licks in seven uptempo bebop tracks. The solo work is outstanding and the saxophonists play off each other confidently. Every track is very listenable, making this disc a good staple for any jazz fan’s […]

Jimmy Smith & Eddie Harris – All the Way Live (1981)

Jul 11, 2007 by Mr. Nau The legendary organist Jimmy Smith teams up with tenorman Eddie Harris on this seminal recording of the only recording where these two giants share the bill. Harris and Smith trade solos in a set equally divided between standards and originals. All six tracks are wonderful examples of classic hard […]

Joe Henderson – Mode for Joe (1966)

Jun 29, 2007 by Mr. Nau Joe Henderson joins forces with a masterful group of jazz legends in this beautiful seven song set, including Lee Morgan, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, and Bobby Hutcherson. All of the tunes are original compositions of either Henderson, Walton, or Morgan, and the musicianship on this record is consistently first-rate. […]

Cannonball Adderley – Things Are Getting Better (1958)

Jun 14, 2007 by Mr. Nau Cannonball Adderley joins forces with Milt Jackson, Wyton Kelley, Percy Heath, and Art Blakey in this beautiful hard-bop set that includes the title track, a grooving rendition of “Groovin’ High”, and a memorable version of Cole Porter’s “Just One of Those Things.” This accessible set really hits the spot. […]

John Coltrane – Stardust (1958)

Jun 14, 2007 by Mr. Nau John Coltrane leads a group of stars in this relaxed set from 1958. The four-song album is wonderfully listenable and consists mostly of ballads, including a sweet, lyrical rendition of “Stardust” and an uptempo “Love Thy Neighbor.” The playing is consistently great and shows off Coltrane’s expressive ballad interpretation. […]

Oscar Peterson – A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra (1959)

Jun 11, 2007 by Mr. Nau The Oscar Peterson Trio pays tribute to Frank Sinatra in this set of Old Blue Eyes’ biggest early hits. While the playing is consistently great as one might expect from Peterson, Ray Brown, and Ed Thigpen, there is very little jazz improvisation and quite a big of easy listening […]

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (1959)

Jun 07, 2007 by Mr. Nau Wow. It is almost physically impossible to not be stunned by this album. Mellow, relaxed, and full of astonishing moments of musical perfection, this ultimate jazz recording features Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Bill Evans, and Wynton Kelly in a breathtaking classic that should be in every record […]

Bill Evans and Stan Getz – But Beautiful (1974)

Jun 07, 2007 by Mr. Nau The Bill Evans Trio welcomes Stan Getz in this live set from the early seventies. The music is very laid back and never gets too rambunctious. Getz and Evans play beautifully off each other. Getz’s tenor has such a big delicious tone and he even plays “Happy Birthday” for […]

Sonny Stitt – Personal Appearance (1957)

Jun 04, 2007 by Mr. Nau Sonny Stitt follows in the footsteps of Charlie Parker in this blistering set of standards and original compositions. His clean, singing tone on both alto and tenor saxes is on magnificent display here. The fluidity of Stitt’s solo work with his masterful rhythm section makes this a thoroughly enjoyable […]

Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool (1956)

Jun 02, 2007 by Mr. Nau A definitive collection of mid-tempo tunes and ballads, this stunning set includes a number of compositions by Miles Davis and Gerry Mulligan. This group of stars delivers a must-have album, easily accessible to any listener—full of incredible, but not dizzyingly fast, improvisational moments and pure musical magic. Grade: A+. […]

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