Weekend Music JAZZ Roundup

 

 

 

I've been planning for quite some time to dedicate an entire Roundup to the one true American art form of Jazz. My jazz journey began in earnest when I was around 16 or 17. It was a time of many opening doors of perception and I recall switching to the jazz radio station in the car one late night drive home from some nefarious adventure and being instantly transported. It wasn't long before I went out and picked up some classics from Miles and Coltrane. Through college, I pretty much stuck with the giants, expanding to Mingus, Dolphey, Monk and the like, but budgets were tight, and rock and hip hop were still commanding my dollars. Though I do remember springing for a used Smithsonian Jazz vinyl box set back then, which was a big deal as it meant spending an amount that could've scored me multiple CDs. In the last decade or so, I've moved deep into the jazz world and typically pick up at least one jazz album on any shopping trip...and boy am I ever glad that random turn of the dial so many years ago woke me to the wondrous world that is JAZZ.

 

 

The Sonny Criss Orchestra - Sonny's Dream (Birth of The New Cool): There's a certain boldness involved in naming an album 'Birth of the New Cool' in 1968, eleven years after Miles Davis' brilliant 'Birth of Cool' record. From the first notes, he earns every ounce of that boldness. This album is on fire! One of the best post bop albums I've ever heard, it is out of this world genies. We are taken into Sonny's dream completely and it's one cool world to be in. This is an album that should be talked about in any discussions about the best records of the era. After several listens, this has moved into my top 10 all time jazz album list.

 

Art Pepper - The Artistry of Pepper: Released in '62 after Art entered prison to serve a two year drug sentence because the law thought he was part of dope gang, though he was simply a user who bought from the top. He would spend most of the '60s battling his addictions, leaving this album to stand in for his contribution to the decade. And true to form, it's cooler than cool. "Zenobia," "Powder Puff," "Popo," and "Bunny" are my personal favorites.  

Albert Ammons - King of Blues and Boogie Woogie: This compilation was released in '75 and spans the career of the Chicago legend. Considered one of the three kings of the boogie jazz sound, I found this in the local shop's 4 for $10 bin and snatched it up. The interesting thing about boogie jazz is that you can pretty much trace the roots of early rock 'n' roll from it. Jerry Lee Lewis pops into mind, and Little Richard, basically any early piano based early rock. That's probably because it's rooted in "rhythm" and follows a similar structure. Great stuff, this. 

 

Stuff Smith Quartet - Swingin Stuff: Recorded live in 1965 at the "Jazzhus Montmarte" in Copenhagen, this is one of the finest live jazz albums I've ever hear. I recently was introduced to Stuff's work when I picked up another album of his from '65, and the way he plays jazz violin is mind blowing. His plays it in a way to mimic trumpet and it's brilliant. "Old Stinkin' Blues," Ellington's "C-Jam Blues," and Basie's "One O'Clock Jump" are standouts.

 

Art Blakey Jazz Messengers - Caravan: Released in '62, at the peak of the Pittsburgh hard bop drummer's career, this was recently re-issued on 180g vinyl. There's a lot of these jazz reissues that you can pick up new for under $10, especially if they are not the top three or four names in jazz. But as readers here know, in the last several years, I've been digging deeper into the jazz trove and there is so many that are just as good as Miles, John, Charlie and Duke. Art is one of them. He was a pioneer of the hard bop genre, one of my personal favorites, and he brought a lot of talented musicians up through his band.

 

Don Patterson - These are Soulful Days: Released in '74, towards the end of the Ohio jazz organists' recording career, this is pretty record. Despite the title, it's attachment to soul music is slim, as this is clearly a jazz record, but a groovy one to be sure. As expected the organ is front and center, but Jimmy Heath on sax is outstanding as well. The epic "Muse Blues" which takes up the last 17+ minutes is a real standout on here.