Louis Armstrong > No One Else But You
Composed by Don Redman
I suppose if one hasn’t thought about it too much leading off a “Greatest Singers Week” with a voice like Louis’ would seem oxymoronic. But, I’ve thought about it a lot.
Charlie Haden & Don Cherry > Out of Focus
Composed by Charlie Haden & Don Cherry
Both Charlie and Don proved for at least 30 years that my tagging them as “Legends of Avant-Garde Jazz” is truly narrow minded. Though this track by two old friends and bandmates is happily in the pocket of that ‘tradition.’
(Check out Rend It for a sweet look at the album source for this track, The Golden Number.)
Charlie Haden Duets Week #2
Legends of the Bass #2
Legends of the Trumpet #4
Legends of Avant-Garde Jazz #5 & #6
Duet #3
Miles Davis > Black Satin
Composed by Miles Davis
melanyouth:(via measart):
black satin-miles davisLove this era of Miles. And I still have my original vinyl copy of On The Corner. I love it that there is just nobody that sounds anything like he does….
Lee Morgan > The Sidewinder
Composed by Lee Morgan
The liner notes (by leading stuffy jazzbo Leonard Feather) make it clear, this record is just another (quality) Blue Note hard bop session. It’s not supposed to be a for-the-ages smash hit.
Soul Jazz Week #3
Legends of Soul Jazz #7
Legends of the Trumpet #3
Miles Davis > ‘Round Midnight
Composed by Thelonious Monk
There are 25 different versions of ‘Round Midnight on my iTunes (11 by Monk) and it’s really hard to pick the best one to end Thelonious Week. So, funnily enough I picked my favorite.
Miles had a more famous recording from the same year (1955) and at least seven more from other sessions over the years. But here the whole band (Miles - trumpet, John Coltrane - tenor saxophone , Red Garland - piano, Paul Chambers - bass, Philly Joe Jones - drums) was looser (they were squeezing a contractually demanded last album for Prestige) and just played the thing.
Thelonious Week #4
Legends of the Trumpet #2
Ballads #9
Standards #7
Covers #32
Ballads #7
Legends of the Trumpet #2
Standards #5
Miles Davis > When I Fall in Love
Composed by Victor Young & Edward Heyman
Miles made his penchant and talent for muted ballads clear early in his career, so I thought it was fitting to end our informal Ballads Week with his masterful 1956 version of a hit popularized by Doris Day and, beautifully, by Nat “King” Cole.
Legends of the Trumpet #1
Covers #4
Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy > Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
Composed by James Brown
I paid a lot of attention to Lester Bowie in the early 70s because he was part of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and then completely lost track. I’m sorry I did, because he led an incredible, parallel solo career. I first heard this track in 1999 on NPR the day he died, and was stupidly surprised how funky, contemporary, inventive, and funny he remained throughout his life.
