Gents - Thanks for your thoughtful replies to, what in retrospect, might have been a bit of a silly comment. I think Acman’s "maybe I have heard the language, and it comes more natural..." definitely has something to do with it. Y’all have been at this a lot longer and way deeper. I’m hearing many things for the first time so the level of concentration invested is automatically going to be greater.
O - I appreciate what you are saying about your buying practices, especially given your "style" preferences. But, if I read you right, that HH Takin’ Off seems like something you would be well served by owning. Also, I have enough old vinyl that I do appreciate what an upgrade (even if just a new cart or an interconnect) does for the listening experience. I get satisfaction holding a good sounding recording that was made 40-50 years ago. It’s like some kind of archeological find but still functional.
I’m not saying there’s no good stuff worth buying given my preferences BUT there’s mountains of the trad jazz I’ve never even heard. Even if only one recording out of ten really grabs me, it is still a TON of music. Mind boggling, really.
Here's something I meant to ask about the HH...
Does anyone else think there's something similar between "Cantaloupe Island" and "Watermelon Man"?
I haven't played them back to back but, in memory, when I heard that Watermelon Man it did remind me of Cantaloupe Island...and I don't think it was just the fact there are melons in the titles! I'm curious what you aficionados might think.