Jazz Recommendations

This is good stuff! Sdcampbell is on point with his list. There is nothing more to add. However, I would recommend that you get the latest edition of "The Penguin Guide To Jazz On CD, LP, & Cassette". You must have this book handy.

Like most of the posters here, it's very difficult to rate the "young lions". As mentioned before, they get the technical aspect right but seem to lack emotion. With one notable exception, Joshua Redman. What sets Joshua aside from his contemporaries (besides his Harvard degree) is that he is willing to take chances. Most new jazz artist will pad their debut and sophomore efforts with standards, as a safety net. Joshua came out of the gate with original compositions that are sure to become standards. You can hear his playing mature with each outing. As the years go by, he will be recognized as one of the great ones. As far as great albums go, let me do it this way. The ten year period from 1955-1965 probaly had some of the most profounding work done than almost any other period. I know that will raise a few eyebrows.

Out of all the great artist listed, there is one glaring omission. Ben Webster!! The sonics of his recordings are not the best, but no one phrases like he does. Sometimes when I'm listening to him play, I swear that his sax is going to sing!! His early recordings are good, but his later works seem to drip with emotion. I hate to keep using the term "emotion", but that's what it's all about for me. Please, check out Ben Webster, you won't be sorry.

I could not agree more, Redkiwi. Sometimes I yearn to hear the slow, mournful burn of Ben Webster. Other times I want to hear the power and energy of Clifford Brown. Kadlec is the envious position of discovering the music that we have loved and enjoyed for years. That is why this thread has taken off. Not only are we eager and excited about helping out, we are very envious. It's like a helping a friend put together his/her first "high-end" system. No matter how great a system you may have, you always wish that it were you that was starting to put together a system for the first time. It's fun, exciting, and hopefuly rewarding. Jazz, or any other music is no different. I will never forget the first time I heard, and understood, Miles, Coltrane, Monk, Bud, etc....Kadlec, we know what you are about to experience and we envy you!