JAM: August/September 2000 Issue: Desert Island Picks

Back We Go To...
THE DESERT ISLAND

Where, this time, KC saxophonists are the ones who "survive" with great music.

AHMAD ALAADEEN

Charlie Parker -- Bird and Strings, Vol. 1
The greatest saxophone player in the world breaks new ground.
Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
With this recording, Miles made another change in the music.
Charlie Parker -- Embraceable You
One of the greatest statements in paraphrasing I have ever heard.
John Coltrane -- Giant Steps
A good introduction to Coltrane's (new) harmonic structures.
John Coltrane/Johnny Hartman -- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
A beautiful, impeccable marriage of horn and voice.

KEN BARRY

Steps Ahead -- Steps Ahead
I like the tunes and textures created by Mike Brecker on sax, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Mike Mainieri on vibes. They explore a lot of good grooves and harmonies on this.
Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech -- Dr. Hee
Scott combines a great lyrical sense on guitar with excellent songwriting. The tunes on this rock/jazz fusion album are very complex but have a lot of emotional depth.
Allan Holdsworth -- Sand
Allan's sense of melody as a guitarist is derived from woodwind players, and he creates "sheets of sound" a la Coltrane. He and the rhythm section create some great grooves and intense soloing.
John McLaughlin -- Live at Royal Festival Hall
This live performance has so much rhythmic complexity and emotional intensity that I get something new out of it upon each listening.
Steve Tibbetts -- Safe Journey
Steve creates very interesting acoustic spaces with his guitar, along with percussionists and sampled sounds. This album is like going on a journey to distant lands.

Von Freeman -- "White Sand"...
... which is based on the changes to "Night and Day." I would have to have this because of the arrangement, the way band kicks in to both the Latin and swing feel, and first and foremost the melody. With Jimmy Cobb, John Young and Sam Jones.
Art Blakey -- Album Of the Year
With Wynton Marsalis and Bobby Watson. This was one of my favorite CDs about ten years ago, and one I left in my CD player for quite some time before moving on to something else. I've always found something fresh about it.
Charles Mingus -- Mingus Ah Um
This is another one that got stuck in my (tape) player for a long time. Creative and timeless music. It is has been digitally remastered by Columbia Jazz Masterpieces.
John McLaughlin -- The Promise
This has a lineup of musicians that will knock your socks off -- Dennis Chambers, Joey DeFrancesco, Michael Brecker, Zakir Hussain. There is a beautiful diversity of styles and blending of genre. A couple of the tunes on this CD incorporate a strong Middle-Eastern influence, and after traveling to some far-off places in my life, those tunes in particular stimulate my mind's eye and go beyond just the music for me.
Phil Woods Quartet/London Symphony Orchestra -- An American Concerto by Patrick Williams.
In three movements Williams composed a stunning masterpiece. The reason I like this is the way it incorporated a jazz quartet into an orchestral setting with fabulous musical ideas, feels and moods; and again, it has the ability to musically stimulate the mind's eye. Bop-meets-Stravinsky-and-Mussorgsky, with a sprinkling of a Rhapsody. Every time I listen to this, I hear something fresh. I only have an tattered old cassette of it now, so if anyone has a copy, let me know. I would love to listen to it again.

PHIL BRENNER

Dexter Gordon -- Manhattan Symphonie
Dexter with a great rhythm section and great readings of "Body and Soul" and "Moment's Notice."
Phil Woods -- Live At the Showboat
A fantastic live recording. I've listened to it hundreds of times and have never gotten tired of it.
Bill Evans -- We Will Meet Again
The tunes here are all Evans originals and are wonderful. Larry Schneider and Tom Harrell sound great on the front line.
Wayne Shorter -- Speak No Evil
I love Wayne's writing and playing, so it's hard to pick a favorite. But the title track on this album gives "Speak No Evil" the nod.
Michael Brecker -- Time Is Of the Essence
I love the organ-trio-with-horn sound. And all the players on this date are at their best.

BILL CRAIN

John Coltrane -- Blue Trane
The depth of the playing and the overall sound of this album has always inspired me.
Cannonball Adderley -- Cannonball's Sharpshooters
Why? No one who has heard Cannonball play on this album would ask why.
Oscar Peterson Trio -- Night Train
Perfect grooves and incredible artistry. I feel great every time I listen to this one.
Phil Woods -- Live At the Showboat
This is simply one of the best live jazz albums ever recorded. In my opinion, Phil is absolutely the best sax player alive.
Buddy Rich Big Band -- Mercy, Mercy
Great excitement from a tremendous band of great players. Don Menza had just returned from his extended stay in Europe and joined Buddy's band for this album. Menza's playing on this recording stunned me into trying to play the saxophone.

Dexter Gordon -- Live at Carnegie Hall
One of the first DG CDs I ever heard and I have never forgotten it. It also includes another tenor great, Johnny Griffin.
Illinois Jacquet -- Jacquet's Got It!
That Big Texas Sound! If you ever needed something to set your swing mechanism, this would be the device.
Ornette Coleman -- The Shape of Jazz to Come
To me, this CD is the result of Ornette's determination to break through to complete freedom of expression.
John Coltrane/Johnny Hartman -- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
The musical script for this CD could not have been directed better by Steven Spielberg. This is the perfect CD to learn how to phrase ballads and interact with vocalists.
Joe Henderson -- Joe Henderson Big Band
It is amazing how Joe Henderson, Slide Hampton and Michael Phillip Mossman could arrange these Joe Henderson standards and not lose the Henderson flavor. They displayed a way to create the small group feel with a big band sound.

JIM MAIR

Count Basie -- Prime Time
This recording from 1977 really turned me on to big band jazz. Sammy Nestico's writing predominates during this era and band soloists included Al Grey on trombone, Jimmy Forrest and Eric Dixon on tenor sax, and drummer Butch Miles, all of whom are personal favorites.
Charlie Parker with Strings -- The Master Takes
These sessions capture Bird at his finest. This was a concept that Parker was particularly proud of, both musically and personally. As dinner music or as fine art, this is a masterpiece.
John Coltrane -- Blue Train
This session includes one of my favorite trumpeters in Lee Morgan and the wonderful bassist Paul Chambers.
Sarah Vaughan -- Crazy and Mixed Up
This Japanese release is Sassy at her very best. Sarah handled every aspect of this recording; she picked the tunes and the sidemen, she chose the artwork, and she produced the session. All without any interference from the record company. Guitarist Joe Pass and pianist Sir Roland Hanna make wonderful contributions to this disc.
Dexter Gordon -- Great Encounters
Half of this album was recorded live at Carnegie Hall with Johnny Griffin and Dexter blowing in a tenor battle setting. The other half includes three studio cuts that feature vocalist Eddie Jefferson and trumpeter Woody Shaw.

RONALD MCFADDEN

Charlie Parker -- The Complete Dial Sessions
This has a lot of Bird's bebop tunes, but it also has tunes like "My Old Flame," and "Don't Blame Me." As a matter of fact, Bird's "Don't Blame Me" is one of the songs that made want to be a saxophone player.
Wynton Marsalis -- Standard Time, Vol. 1
A very innovative album.
Count Basie -- This Time by Basie
This is one of the swingingest things Basie ever put out.
Sammy Davis, Jr./Count Basie -- Sammy and Basie
Sammy does some tap-dancing on this album, and with the Basie band, man... it unreal!
For the fifth album
-- and I'm going all the way to the other side now -- it's a tossup between Toni Braxton's Secrets, and The Whispers' Greatest Hits (laughs). On the desert island it's probably gonna be hot during the day, but in the evening, give me some Toni Braxton or the Whispers... or some slow Charlie Parker!

HAL MELIA

Miles Davis -- Kind Of Blue
Gotta have this one just to remember where the modern thing came from and why we do things now the way we do. It's also fun to reminisce about the subsequent careers of this all-star aggregation.
John Coltrane -- Africa/Brass
I am going to go with "Africa/Brass" because it was recorded while it was still cool to leave space and let things develop in an organic, natural way. Coltrane is exploratory here, but in an inward sense; the harmonies and voicings are not far from standard, the forms are somewhat developmental, but not rantingly so, and it's just fun to remember when people took a little more time doing things. And the one thing there would probably be a lot of on a desert island is time!
Stan Getz -- People Time
So many to choose from, so little time! I have to go with "People Time," the live duo CD with Kenny Barron, just because it feels like the culmination of a long and storied career for Stan, and there is an honesty to the recording that is rare nowadays. Kenny Barron was actually surprised to get the call! That kind of humility is something the whole scene could stand to see and hear a little more often.
Louis Armstrong/Ella Fitzgerald -- Louis and Ella Again
I can't get enough of this 2-CD set. The way they state the melodies, the unhurried, careful nature of their constructions, the way they each subordinate their own needs to the greater good, the selections... An all-around classic!
Clifford Brown -- Brown and Roach, Inc.
Actually I would try to sneak the Mercury vinyl EmArcy Jazz Series recording, but there might be a flag on the play because I don't know if it's out on CD or not. Anyway, "sweet" playing is never out of place, especially if you want to listen to something over and over and over.
Chick Corea -- Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
I'm throwing in a sixth entry because I have an extra coat pocket and need to pay tribute to something a little more recent. Man, I just LIKE this record. The playing is virtuosic, as it always is with Chick, but the chemistry works like a charm. Either this one, or the classic Light As A Feather, which contains three of my favorite tunes: "Spain," "You're Everything," and "500 Miles High." I was lucky enough to be playing a wedding at the Bel Air Country Club in Los Angeles, and Chick Corea's son was the best man. The scene that burned itself indelibly into my brain was me leaning on a pillar sipping on a free Heineken, watching Chick Corea on piano, his wife Gayle Moran singing with a girl from the wedding party, his son on drums, and the groom on bass, doing "500 Miles High." Behind the band was a wall of windows, looking out over the golf course and on to Westwood, as dusk approached and the lights were coming up. A pretty nice little family outing!

Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
This record continues to amaze me. And "So What" would keep you cool on any hot desert-island day. The saxophone sounds of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley are huge.
The Crusaders -- Free As the Wind
The title track (by Joe Sample) featuring Wilton Felder's tenor takes you (with the wind) to places where there are no boundaries.
Jeff Beck -- Blow by Blow
With the track "She's a Woman" (Lennon/McCartney). I first heard this on the beach, on the Texas gulf coast. And it's always just stuck with me.
Pat Metheny -- Pat Metheny Group
The track "San Lorenzo" is beautiful ensemble playing.
Paul Butterfield -- The Butterfield Blues Band Live
With the track, "Everything Is Going To Be Alright." My mentor on the harmonica, Paul Butterfied's harp playing is always a inspiration.

KIM PARK

Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
The crystallization of the muse in the language of jazz.
Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic -- Beethoven's Seventh Symphony in A Major.
It profoundly captures the "egocentric predicament."
The Beatles -- "The White Album"
Why: Eclectic creativity.
Jimi Hendrix -- Smash Hits
Why: His tenuous hold of "the comet's tail."
Hank Williams -- Gold
Stephen Foster, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams... They define the American popular song, from the roots up.

STEVE PATKE

Sonny Stitt -- Constellation
Probably the first jazz recording I ever owned; and it's still a favorite.
Dave Brubeck/Paul Desmond -- Jazz at the Blackhawk/Jazz at Storyville (2 LP set)
I've always loved Desmond's sound.
Ella Fitzgerald/Joe Pass -- Take Love Easy
Take this and your favorite drink along at the end of the day, and you'll float away happy.
James Taylor -- Sweet Baby James
Almost no jazz content (one blues), and straight out of what Chuck Cowan jokingly calls "The Folk Scare"... but I'm a baby boomer and I gotta have one "comfort" album from my college years.
Duke Ellington -- Duke Ellington at Newport
Since most of my picks are "pretty" music, I thought it would be good to add some excitingly raucous playing. And on this, you can really hear the crowd reaction.

EDDIE SAUNDERS

Art Tatum -- 20th Century Piano Genius
This album really puts you in your place. With it I found out how much I didn't know.
Billie Holiday -- The Silver Collection
I'd take this one because I knew Billie.
Duke Ellington -- The Great London Concerts
Duke was a Musician Supreme.
Dexter Gordon -- Gotham City
Dexter was the Gentleman Jammer.
Count Basie -- The Complete Decca Recordings
Swinging, swinging, swinging!

JOSH SCLAR

Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
An obvious choice, but I really think this album is magic.
Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto -- Getz/Gilberto
An album whose melodic statements are unforgettable.
Paul Motian -- Motian in Tokyo
This one helped form my conception of music as art.
The Beatles -- Magical Mystery Tour
The spirit of fun and innovation in songwriting is alive on this album.
John Denver and the Muppets -- A Christmas Together
A sentimental favorite. I love Christmas music.

AARON SIMCOX

John Coltrane -- Blue Trane
It's the album that taught me that I can't play the blues.
* Michael Brecker -- Michael Brecker
Mike is the God of Saxophone.
Charlie Parker -- In a Soulful Mood
Actually, any recording that includes Bird playing this version of "Lover Man" would do.
David Sanborn -- Upfront
In case a chick gets stranded on the island, too.
Chef Aid -- South Park
I will never grow tired of listening to Cartman sing "Come Sail Away" by Styx.

Eric Dolphy -- Out To Lunch
This is the album I always tell people I would take to the desert island. I hear something new every time I put it on.
Dave Douglas -- Charms of the Night Sky
The perfect mixture of beautiful chamber work and soulful improv.
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy -- Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury
The best hiphop album I've ever heard.
Hal Russell -- Finish Swiss Tour
The first time I heard Hal play sax, I almost cried. He was a multi-instrumentalist who didn't pick up the sax until he was 55.
Stevie Wonder -- Talking Book
This is the kind of pop album where every song becomes your favorite song again and again.
I think I'd also have to sneak an Albert Ayler album onto the island... or at least die trying.

KERRY STRAYER

Gerry Mulligan/Paul Desmond -- Two of a Kind
The finest example of smooth, tasty, lyrical, improvised lines I've ever heard. With Mulligan's beautiful tone at its finest.
Duke Ellington -- Any of the "Anthologies" or "Best Ofs" that span his career.
Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn... the history of our music. "It Don't Mean a Thing..."
Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
Where else can you capture three great instrumentalists, a great rhythm section, and a landmark recording all in one fell swoop?
Pat Metheny -- Still Life (Talking)
This is one of the most beautiful recordings I've ever heard and my favorite from Pat. I find it quite refreshing to get so much enjoyment from music that I have no aptitude for as a performer. It's liberating to listen to something you don't have to worry about ever having to play.
Gerry Mulligan -- Lonesome Boulevard
I heard someone ask Gerry at a seminar in 1994 what it was he was trying to accomplish as a musician at that late stage of his life and career. He said he was interested only in creating beauty. And that he had no time or desire for ugly music; only to seek pure beauty. He achieved that with this collection of his finest, most reflective and later compositions.

DOUG TALLEY

Duke Ellington -- The Blanton-Webster Band
If I had to choose just one "big band" it would have to be Duke or Basie. Duke's orchestrations are captivating, with a rich variety of textures and timbres. And his arrangements often take unexpected twists and turns, juxtaposing seemingly unrelated material.
Don Cherry -- Complete Communion
With Ed Blackwell and Gato, this is great avant garde jazz played from the heart.
Paul Desmond/Jim Hall -- Bossa Antigua
As an improviser Desmond had remarkable melodic creativity. Often, his improvisations are simple, other times more complex and less predictable, but always beautiful melodies.
Thelonious Monk -- Brilliant Corners
With Sonny Rollins, Ernie Henry, Oscar Pettiford and Max Roach (Clark Terry and Paul Chambers on "Bemsha Swing"). Monk's music is a perfect blend of creativity and humor.
Miles Davis -- '58 Miles
With Coltrane, Cannonball, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. Though they have been played to death at jam sessions, these standard tunes, "On Green Dolphin Street," "Stella by Starlight," "Love for Sale," "My Funny Valentine," "Oleo" and "Straight, No Chaser" are classics. Also, the sound of Cannonball's alto is a great antidepressant.

DAN THOMAS

Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto -- Getz/ Gilberto
Featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim. Some of the tastiest playing ever recorded.
John Coltrane -- My Favorite Things
Coltrane... My favorite things... Enough said.
Michael Brecker -- Tales From the Hudson
Continually inspiring.
Cannonball Adderley/John Coltrane -- Cannonball and Coltrane
Two giants, head-to-head. You can't miss with this one.
Kenny Garrett -- Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane
This album is as good as they get, and an outstanding tribute to one of the greatest saxophonists who ever lived.

JIM VANDEL

Cannonball Adderley -- Beginnings
These recordings are from 1955-1959, when Cannonball burst onto the scene after Charlie Parker's death in March of 1955. On this album Cannonball is featured with some of the best musicians in various settings -- from quintet to 10-piece ensemble -- playing bebop, blues, ballads and standards. An excellent example of Cannonball's big sound, technique, articulation and melodic style that is still unmatched.
Phil Woods -- Live At the Showboat
Phil Woods has always been my favorite alto saxophonist. And in my opinion this live recording is one of his best.
John Coltrane -- The Art of John Coltrane
This is another one of my favorites. It has all the classic recordings, like "Giant Steps," "Countdown" and "Central Park West," among others.
Clifford Brown -- The Quintet
To me, Clifford Brown is to the trumpet what Cannonball is to the saxophone. This particular album features Harold Land and Sonny Rollins on tenor, Max Roach on drums. It is a great album; I never get tired of listening to it.
Lennie Tristano -- Requiem
I love the way Lennie plays. Especially his phrasing and melodic lines. This album also features another favorite saxophonist of mine, Lee Konitz.

MIKE WHITE

Richie Kamuca/Shelly Mann -- Nightingale
It swings, it cooks and it's soulful. Richie is beautiful.
John Coltrane -- Out of This World
Trane stretched the emotional and mysterious to the breaking point.
Scott Hamilton -- Apple Honey
This album flows so beautifully, and Scott gets over his horn so well. And I like that New York sound.
Bunky Green -- Feelings
Why: It's so surprising.
Lester Young -- Love Me or Leave Me
Pure soul plus the KC sound.

TODD WILKINSON

The Art Ensemble of Chicago -- Nice Guys
Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostus, Famoudo Don Moye. A great example of how highly organized and creative the so-called "avant-garde" can be. Never a dull moment. Group mind: group improvisation is the compositional mandate.
Frank Zappa -- The Yellow Shark-Ensemble Modern
Released just before his transition. This is a collection of live recordings of his contemporary concert music. Mixed ensembles and programmes. Virtuosity abounds. Wonderful balance of unity and variety. Composer esthetic dominates.
John Coltrane -- Live at Birdland
John Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones. Intensity, passion, risk-it-all jazz truth. Like highly-focused light, energy at a maxim. Compositions are a frame, improvisation is the painting.
Cannonball Adderley -- Something Else
Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, Art Blakey. Distillation of melody. Compositional improvisation. Transparent textures. Natural, relaxed intelligence. Performers dominate the compositions and make the tunes their own.
Duke Ellington/Coleman Hawkins -- Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Hawkins, Ellington, Aaron Bell, Sam Woodyard... Giants all. Swing and sound are paramount. Infectious spirit. Simplistic ideas are the foundation for complicated structures. Melody makers. In the tradition. The jazz language is spoken fluently here. Composer and performers on equal ground.






	Search our site:		Back We Go To... THE DESERT ISLAND Where, this time, KC saxophonists are the ones who "survive" with great music. AHMAD ALAADEEN Charlie Parker -- Bird and Strings, Vol. 1 The greatest saxophone player in the world breaks new ground. Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue With this recording, Miles made another change in the music. Charlie Parker -- Embraceable You One of the greatest statements in paraphrasing I have ever heard. John Coltrane -- Giant Steps A good introduction to Coltrane's (new) harmonic structures. John Coltrane/Johnny Hartman -- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman A beautiful, impeccable marriage of horn and voice. KEN BARRY Steps Ahead -- Steps Ahead I like the tunes and textures created by Mike Brecker on sax, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Mike Mainieri on vibes. They explore a lot of good grooves and harmonies on this. Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech -- Dr. Hee Scott combines a great lyrical sense on guitar with excellent songwriting. The tunes on this rock/jazz fusion album are very complex but have a lot of emotional depth. Allan Holdsworth -- Sand Allan's sense of melody as a guitarist is derived from woodwind players, and he creates "sheets of sound" a la Coltrane. He and the rhythm section create some great grooves and intense soloing. John McLaughlin -- Live at Royal Festival Hall This live performance has so much rhythmic complexity and emotional intensity that I get something new out of it upon each listening. Steve Tibbetts -- Safe Journey Steve creates very interesting acoustic spaces with his guitar, along with percussionists and sampled sounds. This album is like going on a journey to distant lands. BACK TO TOP CARL BENDER Von Freeman -- "White Sand"... ... which is based on the changes to "Night and Day." I would have to have this because of the arrangement, the way band kicks in to both the Latin and swing feel, and first and foremost the melody. With Jimmy Cobb, John Young and Sam Jones. Art Blakey -- Album Of the Year With Wynton Marsalis and Bobby Watson. This was one of my favorite CDs about ten years ago, and one I left in my CD player for quite some time before moving on to something else. I've always found something fresh about it. Charles Mingus -- Mingus Ah Um This is another one that got stuck in my (tape) player for a long time. Creative and timeless music. It is has been digitally remastered by Columbia Jazz Masterpieces. John McLaughlin -- The Promise This has a lineup of musicians that will knock your socks off -- Dennis Chambers, Joey DeFrancesco, Michael Brecker, Zakir Hussain. There is a beautiful diversity of styles and blending of genre. A couple of the tunes on this CD incorporate a strong Middle-Eastern influence, and after traveling to some far-off places in my life, those tunes in particular stimulate my mind's eye and go beyond just the music for me. Phil Woods Quartet/London Symphony Orchestra -- An American Concerto by Patrick Williams. In three movements Williams composed a stunning masterpiece. The reason I like this is the way it incorporated a jazz quartet into an orchestral setting with fabulous musical ideas, feels and moods; and again, it has the ability to musically stimulate the mind's eye. Bop-meets-Stravinsky-and-Mussorgsky, with a sprinkling of a Rhapsody. Every time I listen to this, I hear something fresh. I only have an tattered old cassette of it now, so if anyone has a copy, let me know. I would love to listen to it again. PHIL BRENNER Dexter Gordon -- Manhattan Symphonie Dexter with a great rhythm section and great readings of "Body and Soul" and "Moment's Notice." Phil Woods -- Live At the Showboat A fantastic live recording. I've listened to it hundreds of times and have never gotten tired of it. Bill Evans -- We Will Meet Again The tunes here are all Evans originals and are wonderful. Larry Schneider and Tom Harrell sound great on the front line. Wayne Shorter -- Speak No Evil I love Wayne's writing and playing, so it's hard to pick a favorite. But the title track on this album gives "Speak No Evil" the nod. Michael Brecker -- Time Is Of the Essence I love the organ-trio-with-horn sound. And all the players on this date are at their best. BILL CRAIN John Coltrane -- Blue Trane The depth of the playing and the overall sound of this album has always inspired me. Cannonball Adderley -- Cannonball's Sharpshooters Why? No one who has heard Cannonball play on this album would ask why. Oscar Peterson Trio -- Night Train Perfect grooves and incredible artistry. I feel great every time I listen to this one. Phil Woods -- Live At the Showboat This is simply one of the best live jazz albums ever recorded. In my opinion, Phil is absolutely the best sax player alive. Buddy Rich Big Band -- Mercy, Mercy Great excitement from a tremendous band of great players. Don Menza had just returned from his extended stay in Europe and joined Buddy's band for this album. Menza's playing on this recording stunned me into trying to play the saxophone. BACK TO TOP GERALD DUNN Dexter Gordon -- Live at Carnegie Hall One of the first DG CDs I ever heard and I have never forgotten it. It also includes another tenor great, Johnny Griffin. Illinois Jacquet -- Jacquet's Got It! That Big Texas Sound! If you ever needed something to set your swing mechanism, this would be the device. Ornette Coleman -- The Shape of Jazz to Come To me, this CD is the result of Ornette's determination to break through to complete freedom of expression. John Coltrane/Johnny Hartman -- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman The musical script for this CD could not have been directed better by Steven Spielberg. This is the perfect CD to learn how to phrase ballads and interact with vocalists. Joe Henderson -- Joe Henderson Big Band It is amazing how Joe Henderson, Slide Hampton and Michael Phillip Mossman could arrange these Joe Henderson standards and not lose the Henderson flavor. They displayed a way to create the small group feel with a big band sound. JIM MAIR Count Basie -- Prime Time This recording from 1977 really turned me on to big band jazz. Sammy Nestico's writing predominates during this era and band soloists included Al Grey on trombone, Jimmy Forrest and Eric Dixon on tenor sax, and drummer Butch Miles, all of whom are personal favorites. Charlie Parker with Strings -- The Master Takes These sessions capture Bird at his finest. This was a concept that Parker was particularly proud of, both musically and personally. As dinner music or as fine art, this is a masterpiece. John Coltrane -- Blue Train This session includes one of my favorite trumpeters in Lee Morgan and the wonderful bassist Paul Chambers. Sarah Vaughan -- Crazy and Mixed Up This Japanese release is Sassy at her very best. Sarah handled every aspect of this recording; she picked the tunes and the sidemen, she chose the artwork, and she produced the session. All without any interference from the record company. Guitarist Joe Pass and pianist Sir Roland Hanna make wonderful contributions to this disc. Dexter Gordon -- Great Encounters Half of this album was recorded live at Carnegie Hall with Johnny Griffin and Dexter blowing in a tenor battle setting. The other half includes three studio cuts that feature vocalist Eddie Jefferson and trumpeter Woody Shaw. RONALD MCFADDEN Charlie Parker -- The Complete Dial Sessions This has a lot of Bird's bebop tunes, but it also has tunes like "My Old Flame," and "Don't Blame Me." As a matter of fact, Bird's "Don't Blame Me" is one of the songs that made want to be a saxophone player. Wynton Marsalis -- Standard Time, Vol. 1 A very innovative album. Count Basie -- This Time by Basie This is one of the swingingest things Basie ever put out. Sammy Davis, Jr./Count Basie -- Sammy and Basie Sammy does some tap-dancing on this album, and with the Basie band, man... it unreal! For the fifth album -- and I'm going all the way to the other side now -- it's a tossup between Toni Braxton's Secrets, and The Whispers' Greatest Hits (laughs). On the desert island it's probably gonna be hot during the day, but in the evening, give me some Toni Braxton or the Whispers... or some slow Charlie Parker! HAL MELIA Miles Davis -- Kind Of Blue Gotta have this one just to remember where the modern thing came from and why we do things now the way we do. It's also fun to reminisce about the subsequent careers of this all-star aggregation. John Coltrane -- Africa/Brass I am going to go with "Africa/Brass" because it was recorded while it was still cool to leave space and let things develop in an organic, natural way. Coltrane is exploratory here, but in an inward sense; the harmonies and voicings are not far from standard, the forms are somewhat developmental, but not rantingly so, and it's just fun to remember when people took a little more time doing things. And the one thing there would probably be a lot of on a desert island is time! Stan Getz -- People Time So many to choose from, so little time! I have to go with "People Time," the live duo CD with Kenny Barron, just because it feels like the culmination of a long and storied career for Stan, and there is an honesty to the recording that is rare nowadays. Kenny Barron was actually surprised to get the call! That kind of humility is something the whole scene could stand to see and hear a little more often. Louis Armstrong/Ella Fitzgerald -- Louis and Ella Again I can't get enough of this 2-CD set. The way they state the melodies, the unhurried, careful nature of their constructions, the way they each subordinate their own needs to the greater good, the selections... An all-around classic! Clifford Brown -- Brown and Roach, Inc. Actually I would try to sneak the Mercury vinyl EmArcy Jazz Series recording, but there might be a flag on the play because I don't know if it's out on CD or not. Anyway, "sweet" playing is never out of place, especially if you want to listen to something over and over and over. Chick Corea -- Now He Sings, Now He Sobs I'm throwing in a sixth entry because I have an extra coat pocket and need to pay tribute to something a little more recent. Man, I just LIKE this record. The playing is virtuosic, as it always is with Chick, but the chemistry works like a charm. Either this one, or the classic Light As A Feather, which contains three of my favorite tunes: "Spain," "You're Everything," and "500 Miles High." I was lucky enough to be playing a wedding at the Bel Air Country Club in Los Angeles, and Chick Corea's son was the best man. The scene that burned itself indelibly into my brain was me leaning on a pillar sipping on a free Heineken, watching Chick Corea on piano, his wife Gayle Moran singing with a girl from the wedding party, his son on drums, and the groom on bass, doing "500 Miles High." Behind the band was a wall of windows, looking out over the golf course and on to Westwood, as dusk approached and the lights were coming up. A pretty nice little family outing! BACK TO TOP NEIL NOLAN Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue This record continues to amaze me. And "So What" would keep you cool on any hot desert-island day. The saxophone sounds of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley are huge. The Crusaders -- Free As the Wind The title track (by Joe Sample) featuring Wilton Felder's tenor takes you (with the wind) to places where there are no boundaries. Jeff Beck -- Blow by Blow With the track "She's a Woman" (Lennon/McCartney). I first heard this on the beach, on the Texas gulf coast. And it's always just stuck with me. Pat Metheny -- Pat Metheny Group The track "San Lorenzo" is beautiful ensemble playing. Paul Butterfield -- The Butterfield Blues Band Live With the track, "Everything Is Going To Be Alright." My mentor on the harmonica, Paul Butterfied's harp playing is always a inspiration. KIM PARK Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue The crystallization of the muse in the language of jazz. Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic -- Beethoven's Seventh Symphony in A Major. It profoundly captures the "egocentric predicament." The Beatles -- "The White Album" Why: Eclectic creativity. Jimi Hendrix -- Smash Hits Why: His tenuous hold of "the comet's tail." Hank Williams -- Gold Stephen Foster, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams... They define the American popular song, from the roots up. STEVE PATKE Sonny Stitt -- Constellation Probably the first jazz recording I ever owned; and it's still a favorite. Dave Brubeck/Paul Desmond -- Jazz at the Blackhawk/Jazz at Storyville (2 LP set) I've always loved Desmond's sound. Ella Fitzgerald/Joe Pass -- Take Love Easy Take this and your favorite drink along at the end of the day, and you'll float away happy. James Taylor -- Sweet Baby James Almost no jazz content (one blues), and straight out of what Chuck Cowan jokingly calls "The Folk Scare"... but I'm a baby boomer and I gotta have one "comfort" album from my college years. Duke Ellington -- Duke Ellington at Newport Since most of my picks are "pretty" music, I thought it would be good to add some excitingly raucous playing. And on this, you can really hear the crowd reaction. EDDIE SAUNDERS Art Tatum -- 20th Century Piano Genius This album really puts you in your place. With it I found out how much I didn't know. Billie Holiday -- The Silver Collection I'd take this one because I knew Billie. Duke Ellington -- The Great London Concerts Duke was a Musician Supreme. Dexter Gordon -- Gotham City Dexter was the Gentleman Jammer. Count Basie -- The Complete Decca Recordings Swinging, swinging, swinging! JOSH SCLAR Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue An obvious choice, but I really think this album is magic. Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto -- Getz/Gilberto An album whose melodic statements are unforgettable. Paul Motian -- Motian in Tokyo This one helped form my conception of music as art. The Beatles -- Magical Mystery Tour The spirit of fun and innovation in songwriting is alive on this album. John Denver and the Muppets -- A Christmas Together A sentimental favorite. I love Christmas music. AARON SIMCOX John Coltrane -- Blue Trane It's the album that taught me that I can't play the blues. * Michael Brecker -- Michael Brecker Mike is the God of Saxophone. Charlie Parker -- In a Soulful Mood Actually, any recording that includes Bird playing this version of "Lover Man" would do. David Sanborn -- Upfront In case a chick gets stranded on the island, too. Chef Aid -- South Park I will never grow tired of listening to Cartman sing "Come Sail Away" by Styx. BACK TO TOP MARK SOUTHERLAND Eric Dolphy -- Out To Lunch This is the album I always tell people I would take to the desert island. I hear something new every time I put it on. Dave Douglas -- Charms of the Night Sky The perfect mixture of beautiful chamber work and soulful improv. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy -- Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury The best hiphop album I've ever heard. Hal Russell -- Finish Swiss Tour The first time I heard Hal play sax, I almost cried. He was a multi-instrumentalist who didn't pick up the sax until he was 55. Stevie Wonder -- Talking Book This is the kind of pop album where every song becomes your favorite song again and again. I think I'd also have to sneak an Albert Ayler album onto the island... or at least die trying. KERRY STRAYER Gerry Mulligan/Paul Desmond -- Two of a Kind The finest example of smooth, tasty, lyrical, improvised lines I've ever heard. With Mulligan's beautiful tone at its finest. Duke Ellington -- Any of the "Anthologies" or "Best Ofs" that span his career. Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn... the history of our music. "It Don't Mean a Thing..." Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue Where else can you capture three great instrumentalists, a great rhythm section, and a landmark recording all in one fell swoop? Pat Metheny -- Still Life (Talking) This is one of the most beautiful recordings I've ever heard and my favorite from Pat. I find it quite refreshing to get so much enjoyment from music that I have no aptitude for as a performer. It's liberating to listen to something you don't have to worry about ever having to play. Gerry Mulligan -- Lonesome Boulevard I heard someone ask Gerry at a seminar in 1994 what it was he was trying to accomplish as a musician at that late stage of his life and career. He said he was interested only in creating beauty. And that he had no time or desire for ugly music; only to seek pure beauty. He achieved that with this collection of his finest, most reflective and later compositions. DOUG TALLEY Duke Ellington -- The Blanton-Webster Band If I had to choose just one "big band" it would have to be Duke or Basie. Duke's orchestrations are captivating, with a rich variety of textures and timbres. And his arrangements often take unexpected twists and turns, juxtaposing seemingly unrelated material. Don Cherry -- Complete Communion With Ed Blackwell and Gato, this is great avant garde jazz played from the heart. Paul Desmond/Jim Hall -- Bossa Antigua As an improviser Desmond had remarkable melodic creativity. Often, his improvisations are simple, other times more complex and less predictable, but always beautiful melodies. Thelonious Monk -- Brilliant Corners With Sonny Rollins, Ernie Henry, Oscar Pettiford and Max Roach (Clark Terry and Paul Chambers on "Bemsha Swing"). Monk's music is a perfect blend of creativity and humor. Miles Davis -- '58 Miles With Coltrane, Cannonball, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. Though they have been played to death at jam sessions, these standard tunes, "On Green Dolphin Street," "Stella by Starlight," "Love for Sale," "My Funny Valentine," "Oleo" and "Straight, No Chaser" are classics. Also, the sound of Cannonball's alto is a great antidepressant. DAN THOMAS Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto -- Getz/ Gilberto Featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim. Some of the tastiest playing ever recorded. John Coltrane -- My Favorite Things Coltrane... My favorite things... Enough said. Michael Brecker -- Tales From the Hudson Continually inspiring. Cannonball Adderley/John Coltrane -- Cannonball and Coltrane Two giants, head-to-head. You can't miss with this one. Kenny Garrett -- Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane This album is as good as they get, and an outstanding tribute to one of the greatest saxophonists who ever lived. JIM VANDEL Cannonball Adderley -- Beginnings These recordings are from 1955-1959, when Cannonball burst onto the scene after Charlie Parker's death in March of 1955. On this album Cannonball is featured with some of the best musicians in various settings -- from quintet to 10-piece ensemble -- playing bebop, blues, ballads and standards. An excellent example of Cannonball's big sound, technique, articulation and melodic style that is still unmatched. Phil Woods -- Live At the Showboat Phil Woods has always been my favorite alto saxophonist. And in my opinion this live recording is one of his best. John Coltrane -- The Art of John Coltrane This is another one of my favorites. It has all the classic recordings, like "Giant Steps," "Countdown" and "Central Park West," among others. Clifford Brown -- The Quintet To me, Clifford Brown is to the trumpet what Cannonball is to the saxophone. This particular album features Harold Land and Sonny Rollins on tenor, Max Roach on drums. It is a great album; I never get tired of listening to it. Lennie Tristano -- Requiem I love the way Lennie plays. Especially his phrasing and melodic lines. This album also features another favorite saxophonist of mine, Lee Konitz. MIKE WHITE Richie Kamuca/Shelly Mann -- Nightingale It swings, it cooks and it's soulful. Richie is beautiful. John Coltrane -- Out of This World Trane stretched the emotional and mysterious to the breaking point. Scott Hamilton -- Apple Honey This album flows so beautifully, and Scott gets over his horn so well. And I like that New York sound. Bunky Green -- Feelings Why: It's so surprising. Lester Young -- Love Me or Leave Me Pure soul plus the KC sound. TODD WILKINSON The Art Ensemble of Chicago -- Nice Guys Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostus, Famoudo Don Moye. A great example of how highly organized and creative the so-called "avant-garde" can be. Never a dull moment. Group mind: group improvisation is the compositional mandate. Frank Zappa -- The Yellow Shark-Ensemble Modern Released just before his transition. This is a collection of live recordings of his contemporary concert music. Mixed ensembles and programmes. Virtuosity abounds. Wonderful balance of unity and variety. Composer esthetic dominates. John Coltrane -- Live at Birdland John Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones. Intensity, passion, risk-it-all jazz truth. Like highly-focused light, energy at a maxim. Compositions are a frame, improvisation is the painting. Cannonball Adderley -- Something Else Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, Art Blakey. Distillation of melody. Compositional improvisation. Transparent textures. Natural, relaxed intelligence. Performers dominate the compositions and make the tunes their own. Duke Ellington/Coleman Hawkins -- Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Hawkins, Ellington, Aaron Bell, Sam Woodyard... Giants all. Swing and sound are paramount. Infectious spirit. Simplistic ideas are the foundation for complicated structures. Melody makers. In the tradition. The jazz language is spoken fluently here. Composer and performers on equal ground. BACK TO TOP RETURN TO AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2000 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.