Tag: Worcester MA

Ike Quebec, Easy Living, 1987 on Blue Note

Though this was first released / issued by Blue Note in 1987, it was actually recorded in 1962 at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in New Jersey, and represents…

Dexter Gordon, Daddy Plays the Horn, 1956 on Bethlehem Records

Wonderful mid-50s bop jazz record I’d have bought just for the cover illustration by Howard Stabin. Gordon is joined here by Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on…

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, 1958 on Blue Note

Fantastic late 50s “hard bop” jazz record, with Clark joined by Art Farmer (trumpet), Jackie McLean (alto sax), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Recorded…

Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, Ella at Duke’s Place, 1966 on Verve

The album is divided between “The Pretty, The Lovely, The Tender, The Hold-Me-Close Side” and “The Finger-Snapping, Head-Shaking, Toe-Tapping, Go-For-Yourself Side.” Recorded by Val Valentin and produced by…

Art Farmer, Portrait of Art Farmer, 1958 on Stereo Records

“Stereo Records” was a jazz label made by Contemporary Records in 1958 to push records made with the new-fangled stereo technology: Stereophonic two-channel disc recording utilizing Westrex 45-45…

Milt Jackson, Ballads & Blues, 1956 on Atlantic

Jackson’s most well know as the vibraphonist in the Modern Jazz Quartet but he also collaborated and recorded with many other bop musicians. Here he is joined by…

Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles, 1964 on Blue Note

Early jazz Herbie Hancock – this was his fourth studio LP for Blue Note, backed by Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on…

Django Reinhardt, Nuages, 2017 on Jazz Images

Nuages was first issued under that name in 2002, as a reissue of The Great Artistry of Django Reinhardt, a 1953 10″ record on Norman Granz’s Clef label,…

Sonny Boy Williamson, The Real Folk Blues, 1966 on Chess

This album was first released in the UK in 1965 as In Memorium, (Williamson died in May of 1965). In the US it was retitled to The Real…

Fleetwood Mac, The Pious Bird of Good Omen, 1969 on Blue Horizon

This is the earlier, Peter Green led, British Blues Fleetwood Mac, and collects their first four non-album UK singles and their B-Sides. It serves as a pretty good…

Ella Fitzgerald, The Harold Arlen Songbook, (originally) 1961 on Verve

I miss this trend from the 50s and 60s where great singers like Ella (as well as folks like Oscar Peterson) did “song books” of great composers. My…

Bill Evans, Spring Leaves, 1976 on Milestone

2xLP release from 1976 which collects two previous Riverside releases: Portrait In Jazz (1960) and Explorations (1961). This one includes two takes on “Autumn Leaves” – one which…

Chet Baker, Big Band, 1957 on Pacific Jazz

A ton of great musicians here, including Chet Baker but also: Norman Faye, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bill Perkins, Phil Urso, Bobby Timmons, James…

Thelonious Monk, The Complete Genius, 1976 on Blue Note

Though this compilation was released in 1976 – part of The Blue Note Re-Issue Series – it actually collects sides he recorded for Blue Note in 1947, 1948,…

Cooder Browne, self-titled, 1978, on Lone Star Records.

Cooder Browne, self-titled, 1978, on Lone Star Records. I so wanted this to be a collaboration between Ry Cooder and Jackson Browne, but instead it’s just some down…

John Grant, Queen of Denmark, 2010 on Bella Union.

John Grant, Queen of Denmark, 2010 on Bella Union. Honestly I’ve yet to find anything John Grant  has done that I haven’t loved, so was very happy to…

Laura Marling, song For Our Daughter, 2020 on Chrysalis / Partisan Records.

Laura Marling, song For Our Daughter, 2020 on Chrysalis / Partisan Records. Such a beautiful record that came out this summer. Marling’s seventh studio release, co-produced by Marling…

Hot Tuna, Double Dose, 1978 on Grunt

Hot Tuna, Double Dose, 1978 on Grunt Picked this live album up at Joe’s Albums last week – Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Bob Steeler, and Nick Buck Wonderful…