Listening Room – “Kenny Burrell (Prestige 7088)”
Kenny Burrell - "Don't Cry Baby"
Kenny Burrell - "Strictly Confidential"
From "Kenny Burrell" : 1957 : Prestige PRLP 7088
A nice early record from Kenny Burrell that showcases his laid-back style. The addition of Cecil Payne on Baritone Sax adds a nice unexpected flavor to the session and a young Elvin Jones shows why he would soon become one of the most revered drummers in the history of jazz. The opening track Don't Cry Baby is late 1950's cool jazz at its finest, while Bud Powell's Strictly Confidential and Burrell's own Perception allows the group to show off their impressive bop style chops.
Players:
Kenny Burrell - Guitar
Cecil Payne - Baritone Sax
Tommy Flanagan - Piano
Doug Watkins - Bass
Elvin Jones - Drums
Listening Room – “Desperado”
From "Desperado" : 1970 : Prestige PR 7795
Joined by a group of relatively unknown players, Pat Martino brings his unique 12-string guitar sound to his final Prestige album. The album is an inventive mix of funk, post-bop and experimental jazz.
Players:
Pat Martino - 12 String Guitar
Eric Kloss - Alto Sax (on "Blackjack")
Eddie Greene - Electric Piano
Tyrone Brown - Electric Bass
Sherman Ferguson - Drums
Listening Room – “Jaki Byard Quartet Live!”
For some ridiculous reason this CD compilation of two live recordings ("Live! At Lennie's, Vol. 1" and "Live! At Lennie's Vol. 2") by the Jaki Byard Quartet is currently out of print. The shows were recorded in 1965 at Lennie's-on-the-Turnpike in Massachussets and all the players, especially Joe Farrell on tenor sax, soprano sax and flute, are in top form and enjoying themselves immensly. Jake Byard (who had recently ended a very fruitful stint playing with Charles Mingus) shows off all of his many skills on the piano and keeps the audience and the players on their toes. Track this recording down if you can.
"Jaki Byard Quartet Live!" Released 1994 : Prestige Records : Catalog # 24121
"Live! At Lennie's, Vol. 1" Released 1965 : Prestige Records : Catalog # PR 7419
"Live! at Lennie's, Vol. 2" Released 1965 : Prestige Records : Catalog # PR 7477
Players:
Joe Farrell - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute
Jakie Byard - Piano
George Tucker - Bass
Alan Dawson - Drums
Jaki Byard - Twelve from "Jaki Byard Quartet Live!"
Jaki Byard - Alan's Got Rhythm from "Jaki Byard Quartet Live!"
Listening Room – “The Happy Blues”
A great jazz jam session from 1956 on Prestige Records. Led by tenor Gene Ammons, this recording features the talents of Jackie McLean, Art Farmer, Duke Jordan and Art Taylor.
Players:
Gene Ammons - Tenor Sax
Jackie McLean - Alto Sax
Art Farmer - Trumpet
Duke Jordan - Piano
Addison Farmer - Bass
Candido - Congas
Art Taylor - Drums
Listening Room – “All Mornin’ Long”
This is from the same session that resulted in Garland's "Soul Junction" (featured earlier on JS here). Featuring a 20 minute take of Garland's All Mornin' Long and a shorter version of Tadd Dameron's Our Delight, this album captures a young Donald Byrd and John Coltrane in peak early form.
Released: 1958 - Prestige Records - Catalog # PRP-7130
Players:
John Coltrane - Tenor Sax
Donald Byrd - Trumpet
Red Garland - Piano
George Joyner - Bass
Art Taylor - Drums
Red Garland - All Mornin' Long
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Listening Room – “4, 5 and 6″
A bit of pre-Blue Note Jackie McLean, "4, 5 and 6" was released in 1956 on Prestige Records. The title refers to the fact that McLean performs with a quartet, quintet and on one track (Confirmation) is joined by Hank Mobley to make the group a sextet. A great early Hard Bop session that just starts to hints at the classic records McLean would head up only a few years later.
Released: 1956 - Prestige Records - Catalog # PRLP 7048
Players:
Jackie McLean - Alto Sax
Hank Mobley - Tenor Sax
Donald Byrd - Trumpet
Mal Waldron - Piano
Doug Watkins - Bass
Art Taylor - Bass
Listening Room – “Brother Jack McDuff Live!”
Brother Jack McDuff - "Rock Candy"
Brother Jack McDuff - Dink's Blues"
From "Brother Jack McDuff Live!" : 1963 : Prestige PRLP 7274
A compilation of 2 classic McDuff albums from the early 1960's, this is Hammond B-3 jazz at it's best. The album features a very young George Benson on guitar (this was one of his first appearances on record) and a young Harold Vick who would go on to make some great soul-jazz records of his own.
Players:
Jack McDuff - Organ
Red Holloway - Tenor Sax, Flute
Harold Vick - Tenor Sax
George Benson - Guitar
Joe Dukes - Drums
Listening Room – “Lush Life”
John Coltrane - "Lush Life"
John Coltrane - "Like Someone in Love"
From "Lush Life" : 1958 : Prestige Records
This is early Coltrane from 1958 when he was recording for Prestige Records. His reading of Lush Life is considered a classic and the trio tracks that make up the rest of the records are just as strong.
Players:
John Coltrane - Tenor Sax
Earl May - Bass (Like Someone in Love)
Art Taylor - Drums (Like Someone in Love)
Red Garland - Piano
Donald Byrd - Trumpet
Paul Chambers - Bass
Louis Hayes - Drums
Listening Room – “Sonny Rollins Plus 4″
Sonny Rollins - "Valse Hot"
Sonny Rollins - "Pent Up House"
From "Sonny Rollins Plus 4" : 1956 : Prestige Records
Sonny Rollins was a member of the Clifford Brown - Max Roach Quintet in 1956 when he recorded this album under his own name using the members of that group. All the players are extremely comfortable with each other and Clifford Brown is in amazing form on one of his last recording sessions before his untimely passing.
Players:
Sonny Rollins - Tenor Sax
Clifford Brown - Trumpet
Richie Powell - Piano
George Morrow - Bass
Max Roach - Drums
Listening Room – “Cedar!”
Cedar Walton - "My Ship"
Cedar Walton - "Come Sunday"
From "Cedar" : 1967 : Prestige PR 7519
One of the all-time great hard bop piano players, Cedar Walton (who is still making great music today) made his debut as a leader on this 1967 album for Prestige Records. The album is credited to the Cedar Walton Trio, Quartet & Quintet. My Ship features Kenny Dorham on Sax, while Junior Cook replaces Dorham on Come Sunday.
Players:
Cedar Walton - Piano
Kenny Dorham - Tenor Sax
Junior Cook - Tenor Sax
Leroy Vinnegar - Bass
Billy Higgins - Drums
Top 5
- Listening Room - "Desperado"
- Listening Room - "Sunflower"
- Listening Room - "Byrd In Flight"
- Gerald Clayton Trio at The Village Vanguard
- Listening Room - "Mind Transplant"
Look Around
Recent Posts
- Listening Room – “Sunflower”
- Stan Getz – “Seven Steps to Heaven”
- Listening Room (Repost) – “Keep Your Soul Together”
- Miles Davis Quintet – “So What”
- New Gil Scott-Heron
- Listening Room – “Kenny Burrell (Prestige 7088)”
- Listening Room – “Byrd In Flight”
- Gerald Clayton Trio at The Village Vanguard
- Listening Room – “Mind Transplant”
- Listening Room – “Mirage”
Jazz Related Sites
- All Music Guide
- Dusty Groove
- emusic
- Jazz Discography Project
- My Favourite Sound
- My Jazz World
- Never Enough Rhodes
- The CTI Never Sleeps
Other Hip Sites
