Giants of Jazz

1. Straight, No Chaser

2. Thelonious

3. Sweet and Lovely

4. Don't Blame Me

5. I'll Wait for You

6. Epistrophy

Giants of Jazz,Various Artists,Concord Records,Bop,Hard Bop,Jazz

Jazz

Music

jazz

Tracks:

Boogie Woogie Stomp - Albert Ammons
Chicago In Mind - Albert Ammons
Suitcase Blues - Albert Ammons
Boogie Woogie Blues - Albert Ammons
Bass Goin' Crazy - Albert Ammons
Climbin' And Screamin' - Pete Johnson
Lone Star Blues - Pete Johnson
Shuffle Boogie - Pete Johnson
B & O Blues - Pete Johnson
Let 'Em Jump - Pete Johnson
Honky Tonk Train Blues - Maede Lux Lewis
Yancey Special - Maede Lux Lewis
Celeste Blues - Maede Lux Lewis
Whistlin' Blues - Maede Lux Lewis
Pinetop's Boogie Woogie - Pinetop Smith
Jump Steady Blues - Pinetop Smith
Pinetop's Blues - Pinetop Smith
Janie's Joys - Jimmy Yancey
P. L. K. Special - Jimmy Yancey
South Side Stuff - Jimmy Yancey
Yancey's Getaway - Jimmy Yancey

Average customer rating:

Oscar Does it Again!
Wow, This Is Something Else
That Is What I Call a Good Album!
One of my favorite Jazz albums of all time

The Giants
Oscar Peterson , Joe Pass , and Ray Brown
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Big 3
Some of My Best Friends Are Guitarists
The Trio
Stan Getz & The Oscar Peterson Trio: The Silver Collection
Soular Energy

ASIN: B000000Z1F
Release Date: 1995-06-30

Tracks:

Riff Blues
Who Cares
Jobim
Blues For Dennis
Sunny
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Caravan
Eyes Of Love

Customer Reviews:

Oscar Does it Again!.......2005-09-07

Wonderful CD from the wonders of jazz. Hey, that would be a good title for an album. Very mellow. Not exciting. Just mellow.

Wow, This Is Something Else.......2004-02-25

Look, you are a jazz fan. You have made it to this page. Rest assured, this is one of the best trio albums you have ever heard. Piano: Sparkling, crisp, perfectly tuned. Guitar: Fluid, restrained, rapid-fire. Bass: The essence of timing and warmth.
Great playing, great recording, great value. Do not dally.

That Is What I Call a Good Album!.......2003-11-16

This album is one of the best albums I ever had the privelage of listening to. It shows how jazz is not just the playing of music and then trading solos over the chord changes, but the communication between the musicians. There are points in the album where you can here Oscar Peterson hum out the solos, which shows he has them all planned out in his head. Ray brown does an amazing job of keeping the rhythm tight and the band together. Joe Pass is truly amazing, and his musical communication with Ray Brown and Oscar Peterson just goes to show how much talent a group can have. These three masters of their insturments came together excellently and I wish that there could be more albums like this.

One of my favorite Jazz albums of all time.......2003-07-20

My friend Joe gave me the Pablo LP of this recording back in 1977 as we graduated from high school. I was a classically trained pianist and he was trying to turn me on to jazz. He thought this album would be a good start. That turned out to be quite an understatement! This was one of my most favorite LP's, and when it was finally released in CD format I snatched it right up. I will never tire of listening to it. Oscar is definitely one of my idols. His talent is amazing. Thanks, Joe! ;-)

Average customer rating:

(3.5 stars) As a document of Miles finding his feet, this isn't bad
bags groove
Davis Bags and Monk
hot swingin' jazz
Decent Early Miles with Sonny Rollins

Bags Groove
Miles Davis & Modern Jazz Giants
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants
Steamin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
Blue Haze
Miles Davis and Milt Jackson Quintet/Sextet
Miles Davis & the Modern Jazz Giants (20 Bit Mastering)

ASIN: B000000YDT
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Bags' Groove (Take 1)
Bags' Groove (Take 2)
Airegin
Oleo
But Not For Me (Take 2)
Doxy
But Not For Me (Take 1)

Album Description

The title track of Bags Groove comes from December 24, 1954, the classic date that matched together trumpeter Miles Davis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Thelonious Monk, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke. Davis and Monk actually did not get along all that well and the trumpeter did not want Monk playing behind his solos, but a great deal of brilliant music occurred on the day of their encounter. There are two very different versions apiece of Bags' Groove, and Monk's solo on the first take was one of his best. The rest of the album is taken from a session the previous June that included Sonny Rollins and Horace Silver doing Rollins' own Airegin as well as Oleo and But Not for Me. Timeless music that defies easy classification, this set belongs in every jazz collection. 7 tracks. From the OJC/ Prestige label.

Customer Reviews:

(3.5 stars) As a document of Miles finding his feet, this isn't bad.......2007-07-09

For the most part, Bags' Groove is nothing more than standard-issue bebop. I stress "for the most part" because of the colossal title track, an eleven minute groove that sinks in and never lets go. Guest appearances by Milt "Bags" Jackson and Thelonious Monk are not wasted. At all. Nor do they overshadow Miles. The chemistry between them is perfect - great song to get lost in. Now, most of the other songs here are just, um... they happened, they existed, now what? - a flaw I find in several early Davis albums, Birth of the Cool aside. Still, they're tasteful, they're never annoying, nicely performed, and one of 'em's actually pretty good - I'm a fan of "Airegin", though it can never hope to match the title song, which actually overshadows a lot of Miles' pre-Coltrane career ("Walkin'" and about half of Birth of the Cool aside). Oh, "If Not For Me" is nice enough, I guess. "Oleo" and "Doxy"? I could take them or leave them. Regardless, Miles' career would later reach much higher heights.

bags groove.......2006-12-21

miles' trumpet on the title cut(s) is smooth as velvet and well worth the price of the cd.

in his memoir, miles and me, quincy troupe devoted three pages to the title cut and concluded '...before miles recorded bags groove he had secretly gone to his father's farm in millstadt, illinois, to kick his habit. that's why he played so great, because he was drug-free, really clean.'

Davis Bags and Monk.......2006-07-16

Basically, the entire CD is excellent, but since two inital numbers (two takes of "Bags' Groove") are so much superior to the rest of the CD, I simply loose interest in the follow-up songs...
The reasons for this are simple - not only do the rest of the songs lack Milt Jackson ("BAGS" who wrote the first tune), on the rest of this fine CD Thelonious Monk is replaced by Horace Silver who (although a great player) is simply not that kind of genius.

The most bizarre thing is that Miles didn't like Monk's playing! He insisted that Monk kept his hands of the piano during the leader's solos! However, this is not so strange - great minds often disagree and, in addition to that, Miles' approach to the trumpet sound throuoght the greatest portion of his carreer (prior to his fusion-rock-electronics phase) is quite lyrical in nature. Monk's wry and cynical analysis of tunes he played is anything but lyrical.

Nevertheless, Monk sounds equally brilliant while soloing and while accompanying Milt Jackson (and he did a fine job as Clark Terry's sideman on another great album) so I guess he might have worked well with Miles as well, making this somewhat incoherent album quite historical...

hot swingin' jazz.......2005-08-07

This record is pretty hot. I've read all the preceding reviews, I do not understand how some people say that this record isnt in some way or another top-notch. Sure, this isn't like the Miles Davis recording "Kind of Blue", but I believe it wasn't supposed to be. "Kind of Blue" seemed to have a somewhat different mood and certainly backing players with much different styles than ones appearing here. I wouldn't recommend this record as an introduction to real jazz or to Miles Davis ("Kind of Blue" is probably best for that), but people who already like hot, swinging jazz and need not be introduced to Miles Davis really should have this record. I did not get the feeling that the quality of playing was any less than stellar. One reviewer seems to imply that because this material came from the Prestige Label which is known to pay the artists the day of the recording, the musicians were just trying to throw something together in order to make a quick buck to spend on drugs or whatever. This does not sound like a recording of this sort. It just might take a couple of listens to really start getting into it and interpreting it. Also, I bought a non-remastered version, and the sound is just alright, but I definitely suggest buying a remastered version of this CD.

The first two tracks (two different takes of Bags Groove) are just joy to listen to, and I could listen to those over and over. Even though he is not listed in the credits for some reason, Thelonious Monk is playing the piano on both takes of Bags Groove. His piano sound and style is immediately recognizable, and it is essential Monk, in my opinion. These two first tracks came from the Chrimas Eve jam session, the rest of which is on another CD called "Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants". I can't wait to hear that disc also because I love Monk's piano, and I want to hear more of the unique and rare Monk/Davis collaboration. Other tracks on the "Bags Groove" CD are enhanced with Sonny's sax and sound great. Track 3 is burnin'! The rhythm section (bass and drums) is amazing - it gives rock-solid backing to the great improvisations of other players.

Decent Early Miles with Sonny Rollins.......2005-05-08

This is a nice little album featuring Milt Jackson (Bags), on two takes of the title track. He is masterful on vibes, and it's a shame he didn't do much more on this release. The other tracks are pretty much fillers. One of my favorite songs from the time is "Airegin" written by Sonny Rollins (which is really just Nigeria spelled backwards). However, this version is nowhere near as good as the take on the album, "Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet." The latter version is hard bop and this one is a lot more tame. Honorable Mention goes out to "Oleo" but I would look elsewhere for early Miles.

If you read up on jazz history, you'll find out that PRESTIGE was a label for heroin addicts who needed fast cash to score a fix and it shows in the majority of the recordings I own on the label. Apparently, the musicians got paid in cash on the day of the recording, but were only allowed two takes at the most. There are some highpoints on the label, though, and "Bags Groove" is one of them.

Average customer rating:

Goes back to the roots of jazz
True Artistry.
Roberts distinquishes himself with these classic pieces!

Alone with Three Giants
Marcus Roberts
Manufacturer: Novus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Portraits in Blue
Gershwin for Lovers
Cole After Midnight
The Joy of Joplin
As Serenity Approaches

ASIN: B0000004XX
Release Date: 1990-12-29

Tracks:

Jungle Blues
Mood Indigo
Solitude
I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
Trinkle, Tinkle
Misterioso
Pannonica
New Orleans Blues
Prelude To A Kiss
Shout 'em Aunt Tillie
Black and Tan Fantasy
Monk's Mood
In Walked Bud
Crepuscule With Nellie
The Crave

Amazon.com

It's not unusual for contemporary musicians to record tributes to Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington, but Marcus Roberts showed some character on this 1990 session when he extended his reach to include the relatively neglected Jelly Roll Morton in this solo invocation of the three great pianist-composers of jazz. His strong feeling for the early jazz versions of the blues is apparent in the performances of Morton's "Jungle Blues" and "New Orleans Blues." The feeling carries over directly into the early Ellington classics like "Mood Indigo and "Black and Tan Fantasy." Roberts plays Monk with a keen sense of Monk's roots in early jazz piano music, apparent in "Trinkle Tinkle," and there's also a refreshing look at some neglected Ellington in "Shout 'Em, Aunt Tillie." --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Goes back to the roots of jazz.......2006-03-09

Marcus Roberts is a phenomial pianist whom I became familiar with through the likes of Wynton Marsalis. What strikes me most about his playing is that he never looses that stride feeling that cats like Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, and Fats Waller quickly became known for.

It's nice for a change to hear some unaccompanied piano playing, too.

A great album!

True Artistry........2000-02-01

Mr. Roberts came here in Rivercity some years back and I was fortunate enough to see him. I knew he was of the senior Marselis camp, but I didn't know what to expect from him....as he began to play, I was awestruck. He did mostly primal jazz and ragtime standards like Jelly Roll Martin, Scott Joplin rags and Ellington but with a twist. The 'twist' is his improvisational skills which make you totally forget you were perhaps listening to "Mood Indigo" when he began. At the end of the concert, I was speechless. In recent times, I saw him perform with Denver's Philharmonic one of my favorite Gerswhin's pieces "Rhapsody In Blue" and I found myself looking for him to cue the conductor for the orchestration because as I said, his improvising seems totally, totally different from the musical theme established. You get lost in the artistry. I had no success in finding any giveaways. For all it's worth, like I've said in many of my past reviews, ya gotta hear this, it'll blow ya away. I really mean it for Marcus Roberts. (If you could see him in concert, it'll knock you out, too.)

Roberts distinquishes himself with these classic pieces!.......1999-06-18

Marcus Roberts is one of the finest jazz pianist playing today. It is obvious where he gets his inspiration by the way he plays these classic pieces by three legends of jazz. Close your eyes and let Roberts' command of his left hand carry you back to when jazz was a mainstay in America's music repertoire. If Roberts continues to play with such brilliance, people will be recording his classic in the future. This is a great work to introduce your friends to the simple joys of jazz piano or to listen along with other seasoned listeners for the brilliant complexities displayed by Roberts. If one Marcus Roberts CD is all you need, this should be it. By I bet you'll change your mind and decide it won't be your last!

Average customer rating:

Great History Poor Sound Quality
Sublime mastery
LIVE is BEST ! ! !
The Best Organ Concert Of All Time

Giants of the Organ in Concert
Jimmy McGriff
Manufacturer: Lrc Ltd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Giants of the Organ Come Together
Organ-Ized: All-Star Tribute to the Hammond B3 Organ
Live at Club Mozambique
Kickin' The 3- The Best of Organ Trio Jazz
Groove Grease

ASIN: B0002IQM66
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

The Preacher's Tune
Bean's
Mozambique
Closing Theme
Brown Bread
Talk To Me
Boston Whaler
Chopper

Customer Reviews:

Great History Poor Sound Quality.......2005-09-12

The material is superb, but the audio quality is muddy and scratchy--like an overplayed LP or a slightly off-frequency FM station. If you are looking for a historical record of superb music and inspired playing by legends of the organ, this is your CD.

If you are a critical listener concerned with the quality of the sound stage and the image of each instrument, this CD will sorely disappoint you.

Sublime mastery.......2005-08-22

This two artists were virtually unknown to me - this CD was bought whilst browsing for the Hammond master, Mr. Jimmy Smith. The photo and the date '1973' both intrigued me so I decided to give it a try (it was also VERY cheap - though that was atually a turn-off).
What I found when I stuck it in my CD player was one of those CDs you dream about stumbling upon. The sound is VERY well mixed (even more so for a cheap CD) the performances are warm and rich in tone and variety. The two artists synch seamlessly together, as do the 'backing musicians', all sharing the musical canvas and the limelight equally. There is no rivalry evident here, and when they do go head to head (on track 6, Talk to Me) the result is 'sublime mastery' - as someone else said - the stereo is mixed so that each organist has their own channel and when you listen to track 6 you can't help but smile at the playfullness and charm these two exude.

One thing I should mention is that if you have even the slightest interest in '70s music, funk, soul, or you just love music with a capital 'G' ~ g r o o v e. Then buy this. Ironically many 'Jazz' fans ~ especially the self-appointed 'elitists' will argue this shouldn't even be filed in the jazz section... who cares. Good music is good music and this is one of the best CDs I own (I own a fair few).

The only downside to this is that there isn't nearly enough of the audience in the mix - that is unless they were sleeping...

LIVE is BEST ! ! ! .......2005-03-24

As the owner of a Jazz Organ club, and a performing organist this statement is probably a bit biased, but Jazz organ music is best when its heard live and uncut... Jazz organ summits have come and gone over the years between the greats, but what better pair than the bluesy almost Philadelphian Jersyites funky Groove Holmes and funky bluesmeister Jimmy McGriff? With split channels so you can hear who's playing what, this album includes a mix of the the groovy swinging bopped up 12 bar blues that you'd come to expect from any real Jazz organ group, to the wa wa embellished FUNK which a lot of the younger players are picking up on these days. Though the sound quality may not be overboard, and sometimes the organs soundlike they're going to explode from the heat, this is definitely a great listening experience... pure energy all the way... everyone is having fun and you feel like you're there... Easily recomended for the Jazz Organ Heads as well as organ loving funkateers ! ! !

If you dig this album, also check out Lonnie Smith's MOVE YOUR HAND and LIVE AT CLUB MOZAMBIQUE. (Sadly, my two favorite LIVE Jazz organ recordings are virtually impossible to find... WILD BILL DAVIS LIVE AT BIRDLAND and WILD BILL DAVIS LIVE AT COUNT BASIES ! ! !)

The Best Organ Concert Of All Time.......2004-09-30

Yes, I know the title to this review is over the top. But so is this disc. I've been collecting greasy B-3 recordings for years now, and this little concert album is by far the best thing I've ever heard. Just listen to McGriff growl on "Brown Bread" or both McGriff and Holmes trade fourths on "Talk To Me" (with some nifty pitch bending by McGriff). ... It's unbelievable stuff. Sound quality is excellent. The whole band grooves. Get this disc now. You won't regret it.

Average customer rating:

Giants of the Organ Come Together
Jimmy McGriff
Manufacturer: Lrc Ltd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 R&B | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Legacy
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ASIN: B0002IQM52
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

Licks A' Plenty
Out Of Nowhere
The Squirell
Finger Lickin' Good
How High The Moon
Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Average customer rating:

One of the best Pres albums
The best Jazz album ever made
Wonderful and Perfect
Lester, "Pres" for the friends
Straight ahead Ballads and Blues w/ seriously mellow groove!

The Jazz Giants '56
Lester Young With Roy Eldridge
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Pres and Teddy
Lester Young with Oscar Peterson Trio
Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson (20-Bit Master)
Body & Soul
Lester Young Trio

ASIN: B0000046XA
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Gigantic Blues
This Year's Kisses
You Can Depend On Me

Customer Reviews:

One of the best Pres albums.......2005-02-11

This is one of the best later-Pres albums out there. People who say that the Pres of the 50's was just a shell of the Pres of the 30's and early 40's with Basie are proven wrong by this recording and many others. Pres has rarely sounded better and the fire that he plays with on "Gigantic Blues" and the soul that he puts into songs like "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is simply awesome.
This is Pres at his best. Highly recommended.

The best Jazz album ever made.......2004-08-20

This is simply the best jazz album ever made..
If you dig the style of Lester in the best shape since 1943 and add the unsurpassed efforts by Vic Dicenson, Roy Eldridge, Teddy Wilson and Jo Jones. Besides Lester the group plays the best they ever did. Wilson has never svung as hard, Roy has never been so precise and hard svung "in control" as here. You will never hear harder swing as in Gigantic Blues or as beautifull and hartbreaking as I didn't know what time is was.
If I only had one album this would be it..

Wonderful and Perfect.......2004-02-17

There are not many cuts on this CD, but this is worth it. It is a rare occaision, a group of contest winners, who happen to jibe together as a real functing band who work well together because their past experience of working together and current styles mesh. They create some great music like a band that had practiced together for years.

About 20 years ago a friend of mine found the LP version of this in a thrift store in Los Angeles. When I visited and he played the opening selection I think I'm going to Change My plans, it was one of the most beautiful tasteful and wonderful things I have ever heard. I still go by that. There is something magnificent about that cut that makes me wonder why I don't just play it all day every day, something I did do, once I got a CD player about 12 years ago and got this CD. It is that good.

What works here is that Lester is recorded with a set of SWING musicians who have the same approach to time and variation that he had, although Lester is obviously the master here. In fact, this recording was always one that people like Buck Clayton and other Old Testament Basie survivors pointed to as proof that none of Lester's skills had declined in the 1950s, he just needed a rhythm section like the one here composed of Teddy Wilson (with whom he recorded scores of records for Billie Holiday in the 30s, and his former Basie band mates Freddie Greene and Jo Jones and Gene Ramey who is of the same generation of Southwestern Swing as Lester and Basie.

Vic Dickenson really shines here. Smooth and cremey hot and swinging. It is unfortunate that very few people these days understand the greatness of Little Jazz, Mr. Roy Eldrige whose trumpet provides the necessary contrast to Lester's great sax playing. By 1956 Roy had been appearing with Lester and sometimes with Dickenson for years in Jazz at the Philharmonic's great jams. Listening to these cuts will help you want to hear more of him.

Lester, "Pres" for the friends.......2001-08-23

Lester Young.What more can I say ? He was the most incredible jazz player of all times. The king of tenor saxophone.He recorded this session in 1956,three years before his death,with some outstanding companions : Teddy Wilson,Vic Dickenson,Roy Eldridge,Freddie Greene,Gene Ramey and Jo Jones.What a hall of fame!!Just listen to the magnificent version of "I'll guess I'll have to change my plan",a tune rarely recorded.This is some of the greatest Lester, a real masterpiece; for Lester's playing,but also for Teddy Wilson,Jo Jones,and for an amazing Roy Eldridge.I guess you'll play this tune for hours.Roy 's solo on this tune ranks among the greatest things ever done on a trumpet.The four other tunes are very great moments of music too: Lester's improvisations on "I didn't know what time it was" or "this year's kisses",a tune he recorded with Billie Holiday some 20 years before.The Jazz Giants is a good title: noone will ever play that way.

Straight ahead Ballads and Blues w/ seriously mellow groove!.......2000-09-20

You can't go wrong with this CD. With Lester Young, the listener always knows what he/she is getting: soft, silky yet full bodied sax with a heavy groove. It is one of THE classic, late night mellow mood pieces. Many of the songs contain wonderful trumpet and piano solos, adding a truly majestic depth to the music. This is a great place to start a jazz collection; also consider Stan Getz (or Lester Young) with the Oscar Peterson trio. Finally, if you want to get addicted to jazz, please consider the all time classic by Zoot Simms and Joe Pass: "Blues For Two".

Miles Davis & the Modern Jazz Giants (20 Bit Mastering)

Average customer rating:

Was there EVER a more appropriate title?
Phenomenal set
An early masterpiece
Great Music

Miles Davis & the Modern Jazz Giants (20 Bit Mastering)
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Prestige
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Bags' Groove (20 Bit Mastering)
Bags Groove
Walkin' (20 Bit Mastering)
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall
Relaxin' With Miles (20 Bit Mastering)

ASIN: B00000K0YG
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

The Man I Love (Take 2)
Swing Spring
'Round Midnight
Bemsha Swing
The Man I Love (Take 1)

Amazon.com

Most of the music on this CD comes from an unusual session held on Christmas Eve of 1954 at Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, New Jersey, studio. Gathered there were five giants of the bop movement, most linked by the highest musical sympathy. Vibraphonist Milt Jackson, drummer Kenny Clarke, and bassist Percy Heath were all members of the Modern Jazz Quartet, having worked extensively with the session's pianist, Thelonious Monk, while Clarke and Heath had worked throughout the year as Miles Davis's rhythm section. The only incompatibility was between Davis and Monk, and it shows in what isn't here: though they shared an almost sculptural sense of musical structure, Davis hated Monk's comping and asked him not to play during his solos. The hurt feelings never show in the music, though, with two profound and distinct takes of "The Man I Love," a lively version of Monk's "Bemsha Swing," and Davis's first exploration of scale composition, "Swing Spring," all linked by focused musical invention and inspired swing. Whatever he thought of Monk's playing, Davis had the highest regard for his compositions. It shows here in the arrangement of "'Round Midnight" recorded at Davis's final Prestige session in October of 1956, with its thoughtful contrast between Davis's pensive, muted theme statement and John Coltrane's aggressive tenor solo. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Was there EVER a more appropriate title?.......2005-03-04

Jazz Giants indeed. You got Miles. You got Milt. You got Monk. That's just the M's folks. Then you got Trane. Then Red, then Heath, then Chambers, then Clarke, then Philly. My God it simply doesn't get much better than that.

As most people have pointed out, this was recorded right at the time of the equally incredible "BAGS GROOVE" lp. As a side, if you don't have that, get it. Period.

Also as is quite well-known, there were some hurt-feelings between Miles and Monk that happened in this session. Christmas Eve, 1954 session...on the Christmas Eve date, Miles asked Monk to lay out and not comp behind his solos, leading to a priceless moment on the second take of Gershwin's "The Man I Love." A muted Miles begins at a dirge-like tempo, as Jackson and Monk toll away; a tempo change keys a swinging Milt solo--transforming the ballad into a hard blues--and Monk kind of mindlessly and by the numbers, almost pronouncing the...man...I...love in hilarious rhythmic paraphrases and long, long rests--disappearing completely just before the bridge as Clarke and Heath burn along. Finally Miles paraphrases the theme from "Four" by way of saying "helloooooo" and the pianist comes back with stomping blues chords. As they say, priceless. But, the animosity never fully healed and was never fully put behind the two.

This is a beautiful, beautiful recording and it captures a time, moment and energy that can never again be recaptured. They simply don't come like this anymore. Get this now and cherish it forever. And, get the K2-20 bit remastered version, without a doubt. It is vastly superior to the regular version. Likewise, if you're considering "BAGS GROOVE" and don't already have it (shame on you for not having it), I would recommend the JVCXR (extended resolution) version. Pricier, but worth it.

Phenomenal set.......2004-03-09

Each track on this set is a masterpiece in it's own way. The one cut featuring the personel from Miles' first quintet is a standout for me. Round Midnight never sounded better than it does here. Coltrane's solo just soars and contrasts beautifully with Miles' softer approach. THe other tracks feature Milt Jackson and Monk and they play off of each other beautifully.. The highlight is Miles indescribably expressive trumpet playing here. The seed are being sown for his future masterpiece recordings and with these fine musicians backing him up the sound that is achieved is stunning. Percy Heath's bass lines are so crisp and the remastering really allows the bass lines to jump out of the speakers. This along with the remastered version of Bags Groove with the same lineup are highly recommended. Sound quality is A ++.

An early masterpiece.......2001-09-26

The official line is that Miles Davis's "comeback" from heroin addiction and relative obscurity happened at the 1955 Newport Jazz Festival. But the truth is that Davis had been recording actively in the studio during all of 1954, and that the results ranged from excellent to spectacular. The bulk of the music he recorded that year was for the Prestige label; it was packaged primarily on three LPs: "Walkin'", "Bags' Groove", and "Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants". Though all three are essential for the Miles Davis fan, this one is probably the best. For one, four of the tracks come from Davis's only session with the pianist Thelonious Monk. (The other two tracks from that session are on "Bags' Groove".) Monk and Davis didn't get along -- Davis hated Monk's angular comping, and demanded that the pianist lay out during the trumpet solos. But Monk rose to the challenge, providing some inspired solos. For two, the other three musicians (all members of the Modern Jazz Quartet, hence the name of the LP) play really well. Vibraphonist Milt Jackson rarely played better, while few rhythm sections swung harder than Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke. For three, Miles Davis plays some of the most beautiful trumpet solos of his career; the ballad playing on both takes of "The Man I Love" is absolutely gorgeous, while on the more up tempo numbers his clear tone rings out like a bell. For four, the performances are incredible -- "Bemsha Swing", "Swing Spring", and the two takes of "The Man I Love" are all desert island material. As an added bonus, this CD includes a take of "Round 'Midnight" recorded by the Quintet with Coltrane and Garland two years later. This version is not quite as memorable as the one recorded for Columbia but is excellent nonetheless. There is no excuse for not owning this wonderful album, especially in the crystal clear 20 bit remastered version -- it is one of the best of Miles Davis's career.

Great Music.......2000-05-23

Miles Davis Sounds Great on this Set.&the Musicians here with Him SOund Fantastic.Very Original Music&VIbe.The Styling&Feel Work on this Set.ANother Must Have From Miles.

Average customer rating:

I'd give it 10 stars if I could

King of Stride Piano 1918-1944
James P. Johnson
Manufacturer: Giants of Jazz (Ita)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Stride Piano | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Ragtime | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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The Original James P. Johnson 1942-1945
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ASIN: B000009QM7
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

Carolina Shout
Squeeze Me
Ain't Misbehavin'
Snowy Morning Blues
Honeysuckle Rose
Keep Off the Grass
If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)
Riffs
I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling
Keepin' Out of Mischief Now
My Fate Is in Your Hands
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself a Letter)
Blue Turning Grey Over You
Over the Bars
Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid
Jingles
What Is This Thing Called Love?
You've Got to Be Modernistic
Crying for the Carolines
Eccentricity
Down Home Blues
Runnin' Wild Medley: Charleston/Old Fashioned Love/Open Your Heart

Customer Reviews:

I'd give it 10 stars if I could.......2002-08-23

This is one of the best albums I've ever heard. Every single track is wonderful. My CD has a different order than what is listed above, but the same number of tracks, 22. The first part of the CD contains some of the most beautiful "soft jazz" (dinner music) I've heard, with James P.'s wonderful piano, accompanied by a soft snare drum.
The second part sounds like piano rolls, but what playing! I recommend any jazz lovers rush and get this CD. I've played mine so many times (5 striaght hours on one drive) that I may have to buy a new one soon.

Average customer rating:

Nice Companion to Bags' Groove
"Rudy, put this on the record - all of it!"
Some just don't get it
CD or NOT CD
great, but should all be on 1 lp

Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants
Miles Davis
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000YJC
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

The Man I Love (Take 2)
Swing Spring
'Round Midnight
Bemsha Swing
The Man I Love

Album Description

One of the strongest of Miles Davis' recordings with his first classic quintet (a group also including the young tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones), this CD reissue is highlighted by If I Were a Bell, I Could Write a Book and Sonny Rollins' Oleo. Actually all six selections are quite rewarding and helped set the standard for bands of the era. 6 tracks. From the OJC/ Prestige label.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Companion to Bags' Groove.......2007-02-18

I picked this up because it contained the rest of the session gave us Bags' Groove. The Man I Love is the highlite in my opinion. I love the sound of Miles and Milt together. 'Round Midnight is played by the original Miles Davis Quintet and does not belong in this collection, it's fantastic but it's out of place here. Besides, I already had it on "The Miles Davis Quintet Legendary Prestige Sessions". If you have Bag's Groove then you definitely want to own the rest of the session plus, you get to hear the players muff the first take of "The Man I Love" and the ensuing bickering between Miles and Monk.

Just a comment on the "CD or NOT CD" review. Sir: You are very arrogant to go questioning the chops and abilities of a man like Monk. It's perfectly fine to write "I don't get Monk". I write that sort of thing all the time and in fact, I don't really get Monk overall but I love his writing. Without Monk we wouldn't have "Round Midnight and The Miles Davis Quintet's reading of that chart. That recording is without question one of the great recordings in recorded American music. Anyone who really understands "jazz" and American music knows this is a fact. Monk was a genius whether you and I "get him" or not. Also, comparing one musician to another is just plain dumb. Of course they are different, they are two different souls following the Muse in their own way. Comments like your's really rile me, I've read similar things written about Eric Dolphy, an indisputable genius who's music only the priviledged few ever "get".

"Rudy, put this on the record - all of it!".......2005-10-16

Fireworks. The session on which Miles and Monk almost came to blows - yet both produced some of their best work of the decade. Miles hated the way Monk comped behind his solos and they argued about it, until Miles told Monk he wanted him to stop playing when he (Miles) soloed. Monk, of course, didn't care for that idea too much. They bickered and some of those vocal exchanges appear right on the recording. But somehow it also inspired them because they play intense, brilliant music at the same time. Unfortunately, the CD doesn't include the whole session: besides the two takes of THE MAN I LOVE, there were two takes of BAGS' GROOVE recorded, neither of which make it on this CD. (You'll find those on the Prestige CD titled BAGS' GROOVE, OJC 245). And ROUND MIDNIGHT isn't from this date at all.

BEMSHA SWING might be the most amazing track here because on it Miles allowed Monk to play behind him. The transition from Miles's solo to Monk's is brilliant, with Miles laying down Monkian phrases which Monk then picks up on. SWING SPRING is one of Davis's earliest modal compositions, a terrific tune. The two takes of THE MAN I LOVE are quite different, with the second take's angry musical exchanges between Miles and Monk, with Miles's desire to be lyrical and Monks's to be experimental, causing a tension for the listener that is almost unbearable - and magnificent. It's amazing to hear these two headstrong, magisterial musicians "fighting" for dominance right before our ears - no holds barred. A fantastic recording date. A must-have CD.

Some just don't get it.......2004-09-10

To the reviewer below who claims "Thelonious Monk is by far the most overrated musician of all time," you obviously don't get it and are throwing out opinions on subjects of which you know nothing. The "genius" label is reserved for those who truly deserve it, such as people like Mozart, Miles and Monk. I defy you to name a single credible jazz musician that doesn't have a library of Monk tunes they can pull from their head and play from memory. The fact you weren't sure where Monk was coming from or was going to go was an essential part of the genius in his playing itself. I'm also not sure you would call the man who wrote "Round Midnight," "Epistrophy," and "Straight, No Chaser" (if I may be so bold as to include a woefully inadequate list of his classic standards) "overrated". Likewise, were it not for Monk, the man who almost single-handedly invented bebop, we wouldn't know jazz as it stands today.

Lastly, comparing Monk to Oscar Peterson is like comparing a Dodge Viper to a bowl of fruit. To paraphrase Jules from Pulp Fiction: "They ain't no same ballpark. Hell, they ain't even the same sport!".

CD or NOT CD.......2002-02-10

Some of these so-called giants are good and some are not good at all. In my opinion Thelonious Monk is by far the most overrated musician of all time. When you listen to monk play he makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. You would think he's playing another song ! Whatever he's playing, he's always behind(in his own nonsensical style)in just about every song. To be perfectly honest I can't see what anyone could possibly see in this man.(do yourself a favor) If you want to listen to a genius at the piano listen to Oscar Peterson. Don't insult your intelligence with this CD.

great, but should all be on 1 lp.......2000-09-26

This lp consists of the rest of the tunes recorded during the "Bags Groove" sessions in 1954, with Milt Jackson on vibes,, Thelonious Monk, piano, Percy Heath, bass, and Kenny Clarke, drums.... the exception to this is track 3, "Round About Midnight," which is Miles with Red Garland, John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, which was recorded on 26 October 1956 during the sessions for the "Cookin," and "Workin'" lps.

Despite what internal friction might have existed between Miles and Monk, the quality of play on these tracks are breathtaking, with Miles and Jackson coming to the fore. Monk's playing on his own "Bemsha Swing" is top rate, with his idiosyncratic style fitiing in perfectly with the ensemble.

My only hope is that one day, all of these tracks (minus "Round About Midnight," which is great but clearly out of place on this lp..it should be placed on any of Davis' 4 final Prestige offerings with his 1st great quintet) and those of "Bag's Groove" will be combined on 1 lp to showcase everything these groups did without having to jump from cd to cd to find it all. Despite the obvious money making strategy used here, the listener would be better off having it all in one place (of course, the 8 cd set of Miles' Prestige recordings does infact do all of this).

Great tunes and great groups help make this lp a very nice one indeed.

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