Because Concord Music Group swallowed up a ton of small labels, they are able to put out nice little samplers like these for the uninitiated. Let’s face it; if you know nothing about Adderley, Monk, etc, choosing a starting disc can be fairly daunting. These are nice starting points
Cannonball Adderley‘s alto is most closely associated with the Riverside label, though a couple songs here find him on Fantasy as well. Hard bopping to the end, he’s found here most of the time with brother Nat on cornet, accompanied by some of jazz’s most famous artists: Bill Evans, Milt Jackson, Yusef Lateef and Joe Zawinul are just a few of the gents who made songs like “This Here,” “Jive Samba” and “Work Song” into standards that make you want them to stay in your memory forever. Some of the most infectious music delivered by one of the most erudite sax players around.
Dave Brubeck’s pre-Columbian era from 1949-1953 tends to get overlooked, but the pianist/composer has nothing to be ashamed of here. While the “classic” quartet hadn’t formed yet, altoist Paul Desmond is here on most of the material, and his take of “Stardust” is one for the books. Some excellent trio work with Ron Crotty and Cal Tjader will surprise you how swinging Brubeck could be; this is a hot little band! Desmond’s alto is the antithesis of Parker’s searing bop sound, and for that reason alone it has aged incredibly well over the years. Amazing treat for the ears.
If you don’t know about Bill Evans’ earth shattering trio with Scott LaFaro/b and Paul Motian/b, I don’t know whether to tell you to get this one disc, or just shell out for all four of their sessions now and just get it over with . The studio material like “Autumn Leaves” and “Blue In Green” changed the way we listened to jazz forever, but it was the 1961 shows from the Village Vanguard that changed the way we lived. The interplay between everyone on “Gloria’s Steps” and “Solar” are still mind boggling, and Evans’ touch on “My Foolish Heart” is the standard by which that song is measured.
Pianist Vince Guaraldi is probably the least known of all of these artists, but the most heard, as he’s the guy on all of the Peanuts cartoon TV specials. And, yes, those songs like “Linus and Lucy” and “The Charlie Brown Theme” are included, but what will really impress you are the thoughtful tunes like “Cast Your Fate to the Wind,” which will stick to you like a glorious aftertaste, as well as the snazzily latin “El Matador.” Excellent small group and trio sounds that will put a smile on your face, and make you think of the innocence of childhood.
A sampler is an EXCELLENT idea for an artist like pianist/composer Thelonious Monk, as even today his sound and approach to jazz is as startling for the uninitiated as it is thrilling for those in the know. Most people agree that his Fantasy and Riverside years are his most adventurous, and they are displayed here marvelously. He had a heart for tenor players, and we’ve got a who’s who here: Sonny Rollins on ”Bemsha Swing,” Coleman Hawkins on “Ruby My Dear,” John Coltrane on “Trinkle Tinke” and “Johnny Griffin on “Nutty.” Hard to beat that lineup, and the drummers include Max Roach, Roy Haynes and Art Blakey. Once you get into Monk’s mindset, you won’t want to let go.
www.concordmusicgroup.com
