This is a thread where you can ask me anything about jazz music.

I have had similar threads in different forums and some have been hugely successful.

One of them reaching 596 posts.

You can read this thread here.

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~balaso...out%20Jazz.htm

If you have any questions, I promise to answer them all.

Thanks,
Geoff.

All right Geoff, I've one for you:
I absolutely love Sun Ra, but his catalogue seems so unwieldily at times that it's difficult for me to coordinate my buying scheme (which albums to purchase over others and so on). Currently, I own Atlantis, Concert For The Comet Kohoutek, Life Is Splendid, Music From Tomorrow's World, Nothing Is, The Heliocentric Worlds, Vol.1 & 2, and The Solar Myth Approach, Vol. 1 & 2...

...so this begs the question, where to go next? I'll accept any response as I have no real preference for any particular 'Jazz-Style", so whatever you feel to be his strongest works absent from my collection, feel free to list them.

Any jazz out there that feature a lot of hammond? Think that would be a interesting concept!

Sun Ra was a wonderfully unique musician, he was both influenced by early jazz music, especially the swing music of Fletcher Henderson. However Sun Ra as his career progressed became more and more interested in new forms of music, he expanded the possiblities of 'big band' music. He was one of the supreme modernists of jazz, but rarely forget his traditional jazz background.

Naturally his earlier albums are more conventional. The music was very influenced by be-bop, and many of the complex rhythms present in be-bop are prevelant in his early albums. Sun Ra in this early period, used to cover music more than he did later in his career. 'Sound Sun Pleasure' is a clear example of his early style. In the album he shows his debt towards another early bop pianist,Thelonious Monk. In fact on Sound Sun Pleasure Ra plays tribute with a touching version of Round Midnight. My favourite composition from Sound Sun Pleasure is Ra's Enlightenment. It is the stand out composition in the album. The composition can also be found on Jazz in Silhouette, the version on this album is almost indentical.

As for a recommendation, I might have to go for Jazz In Silhouette, which is slightly ahead of Sound Sun Pleasure. Perhaps I have this opinion, because of my dislike of Hatty Randolph on SSP. Also JIS features more Ra compositions and less standards.

One of the key break-through compositions of Ra was 'Rocket Number Nine Take Off For The Planet Venus'. He first recorded this 'space influenced' composition in 1960, just prior to his relocation from his native Chicago to his future home New York. It appears on the Planet Earth/Low Ways. I highly recommend this album. The solos on it are amazing, and it is certainly one of the most interesting early-mid period albums by Sun Ra.

I also rate the 'under-rated' 'Futuristic Sound of Sun Ra'. It was his only album recorded for 'Savoy' . A jazz label. It features some amazing compositions. I highly recommend this underdog. 'Bassism' is a pretty great opening track.

Than there is Fate in Mood/When The Sun Comes. Another beautiful album, with some of the greatest solos on any Sun Ra date. 'We Travel The Spaceways' is a classic.

Now I've covered Ra's Saturn releases (and the one Savoy).

I would like to recommend one of the later period Ra albums. In the 70s and beyond, Ra's band become more concentrated on 'space' jazz, than advanced traditional jazz.

My favourite 'space jazz' album. Is 'Space is The Place' (the impulse version). The title track is a 20+ minute masterpiece, and those keyboards! This music is just so fun. Less abstract than Atlantis, but just as crazy. It also features the return of a composition have had earlier recorded 'Rocket Number Nine'. This is one of my all time favourite Ra albums. Highly recommended.

I also recommend checking out the title track from Ra's late 70s album ' Lanquidity'. It is a beautiful track, it is Ra almost creating something somewhat similar to 'downbeat electronica' many years before it was invented. Sadly the rest of the album pails in comparison to the amazing opening track.

So like to sum up my post.

I recommend these albums

Jazz In Silhouette
(early swing influenced advanced bop)

Planet Earth/Low Ways
(break-through album, journey into space (while mostly using a conventional setting)

Futuristic Sound of Sun Ra
(underdog redcording, beautiful compositions. Fun to listen to)

Fate in Mood/When The Sun Comes
(peak album of the Saturn years)

Space is The Place
(my favourite space jazz album)

Lanquidity
(amazing opening track!)

Hope this is of some help.

Thanks,
Geoff

Are you referring to the Hammond Organ?

If so here are some of my favourite albums where the wonderful sound of the hammond is present.

Larry Young - Unity



This is album that proves the rernarkable capability of the HAMMOND B-3 ORGRAN. It is the kind of album you can play to critics of ''organ' music and before the end of the first track they will be converted.

Larry Young was a master organist, and this album is his best. He acts as both the organist and the bassist (for he plays the bass lines of the album with his left-hand and feet (using the chordal pedals). The album also features an all star jazz band. The under-rated Woody Shaw on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone and on drums Elvin Jones.

The opening track 'Zoltan' has a most memorable introduction. It begins with a short drum solo by Elvin Jones playing Zoltan Kodaly's Hary Janos Suite (which is a march tune). Fantastic piece, and Joe Henderson on tenor sax is really on fire during it.

I wonderful album, it is the ESSENTIAL hammond album.

Jimmy Smith - Back at The Chicken Shack



Jimmy Smith was the guy who started Hammond Fever. He was the original jazz hammond organist. This is one of his greatest hammond based albums. This album is groovy, and highly recommended.

John Patton - Boogaloo



One of the most funky jazz albums about. It features some real groovy tunes! This really makes you want to boogy. As the title suggests!

Medeski, Martin & Wood - It's a Jungle in Here



M,M & W are the greatest modern groove jazz band. They are professionals of groove. This album is a real highlight for me. The cover of John Coltrane's Syeeda's Song Flute is sublime!

Great suggestions Geoff, If you excuese me i would also recommend Jonny Hammond: Higer Ground. I'm sure you know him, great album and personnel.


Cheers

Ammaro

i just discovered Fela Kuti. Do you know his essential Tunes?

Uhm, I`m late, but thanks for the suggestions! I`ve allready got Unity now and Medeski, Martin & Wood got me interested. Just can`t find that exact album yet.
Have you heard "Hansson & Karlsson - Hansson & Karlsson" Geoff?

do you know fela kuti? hes not classical jazz, but jazz

Is this thread one of them Geoff?

Here