1964, Ted Curson was in the game with Mingus, lots of great music from him. Obscure?, just a tiny bit, maybe not enough for this list, but I’m taking the chance…
I would think that Ted Curson makes the grade as a hidden gem. As does this gentleman, although both he and Curson well deserve to be more widely known.!
1 Like
Here’s another gem from the jazz-vocal vault:
Jackie Paris (1924-2004) barely scratched the surface with his solo recordings, though he toured (and occasionally recorded) with the likes of Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, and even Charles Mingus! Lenny Bruce reportedly was a huge fan. “Skylark” is an album of ballads recorded in 1953-1954. It’s great “cool jazz” singing, and Billy Taylor, on piano, is among the supporting musicians. The album can be streamed on Qobuz (at least in the US). (A fantastic 2006 documentary, " 'Tis Autumn: the Search for Jackie Paris," explores Paris’s career and why, despite his popularity as a performer, he never achieved fame.)
Tidal in the US has five Jackie Paris recordings, including the one cited above.
Yes, George Coleman is terrific and should be better known! Are you familiar with his recent releases on Smoke Sessions Records? They are outstanding and beautifully recorded as well.
No arguments on the outstanding recommendations of Mr. Paris and Mr. Coleman. Both albums are new to me. I’ll take my knocks for offering this one. A fondness for Shelly Manne led me to this (obscure?) recording…
1 Like
A very rare compilation from the archive of the German Jazz producer Hans Wewerka. Excellent soul jazz for Europen standards!
Chris Anderson is one of the unsung heroes of modern jazz piano. A revered figure among musicians, largely for his role as mentor to a young Herbie Hancock, Anderson has long been hindered by illness from aggressively pursuing his rightful place in the jazz limelight. A Chicago native reared on the blues and the music of Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, and Duke Ellington, Anderson years ago developed a rich harmonic sensibility that bears the influence of Ravel and Debussy. His playing remains moody and impressionistic, built on chordal improvisation rather than speedy right-hand runs, yet he never strays too far from his blues roots. One hopes that this outstanding, quietly brilliant duo effort with bass master Haden helps earn him some richly deserved acclaim.
Review by Joel Roberts
Recorded @ Sweet Basil in New York City in 1997…
1 Like
Love this album.
Great Bill Stewart album !
The others also, but allready well known 
Did you listen to this one ? 
1 Like
Jochen Rückert… Another great drummer !
1 Like
I have it in my library but have not listened to it in ages. I will revisit it. Thanks.
How about this one?
I also want to put these out there:
2 Likes
I have begun exploring the catalog of Danish label SteepleChase, founded in 1972. Their web site seems broken or down, but the assembled lists on www.jazzlists.com are helpful.
Duke Jordan is remembered for playing piano with Charlie Parker’s Quintet from 1947. In 1978 he settled in self-imposed exile in Copenhagen, where he died in 2006. Here is obituary from the NYT.
3 Likes
I do like Larry Goldings, another talented artist with an incredible Hammond Organ sound (i’ve heard him several times during live sessions… )
With Peter Bernstein and again Bill Stewart…
1 Like
Wow! This thread has taken on a life of its own. Thank you to everyone who has and continues to contribute to the thread.
I have been active on several different music and audio related forums for well over 10 years and each and every time I’ve tried to get a thread similar to this one going it has never failed to devolve into the same old tired and over worked handful of jazz recommendations - Kind of Blue, Time Out, Waltz For Debby, etc. Now it’s not that I have anything against these wonderful recordings but all too often these recordings are as far into jazz that most people go. My love of and for jazz goes much, much deeper and it appears that I’ve finally found a group of kindred spirits. FINALLY! I am so hucking fappy!!
One of the things I like must about jazz is the shear amount of truly great and talented musicians throughout the jazz world. All a listener needs to do is dig a little deeper than the surface to find a musician doing great and overlooked work.
And so with that in mind here are two recordings by yet another overlooked jazz master, trumpeter Jack Walrath. Enjoy!
This one is on Tidal:
5 Likes
A totally hidden gem… No star
The late Tomasz Stanko?
2 Likes
Yes. Tomasz Stanko passed away from lung cancer in 2018. He had just turned 76 at the time of his death.
There are many excellent Stanko recordings from his days in Poland when he was associated with pianist and composer Krzysztof Komeda. Thankfully Manfred Eicher and ECM Records were able to give Stanko some of the exposure and praise he so richly deserved. The same can be said for the great Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava.
1 Like
I’m with Ralph, this is scary good. The Stanko post brought to mind a lovely Rava/Blake recording.
2 Likes