Anyone have opinions on lesser known jazz musicians?

[rousseau]

Have been getting more into jazz lately, as much as one can get into the mountain of jazz that's out there within a short time-frame. I've always been something of a casual listener, but lately since I spend my days at a desk, in front of a computer, I find myself doing a lot of youtube surfing for different jazz albums and shows.

Seems, though, that I always end up gravitating to the big names
- Duke Ellington
- Stan Getz
- Thelonious Monk
- Charlie Parker
- Art Tatum
- Miles Davis
- Cannonball Adderley
- Bill Evans

... to name a few.

I wonder who else is out there, and maybe a little more obscure, that our members like?

 

[Horatio Parker]

Benny Golson
Art Farmer
Hank Mobley
Duke Pierson
Sonny Clark
Zoot Sims
George Russell
Lee Konitz
Lester Young
Horace Silver
Bud Powell
Wynton Kelly
Charles Mingus
Jaki Byard
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Sonny Rollins
Charles McPherson
Sonny Stitt
Wes Montgomery

that's a start...

 

[Ford]

Chet Baker.


That should keep you busy for awhile.

 

[Thomas II]

 

[rousseau]

Benny Golson
Art Farmer
Hank Mobley
Duke Pierson
Sonny Clark
Zoot Sims
George Russell
Lee Konitz
Lester Young
Horace Silver
Bud Powell
Wynton Kelly
Charles Mingus
Jaki Byard
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Sonny Rollins
Charles McPherson
Sonny Stitt
Wes Montgomery

that's a start...

That'll definitely keep me busy for a while.

Forgot about Mingus in my original list, learned of him via Joni Mitchell, he's fantastic.

 

[Horatio Parker]

Benny Golson
Art Farmer
Hank Mobley
Duke Pierson
Sonny Clark
Zoot Sims
George Russell
Lee Konitz
Lester Young
Horace Silver
Bud Powell
Wynton Kelly
Charles Mingus
Jaki Byard
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Sonny Rollins
Charles McPherson
Sonny Stitt
Wes Montgomery

that's a start...

That'll definitely keep me busy for a while.

Forgot about Mingus in my original list, learned of him via Joni Mitchell, he's fantastic.

I realized Oscar Peterson isn't on either list....

Any Blue Note from around 1967-65 or earlier is going to be good. At least, I've never heard a bad BN recording from those times.

 

[laughing dog]

You could try Art Pepper or Keith Jarrett or Wayne Shorter.

 

[Matt986]

You should check out Wes_Montgomery. Amazing guitarist. Here's an example of some of his finest jazz work:

[YOUTUBE]MOm17yw__6U[/YOUTUBE]

Fairly or unfairly, he received a lot of criticism for following a more commercial path later in his career. I see it as he was supporting his family by playing what people were paying for. He lived in Indianapolis (as do I) in a very modest house in a working class neighborhood. He was by no means a rich man. He died suddenly of a heart attack at age 45. I found out recently that he's buried in a cemetery very close to where I live. I need to get over to visit his grave. Anyway, here's an example of what he was criticised for by the jazz purists:

[YOUTUBE]VBGZgyl72_g[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Horatio Parker]

Until he became famous, Wes Montgomery would often play two gigs and work a factory shift the same day.

 

[PyramidHead]

Bill Frisell was considered the Jimi Hendrix of jazz guitar for a while. Since the mid 90's, he has drifted more into Americana and folk, but his early records on the ECM label, especially Live (1991) are fantastic in my opinion.

 

[rousseau]

You should check out Wes_Montgomery. Amazing guitarist. Here's an example of some of his finest jazz work:

[YOUTUBE]MOm17yw__6U[/YOUTUBE]

That's real nice.

Thanks all for the suggestions. Going to spend the next year in a dark room with some decent headphones.

 

[ZiprHead]

Chet Baker.


That should keep you busy for awhile.

Seconded.

 

[dx713]

Those are already "big names", but as they weren't in your list, maybe you missed them
Dave Brubeck - pioneered the use of unusual time signatures
Paul Desmond - saxophonist in Brubeck's band, but also went solo, and had a tone to die for
Gerry Mulligan - maybe it's because I've tried baritone sax myself and know how difficult it is to improvise tastefully from the low end, but my jaw hits the floor everytime I hear him

On the modern side of things, did you check Steve Coleman (Five Elements/Mystic Rythm Society period)? The blend of free-jazz-like fusion/rythm experimentation and Charlie Parker hommage hits me all the time.

Do you want to stay strictly mainstream jazz, or try a little electric?
If yes to the later, I'd say try to find some 70s Herbie Hancock, like Head Hunters. He might be hit or miss in his solo records (very intellectual experiments, or on the other end easy-listening without a lot of depths) but the jazz-funk explorations redefined groove for me. Plus Weather Report, Joe Zawinul, and Jaco Pastorius, of course.
(and just to toot my horn, if you're into fusion, check out French bands Sixun and Ultramarine)

 

[rousseau]

Chet Baker.


That should keep you busy for awhile.

I ended up reading Chet Baker's biography on Allmusic, and I was shocked at the story of his life, especially given how beautiful his music is. So I went ahead and purchased a biography of his called 'The Long Night of Chet Baker'. (I also bought a History of Jazz by Ted Goia, but that's a different story)

 

[rousseau]

I managed to find Coltrane at the Vanguard Again! on vinyl. There's an interesting album.

After the past little while I seem to be zoning in on Baker, Evans, Montgomery, Parker... And maybe soon Hawkins.