Where does anyone start when compiling a list of favourites? What is the criteria? Our tastes evolve constantly and we move through different emotional states throughout our lives, all of which re-define what we listen and respond to.
I've been thinking over the last few weeks about the recording which have been significant to me in one way or another, either because they gave me the inspiration I needed at a particular point in time, or they struck a nerve which complimented what I was feeling, or they just kicked my ass.
Here are those recordings. Funny thing is that I listen to all of them from time to time still, as I'm from a generation which played a record from start to finish, scoured the artwork and tried to imagine what it was like to be a fly-on-the-wall for the performance.
In no particular order:
Live Recordings
1. Live at the Regal B.B. King (1964)
2. Live at the Five Spot Eric Dolphy (1961)
3. Live at the Lightouse Lee Morgan (1972)
4. No Cover No Minimum Billy Ecstine (1960)
5. One Night Stand! Live At the Harlem Square Club Sam Cooke (1963)
6. Swiss Movement Les McCann and Eddie Harris (1969)
7. Live at the Fillmore West Aretha Franklin/King Curtis (1971)
8. Live at the Sex Machine Kool and the Gang (1971)
9. Doin’ the Thing Horace Silver Quintet (1961)
10. All the World’s a Stage Rush (1977)
11. Live at the Blackhawk Shelly Manne and His Men (1959)
12. Sunday at the Village Vanguard/Waltz for Debbie Bill Evans Trio (1961)
13. Four and More/My Funny Valentine Miles Davis (1964)
14. Live! Lou Rawls (1966)
15. In Concert Peter, Paul & Mary (1966)
Studio Recordings
1. Winelight Grover Washington Jr. (1982)
2. Backlash Freddie Hubbard (1966)
3. Free to Be Donald Harrison (1998)
4. Black Codes from the Underground Wynton Marsalis (1982)
5. Far East Suite Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn (1967)
6. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band The Beatles (1967)
7. Just In Time Larry Willis (1989)
8. A Love Supreme John Coltrane (1965)
9. Workin’, Steamin’, Cookin’ and Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet (4 albums in 2 1956 sessions)
10. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Charles Mingus (1963)
11. Ellington Uptown Duke Ellington (1951)
12. Clifford Brown & Max Roach Clifford Brown & Max Roach Quintet (1954)
13. Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley (1961)
14. Someday My Prince Will Come Wynton Kelly (1961)
15. Roll Call Hank Mobley (1960)
16. With the Tenors of Our Time Roy Hargrove (1995)
17. John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963)
18. Live at The Senator Brian Dickinson (1995)
19. Stardust Willie Nelson (1978)
20. Voodoo D’Angello (2000)
21. Nefertiti Miles Davis (1968)
22. Blue Soul Blue Mitchell (1959)
23. Wanton Spirit Kenny Baron, Roy Haynes, Charlie Haden (1994)
24. Getz/Gilberto Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto (1964)
25. To My Queen Walt Dickerson (1962)
26. Blue Serge Serge Chaloff (1956)
27. The Vibe Roy Hargrove (1992)