Chet Baker "My Funny Valentine [Essential Jazz Masters]" (2006)

My Funny Valentine [Essential Jazz Masters] (compilation)

release date: 2006

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5]

Compilation album by Chet Baker, which seems like a reissue but is filed as a 2006 album release, however, all tracks must have been recorded in the 1950s and/or 1960s, which is quite evident from the mono recordings. It features live sessions, hard bop jazz, as well as his romantic cool jazz ballads including one vocal jazz track, which sort of comprises all his styles but also makes it a very uneven compilation of songs.

Chet Baker Quintet "Groovin' " (1966)

Groovin'
Release date: 1966
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

This is released as The Chet Baker Quintet featuring Chet Baker (trumpet), George Coleman (tenor sax), Kirk Lightsey (piano), Herman Wright (bass), Roy Brooks (drums). The album is another mighty fine Chet collection in his heydays, and again a late hard bop jazz album.

Dexter Gordon "Gettin' Around" (1966)

Gettin' Around
release date: 1966
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Manhã de Carnaval" - 2. "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" - 3. "Heartaches" - 4. "Shiny Stockings" - 5. "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" - 6. "Le coiffeur" - 7. "Very Saxily Yours" (Bonus track) - 8. "Flick of a Trick" (Bonus track)

A studio album by Dexter Gordon. It was recorded in 1965 at the lengendary Van Gelder Studio and released in 1966. The 1987 remastered cd version contains two extra tracks from the same recording session. It's not my first Dexter Gordon album but it really falls in the great ones' category. He is one of my absolute favourite jazz artists, and perhaps the first I adored of the genre. The album is recorded and released in his home country but at this point he lived almost permanently, either in Paris or Copenhagen. It contains the type of music, I guess, people in Europe loved him for - cool, emotional, laid back, and... passionate. Absolutely wonderful.

1966 Favourite releases: 1. Otis Redding Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul - 2. Dexter Gordon Gettin' Around - 3. Astrud Gilberto Look to the Rainbow

Dexter Gordon "Go!" (1962)

Go!

release date: Aug. 27, 1962

format: digital (1999 remaster) / vinyl (2021 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Alfred Lion

label: Blue Note / Ermitage (vinyl) - nationality: USA

Studio album by Dexter Gordon recorded by Rudy Van Gelder featuring Gordon on tenor sax with Sonny Clark on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The album is one of Gordon's most acclaimed albums.

2021 vinyl reissue

Charles Mingus "Mingus Ah Um" (1959)

Mingus Ah Um
release date: Sep. 14, 1959
format: vinyl (1987 remaster) / digital (2009 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Teo Macero
label: CBS Records - nationality: USA

Studio album by Charles Mingus originally released on Columbia - here in the digitally remastered series 'CBS Jazz Masterpieces'.
The album is an essential part of any jazz collection.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 5 / 5, Popmatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]