In ye olde listening project, I’m now moving out of letter B and into letter C, which, depending upon your generation of reference, is either for “cookie” or “conifers.”  Everyone knows the great hit song “C is for Cookie,” but how many of you know the extra groovy tune “C is for Conifers” by They Might Be Giants?

But I digress.

I have recently listened to:

• Greg Burk – Many Worlds – Greg is one of the most amazing pianists I have ever known.  He plays wonderfully on a bunch of CDs, including mine (Study of Light).  He brings a beautiful sense of curiosity to any music, it is no surprise to me that his newest CD, Many Worlds, is as good as it is.  His colleagues are Ron Sequin and Michel Lambert, and they sound great.  Henry Cook – another pal – plays some of the best music I have ever heard him play on this CD.   These worlds are definitely worth exploring.
• Kate Bush – Hounds of Love – Back to LPs.  Kate Bush is a musician who I was vaguely aware of until about 1995, and then I became more and more interested in her music.  Now, I have most of her recordings, and have found wonderful things on all of them.  Honestly, I bought this record because Eberard Weber is on it, and he didn’t disappoint!  In fact, “Mother Stands for Comfort” (one of two tracks  he is on) is my absolute favorite track on the record, and my all-time favorite Kate Bush song.
• Don Byas/Bud Powell – Tribute to Cannonball – It’s not really a tribute to Cannonball; he (Adderley) merely produced the album.  Don Byas sounds great, and so do Kenny Clarke, Idrees Sulieman, and Pierre Michelot (he rules!), but this 1961 recording is definitely not Bud Powell’s shining hour.  It’s a little heartbreaking to listen to, unfortunately.

And then, the Benny Carter section.  When I first started re-buying LPs in 1999, I hardly even knew who Benny Carter was.  But the more I heard, the more I liked.  He was extraordinary.  A composer, arranger, alto saxophone and trumpet player, and singer, this guy is the definition of swing-era.

• 1933 – Amazing.  Great tracks with sidemen like Max Kaminsky, Chu Berry, Teddy Wilson, Sid Catlett, Mezz Mezzrow (on drums?  No way…), Shad Collins, and J.C. Higginbotham.
• Swingin’ The ’20’s – I love this one.  A later Earl Hines recording, but he still sounds incredible, and with Leroy Vinnegar and Shelly Manne on bass and drums, this rhythm section is hard to beat.  Great “Thou Swell.”
• Further Definitions – A must own.  Seriously.  All saxophone players need this record, not just because it’s great, but because it was recorded in 1961 and the saxophone players are Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Phil Woods, and Charles Rouse (the definition of modernism at the time – working with Monk).  All bass players need it because this stars pre-Coltrane Jimmy Garrison, working with (Papa) Jo Jones on the drums.  Dick Katz and John Collins on piano and guitar round out the rhythm section.  Absolutely amazing record
• Montreaux ’77 – A great jam session sounding record.  I love Pablo Records (the record label) in the 1970s.  As always, NHOP (Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen)’s playing is practically obscene, it’s so amazing.
• Summer Serenade – My least favorite of the Benny Carter collection, although there are some nice moments.  Kenny Drew, Jesper Lundgard and Ed Thigpen are a nice foundation for Carter.  But there just isn’t as much vitality in the playing as I was hoping for.  Thigpen sounds like he’s playing nylon tip sticks on a pretty big ride cymbal, which isn’t the greatest sounding thing either.  Sorry.

Watch out: Betty Carter records are up next!

Best, R.