Once again, here we are in the perpetually listening to every record in my collection alphabetically and blogging unscholarly thoughts project. Back on track now, after a quick return to letter J, after discovering I misfiled some records.

Eric Kloss – Doors – I first heard Kloss on a saxophone compilation record, and I was floored. This record is a fascinating jaunt through straight ahead playing, early 1970s fusion, and a touch of avant garde. This album makes me wonder what Dolphy would have been doing in 1972. With Neal Creque, Gene Taylor and Ron Krasinski in the rhythm section. Definitely worth a listen. I don’t know if he got lumped into some category with John Klemmer and Steve Marcus, but those are the other people I think about when I’m listening to him.

Jimmy Knepper – Jimmy Knepper in LA – What a shift in gears from the last record! This is a burning, straight ahead record with Lew Tabaken, Roger Kellaway (NEC alum!), Monty Budwig and Shelly Manne. Swinging, thoughtful, burning.

Jimmy Knepper – Cunningbird – A slamming straight ahead session with Al Cohn, George Mraz, Roland Hannah and Dannie Richmond. The obvious thing to talk about is the fact that both Knepper and Richmond are Mingus alumni, but every piano solo is a show stopper, and virtually every note of Mraz’s playing is transcribe-able on this.

Jimmy Knepper – I Dream Too Much – This is a great example of small horn band writing, with John Eckert and John Clark joining on Trumpet and french horn. Nice, tight horn writing, like as it should be according to things like Inside the Score. Roland Hanna (now “Sir”) sounds fantastic, as do George Mraz and Billy Hart.

Gladys Knight & the Pips – The Best of Gladys Knight & the Pips – Man, I love this music, and yes, I’d be a Pip if I was asked. Gladys’ voice is one of my all time favorites, and the writing, arranging, producing, performing of these tracks is flawless. Curtis Mayfield? C’mon. Awesome.