Eberhard Weber – Yellow Fields (ECM, 1976)

Eberhard Weber (b); Charlie Mariano (ss, shehnai, nadaswaram); Rainer Brüninghaus (p, syn); Jon Christensen (d)

Recorded in September 1975

Reissued as part of the 3-disc set Colours (ECM)

Jazz that takes its cues from another place. 

An ECM classic. 

Buster Williams – Pinnacle (Muse/32 Jazz, 1975)

Buster Williams (b, el b, vo); Earl Turbinton (b cl, ss); Sonny Fortune (ss, fl, alto fl); Woody Shaw (tr); Onaje Allan Gumbs (p, el p, syn); Billy Hart (d); Guilherme Franco (perc); Marcus (vo); Suzanne Klewan (vo)

Recorded on August 6, 7, 11 & 14, 1975

I love this record.

It's one of the albums that prompted me to ask myself, "Why doesn't anyone seem to talk about the amazing and distinctive jazz that was happening in the 1970s?!?!"

Buster is stinkin' fantastic!

Harry "Sweets" Edison – Just Friends (Black & Blue, 1976)

Harry "Sweets" Edison (tr); Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (ts); Gerald Wiggins (p); Major Holley (b); Oliver Jackson (d)

Recorded on July 26, 1975

Thank God that the French Black & Blue label captured so many Swing era masters in their late prime.  The label documented many important and outstanding musicians when no one in the U.S. seemed to be paying attention.

This Sweets Edison disc with Lockjaw Davis is one of the label's finest.

Andrew Hill – Live at Montreux (Freedom/Arista-Freedom, 1975)

Andrew Hill (p)

July 20, 1975

Hill made an extraordinary run of albums between 1974 and 1978, but they're largely overlooked -- since most of them were made for European or Japanese labels.  Some of these records are still difficult to obtain.  But Hill was making magnificent music regardless.  In fact, his recordings from the 1970s compare very favorably with his critically acclaimed (and much more well-known) series of LPs for Blue Note in the 1960s.

From this listener's point of view, Hill's strongest records -- the crème de la crème -- were made in 1975 and 1976. They are:

- Blue Black (East Wind, rec. 1975) - quartet

- Divine Revelation (SteepleChase, rec. 1975) - mostly quartet

- Hommage (East Wind, rec. 1975) - solo piano

- Live at Montreux (Arista/Freedom, rec. 1975) - solo piano

- Nefertiti (East Wind, rec. 1976) - trio

I could have easily chosen any of these for inclusion in this survey.  But it's Hill's solo outing from Montreux that I pull from the shelf most frequently.

Hilton Ruiz Trio – Piano Man (SteepleChase/Inner City, 1975)

Hilton Ruiz (p); Buster Williams (b); Billy Higgins (d)

Recorded on July 10, 1975

Ruiz's debut as a leader.  Outstanding.

Chico Hamilton – Peregrinations (Blue Note, 1975)

Chico Hamilton (d, perc); Arthur Blythe (as); Arnie Lawrence (ts, ss); Joe Beck (g); Barry Finnerty (g); Steve Turre (el b, tb); Jerry Peters (p, el p); Abdullah (cga, bgo, perc); Charlotte Politte (syn programming); Julia Tillman Waters (vo); Luther Waters (vo); Maxine Willard Waters (vo); Oren Waters (vo)

Recorded on July 9 - 10, 1975

Hannibal & the Sunrise Orchestra – Hannibal (MPS, 1975)

Hannibal Marvin Peterson [Hannibal Lokumbe] (tr, vo, koto); Diedre Murray (vc); Michael Cochrane (p); Stafford James (b); Thabo Michael Carvin (d, perc, vo, whistle, timp); Chris Hart (perc, bells)

Recorded on July 1 - 2, 1975

Superb.

Stone Alliance – Stone Alliance (PM, 1976)

Steve Grossman (ts); Gene Perla (el b, p); Don Alias (d, cga, bgo, bells)

Recorded in June 1975 and June 1976

Enrico Rava – The Pilgrim and the Stars (ECM, 1975)

Enrico Rava (tr); John Abercrombie (g); Palle Danielsson (b); Jon Christensen (d) 

Recorded in June 1975

Jim Hall – Live! (A&M Horizon/Verve, 1975)

Jim Hall (g); Don Thompson (b); Terry Clarke (d)

Recorded in June 1975

I suppose many would point to Concierto (CTI, 1975) as THE Jim Hall record of the 1970s.  Not me.

If I were to choose one record from Hall's entire career -- not just the 1970s -- it would be Live! 

The music swings so unbelievably hard.

Al Cohn – Play It Now (Xanadu, 1975)

Al Cohn (ts); Barry Harris (p); Larry Ridley (b); Alan Dawson (d)

Recorded on June 19, 1975

Cohn was on a roll in the 1970s.  Play It Now features some of the best playing of Cohn's entire career. At times, he achieves a Sonny Rollins-esque grandeur.  That good.  

And the rhythm section is nonpareil.

I only wish that Elemental had included this LP in their short-lived Xanadu reissue series.

  

Mark Murphy – Mark Murphy Sings (Muse, 1975)

Mark Murphy (vo);  David Matthews (arr); Michael Brecker (ts); David Sanborn (as); Randy Brecker (tr); Joe Puma (g); Don Grolnick (p, el p, key, org); Harvie Swartz (b); Jimmy Madison (d); Sue Evans (perc)

Recorded on June 17 - 19, 1975

Terrific jazz singing and a classic of the decade.

Strangely, the LP has never been reissued in any digital format.  (Selected cuts have been reissued on compilations.)  It deserves a better fate.

Von Freeman – Have No Fear (Nessa, 1975) and Serenade & Blues (Nessa, 1979)

Von Freeman (ts); John Young (p); David Shipp (b); Wilbur Campbell (d)

Recorded on June 11, 1975

Two LPs worth of material recorded on a single day in 1975.  Essential music from an unheralded master.

If you're unfamiliar with Freeman, begin here.

Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond – 1975: Duets (A&M Horizon/Verve, 1975)

Dave Brubeck (p); Paul Desmond (as)

Recorded on June 10, 1975 and September 15 - 16, 1975

Brubeck and Desmond re-kindle the old magic.  A reunion that lives up to the billing.

Dizzy Gillespie y Machito – Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods (Pablo, 1976)

Dizzy Gillespie (tr); Frank "Machito" Grillo (mar, clavinet); Chico O'Farrill (arr, cond); Manny Duran (tr, flgn); Paul Gonzalez (tr, flgn); Raul Gonzalez Jr. (tr, flgn); Victor Paz (tr, flgn); Jerry Chamberlain (tb); Jack Jeffers (tb); Lewis Kahn (tb); Barry Morrow (tb); Don Corrado (Fr hn); Brooks Tillotson (Fr hn); Bob Stewart (tu); Mauricio Smith (as, fl, piccolo); Mario Bauzá (as, cl); Mario Rivera (ts, alto fl); Jose Madera Sr. (ts, cl); Leslie Yahonikan (bs, b cl); Jorge Dalto (el p); Dana McCurdy (syn); Carlos Castillo (el b); Mickey Roker (d); Julito Grillo (African drums); Raymond Hernandez (African drums); Pepin Pepin (cga); Mario Grillo (bgo, cowbell); Jose Madera Jr. (timp)

Recorded on June 4 - 5, 1975

Three giants converge: Dizzy, Machito, and Chico O'Farrill.

Barry Harris – Plays Tadd Dameron (Xanadu/Elemental, 1975)

Barry Harris (p); Gene Taylor (b); Leroy Williams (d)

Recorded on June 4, 1975

One of the master bop pianists pays tribute to the one of the master bop composers.

 

John Hicks – Hells Bells (Strata-East/Charly, 1980)

John Hicks (p); Clint Houston (b); Cliff Barbaro (d)

Recorded on May 21, 1975

Also reissued by Pure Pleasure on limited edition vinyl

This was the first recording that John Hicks made as a leader, but it wasn't released until 1980.

Jimmy Giuffre – River Chant aka The Train and the River (Choice/Candid, 1975)

Jimmy Giuffre (ts, cl, fl, b fl); Kiyoshi Tokunaga (b); Randy Kaye (perc)

Recorded April 1975

LP issued on Choice as River Chant; CD reissued on Candid as The Train and the River

John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette – Gateway (ECM, 1975)

John Abercrombie (g); Dave Holland (b); Jack DeJohnette (d)

Recorded in March 1975

Clifford Jordan – Night of the Mark VII aka The Highest Mountain (Muse/32 Jazz/Savoy, 1975)

Clifford Jordan (ts); Cedar Walton (p); Sam Jones (b); Billy Higgins (d)

Recorded on March 26, 1975

Not to be confused with another Clifford Jordan LP titled The Highest Mountain released on Steeplechase (and Inner City in the U.S.).

Mike Westbrook Orchestra – Citadel/Room 315 (RCA/Novus/BGO, 1975)

Mike Westbrook (el p); John Surman (bs, ss, b cl); Nigel Carter (tr, flgn); Derek Healey (tr, flgn); Henry Lowther (tr, flgn); Kenny Wheeler (tr, flgn); Malcolm Griffiths (tb); Paul Rutherford (tb, euphonium); Geoff Perkins (b tb); Alf Reece (b tb); Mike Page (as, fl, b cl); Alan Wakeman (ts, ss, cl); John Holbrooke (ts, fl); John Warren (bs, fl); Dave MacRae (p, el p); Brian Godding (g); Chris Laurence (b, el b); Alan Jackson (d); John Mitchell (perc) 

Recorded on March 21-22, 1975

Oliver Nelson – Stolen Moments (East Wind/Inner City, 1975)

Oliver Nelson (arr, as); Bobby Bryant (tr, flgn); Jerome Richardson (ss, pic fl, fl); Buddy Collette (ts, fl); Bobby Bryant Jr. (ts, fl); Jack Nimitz (bs); Mike Wofford (p, el p); Chuck Domanico (el b); Shelly Manne (d)

Recorded on March 6, 1975


I can't include Nelson's best album from the 1970s in this survey -- Black, Brown and Beautiful (Flying Dutchman, 1970) -- since it was recorded in October 1969.

Even so, Nelson made several excellent LPs during the decade before his tragic and premature death in 1975.  Both Berlin Dialogue for Orchestra (FD, 1970) and Swiss Suite (FD, 1971) feature Nelson with big band ensembles featuring outstanding soloists from Europe and the U.S.  

But the disc that I've chosen is the last LP Nelson ever made, featuring a "little big band" ensemble.  Along with his distinctive alto work and arrangements, this recording includes some of Nelson's most memorable compositions, including the title cut.

By the way, check out the trumpet work by Bobby Bryant throughout the album.  Outstanding!

Art Farmer – To Duke with Love (East Wind/Inner City, 1975)

Art Farmer (flgn); Cedar Walton (p); Sam Jones (b); Billy Higgins (d)

Recorded on March 5, 1975


Tributes to Ellington are a dime-a-dozen, but this one is special.  Farmer's meditations on Duke are immaculate. 

With Walton, Jones, and Higgins, it's hard to imagine a more sympathetic rhythm team.

Sonny Criss – Saturday Morning (Xanadu/Elemental, 1975)

Sonny Criss (as); Barry Harris (p); Leroy Vinnegar (b); Lenny McBrowne (d)

Recorded on March 1, 1975


Some have described Sonny Criss' sound as a marriage of Johnny Hodges and Charlie Parker.  I've never heard Criss play more beautifully than he does on this Xanadu release.  If you've never heard it before, I can only recommend that you get it as soon as possible.  Don't hesitate!  Grab it while the 2016 Elemental reissue is still available.

For those of you who are concerned with audio issues: The CD reissue makes a drastic improvement in audio quality compared to the original LP.

More Sonny Criss
Sonny's most well-known record from the 1970s is probably Crisscraft (Muse/32 Jazz, 1975).  It's an outstanding recording -- but I prefer Saturday Morning by a whisker.  

Oliver Lake – Heavy Spirits (Arista-Freedom/Black Lion, 1975)

Oliver Lake (as); Olu Dara (tr); Joseph Bowie (tb); Al Philemon Jones (vn); C. Panton (vn); Steven Peisch (vn); Donald Smith (p); Stafford James (b); Victor Lewis (d); Charles Bobo Shaw (d)

Recorded on January 31, 1975 and February 3, 1975


A terrific record.
























The full album:

Horace Silver – Silver 'n Brass (Blue Note, 1975)

Horace Silver (p); Tom Harrell (tr); Oscar Brashear (tr, flgn); Bobby Bryant (tr, flgn); Vincent DeRosa (frhn); Frank Rosolino (tb); Maurice Spears (b tb); Bob Berg (ts); Jerome Richardson (as, ss, fl); Buddy Collette (as, fl); Ron Carter (b); Bob Cranshaw (el b); Al Foster (d); Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (d); Wade Marcus (arr)

Recorded on January 10 & 17, 1975


From this listener's perspective, Silver 'n Brass is easily the best of the four in his "Silver 'n" series.

If you've never heard it (or even if you have!), listen to Silver's tribute to Duke Ellington, "The Sophisticated Hippie."  It's irresistible.

More Horace Silver
For more Horace in the 70s, I'd turn next to In Pursuit of the 27th Man (Blue Note, 1973).  Some cuts feature vibraphonist David Friedman -- very unusual instrumentation for a Silver date -- while others include the Brecker brothers, Michael and Randy.  Good stuff. 

Shirley Scott - One for Me (Strata-East, 1974)

Shirley Scott (org, mellotron); Harold Vick (ts); Billy Higgins (d); Jimmy Hopps (cowbell, 1 trk only)

Recorded in 1974

Reissued on Arc Records in the U.K. in 2020


This tremendous recording is the final entry in my survey from the year 1974.  

Before being reissued this year, One for Me was very difficult to find and fetched high dollars in the reseller's market.

Scott is perhaps best known for her run of albums in the 1960s with then-husband Stanley Turrentine.  They are consistently outstanding; all of them are worth hearing.

One for Me follows the same template, with Harold Vick in Turrentine's tenorist role.  Vick is a vastly underrated voice who always plays soulfully.

The third member of the trio, Billy Higgins, is one of the Greats to ever sit behind a traps set.

Given the musicians involved, I guess it's no surprise that the music is extraordinary. 




Give it a listen:

More Shirley Scott
The album that preceded One for Me is titled Superstition (Cadet, 1973).  It's excellent but no longer in print.  Unfortunately, after making One for Me, there was a long dry spell until Scott finally returned to the studio in 1990 (!) to make Oasis (Muse). 

Billy Cobham – Crosswinds (Atlantic, 1974)

Billy Cobham (d, perc, arr); Michael Brecker (ww); Randy Brecker (tr); Garnett Brown (tb); John Abercrombie (g); George Duke (key); John Williams (b, el-b); Lee Pastora (perc)

Recorded in 1974

Irene Kral – Where Is Love? (Choice, 1975)

Irene Kral (vo); Alan Broadbent (p)

Recorded in December 1974

Charles Mingus – Changes One (Atlantic, 1975) and Changes Two (Atlantic, 1975)

Charles Mingus (b); Jack Walrath (tr); George Adams (ts); Don Pullen (p); Dannie Richmond (d)

Recorded on December 27, 28 and 30, 1974

Count Basie & Oscar Peterson – "Satch" and "Josh" (Pablo, 1975)

Oscar Peterson (p); Count Basie (p, org); Freddie Green (g); Ray Brown (b); Louie Bellson (d)

Recorded on December 2, 1974

Harold Vick – Don't Look Back (Strata-East, 1974)

Harold Vick (ts, ss, fl, b cl); Virgil Jones (tr, flgn); Kiane Zawadi (euphonium); Joe Bonner (el p, p, perc, tu); George Davis (g, fl); Sam Jones (b); Billy Hart (d, perc); Jimmy Hopps (perc)

Recorded in November 1974

Reissued by Pure Pleasure [limited edition vinyl] in 2018

Joe Bonner – The Lifesaver (Muse, 1975)

Joe Bonner (p)

Recorded in November 1974

The Modern Jazz Quartet – The Complete Last Concert (Atlantic, 1975)

Milt Jackson (vib); John Lewis (p); Percy Heath (b); Connie Kay (d)

Recorded on November 25, 1974

Originally a 2-LP set, this was reissued with bonus tracks on 2 CDs in 1989.

Jackie McLean & the Cosmic Brotherhood – New York Calling (SteepleChase/Inner City, 1975)

Jackie McLean (as, ts); Rene McLean (as, ss, ts); Billy Skinner (tr); Billy Gault (p); James Benjamin (b); Michael Carvin (d)

Recorded on October 30, 1974

Bobby Vince Paunetto – Paunetto's Point (Pathfinder/RSVP, 1975)

Bobby Vince Paunetto (vib); Tom Harrell (tr, flgn); Billy Drewes (as, ss, ts); Todd Anderson (ts, fl); Mario Rivera (ts, bs, fl); Ronnie Cuber (bs, as, b cl, fl); Ed Byrne (tb); John Marrero (p, el p); Andy Gonzalez (b); Tom Sala (d); Fred Munar (tim); Milton Cardona (claves, cga, perc); Jerry Gonzalez (cga, perc); Manny Oquendo (cowbell, perc); Alfredo de la Fé (vn); Charles Burnham (vn); Ashley Richardson (va); Ronald Lipscomb (vc)

Recorded on October 28 and December 30, 1974

Dusko Goykovich – Slavic Mood (RCA Italy, 1975)

Dusko Goykovich (tr); Andy Scherrer (ts, ss); Vince Benedetti (p); Bert Thompson (b); Joe Nay (d)

Recorded on October 24 - 25, 1974

Keith Jarrett – Death & the Flower / Backhand (Impulse, 1975)

Keith Jarrett (p, fl, perc); Dewey Redman (ts, musette, perc); Charlie Haden (b); Paul Motian (d, perc); Guilherme Franco (perc)

Recorded on October 9 - 10, 1974


I just as easily could have picked Shades.  

Or Treasure Island.  

Or The Survivor's Suite. 

But that long, serpentine title track on Death and the Flower is really something special.

Lee Konitz – Satori (Milestone, 1975)

Lee Konitz (as); Martial Solal (p, el p); Dick Katz (el p); Dave Holland (b); Jack DeJohnette (d)

Recorded on September 30, 1974

Toots Thielemans – Captured Alive aka Images (Choice, 1974)

 Toots Thielemans (hmca); Joanne Brackeen (p); Cecil McBee (b); Frederick Waits (d)

Recorded on September 16, 1974

Originally issued on LP as Captured Alive; CD reissue titled Images.

Bobby Jones – Hill Country Suite (Enja, 1974)

Bobby Jones (ts, cl); George Mraz (b); Frederick Waits (d)

Recorded on August 30, 1974

Randy Weston – Blues to Africa (Freedom/Arista-Freedom, 1975)

Randy Weston (p)

Recorded on August 14, 1974

Jimmy Raney – Momentum (MPS/PAUSA, 1975)

Jimmy Raney (g); Richard Davis (b); Alan Dawson (d)

Recorded on July 21, 1974

Budd Johnson – Mr. Bechet (Black & Blue, 1974)

Budd Johnson (ts, ss); Earl Hines (p); Jimmy Leary (b); Panama Francis (d) 

Recorded on July 18, 1974

Originally released as The Dirty Old Men (less one track, "Mr. Bechet") under the co-leadership of Earl Hines & Budd Johnson; also issued on vinyl in the U.S. as Linger Awhile (Classic Jazz)

Oregon – Winter Light (Vanguard, 1974)

Paul McCandless (ob, enhn, b cl); Glen Moore (b, el b, p, vn, fl); Ralph Towner (g, p, frhn, tr, p); Collin Walcott (tbl, sit, pakhawaj, cga, perc, dulcimer, cl) 

Recorded on July 16, 18 - 21 and August 6 - 7, 1974

Eddie Harris – I Need Some Money (Atlantic/Collectables, 1975)

Eddie Harris (ts, varitone, p, el-p, org, reed tr, vo); Ronald Muldrow (g, guitorgan, cabasa); Rufus Reid (b, el-b); Bradley Bobo (b, el-b); Frederick "Derf" Walker (cga, vo, African whistle, talking d, timp, tab, barrel d); Calvin Barnes (d, cuíca, perc)

Recorded on July 15 and December 2, 1974

Reissued on a Collectables CD paired with David "Fathead" Newman's Bigger & Better

Sonny Rollins – The Cutting Edge (Milestone, 1974)

Sonny Rollins (ts); Yoshiaki Masuo (g); Stanley Cowell (p); Bob Cranshaw (el b); David Lee (d); Mtume (cga); Rufus Harley (bagpipes, 1 trk only)

Recorded on July 6, 1974

Jimmy Heath – The Time and the Place (Landmark, 1994)

Jimmy Heath (ts, as, ss, fl); Curtis Fuller (tb); Pat Martino (g); Stanley Cowell (p); Sam Jones (b); Billy Higgins (d); Mtume (cga, perc)

Recorded on June 24, 1974


The fact that this music sat on the shelf for twenty years before being released is no indicator of its quality!

Kenny Drew Trio – Dark Beauty (SteepleChase/Inner City, 1974)

Kenny Drew (p); Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b); Albert "Tootie" Heath (d)

Recorded on May 21 - 22, 1974