Bunky Green – Places We've Never Been (Vanguard, 1979)

Bunky Green (as, p); Randy Brecker (tr, flgn); Albert Dailey (p); Ronald Kubelik (p); Eddie Gómez (b); Frederick Waits (d)

Recorded on February 21 - 22, 1979

You may not be familiar with Bunky Green.  He's never had a high profile in the world of jazz.  Of course, there often no relationship between artists' abilities and their reputation, and that's certainly true with Bunky Green.  If you're unfamiliar with him, you're in for a treat.  He's a fantastic musician, and this LP is a gem!  

Bunky Green made a series of records for Vanguard in the latter half of the decade.  The first few were pitched towards crossover success, but Green was given free reign on Places We've Never Been, his final LP for the label.  He assembled a superb band, the stars aligned, and Green made one of the best records of his career.

Steve Lacy Five – The Way (hat Hut, 1980)

Steve Lacy (ss); Steve Potts (as, ss); Irene Aebi (vc, vn, vo); Kent Carter (b); Oliver Johnson (d)

Recorded on January 23, 1979

Fans of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy should make a point of reading the outstanding collection of interviews compiled and edited by Jason Weiss, Steve Lacy: Conversations (Duke University Press, 2006).  In the book, Lacy repeatedly points to his live recordings for hat Hut as the albums that please him the most. The Way is perhaps the most important of these, since it represents one of Lacy's large-scale compositions, a piece that returned to again and again that continued to evolve over time.

The band is also extraordinary.  It's a cliché to say that that a band appears to communicate telepathically, but that's exactly how this group sounds.  It's such a pleasure to hear them rip into this complex and visceral music with such confidence and abandon. And they swing so hard!  

More Steve Lacy

Lacy was incredibly prolific throughout his career.  Among the numerous discs that he made during the 1970s, here are some that I've particularly enjoyed:

- Clinkers (HatHut, 1977)

- Stamps (HatHut, 1977-78)

- The Owl (Saravah, 1977)

- Troubles (Black Saint, 1979)

- Capers (hat Hut, 1979); also released as N.Y. Capers and N.Y. Capers & Quirks

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis – The Heavy Hitter (Muse/32 Jazz/Savoy, 1979)

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (ts); Albert Dailey (p); George Duvivier (b); Victor Lewis (d)

Recorded on January 18, 1979

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis was remarkably consistent throughout his career.  With his growling tone and take-no-prisoners approach, it's nearly impossible to imagine him playing with indifference.  

This session, originally recorded for Muse, benefits from a top-shelf rhythm section.  The LP is one of the finest that Davis made during the 1970s.

More Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

- Leapin' on Lenox (Black & Blue, 1974)
- Swingin' Till the Girls Come Home (SteepleChase, 1976)
- Straight Ahead - with the Tommy Flanagan Trio (Pablo, 1976)
- Light and Lovely (Black & Blue, 1979); also released as Sweet and Lovely (Classic Jazz)

 

Poncho Sanchez – Poncho (Discovery, 1979)

Poncho Sanchez (cga, vo); Gary Foster (as, fl); Steve Huffsteter (tr, flgn); Mayo Tiana (tb); Clare Fischer (p, el p, org); Humberto Cané (b); Alex Acuña (tim); Victor Pantoja (bgo); Johnny Nelson (vo, maracas)

Recorded on January 10, 1979

Poncho, the conguero's debut LP, is an outstanding Latin jazz session.  Sanchez came to prominence in Cal Tjader's band, and he's accompanied here by Clare Fischer, who also worked extensively with Tjader.  Several Fischer compositions are also featured, most notably "Morning," which -- along with "Pensativa" -- probably ranks as Fischer's most well-known composition.

This LP may not be easy to find, but it's well worth the effort to track it down.

Daniel Humair – Triple Hip Trip (Owl, 1979)

Daniel Humair (d, perc); David Friedman (vib); Harvie Swartz (b)

Recorded on January 2, 1979

Daniel Humair's Triple Hip Trip features a trio configuration that you don't hear every day: Drums, bass, and vibraphone.  

It works beautifully.  

I presume that most listeners living in the United States are not familiar with this record, even if they know Humair, a Swiss drummer who's been a stalwart of the European jazz scene for decades.  Triple Hip Trip was released on Frenchman Jean-Jacques Pussiau's Owl label in 1979. Unlike many Owl releases that were licensed by Inner City and/or Sunnyside, I don't think Trip Hip Trip has ever been released in North America.

Denny Zeitlin – Soundings (1750 Arch, 1978)

Denny Zeitlin (p)

Recorded in 1978

In the 1960s, Zeitlin recorded a series of LPs for Columbia as something of a wunderkind.  He made his first album while attending Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  Like Eddie Henderson and Art Themen, Zeitlin eventually became one of the few practicing physicians who led an active second and simultaneous career as a jazz musician.   

After Zeitlin's run with Columbia was over, he released Expansion (Double-Helix, 1973), a trio album with George Marsh and Mel Graves that earned a five-star rating in Downbeat magazine.  This album and others from the period took advantage of synthesizers, electronics, and sound-altering devices with acoustic instruments to create music in a variety of genres.  One of the most notable of these efforts was Zeitlin's score to to the remake of the science-fiction/horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).

The album at hand, Soundings, represented a return to solo piano.  It's beautiful music, thoughtful, expansive, and non-traditional. 

Soundings was issued on a tiny independent label, and it has remained well below the radar of most jazz fans.  Sadly, it's another album that's never been reissued in any digital format.  However, you can buy the LP (autographed, even) and listen to sound samples on Denny Zeitlin's website.

Ross Tompkins – Ross Tompkins and Good Friends (Concord, 1978)

Ross Tompkins (p); Al Cohn (ts); Monty Budwig (b); Nick Ceroli (d)

Recorded in 1978

Tompkins was an excellent pianist, probably best known for his long stint with The Tonight Show Band on the TV program The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.  Tompkins joined the band in 1971 and stayed until Carson's retirement in 1992!

Beginning in the mid-70s, Tompkins regularly recorded for Carl Jefferson's Concord label, both as a leader and sideman.  On this particular album, Tompkins is supported by rock-solid playing from bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Nick Ceroli.  But I will confess that Al Cohn is the reason that I couldn't resist adding Ross Tompkins and Good Friends to the survey.  His saxophone playing is what makes this LP so special.

By the time of this recording, Al Cohn's dark-hued take on Lester Young had taken on a magisterial, Rollins-esque quality. From this listener's perspective, the best music of Cohn's entire career was made during this streak of sustained excellence.

Unfortunately, you'll have to take my word for it -- unless you still spin vinyl and are willing to track down a used copy.  As far as I can tell, it's never been issued in any digital format.