I’m hoping someone can help me out with a few jazz recomendations.
I’m looking for music in a similar style to Charlie Mingus’ Moanin or Maynard Ferguson’s Chameleon album. I’m not sure what it is about this style but it really gets my pulse racing. Perhaps it’s the bass lines.
So any ideas anyone?
PS In case a better idea of my musical taste helps then Buddy Rich (Mercy, Mercy, Mercy) is also incredible.
Sorry, but I haven’t heard either album. So all I have to go by is the notion of a largish band with a style that veers heavily away from the conventional.
For that I would suggest the Don Ellis Orchestra. I only have one album of theirs (an LP that’s out of pocket at the moment) and I think its title had “electric” in it. Something on the order of “Don Ellis and The Electric Orchestra.”
The neat thing about the album is that it’s Indian sounding. Microtonal. Lots of odd time signatures.
Another band that’s not as wild as Mingus but has flavors like Ferguson is the Boss Brass led by Rob McConnell. They have several albums out. The one I have features Phil Woods, and is fine!
I also have several Gerald Wilson orchestral albums. Way more sedate than Mingus, but very effective musically.
The more recent larger bands I’ve only heard on the radio, so I can’t provide names and titles.
There’s a fair amount of Mingus in bassist Dave Holland’s work (though Holland is more subdued.) You might want to check out Holland’s recent big band album, What Goes Around.
For excellent renditions of Mingus’ work I recommend the following musicians:
Artists: John Renbourn and Bert Jansch
Album: Bert and John
Label: Transatlantic / Warner
Track: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Artists: Pentangle
Album: Sweet Child
Label: Transatlantic / Warner
Track: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Artist: Jeff Beck
Album: Blow by Blow
Label: Reprise?
Track: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Artist: Davey Graham
Album: Folk Blues and Beyond
Label: Decca
Track: Moanin’
Artist: Davey Graham
Album: Folk Blues and Beyond
Label: Decca
Track: Better Get it in Your Soul