Favorite Box Sets Jazz

[poetrylover3]

Under the category of essential listening I put "Classic Lester Young With Count Basie (1936-1940) from Mosaic. While most of this music is available from other sources (such as "America's #1 Band") I'm a completist at heart.

Thelonious Monk/The Columbia Years/'62-'68. A three disc compilation, primarily consisting of previously unreleased and newly edited/restored performances. "Blue Monk" and "In Walked Bud" are two of the set's highlights.

Charles Mingus: The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65. Mosaic. Approximately three discs of previously unreleased material including some performances featuring Eric Dolphy plus rare material. Total: 7 discs with track-by-track analysis and photos. These groups kicked ass!!!

Dexter Gordon: The Complete Columbia Albums Collection. O.K., I confess: I'm only a few SteepleChase dates plus "Night Ballads"shy of owning ALL of the LTD on record. I would have paid $50 for "As Time Goes By" and the Bonus Tracks (including "Fried Bananas" and "The Moontrane" recorded "Live") alone.

[Deleted]

The Best of Chess.....this can be bought in 4 dics box sets of muddy, willie dixon.... and anone who was one chess or you can buy the 24 cd set of THE BEST OF CHESS

ALSO I love CAN'T QUIT THE BLUES BUDDY GUY

Father of the DELTA SON HOUSE

Also I have two Freddie Kin;gs best of cd set...... 6 cd;s in each ssplit up by years.....

about 250.00 each for 6 cd;s but well worth it.

anbd of course KINGOF THE BLUES BB KING 4 cd set !!!!!

JAMES

[Admin]

Great topic. And you've identified some great box sets.



Box Set Includes:
1. 1951 -- Masterpieces By Ellington
2. 1952 -- Ellington Uptown
3. 1956 -- Blue Rose w/ Rosemary Clooney
4. 1956 -- The Drum Is A Woman
5. 1957 -- Such Sweet Thunder
6. 1957 -- Ellington Indigos
7. 1958 -- Black, Brown And Beige w/ Mahalia Jackson
8. 1958 -- Duke Ellington At The Bal Masque
9. 1958 -- Duke Ellington's Spacemen: The Cosmic Scene



Over 50 storied tracks from the hardest-swinging big band of all time, the band that launched Lester Young, Harry Edison, Jimmy Rushing, Jo Jones and Buck Clayton. One O'Clock Jump; Jumpin' at the Woodside; Good Morning Blues; Lester Leaps In the prime stuff, documented by a booklet with rare photos and in-depth notes. These three CD's comprise the absolute best of Basie's Band from the 30's and I can't imagine a single soul in the universe not loving Basie's swing. This is the crispest and cleanest I have ever heard on the old recordings from the 30's. Every note is clear, sweet and true. Usually Basie sounds better live, but these studio versions are probably definitive. One O'Clock Jump is awesome and Boo Hoo blows away the white-bread, tepid Dorsey version. Jumpin' at the Woodside has a ragged, jagged edge to it. Listen to how Basie thumps out the opening bars with one finger and he gets more "oomph" out of those few notes than most musicians can produce in a lifetime of trying.

Basie's minimalist piano style has never been better showcased than on this set. I've listened to each disc many times and it just doesn't get any better than this. The quality of Basie's sidemen is the standard by which other bands should be judged. If you think Harry James and Krupa lifted up the Goodman band, then sink your teeth into some raw, powerful musicians in the Basie line up. It doesn't get any better than this, guaranteed!

[poetrylover3]

The Basie Box you selected is IMO a cornerstone of any music lovers library. America's #1 Band featuring "Shoe Shine Boy", "Evenin'", "Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong)", "Oh Lady Be Good", "Dickie's Dream", "Lester Leaps In", "Broadway" is also a great Basie collection. Mosaic did us a great favor with its Classic Count Basie With Lester Young (1936-1940). Like many Basie-ites, I prefer these early bands to his so-called "New Testament" Band of the 50s-early 60s

[tom1960]

Favorite??? I have a number of box sets which could compete for that title. I guess a few which I get great enjoyment from hearing.

People Time - Stan Getz/Kenny Barron, The Complete Recordings
Yeah, 7 discs of nothing but Getz and Barron. Incredible stuff. Stan was in very poor health at the time of these live dates. His health issues aside, he plays heroically and Kenny is a superb partner. Must be heard!

Shelly Manne Live at The Blackhawk Volumes 1 - 5
I think perhaps one of the Spanish labels may have released this as a complete set? I own the individual discs on OJC and they are all worth hearing. Some of the best live jazz you'll come across, IMO.

Hank Mobley - The Complete 50's Blue Note Sessions(Mosaic)
Huge fan of Hank Mobley. Great music. Belongs in every serious jazz lovers collection. Hank was/is one of the most underated tenors in jazz.

The Complete Argo/Mercury Art Farmer/Benny Golson/Jazztet Sessions
Same feelings towards the Mobley. One additional note, these recordings really opened my ears to Art Farmer. Never high on my list of fav trumpet players, these recordings were a revelation to me.

I could go on further, but at least for now a few of my favorites.

[Admin]

When you talk about jazz box sets, this is one I find essential. I've been a big Coleman Hawkins fan for several years and this one has it all. IMHO

[tom1960]

Jan 29, 2013 16:12:28 GMT -5 steve said:

I only have a couple. I don't have a favourite but I certainly like the one by The jam that my brother got me. I also have a Faces one that I like too.

Guys, please don't take this the wrong way but we are talking jazz box sets! After all this is the jazz section.

[muddylives]

Jan 27, 2013 7:41:20 GMT -5 poetrylover3 said:

The Basie Box you selected is IMO a cornerstone of any music lovers library. America's #1 Band featuring "Shoe Shine Boy", "Evenin'", "Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong)", "Oh Lady Be Good", "Dickie's Dream", "Lester Leaps In", "Broadway" is also a great Basie collection. Mosaic did us a great favor with its Classic Count Basie With Lester Young (1936-1940). Like many Basie-ites, I prefer these early bands to his so-called "New Testament" Band of the 50s-early 60s

I agree with you 100%. The Basie Decca set that Admin cites above that has no duplication with the Mosaic box. That was arguably the apex of Basie, with Herschal Evans as well as Lester Young on tenor. Both the Decca and the Mosaic box would go on the list of my favorite box sets (even if there is a bit too much Cedar on the sound of the Decca set). they would join Eric Dolphy on Prestige, Miles Davis on Prestige, Andrew Hill on Blue Note (Mosaic), Louis Armstrong Hot Fives and Sevens, Charlie Parker on Savoy and Dial, Lester Young on Verve, Herbie Hancock on Blue Note, Dexter Gordon on Blue Note, Thelonious Monk on Riverside, and a few others.

[Admin]

Art Tatum, The songs on this album vary from lovely jazz (Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge) to utterly sublime (Ben Webster, Lionel Hampton). It is the Hampton tracks that to me are the greatest surprise: The two men speak in almost identical language on their instruments and inspire each other to to a kind of tense passion that is mark of great jazz improv.

[Admin]

Disc 1
1."Greensleeves" (3:41)
2."It's Easy to Remember" (2:45) (Ballads)
3."The Inch Worm" (6:15) (Coltrane)
4."Big Nick" (4:05) (Coltrane)
5."Out of This World (14:02) (Coltrane)
6."Soul Eyes" (5:23) (Coltrane)
7."Miles' Mode" (7:31) (Coltrane)
8."Tunji" (6:32) (Coltrane)
9."Nancy (with the Laughing Face) (3:10) (Ballads)
10."What's New?" (3:44) (Ballads)
11."Up ‘Gainst the Wall" (3:13) (Impressions) and (Coltrane)
12.“Too Young to Go Steady" (4:20) (Ballads)
13.“All or Nothing at All" (3:35) (Ballads)
14.I Wish I Knew (4:51) (Ballads)

Disc 2
1."You Don't Know What Love Is" (5:12) (Ballads)
2."Say It (Over and Over Again)" (4:15) (Ballads)
3."Vilia" (4:36) (Live at Birdland)
4."After the Rain" (4:09) (Impressions) and (Dear Old Stockholm)
5."Dear Old Stockholm" (10:40) (Dear Old Stockholm)
6."Your Lady" (6:39) (Live at Birdland)
7."Alabama (Take 4&5)" (5:08) (Live at Birdland)
8."Lonnie's Lament" (11:45) (Crescent)
9."The Drum Thing" (7:22) (Crescent)
10."Wise One" (9:01) (Crescent)

Disc 3
1."Crescent" (8:42) (Crescent)
2."Bessie's Blues" (3:32) (Crescent)
3."A Love Supreme, Part I: Acknowledgement" (7:47) (A Love Supreme)
4."A Love Supreme, Part II: Resolution" (7:22) (A Love Supreme)
5."A Love Supreme, Part III: Pursuance" (10:45) (A Love Supreme)
6."A Love Supreme, Part IV: Psalm" (7:05) (A Love Supreme)
7."Nature Boy (first version)" (7:03)
8."Nature Boy" (8:01) (The John Coltrane Quartet Plays)
9."Feeling Good" (6:22) (The John Coltrane Quartet Plays)
10."Chim Chim Cheree" (6:56) (The John Coltrane Quartet Plays)

Disc 4
1."Brasilia" (12:54) (The John Coltrane Quartet Plays)
2."Song of Praise" (9:51) (The John Coltrane Quartet Plays)
3."After the Crescent" (13:40) (Dear Old Stockholm)
4."Dear Lord" (5:34) (Dear Old Stockholm)
5."One Down, One Up" (15:28) (Dear Old Stockholm)
6."Welcome" (5:25) (Transition) and (Kulu Sé Mama)
7."The Last Blues" (4:22) (Living Space)

Disc 5
1."Untitled Original 90314" (14:45) (Living Space)
2."Transition" (15:27) (Transition)
3."Suite" (21:17) (Transition)
4."Living Space" (10:21) (Living Space)
5."Dusk Dawn" (10:48) (Living Space)

Disc 6
1."Vigil" (9:50) (Transition) and (Kulu Sé Mama)
2."Untitled Original 90320" (10:44) (Living Space)
3."Dearly Beloved" (6:27) (Sun Ship)
4."Attaining" (11:24) (Sun Ship)
5."Sun Ship" (6:12) (Sun Ship)
6."Ascent" (10:05) (Sun Ship)
7."Amen" (8:14) (Sun Ship)

Disc 7
1."Love" (8:04) (First Meditations)
2."Compassion" (9:34) (First Meditations)
3."Joy" (8:48) (First Meditations)
4."Consequences" (7:20) (First Meditations)
5."Serenity" (6:11) (First Meditations)
6."Joy (second version)" (12:21)

Disc 8
1."Cresent (first version) (10:04)
2."Bessie's Blues (first version – incomplete) (2:58)
3."Song of Praise (first version)" (2:41)
4."A Love Supreme, Part II: Resolution (alternate take)" (7:21)
5."Feeling Good (alternate take)" (6:16)
6."Dear Lord (breakdowns and alternate take)" (7:41)
7."Living Space (breakdown and alternate take)" (14:02)

Personnel

Recorded between 1961 and 1965 in New York City.

The Classic Quartet:
John Coltrane — tenor saxophone/soprano saxophone
McCoy Tyner — piano
Jimmy Garrison — bass
Elvin Jones — drums (all tracks except To The Beat of a Different Drum recordings)

Additional Performers:
Art Davis — bass (only appears on disc 3: tracks 7,8,9)
Roy Haynes — drums (only appears on disc 4: tracks 3,4,5)

[Admin]

The Jazz Master series contains pretty much all of the great jazz works.

Love Volume I



Check out the track listing

www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,242012,00.html

[Admin]

Huge 10 CD box set comprised of all the classic's by Fats Walker including 'Did Anyone Ever Tell You?', 'Cryin' Mood', 'Where Is The Sun', 'Boo-Hoo', 'The Love Bug Will Bite You', 'San Anton' (instr.) and more. Membran. 2005.

185 Tracks of great jazz.

[Admin]

Live at the Blue Note - Oscar Peterson Trio

This four-disc set collects the previously released CDs of Peterson's legendary three-night stand in 1990 at the renowned New York City club. Featuring longtime compatriots Herb Ellis and Ray Brown, the "trio" here is actually a quartet with drummer Bobby Durham, who'd played with Peterson in the late 1960s. The collection offers prime playing and stands as a sort of summation of Peterson's longstanding work with both Brown and Ellis. It was only a few years after these performances that the pianist suffered a stroke, from which he recovered, but which altered his style, costing him the stridency of his left hand. Among the first jazz recordings for what up until then had been a classical label, the sets were captured with the warmth and clarity for which Telarc has become known. --David Greenberger
Product Description

This is Peterson's most treasured music available for the first time in a four-CD box. The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio: Live at the Blue Note is a collection of immense beauty and intense historical significance that will delight jazz fans and convert those who have never heard Peterson's brilliant playing.

[JamesP]

The Complete Arista Recordings of Anthony Braxton (#242)

Mosaic Records Limited Edition Box Set

www.mosaicrecords.com/prodinfo.asp?number=242-MD-CD

[johnt]

Wow! Don't know how I missed this thread, but it's a good one! Several of my favorites like the Basie Decca, the Tatum Small Groups, the Coltrane Quartet, the Getz/Barron, the Farmer/Golson Jazztet and a few others have been mentioned:

Here's a few more that I really like: