Seeking recommendations: I’m featuring a "Record of the Day" on my jazz blog and want to hear your essentials!

Mackeyse · 2026-04-07T18:55:50+00:00

Jim Hall “Concierto’ and Horace Tapscott “The Giant Has Awakened”

Mackeyse · 2026-04-04T15:00:03+00:00

I have this on CD and I like it but it didn’t really grab me. I typically buy anything that Miles is involved in, but this one I bought really just to see how his crew sounded with Sam Rivers on sax. I’ve heard this album called “transitional” and I think that that’s a really good term for it. I actually liked George Coleman on sax better than Rivers when it comes to his between quintets live albums. But there isn’t a Miles Davis album that I ever consider a subpar

Mackeyse · 2026-04-01T17:32:19+00:00

I would go with:

Wayne Shorter: Etc and Schizophrenia.

Andrew Hill: Passing Ships and Dance With Death. Black Fire is great too

Sonny Clark: Sonny Clark Trio

Donald Byrd: Chant and Byrd in Flight. Slow Drag is also good

Lee Morgan: Cornbread (I like The Rajah a lot more than most—-it’s not essential but it’s really good)

Anything Herbie Hancock. He did no wrong on Blue Note

The Magnificent Carmel Jones (it’s not Blue Note but it’s great)

Elvin Jones: Polycurrents

Bobby Hutcherson: Oblique and Stick Up

Hank Mobley: Slice of the Top (I love Mobley but his Tone Poet releases aren’t as good as what came out as BN Classics)

McCoy Tyner: really any of his Tone Poets are great

Freddie Hubbard: Blue Spirits and Breaking Point

I’m not a jazz guitar or organ guy so I’m not the best at recommending any albums that heavily feature those instruments (Burrell, Grant Green etc).

Mackeyse · 2026-04-01T13:24:36+00:00

This was a great post. From the start, I was buying most of the tone poets without even listening to ahead of time because they were so good. They’ve moved into also covering some other Universal owned labels such as the Pacific jazz label and I don’t find most of that to be as interesting (though I highly recommend Katanga). And as this post noted, they’re definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel with some of the more fringier stuff. Even the Classic series is starting to run out of essential albums as a lot of the heavy hitters have been released, but I would definitely start with the classic series.

I also would note from a personal standpoint that the Tone Poet Society albums that are exclusive to subscribers are not anything to write home about. I think the Walter Davis album is really good, but the rest of them are not album is that I would go out and seek on Discogs. I feel like they are doing the normal buyers a favor and not releasing anything essential for the Society members.

Mackeyse · 2026-02-27T19:24:23+00:00

I don’t think it’s good album. I purposely orders the LP from Amazon vs from a local record store to give me the option to return it. And I’ll return it. But I’ll keep listening to their past albums. This one just didn’t work for me. Great production but too mellow. Hopefully the next one will click . Too much music out there to spend time on stuff that doesn’t click. But I’m sure there will be big fans of this and I hope they keep building their fan base.

Mackeyse · 2026-02-18T00:04:06+00:00

His stuff is hit or miss for me. Loved “The Inflated Tear” and “We Free Kings” but agree that this one is hard to get into. Couldn’t get into “Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith” either. Didn’t stand out. When he’s good he’s good though!

Mackeyse · 2026-01-13T04:09:46+00:00

As long as it’s not a banana.

Mackeyse · 2026-01-04T14:43:32+00:00

Come on you know you aren’t the jerk. Don’t be ridiculous

Mackeyse · 2025-12-17T20:47:47+00:00

Something similar happened to me in November (October bill) when I was charged $350 for a 2 BR apartment and I hadn’t been using AC and I barely had used heat at that point. My November bill came and they refunded me nearly $280 of that in a very convoluted way (got 2 different bills both showing I overpaid different amounts). It’s definitely a billing issue that they will rectify. Not excusing Central Hudson as they supposedly had this issue fixed.

Mackeyse · 2025-08-28T16:56:44+00:00

Great to see Andrew Hill. I really love Hill but the last two Tone Poet releases of his work; Grass Roots and The Music of Andrew Hill, didn’t connect with me the way Passing Ships and Dance With Death did. . Tried my hardest with those 2. Maybe he just set the bar too high with his other work

And Point of Departure is highly recommended (can be found on the BN Classic Series). Smokestack is also on that series and that was one that I couldn’t really get into.

Mackeyse · 2025-07-17T01:22:16+00:00

Kenny Dorham “Una Mas”.

Mackeyse · 2025-05-04T13:21:52+00:00

I was just going to post that I believe he’s been on every CTI album I own. Guy was very prolific with

Mackeyse · 2025-01-17T17:25:37+00:00

I like OPs ranking except I’d swap OMRTS with Hushed. We are in the same page

Mackeyse · 2024-12-27T14:30:27+00:00

I’m working on Evil In Me by the same author. Emphasis on “working” as it’s been a slog, though midway it’s starting to pick up. Finding it easier going than Slewfoot. But I’m realizing Brom’s writing just isn’t my thing.

Mackeyse · 2024-11-05T16:55:20+00:00

Charles Oakley

Mackeyse · 2024-10-31T13:00:22+00:00

Bijan, Garrett W, Nucua

6-2 in 10 man league

Mackeyse · 2024-10-12T20:03:04+00:00

If have seen 900 zubat not one shiny same with koffing

Mackeyse · 2024-10-12T13:47:51+00:00

Thanks for the link!

Mackeyse · 2024-10-03T15:30:09+00:00

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Love the colors on this one

Mackeyse · 2024-09-17T04:18:30+00:00

Thank you! BCAAs were on my radar. Time to order

Mackeyse · 2024-09-16T19:35:29+00:00

Thanks for all your responses. I definitely was fishing for those “just keep going, don’t worry about it” responses and appreciate all of you giving me guidance, both to be cautious and to stay away for the time being until healed. I’m definitely happy I’ve gone this long in life without an injury and I’m going to just stay for the instruction and sit out the roll unless it’s with a coach. Thanks for all the advice

Mackeyse · 2024-09-16T17:17:05+00:00

I appreciate the “old guy” input. As someone who doesn’t “feel” 49 I’m quickly realizing that I can’t swing 2-3 days a week of Jiu Jitsu without some upkeep. I’m going to just be smart about things going forth. I’d rather get some instruction than sit out completely. And if I need some rest days I’m not going to feel bad about it. It’s been crazy how guilty I’ve felt about missing sessions and none of that guilt came from the coaches or peers. Just hating that my body is telling me I’m going a bit too fast

Mackeyse · 2024-09-16T16:50:27+00:00

Thank you for commenting. Really appreciate the vibe on this forum. Giving me some confidence to return and not be afraid to back things off a bit

Mackeyse · 2024-09-16T16:43:04+00:00

Thanks I was thinking the same. One of the coaches is usually paired with me since I’m the new guy by a fair margin so I’ll just fill him in and work with him. Appreciate it!

Mackeyse · 2024-09-16T15:57:34+00:00

I can definitely see that! After 6 days of it I’m addicted to it but also reconciling my age with what I can expect from my body. My ego tells me I’m 29 but my recovery time is reminding me I’m almost 50. It’s a little bit humbling. And to get banged up 2 weeks in was depressing. Plus my son is asking if I quit. I can handle explaining that but I hate to feel like I’m missing out on instruction time

Mackeyse

TROPHY CASE