Search - Various Artists :: Jazz Masters: 27 Classics

Scott C. (scotso) from EAST ISLIP, NY
Reviewed on 11/22/2014...

Disc: 1
1. Summertime - Miles Davis
2. Wonderful Copenhagen - Dave Brubeck Quartet
3. Where Or When - Erroll Garner
4. Life Goes To A Party - Benny Goodman
5. I Wished On The Moon - Billie Holliday
6. Don't You Miss Your Baby - Buck Clayton
7. Blue In Green - Miles Davis
8. Four Brothers - Woody Herman
9. A Monday Date - Louis Armstrong
10. Rose Room - Charlie Christian
11. Laura - J. J. Johnson
12. Battle Royal - Duke Ellington & Count Basie
13. China Boy - Benny Goodman Sextet
14. Charleston Alley - Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Disc: 2
1. Taxi War Dance - Count Basie
2. Hesitating Blues - Louis Armstrong
3. My Romance - Ben Webster and Sweets Edison
4. In A Mellotone - Duke Ellington
5. Blue Rondo A La Turk - Dave Brubeck
6. Misty - Stan Getz
7. Far Wells, Mill Valley - Charlie Mingus
8. Fran-Dance - Miles Davis
9. Gimme A Pigfoot - Bessie Smith
10. Honeysuckle Rose - Louis Armstrong
11. I Get Along Without You Very Well - Billie Holliday
12. The Pan Piper - Miles Davis
13. Crepuscule With Nellie - Thelonious Monk

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Jazz Expertise in a Handy Take Along Package

Anthony G Pizza | FL | 01/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1989 collection was released as a sampler for Columbia's outstanding series of jazz reissues. But it works alone as an alphabet of sorts for understanding the music. The collection reaches back more than 60 years for early recordings of American icons Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong (whose also represented by peak 50s work), to swing from Woody Herman and Count Basie (heard solo and with Duke Ellington's band). You also get cool jazz masters (and fierce rivals) Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, and Dave Brubeck, along with vocal classics from Billie Holiday and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. (See how much Manhattan Transfer you hear in "Charleston Alley.") This cannot be considered a complete look at jazz; too many of the style's seminal figures did not record for Columbia (and even Holiday is represented by less than peak works). But "Jazz Masters" fulfills its purpose; it is a compact, fun collection that leaves you smarter about the music and hungrier for more."

A good mix, lacks ability to enthuse

Eric C. Sedensky | Madison, AL, US | 03/06/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a useful collection of songs for someone who doesn't have a lot of jazz CD's in their collection and is looking to add some dimension to their listening options. If you are someone who already has some good jazz albums, however, this will probably not excite you in any way. You might find an artist or a rendering you find interesting that you might not have otherwise, but you'll just go out, get the CD of that artist and forget about this collection. Still, with this many songs and musicians, it's easy enough to program your player or iPod to play only the songs you like to keep your listening energy high. This got a lot of playing time when I first started learning about jazz, but I find myself returning to it less and less. Still, I recommend it for the casual jazz listener."