Post your favorite jam albums

[Toronto Bassist]

And by this, I mean albums that mostly involve lots of improvisions - and please post WHY you like it - I'm interested in adding more stuff like this to my collection and I'd rather hear an informed opinion than a bunch of drive-by lists.

Naturally, jazz is a big contender, but rock and blues and even world music have had some great releases over the years.

1) Miles Davis - Bitches Brew:

Believe it or not, I listen to this album almost every day. To me, it's the ultimate atmospheric album...all the swirling rhythms and wild improvisations create a world of its own. Nevertheless, it still has themes rise up and resolve, come and go, and through it all, Miles and McLaughlin bring a great sense of melody and dynamics to the proceedings.

2) Allman Brothers - At Fillmore East:

I listen to this one a lot too. To me, this is a band that really listens to each other. Berry didn't peel off 16th notes or anything, but time, tone, and technique were perfect. The way the rhythm section interacted with the soloist was intense and creative and never loses your interest.

3) Frank Zappa - Shut Up and Play Your Guitar:

There are some clunkers here and not everything is interesting to listen to, but Zappa was a great guitarist and hearing some of his off-the-cuff improvisations is great. Also noteworthy is the piece where he jams with Jean-Luc Ponty on bouzouki and Ponty, I think, is on bass violin.

4) Steve Khan - The Suitcase:

Prepare to be blown away by Anthony Jackson's genius! You'd think a 2-CD collection of jams with just guitar, bass and drums would be boring, but Jackson and Chambers keep things interesting with their liquid creativity...they're unbelievably responsive to what everyone else is playing. I really think this is Anthony Jackson at his best!

 

[dougjwray]

Since you mentioned the Allman Brothers, you might get their "Eat a Peach" which features the LONG "Mountain Jam" which has a bass solo by Berry Oakley, and a very moving guitar solo by Duane Allman (who's among the most brilliant improvisers, on any instrument, in the last 50 years, IMHO).

Also, I would pick up the Cream box set, "Those Were the Days." It collects every live track of theirs (except for a version of "NSU" which appears on the album "Live Cream"-- the box set has an alternate version which I don't like as much). (It also has every studio cut of theirs.) If you haven't heard these three masters having a three-way conversation (sometimes actively trying to blow each other off the stage), you've missed something!

And, "Spaces" by Larry Coryell (with John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous and Billy Cobham), and "Band of Gypsys" by Jimi Hendrix (with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles). The Hendrix album features an extremely solid and simple funk rhythm section, with Hendrix absolutely soaring on guitar over them. He's unbelievable here. The Coryell album features a great early jazz-rock guitarist (Coryell) on fire, playing mostly straightahead jazz with some very wild guys around him.

 

[Kromwarp]

Really anything by the Black Crowes, and Phish's 'Hoist'

 

[groooooove]

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the two winners in my book.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

I forgot "Willow Weep For Me", by Wes Montgomery. I mean, Wes in smokin' form backed up by Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb? Whoooeee...although, I've heard that Smokin' At The Half-Note is better.

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the two winners in my book.

Those links just get an error for me...maybe because I'm in Canada.

 

[RCCollins]

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the two winners in my book.

your links dont work for me

 

[PaulMacCnj]

Any of the Grateful Dead "Dick's Picks" works for me.

 

[dougjwray]

That reminds me: "Dark Star" from the album "Live Dead."

 

[Tandrew]

Phish - Junta - I just really dig some of the compositions on this (divided sky, you enjoy myself, david bowie)

Grant Green - Live at the Lighthouse - some soulful tunes and some raging ones well as raging as jazz gets

Grant Green - Street of Dreams - I just like the ambience that this album conveys, it's one of those albums I automatically fell in love with and can listen to all the way through

Richard "Groove" Holmes - Onsaya Joy - title track is one of my fav songs of all time, cool take on some j standards

Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters - Thrust - I dig Headhunters alot, but this one seems to have a lil' more chicken grease on it and the cover says it all... Herbie shooting off in a space pod with a keyboard

-T

 

[JimK]

1) Miles Davis - Bitches Brew:
...it still has themes rise up and resolve, come and go, and through it all, Miles and McLaughlin bring a great sense of melody and dynamics to the proceedings.

Plenty of collective jamming...& cutting, splicing, pasting. Teo Macero had plenty to do with that recording.
A live album with elements of Bitches Brew may have even more collective imrovisation/jamming than the studio offering-
Panagea, Agharta, etc
Sticking with Miles, how about Jack Johnson? At least they left Michael Henderon's big goof in there!

4) Steve Khan - The Suitcase:
You'd think a 2-CD collection of jams with just guitar, bass and drums would be boring...

...and the boot had 3 cds!

 

[JimK]

No doubt, The Allman Brothers at Fillmore East is a Classic.
Something similar (on Capricorn Records, no less) & maybe up a notch?
Col. Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit Live (1992).
...kinda like the ABB on steroids.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Plenty of collective jamming...& cutting, splicing, pasting. Teo Macero had plenty to do with that recording.

Yeah, I meant to mention that...in some places, the edits are pretty obvious. There'll be this big chaotic improv going on and then it'll suddenly return to the opening figure, note-for-note. Stuff like that. What makes it worthwhile is that if you turn it up, you can hear Miles talking to the musicians in some parts.

Sticking with Miles, how about Jack Johnson? At least they left Michael Henderon's big goof in there!

Jack Johnson is great...I've only heard it once though and keep meaning to pick it up. I'm surprised no one's mentioned Sun Ra yet.

...and the boot had 3 cds!

What's unbelievable is that some people in one of the Anthony Jackson threads would say something like "he has no chops, but he's still a good bassist". Man, anyone who thinks that Anthony Jackson has no chops should listen to these records and prepare to eat their hat!

 

[guroove]

I like Frank Zappa's Hot Rats.

 

[BassBrass]

Yeah, I meant to mention that...in some places, the edits are pretty obvious. There'll be this big chaotic improv going on and then it'll suddenly return to the opening figure, note-for-note. Stuff like that. What makes it worthwhile is that if you turn it up, you can hear Miles talking to the musicians in some parts.
Jack Johnson is great...I've only heard it once though and keep meaning to pick it up. I'm surprised no one's mentioned Sun Ra yet.

I saw Miles twice around 74 and 75. NEVER have I seen a band more rivitted to the direction of it's leader, like a psychic connection. Any physical motion Miles made was converted into changes. They DID perform the stops & solos live just like the Teo edits. At Miles discretion of course.
I later found out that one gig I saw was Sonny Fortune's audition! (AT Paul's Mall, Boston) (Liebman was reeds flute for the 1st gig)(my dad got us in underage!) It was also the first time my ears felt like they were bleeding from Miles' organ volume.
My favorite Sun Ra records were The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra (out there) and Fate In A Pleasant Mood (50s, still inside, but quirky). Then there's MC5's Kick Out The Jams with a Sun Ra cover song. ha ha

 

[jerry]

A few I go back to year after year, Little Feat: Waiting For Columbus, Allman Brothers: The Fillmore Concerts, Miles Davis: Pangaea, Agharta & Live In Japan '81 with Marcus.
The Pangaea and Agharta albums have Pete Cosey on them, one of my favorites of the 70's fusion era guitarists.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Hot Rats was indeed fantastic...Zappa in New York also has some really great playing on it too.

 

[jerry]

Hot Rats was indeed fantastic...Zappa in New York also has some really great playing on it too.

I loved Zappa In NY! The Zappa band with the Brecker Bros.

 

[JimK]

Yes, Zappa in NYC is happenin'.

Another Miles-esque/Bitches Brew vibe can be found on Herbie Hancock's Sextant.

 

[JimK]

Yeah, I meant to mention that...in some places, the edits are pretty obvious. There'll be this big chaotic improv going on and then it'll suddenly return to the opening figure, note-for-note. Stuff like that. What makes it worthwhile is that if you turn it up, you can hear Miles talking to the musicians in some parts.

Here's a cool link-
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Check out the Electric Miles: A Different Kind Of Blue DVD...
http://www.amazon.com/Miles-Electri...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1264543168&sr=1-1

Jack Johnson is great...I've only heard it once though and keep meaning to pick it up. I'm surprised no one's mentioned Sun Ra yet.

Listen for Henderson's clam...he stays in "E" while McLaughlin takes it up to "Bb".
Miles waits & saves the day when he enters playing a "C# (or "Db").

What's unbelievable is that some people in one of the Anthony Jackson threads would say something like "he has no chops, but he's still a good bassist". Man, anyone who thinks that Anthony Jackson has no chops should listen to these records and prepare to eat their hat!

Pitiful, right. Jackson's chops, musicianship, technique are all over...even the more Pop-oriented stuff. "Glamour Profession" & "I.G.Y." are nice examples of playing across the barline.
The Chaka Khan stuff is top-notch.
More overt chops with a musical mind behind them can be found on the DiMeola recordings.

 

[Floridabwoy]

Lettuce - Rage!