Late night jazz - any pointers?

[Dave H.]

I decided to put a playlist together of the kind of jazz tracks that should be played in the hazy, wee small hours in a bar in a Raymond Chandler novel. To get the mood, I even called the playlist ‘Jazz. At 4am. With whiskey. And a dame who died tragically in this no good town’.

The thing is, I know nothing about jazz. I’m going entirely by ear, suggestions from Tidal/Roon, and occasionally by titles.

But I figure the pfm collective knows loads of jazz. So, any recommendations? Automated Tidal etc suggestions are all well and good, but they can miss the mark/leave out great stuff.

The playlist so far is as follows, hopefully the idea’s fairly obvious to anyone who knows this kind of thing.

Any thoughts?

Round Midnight - Miles Davis (Mono version)
Blue in Green - Miles Davis
Alone Together - Kenny Dorham
Harlem Nocturne - Illinois Jacquet
Idle Moments - Grant Green
Conciliation - Yazz Ahmed
Don’t Explain - Dexter Gordon
Where Are You? - Sonny Rollins
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat - Charles Mingus
Générique - Miles Davis
My Man’s Gone Now - Bill Evans Trio
Round Midnight - Thelonious Monk

 

[Engels]

In A Sentimental Mood - Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

 

[Arkless Electronics]

I decided to put a playlist together of the kind of jazz tracks that should be played in the hazy, wee small hours in a bar in a Raymond Chandler novel. To get the mood, I even called the playlist ‘Jazz. At 4am. With whiskey. And a dame who died tragically in this no good town’.

The thing is, I know nothing about jazz. I’m going entirely by ear, suggestions from Tidal/Roon, and occasionally by titles.

But I figure the pfm collective knows loads of jazz. So, any recommendations? Automated Tidal etc suggestions are all well and good, but they can miss the mark/leave out great stuff.

The playlist so far is as follows, hopefully the idea’s fairly obvious to anyone who knows this kind of thing.

Any thoughts?

Round Midnight - Miles Davis (Mono version)
Blue in Green - Miles Davis
Alone Together - Kenny Dorham
Harlem Nocturne - Illinois Jacquet
Idle Moments - Grant Green
Conciliation - Yazz Ahmed
Don’t Explain - Dexter Gordon
Where Are You? - Sonny Rollins
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat - Charles Mingus
Générique - Miles Davis
My Man’s Gone Now - Bill Evans Trio
Round Midnight - Thelonious Monk

Does the smell of the dead dame not put you off?

 

[Dave H.]

Does the smell of the dead dame not put you off?

Nah, she’s only recently died, I think. She was at the table when I got here, so it’s hard to be sure.

Maybe I should have said lots of whiskey.

 

[gavreid]

Masterpieces - Duke Ellington. One of the first 12 inch discs ever made, and an outright classic...

 

[paulfromcamden]

Great idea for a playlist

Maybe Ike Quebec - Blue and Sentimental?

Or some Ben Webster?

 

[gavreid]

Midnight Blue - Kenny Burrell...

 

[Nagraboy]

I often used to play this as a last album of the evening:

 

[Woodface]

Coleman Hawkins - ‘Body & Soul’
Ella Fitzgerald - ‘These foolish things’, the version on Ella & Armstrong, Again
Louis Armstrong - ‘Muggles’
Louis Armstrong - ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ (off Louis & Ella again)
Duke Ellington - ‘Isfahan’

 

[kjb]

A few personal favourites from my playlist that might work for you

Grant Green, Born to be Blue
Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh, I Can't Get Started
Sam Rivers, Beatrice
Dexter Gordon, I'm a fool to want you
Billie Holiday, Detour Ahead
Serge Chaloff, A Handful of Stars
Alice Coltrane, Turiya and Rakakrishna
Paul Bley, Ida Lupino
Nels Cline, Beautiful Love
Sonny Rollins, You Don't Know What Love Is
Ethan Iverson ( with Tom Harrell) The Man I Love

 

[Marchbanks]

Monk playing Ruby My Dear solo is an essential addition.

 

[deek]

Great idea for a thread. I'm getting a lot of tips here.

Miles Davis' Ascenseur pour l'échafaud is one album that gets played quite a bit late at night here. The film is decent too.

 

[kjb]

One more - I'm just playing Ornette Coleman's Lonely Woman which would (IMO) fit perfectly.

 

[paulfromcamden]

One more - I'm just playing Ornette Coleman's Lonely Woman which would (IMO) fit perfectly.

Though possibly not the John Zorn version on Naked CIty. Depending on the bar.

 

[Andy1912]

Agree re Ben Webster soulville or live at the renaissance

 

[Engels]

Though possibly not the John Zorn version on Naked CIty. Depending on the bar.

I just got the MJQ version which is truly lovely ('Lonely Woman' was Lou Reed's favourite jazz piece which he claimed to listen to every day)

 

[scotty38]

I'll say Miles Davis Bitches Brew but only because I have to play it when my wife is not around otherwise all i hear is "What the hell is that noise?"

 

[Dave H.]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. Looking forward to checking them out.

And more are always welcome if anyone has any more to add.

 

[jimbob75]

Coltrane - Crescent

 

[jimbob75]

Shelly Manne At The Black Hawk