Brecker's Pilgrimage

Bought the album through Amazon. I can see the progression from his work on albums like Saxophone Summit. I listen to Brecker more than any other saxophonist / musician and I recognise all his licks now. This is an album of extreme virtuosity, as I would have expected, but I need to listen to it a lot more before I start to enjoy the tunes.

Acoustic Ladyland

Just bought Last Chance Disco from e-music!!!!!!!!!! What an album. Described as punk jazz in some places but not as frenetic as some of the thrash jazz that was around about 10 years ago. Great tunes and great playing. Seb Rochford (F-Ire Collective, Polar Bear, etc.) driving some fantastic drums and great raunchy sax playing from Pete Wareham. A really dirty distorted sound. A kind of heavy metal jazz. This album will appeal to rockers as well as jazzers and so it is not surprising that the band has a massive following from outside the jazz world. WE NEED MORE OF THIS.

Liebman - some more

Thanks to Graham who has quite a few Liebman albums. Look forward to some listening. Who are the top saxophonists of the 20th Century and why? Parker, Coltrane, obviously. Brecker, Liebman, Lovano. Tubby Hayes, ????

Ian Carr's Nucleus

Just been listening to first track of disk 2 on the sampler Breaking the Barriers of Jazz (1997) which I picked up for £10 in Turkey at Easter, Carr's "Gestalt". Almost 12 minutes long with a time sig that goes something like 4,4,4,3. Tricky if not watching for it. It is a real cracker with some great playing by both Carr and Brian Smith on Saxes. But what really hits my buttons is the bass playing. A rock solid walk that just dominates the whole track. It is obviously live though there has been some post gig mixing in the studio (according to the notes). Haven't listened to Ian Carr before, which is a bit of an omission in view of the fact that I read his biography of Miles years ago. Anyone got any recommendations about his best albums for further listening?

Dave Liebman

Have been listening to him playing soprano on a couple of tracks on "Breaking The Barriers of Jazz ". Great stuff. Does anyone have an opinion about which is his best album?