One of the main, if not the sole determining factor, to whether or not I grow to love an artist’s music, is the quality of the individual/group’s live performance. The live setting allows musicians to stretch out, be more expressive and play off the audience while leaving no room for do-overs and limited technological processing; it is, I think, the clearest image of an artist's ability and personality.
However, without unlimited travel capabilities---including time travel to watch deceased musicians perform---and only a finite amount of money, it is nearly impossible to see all the performances required to make such an estimation of a satisfying number of artists. Fortunately, live recordings of artists both past and present are readily available in modern times, rarely requiring any travel further than the ITunes store or Amazon.com, and they often cost less than concert tickets.
The following are a list of some of the recordings I greatly enjoy and most highly recommend in no particular order of ranking or value. Basically, these are random albums---some more famous than others---that I think jazz and rock fans should give a listen, time permitting. I hope you are able to find something new that you like from this brief list.
Jazz
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra “Live at the Village Vanguard”: This 1967 live album catches the band at their smokin best; by the transition segments, it sounds to me as if the audience at the time was not nearly enthusiastic enough. The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band was known as being very aggressive musically while still managing to retain their professional level of refinement. This recording captures that aspect of the group perfectly; the reeds demonstrate their classic serene yet crisp section sound, the brass sounds mighty without overblowing, and Lewis and the rhythm section are dynamic, supporting the band through great things. The musicality of every player in the band amazes me, from inventive soloists taking just the right amount of choruses while allowing the rhythm section to shine underneath to the emotional section interplay throughout every ensemble passage. No one boasts, they simply prove their expertise through energetic well-crafted playing. I also like the shouts of encouragement by several band members during some of the transition sections; the orchestra was certainly having a fun time that night. Don’t believe me? Check out how hard “A-That’s Freedom” swings or witness the raw power and fluidity of “Bachafillen” and “The Little Pixie.”
Count Basie Orchestra “Count Basie at Newport 1957”: To me, the Basie band in its prime is the essence of pure jazz---I will forever be enthralled by how hard that band swung (and I wasn’t even alive then). I love most Newport Festival recordings because the audience is almost always intensely energized by the performance and this album is no exception---more of an extreme than anything. This record should please Basie collectors due to the high level of performance, but it is also an excellent introductory record because it presents musicians from several eras of the Basie band. After a memorably swinging introduction (“Swingin at Newport”), we get to hear Joe Jones, the original Basie drummer, for 5 tunes; the style of the band is significantly different than with the showman Sonny Payne, both are great, its fortunate they both coexist on one record. Lester Young joins the band on several tracks, including the ballad “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” (a tune he frequently played with the group as a full-time member) and an up-tempo “Lester Leaps In” which showcases Young in surprisingly good spirits for that time late in his career. Two great Basie singers---Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams---both appear as well, adding flavor and soul. The performance charges to a finish with a 13 minute jam session on “One O’clock Jump” with famous solos by Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, and Roy Eldridge---an impressive early swing horn trifecta.
Rock
O.A.R. “Live From Madison Square Garden” 2007: I was on the fence about being an O.A.R. fan until I got this album for my birthday last year. The band puts on an exhibition of both storytelling prowess and jamming mastery. If the instrumentation for “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” and “Black Rock” don’t keep you interested, Marc Roberge’s extensive lyrical expansion should keep you listening to those tunes to find out what happens or what he even means. O.A.R.’s stories are often gloomy or cynical, but there are also typical (only lyrically) love songs such as “Lay Down.” Also, a must hear portion of the show is the dark extended jam on “Anyway”, I was not expecting it---I’m a fan now if you were wondering.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals “Live at the Philmore”: This live album offers listeners an opportunity to hear a great new band play in a classic venue. Grace is fantastic---a driving and wildly talented vocalist as always---and the absence of studio clarity lets the band’s raw bluesy nature finally show itself (what is it with engineers using so many compressors these days?). The setlist includes old Nocturnals material (“Joey”, “Some Kind of Ride”, etc) as well as material off their 2010 self-titled album (tracks in clued “Medicine” and “Paris”). This upcoming group of musicians makes up for any musical shortcomings with a ferocious onstage bond---their rock star stage presence is evident in the music itself. Also, Grace’s banter is an entertaining addition to this fine product.
