Piano trios / quartets / etc but seriously audiophile-grade recordings

Dave-in-Cambodia · « **on:** 22 Dec 2022, 12:06 pm »

I listen to an insane amount of piano jazz trios -- lots and lots of upright bass and lots and lots of drum brushes. But much of the canon in this space is taken up with older and lower-fidelity recordings, and I just absolutely love geeking-out with my system over a genuinely punctilious audio master. Anyone have any thoughts? Right now I'm listening to Blues for Nita by Cyrus Chestnut, if that helps.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Dec 2022, 01:00 pm »

I would recommend Oscar Peterson SACDs for the great sound quality:
https://www.sa-cd.net/search/oscar+peterson
And Dave Brubeck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ojgKSvu1U

https://www.sa-cd.net/search/dave+brubeck
But for real music good indeed are Art Tatum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzMyhzadzTQ

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Dec 2022, 01:13 pm »

This year I discovered and became a huge fan of the Esbjörn Svensson Trio. GoGo Penguin is anther favorite of mine. Both have very good sound quality.

richidoo · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Dec 2022, 01:34 pm »

Kenny Barron Live at Bradleys, Vols. 1 and 2
Bud Powell Portrait of Thelonius from 1965
Abdullah Ibrahim - Cape Town Flowers
Bill Evans - Village Vanguard
Brad Mehldau
Medeski, Martin and Wood
Chick Corea - Now He Sings
Dick Hyman - From the age of swing (and other jazz recordings on the Reference Recordings label)
Chesky Records is an audiophile recording label with lots of jazz albums
Mapleshade recordings by Pierre Sprey
ECM Records
Marc Johnson - Overpass

Dave-in-Cambodia · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Dec 2022, 02:11 pm »

Gosh, fantastic!

mick wolfe · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Dec 2022, 04:43 pm »

Trio Music....Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous, Roy Haynes double vinyl LP on ECM.

timind · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 01:36 am »

This one is a lot of fun, and sounds great. I have enjoyed nearly every album of her's I've listened to.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 02:10 am »

Dave, just remembered this gems:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tms8ZKcTXfI

This was a surprise to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9l-rXD_JYg

This is a odd performance, an advanced drummer and a humming pianist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC6rPhL2Kpo

dB Cooper · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 03:08 am »

A great album musically and IMO the best live piano trio recording I've ever heard

Bendingwave · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 03:42 am »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDl5rwT5XmE

Dave-in-Cambodia · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 03:56 am »

Quote from: Bendingwave on 23 Dec 2022, 03:42 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDl5rwT5XmE

This is absolutely sensational. Gob-smacking, even. My goodness.

Dave-in-Cambodia · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 04:46 am »

I'm going to give away the farm here but, you remember in Private Benjamin when Goldie Hawn says, "Yes, I joined the army, but I joined the *other* Army. You know, the one with the condos?"

Well these recommendations are all sensational and I couldn't be more flattered. A lot of time went into them and they all fit the description that you had to work with in my OP. But some of them are also a-melodic bordering on atonal and ... I joined the *other* Jazz Trio aficionados club. The one that sounds more like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsJavr4AI5M

More melodic, less mature -- easier on stupid people like me. The sort of jazz you would hear in the rooftop bar of a nice hotel in Tokyo. (Not "smooth jazz," semi-obviously, just much more melodic. Benny Golson, Oliver Nelson, Dave Brubeck sorta jazz.)

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 05:25 am »

OK for Piano Bar music see this Bossa Nova trio>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouhaxYuqZgY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp9z32pzuoM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXlayHkAEqk

Dave-in-Cambodia · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 06:30 am »

SENSATIONAL!!!

mresseguie · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 09:45 am »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 23 Dec 2022, 03:08 am

A great album musically and IMO the best live piano trio recording I've ever heard

Great recommendation! As it happens, I bought this 3-CD pack one week ago at the Taipei International Audio Fest.

mresseguie · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 10:00 am »

Quote from: Bendingwave on 23 Dec 2022, 03:42 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDl5rwT5XmE

Nice. +1

mresseguie · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 10:02 am »

Quote from: timind on 23 Dec 2022, 01:36 am

This one is a lot of fun, and sounds great. I have enjoyed nearly every album of her's I've listened to.

I also bought this CD last Friday! Keep channeling those good vibes.

Jeff_From_Michigan · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 12:37 pm »

Quote from: Dave-in-Cambodia on 23 Dec 2022, 04:46 am

I'm going to give away the farm here but, you remember in Private Benjamin when Goldie Hawn says, "Yes, I joined the army, but I joined the *other* Army. You know, the one with the condos?"

Well these recommendations are all sensational and I couldn't be more flattered. A lot of time went into them and they all fit the description that you had to work with in my OP. But some of them are also a-melodic bordering on atonal and ... I joined the *other* Jazz Trio aficionados club. The one that sounds more like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsJavr4AI5M

More melodic, less mature -- easier on stupid people like me. The sort of jazz you would hear in the rooftop bar of a nice hotel in Tokyo. (Not "smooth jazz," semi-obviously, just much more melodic. Benny Golson, Oliver Nelson, Dave Brubeck sorta jazz.)

I hear you. When I try to show off my knowledge to a friend of mine who played on a bunch of Motown and Detroit jazz masters' albums, I am quickly turned to dust. Same when I try to impress my buddy with advanced degrees in the music arts.

Here's how I look at it - every stupid question I ask is a chance to learn something. But 99% of the time, I use music for something much better than an intellectual exercise - for pure enjoyment.

Some music is great playing in the background, some requires your attention. I've gotten myself into trouble on more than one occasion by playing the latter when I should have been playing the former. When my head is floating in another space than everyone else's in the room, I can certainly come off as "stupid" among other adjectives. LOL

Jeff_From_Michigan · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Dec 2022, 12:43 pm »

Quote from: timind on 23 Dec 2022, 01:36 am

This one is a lot of fun, and sounds great. I have enjoyed nearly every album of her's I've listened to.

Thanks for the rec. Fun is an understatement. This one is a keeper!

andy_c · « **Reply #19 on:** 1 Jan 2023, 03:12 am »

Try any of the Harold Mabern "Smoke Sessions" albums. The music is great and so is the sound. One of my favorites to really crank up is the song "Blues for Frank 'N' Paul 'N' All" from the "Right on Time" album. It's on youtube at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGzMvOne-W4