[lonewolfny42]

Speaking of Duke Ellington.....this Cd is very good...

Masterpieces by Ellington... 

One other - not Big Band....Duke as a trio with Max Roach and Charlie Mingus...pretty sweet.

Money Jungle...

[roymail]

Wow, you gotta add this Count Basic recording to your collection.  Take a listen, one of his best.  I love it!

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Morocco-Count-Basie-Orchestra/dp/B000003D3B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1266885945&sr=1-1

[steve k]

This is one of my favorite late Basie's. Hearing John Clayton play Bach on the bass is worth the disc in itself.

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Count-Basie/dp/B000000Z1B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1266886382&sr=1-1

[SwedeSound]

This is one of the purest and well-produced big band CD's in my collection -- and it can be had for 55 cents used on Amazon. I think another AC'er recommended it somewhere a while back. Good stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Homage-Duke-Dave-Grusin/dp/B0000001SW/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1266887358&sr=8-17

[BobM]

Thanks Swede - just picked it up. gotta love good recordings on the cheap.

[SwedeSound]

Let me toss two more out there ... more contemporary ones:

This one just BLEW ME AWAY! It's now my go-to demo disc. If you don't dig it, I'll buy your copy. Seriously amazing performances and FANTASTIC recording. Get it now.

http://www.amazon.com/Kenya-Revisited-Live-Bobby-Sanabria/dp/B001YV50FO

The other I'm listening to right now... and also VERY, very good. Truly solid performances and sonics. Enjoy.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002476CY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00005UQ8C&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=081GV8XBT8F7NF36S515

[jimdgoulding]

Gerald Wilson- Artist Selects (Blue Note).  Viva Tirado and Blues for Yna Yna are amongst the tunes on this from his Pacific Jazz days.  If aliens ever take over and come to my house, I'm puttin this on.  They'll probably make me state governor. 

Would The Individualism of Gil Evans (Verve) meet this criteria?  Miles Davis' Porgy and Bess?  Charles Mingis' Black Saint and the Sinner Lady or Tijuana Moods?  The band arrangements and the players are so fine on Mark Murphy's Satisfaction Guaranteed if a copy can be found.

I'll be checking out that Bobby Sanabria date.  Thanks, Swede.

[BobM]

Wow - listened to the Dave Gruisin Homage to Duke CD yesterday. Great interpretations of the songs and excellent sound too. Very enjoyable, and inexpensive too.

[SwedeSound]

Sweet! Glad you like that one, Bob. Grusin is amazing on the piano in those sessions. I think "Caravan" is my favorite on there. The drums are dynamite, and that's just a great song. Enjoy! And for so cheap, too! Gotta love the used stuff on Amazon.

-Jason