[Dixielandjazz] Recordings one loves

[Charles Suhor]

The songs we hate are a kick to read about, but what about the recorded 
performances we treasure most greatly? The short list from the hundreds 
that you love, the ones that make you glad you were born, that you’ve 
listened to over and over and will want to smuggle into the pearly 
gates or place of perdition. Maybe this has been done before I returned 
to the DJML, but anyway, here’s my list.

Louis—West End Blues, Hotter Than That
Bix—Royal Garden Blues, Somebody Stole My Gal
Jelly Roll—New Orleans Joys, Grandpa’s Spells
The Bobcats—March of the Bobcats, West End Blues
Wild Bill & Commodores—That’s Aplenty, Muskrat Ramble
Billie Holiday--(with Oscar Peterson, organ)—Yesterdays
Peggy Lee—Black Coffee, My Heart Belongs to Daddy
Dinah Washington—You Don’t Know What Love Is
Jackie Cain—The Winter of My Discontent
Frank Sinatra—One for the Road, I Get a Kick Out of You
Artie Shaw—Stardust, Special Delivery Stomp
Woody Herman—Keeper of the Flame, Early Autumn
Charlie Parker—Lover Man, Warming Up a Riff
Lee Konitz and Billy Bauer—Indian Summer
Max Roach & Clifford Brown—Blues Walk, Delilah
Clifford Brown—(in concert)--I Can’t Get Started
Miles Davis—Four, Walkin’
Sonny Rollins—St. Thomas, Moritat (Mack the Knife)

Some of these songs have been overplayed and even abused in other 
settings, but the purity of the great renderings isn’t affected. You'll 
probably wonder how the hell some items got on my list, how I could 
possibly have left others off, why there’s nothing past the 60’s. etc. 
I'm guessing I'd add others if I thought about it longer or rewrote the 
list tomorrow. But this is pretty subjective stuff, and I think it’s 
fun to hear about what has meant the most to us as listeners.

Now, you show me yours.

Charlie Suhor