And now for something completely different…music recommendations. Recently we went to Chicago for Jazzfest and met with a friend who is a Jazz pro in St. Louis. Thanks to him we heard an amazing performance of the Mengis Big Band. I asked him for recommendations for some Jazz albums to buy to further my education. Here are Mr. Bennett Wood’s recommendations.

I am really writing a list of my top 5 or so comtemporary jazz albums. I love all of the classic jazz as well, but there are books written on the albums worth checking out from the beginnings of jazz through 1970 or so. It tends to get a little more sketchy after that. Second, for many of these artists you’d be safe picking up anything that they play on (I’d avoid certain Keith Jarrett albums like “Spirits”). Read more »