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Among the classic sounds of jazz is one of the more often debated catalogs, CTI Records, which takes its identity from producer Creed Taylor. Creed worked at several labels including impulse! and Verve before striking out on his own. Often, CTI sessions feature a smoother sound, often incorporating orchestral elements in larger ensembles. While those sessions had high production values, many purists would often deride the "dreaded Vs", violin, viola, and vocals along with other commercial trappings. Nevertheless, many sessions found broader commercial success during a time when straight ahead jazz was being pummeled in the marketplace. In this hour, we will revisit some classic CTI dates and along the way discover that there are in fact several gems, if you can hear past the commercial sheen.
Artist | Track | Album |
Wes Montgomery | Up and at It | Down Here on the Ground |
Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson | Speedball | Cherry |
Quincy Jones | Killer Joe | Walking in Space |
Stanley Turrentine | Salt Song | Salt Song |
George Benson | White Rabbit | White Rabbit |
J. J. Johnson & Kai Winding | Musings | Stonebone |
Deodato | Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) | Prelude |
Freddie Hubbard | Suite Sioux | Red Clay |