A little while back I wrote this post about how jazz has started to become a big part of my music listening. A kind commenter, Ed, dropped by and provided a list of musicians he thought I should check out to expand my listening. Well I haven’t checked them all out, but I have expanded my collection a little thanks to his suggestions. I’ve also picked up a few albums of some artists I already had albums of. Here is the complete list of new additions:

• Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Ugetsu
• Horace Silver: Horace Silver & The Jazz Messengers
• Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges: Side by Side
• Coleman Hawkins: Centennial Collection
• Charlie Haden with Liberation Music Orchestra: The Montreal Tapes
• The Ornette Coleman Quartet: This is Our Music
• Pat Metheny & Ornette Coleman: Song X: Twentieth Anniersary

I want to send big thanks to Ed for his suggestions, especially as they led my to picking up the Charlie Haden album and the Pat Metheny & Ornette Coleman album.Song X is really fantastic and absolutely my favorite of the new pick ups. I’ve read thatThe Montreal Tapes may not be the best example of the Liberation Music Orchestra’s work, but it is good. I particularly like the 20+ min tracks “La Pasionaria” and “We Shall Overcome”.

I’m starting to notice that I keep coming back to Art Blakey and Ornette Coleman. I really enjoy the work of both these artists and the both seem to have prolific careers and pop up working with many other great musicians. Along with Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis and John Coltrane they might be my personal favorite jazz players I’ve come across so far.

How about all of you? Do you like jazz? Do you have any familiarity with or opinions about the albums in my collection? Any suggestions on what to try next?