big band jazz

[graeme uk]

Ok, very vague questions here, ive started to really appreciate some big band jazz.
I got a couple off records from my nans house when she died,
nothing great
sort of best of glen miller and joe loss plays the big band greats.
Not really paid much attention to this kind of thing before, more of a 70's rock man usually.

I need some recomendations for what to look for now, as i know nothing about this type of music.
Who was good? What labels to buy for quality recordings?
I cant play 78's.

I also remember when i was a kid, liking what i was told was 20's dinner jazz, any recomendations for this?

Dont really want to randomly buy stuff to see if i like it or not, so some recomendations of the better artists, or styles or whatever would help.
Thanx.

[SY]

Just for musical merit, a short list of some of my favorites:

Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band- very state-of-the-art arrangements and playing. She's a first rate pianist and her band really swings. Husband Lew Tabackin leads the charge.

Count Basie- Just classic, tasteful jazz from a real pioneer. His Pablo recordings (late in life) sound quite excellent.

Duke Ellington- Perfection. One of the great composers of the 20th century. Listen and find out why.

Sun Ra and his Arkestra- Duke Ellington on acid. Difficult, difficult music, very complex and sometimes atonal. Seeing them live was one of the great experiences of my youth.

Buddy Rich- Nothing innovative, but great energy.

Thad Jones/Mel Lewis- Straight-ahead stuff, superbly played.

Dizzy Gillespie- I've about worn out his big band recordings. Terrible sound (mostly late 1940s), but this is bop as it was meant to be, frantic, energetic, creative, precise.

Charlie Mingus- Sui generis. Very creative, but at the same time, very accessible.

[jacojnr]

so my moniker says it all
try jaco pastorius' birthday concert live, word of mouth (studio album) or twins live in japan -- many tracks similar admittedly but features stellar contemporary players such as bob mintzer, brecker brothers, drummer peter erskine and florida big band leader peter graves. plus jaco at probably his peak. not true big band probably fusion big band for want of better description but all are well recorded with dynamic playing.
cheers

[vuki]

Tommy Dorsey - RCA (Bluebird)
Woody Herman - Columbia, Capitol
Artie Shaw - RCA (Bluebird)
Jackie Gleason -Capitol
Duke Ellington - RCA (Bluebird), Columbia, Riverside
Count Basie - Pablo
Stan Kenton - Capitol

[graeme uk]

Thanx, ill check out as many of these as possible and get back to you, might have to trawl the charity shops/second hand record shops tomorrow