Let's see, great Jazz shows I saw in the 70"s .... Count Basie, Stan Kenton, George Benson / Billy Eckstine / Earl "Fatha" Hines, Spyrogyra, Weather Report, Chuck Mangione. Everyone wants to dismiss Fusion but Mangione, Ferguson, Shorter and Benson (among others) kept Jazz on the radio and the map. Wasn't Branford's father, Ellis recording some interesting stuff in the 70's? Great opener and closer by the way. Also dig the Dexter & Joe Pass cuts.

And now we got Nas singing "Hip Hop is Dead." There's going to be no more genres left soon. Track 2 looks cool; I have always wondered what were the Spanish words for "frankincense" and "myrrh."

I don't like much '70s jazz beyond Miles, Brotzmann, and Sonny Sharrock, but you've nailed some good stuff here with the Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra and Art Ensemble tracks.

Well argued!

You know, I really prefer Jazz Fusion to straight jazz (... & I'm listening to Miles Davis's '72 album "On the Corner" right now!)... the feel of rock, and the improvisational energy of jazz. Sometimes Fusion seems to be one of those movements that the general consensus just cordons off as a musical crime and refuses to acknowledge the existence of. The '70s I'd say are my favorite musical decade, followed by the '60s and today; somewhere along the line in the '70s it just seems like the music got more intelligent than the critics (the Art Ensemble of Chicago alone would make Aaron Gruder shit his pants), and so they rebelled. The music was so out there, it barely existed. It's great to see mixes like this putting right to what's right....

Very interesting and great choices here. Despite enjoying jazz generally I don't listen to a lot of it beyond the 60s...I think this mix is probably telling me I should. Really like the Dizzy Gillespie track, I think that's a good example of what you're getting at here.

Hmm. Having worked in a music store for the best part of 7 years and having moved into 'Specialities' which incorporates Jazz last year my knowledge of the genre is probably up about 800%. Having said that I'm still very much a Jazz Beginner. These pieces I will check out, and the stories I will read, though. Ed's Comment was pretty hilarious, I must admit...

Hmmm... actually I think there was lots of great jazz created in the 70s. It just went off in lots of different directions. Some nice examples above.

I'm in the same boat as Siobhan. But thanks to this and a collaberation with Leif Averageson I'm a changed man.

YOU ARE RIGHT!!!! BRANFORD IS WRONG!!!! This is a masterpiece. I feel like sending you a hundred great records from the seventies just so you can feel supported in your opinion. (not that you need my support)

A mix borne of passion and knowledge. I wish I knew all these tracks.

Looks like a very convincing refutation of that silly claim.

The first one is distinctly different-in a good way-and I love Dizzy. Other than that, I completely agree with Barrydali.

i suspect this is a splendid listen - i like 70's jazz when the funk was involved.