TNT and Birth of the Cool

Been listening to two of my favorite albums lately, TNT and Birth of the Cool.

TNT is an album I consistently come back to when it comes to Tortoise. It sounds different than a lot of their stuff, at times colder, more robotic. At other times, in particular on the title track, some of their strongest melodies come through. It makes me contemplative; it's the best music in the world to fold laundry to.

Keeping on the Tortoise vibe, I kind of rediscovered It's All Around You. I've listened to this album a million times but for some reason it just clicked. In heavy rotation at the moment.

I've also been on the west coast jazz tip. Listened to Birth of the Cool last weekend a bunch of times, one of my all time favorite albums. Captures that beatnik '50s feeling so well, and the songs themselves are so strong. I love that it closes with "Darn the Dream", the vocals really round off the record well.

It had me exploring more of west coast jazz. I know the Dave Brubek and Paul Desmond stuff pretty well, really like some of those records. But I've been listening to a lot of Chet Baker lately, in particular his records with Gerry Mulligan.

Anyone have any other suggestions on good west coast jazz?