That's the hipsters preferred "Night In Tunisia" "Bird's Bop" is above and beyond anything that ever came out of a horn on this planet, but not everyone is capable of hearing it.
Jazz for aficionados
Jazz for aficionados
I'm going to review records in my collection, and you'll be able to decide if they're worthy of your collection. These records are what I consider "must haves" for any jazz aficionado, and would be found in their collections. I wont review any record that's not on CD, nor will I review any record if the CD is markedly inferior. Fortunately, I only found 1 case where the CD was markedly inferior to the record.
Our first album is "Moanin" by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. We have Lee Morgan , trumpet; Benney Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie merrit, bass; Art Blakey, drums.
The title tune "Moanin" is by Bobby Timmons, it conveys the emotion of the title like no other tune I've ever heard, even better than any words could ever convey. This music pictures a person whose down to his last nickel, and all he can do is "moan".
"Along Came Betty" is a tune by Benny Golson, it reminds me of a Betty I once knew. She was gorgeous with a jazzy personality, and she moved smooth and easy, just like this tune. Somebody find me a time machine! Maybe you knew a Betty.
While the rest of the music is just fine, those are my favorite tunes. Why don't you share your, "must have" jazz albums with us.
Enjoy the music.
I'm going to review records in my collection, and you'll be able to decide if they're worthy of your collection. These records are what I consider "must haves" for any jazz aficionado, and would be found in their collections. I wont review any record that's not on CD, nor will I review any record if the CD is markedly inferior. Fortunately, I only found 1 case where the CD was markedly inferior to the record.
Our first album is "Moanin" by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. We have Lee Morgan , trumpet; Benney Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie merrit, bass; Art Blakey, drums.
The title tune "Moanin" is by Bobby Timmons, it conveys the emotion of the title like no other tune I've ever heard, even better than any words could ever convey. This music pictures a person whose down to his last nickel, and all he can do is "moan".
"Along Came Betty" is a tune by Benny Golson, it reminds me of a Betty I once knew. She was gorgeous with a jazzy personality, and she moved smooth and easy, just like this tune. Somebody find me a time machine! Maybe you knew a Betty.
While the rest of the music is just fine, those are my favorite tunes. Why don't you share your, "must have" jazz albums with us.
Enjoy the music.
Showing 50 responses by orpheus10
While Parker stated how fantastic schooling was, he had no formal training beyond high school. That was due to the "economic reality" of most jazz musicians. "Study is absolutely necessary"; whether formal or informal, initially, all great jazz musicians put in most of their waking hours toward mastering their instruments. During Birds time, some highly acclaimed institutions scoffed at "jazz", just ask Miles, who went in the front door and out the back of Juilliard. (Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education.) Whether one goes to a formal school or is "self taught", intensity of study and practice is necessary. I wrote about a musician who "never" practiced; that's because he was performing "improvisational hard bop jazz" three times a week. (If he had not been performing constantly, practice would have been essential) He was 36 and looked 26 (I was 26); I bet you can guess his name. Before I met him, I'm sure he had spent most of his life practicing because he "never" looked at the organ keys; quite often his eyes were closed. At that time there was a club devoted to "Improvisational hard bop" (no standards). That's what the audience that patronized that club demanded, and that's what he gave them. In my mind, there is no greater musician than one who can constantly create on the spot; "The improvisational jazz musician". Next would be "The pit musician". While the pit musician went through many years of formal training, and can play anything that can be put on a sheet of music paper, he can not spontaneously create all night long. I suppose comparing the two is like comparing "raw talent" to intense formal training and practice. I've compared the two, live in real time, and they are a sight to hear and behold. If I was left on an island with only one record to play, I would choose "Bird With Strings". |
Miles Davis and Charlie Parker had one important thing in common: they were both driven at an early age to make music with their chosen instruments. "Bird falsified his age to gain entry to competitive clubs in Kansas city, where he was rejected; at sixteen he was laughed off a bandstand. You guys remember me telling you about the time I was in a funereal limo, and when there was dead silence, someone started a conversation about Miles music in order to lighten the load. That's when the grieving widow piped in; "I remember Miles, he was the little dark skinned kid who was always trying to blow the trumpet". That remark returned the limo back to dead silence. (what do you say after a remark like that) There was nothing racist about that remark, she remembered a little dark skinny kid who was always trying to blow the trumpet. All of the people in the limo originated from Miles old neighborhood, including me. The events she remembered that brought her in contact with Miles occurred two years before I was even born. At the early age of thirteen, Miles sought out any professional musical help he could get to unravel the mysteries of his trumpet. This lady lived in a big house with her Mother in law, plus two of her husbands brothers while her husband was off to war. One of the brothers was a musician who played the sax, and the other was a music teacher. That house was located two blocks from Dr. Davis's dental office, and she recalled letting Miles in when he came to learn whatever he could learn from the resident musicians. The funny thing about this is the fact that the lady who knew Miles, knew next to nothing about his music. |
Frogman, how can you say "Body And Soul" has any kind of relationship to "Be Bop"? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUFg6HvljDE That was, now here is "Bird". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYQCwoas3rk Would you please tell me how that could possibly be some kind of milestone for "Be Bop". Not everyone has the ability to hear "Be Bop". Louis Armstrong couldn't hear "Be Bop", so you would be in good company if you can not hear "Be Bop". |
The reasons Miles replaced Diz in Bird's band had absolutely nothing to do with music, and specifically "Be Bop"; Miles couldn't touch Diz when it came to "Be Bop". Diz quit Bird's band because Bird couldn't get his "junky act" together. Miles was so nervous taking Diz's place that he asked Bird if he could quit every night. |
As much as I am into recording quality, I can hear through bad recording quality with "Bird". When I was a child of maybe 7, there was a candy store a half block from our house, and between our house and the candy store, lived a young man who was an alleged "pot head". No one had air conditioning, and there was only the screen door between the outside and the occupants of each house. When I passed the house where the "alleged pot head" lived, I heard music like I had never heard before while he was entertaining his friends. I always "accidentally" dropped a dime in the grass in front of his door, on my way to the candy store, that way I could hear this music while looking for my dime. Although I didn’t know it at that time, I was getting hooked on "Bird", and I’ve been hooked every since; consequently, "Bird" isn’t exactly new to me. |
Frogman, jazz can be divided into two great time periods "Before Bird" and "After Bird"; that's BB and AB. The musicians who were before Bird even played differently after Bird. Charles "Yardbird" Parker changed jazz like no one has ever before or since changed the music; that's "Revolutionary" not "Evolutionary". |
Bird at his best; listen to bird, not the bad recording quality; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZASRGepLjc |
"Dililah" is one of my favorite jazz tunes, and out of all the charming ladies in the Bible "Delilah" is the one I would have most liked to meet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkFSM9Frx3w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qrfUA1EwqQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6JghaB-4-M |
Bud Powell and Fats Navarrow made sweet music together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6EOLIDVus&list=PLTepgFkW8zCAMrH8s9xPM75-kA7S6l-j8&index=3 |
Diz has a number of versions of this tune and I like them all but I think this is my favorite; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkvZ4k2AGS8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY79siaQkCw Better than any of "Bird's Bop", and better than any of "Diz's Bop" is Bird and Diz's Bop; it's killer, and ages ago I had every record they made together. I don't think you can find all of them now, but get what you can. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzzE73QK_Kk&list=PLLHYIb60T4djef4fEOOv_sguVbAk5PBpN |
Mary-jo, I think of those words so often now; I wish I had taken them more seriously many years ago. At this time I have decided That I would rather be in another time; consequently, I think I'll "warp" back to when Stan Kenton came out with "Kenton with Voices". It was one of those albums that refused to get old, I played it a lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4A2ieV-5g4&list=PLBIiojdRsFPCa3fBiEbxRkPpUtaZYRzJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkBOXMRIud4 That music still sounds good; It's timeless. All the cuts on those two albums are fantastic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4A2ieV-5g4&list=PLBIiojdRsFPCa3fBiEbxRkPpUtaZYRzJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9QC0CXGwLk&list=PLBIiojdRsFPCa3fBiEbxRkPpUtaZYRzJ8&index=11 |
If you saw a Bentley half parked in a neighborhood where angels feared to tread with a couple of wino's lolling around in the back seat ready to guard it with their lives, you knew that car belonged to the Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter, better known as "Nica". There have been more jazz tunes written for her than any other lady I can think of. During her time, she could be found making the late night rounds in the hippest jazz clubs in New York where she was always treated like Royalty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8PHk1aA8Uo |
"Sort of like the Democratic party, the more they 'help people succeed', their words, the more Republican these successful people become." Most unfortunately, there is much too much truth to that; it leaves all those people who were having a hard time having a harder time because their leaders joined the rich Republicans, leaving them to fend for themselves. |
Shaft reminds me of Atlanta, that's where I was when that movie came out. As much as I liked Atlanta, I often wonder what I'm doing in St. Louis. But it doesn't make much difference where I am now, as long as it's cool in doors in the summer, warm in the winter and the plumbing is good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O_6fZwxwkU&list=PLshQMO1bSyj1D0P6gm8wWT62x_rIZJu2y&index=2&... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJSMyoKT-JQ&list=PLshQMO1bSyj1D0P6gm8wWT62x_rIZJu2y&index=11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd9-iIBRZfY&list=PLshQMO1bSyj1D0P6gm8wWT62x_rIZJu2y&index=14 |
Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez from the movie "Diva". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el38tZE9AcM I just finished seeing this DVD, quite entertaining. I think I would like to hang out with Thuy An Luu https://www.google.com/search?q=thuy+an+luu&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS804US804&oq=thuy+an+lu&aqs=c... https://www.google.com/search?q=Diva+french+movie&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS804US804&oq=Diva+french+mo... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxjxoQ3JMF0 |
Once upon a time the South Side of Chicago in the vicinity of 63rd and Cottage Grove was the place to be, and I was there at the right place and at the right time. All the apartments in the 3 story building we lived in had balconies, and they reminded me of paintings I had seen of apartments in Paris. When I reminisce about this time, I have to remind myself that this wasn't a fantasy or a dream, but a time and place that actually existed. Even the weather at that time makes my memory seem like a fantasy; in 56, no one had or needed AC; it was always cool in the mornings and evenings. I liked to walk down to the lake every day for a swim, but some days were too cool, and everyday I had to wait until at least noon before it was warm enough for a swim. Dinah Washington was a resident of the neighborhood and could be seen casually having cocktails and entertaining friends at the "Pershing Lounge" where Ahmad Jamal was leading the "House Band". You knew when she was there by the brand new Lincoln Continental parked out front, possibly the only one in the big city of Chicago. https://www.google.com/search?q=56+lincoln+continental&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS858US858&oq=56+lincol... I was too young to go to the jazz clubs in the vicinity, but in order to partake of the ambiance of the neighborhood, I would borrow one of my cousin's best sport coats, and stroll the Avenue in the evenings, just to mingle with the other well dressed patrons of the nightlife. Fortunately, for me and a lot of other people, John Wright created some music to let us know that our memories were not fantasies, but memories of real times, "South Side Soul" is the title of this album. This music has a "hip swagger" to it that could be called "The Southside Strut"; I like it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYW9xm0MhN8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy5s_R2Lp6Y Somehow, in ways I can't explain, John Wright has captured the dramatically different personalities of these streets on the South side of Chicago at that time, and projected them into music; this is the only record we have of a place that existed but is no more. |
Here is Gary Peacock with the people he was most comfortable playing with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHH3tHadtlU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYaVbTVMZtA |
Gato Barbieri was one of my favorite artists for ages and whether he played jazz or not is moot to me, I still like his music. (some people pigeon hole music and some don't) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlU-TeBdiyw |
I overheard one of my favorite tunes "On Green Dolphin Street" and didn't know who the musicians were. The more I listened, the more the music drew me in; like this music was made just for me. Have you heard music that resonated so deeply that you feel that music was made for you? When I discovered that the music was from the album "Grant Green, the complete quartets with Sonny Clark", I knew why the music resonated so deeply, they are two of my favorite artists; if I could play guitar, I would sound just like Grant Green. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuJvTp4l9Dc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvZl0rreNtw |
For a long time, all of us on this thread connected very well; we seemed to like the same jazz, but now I'm the one moving to a different drummer; I don't particularly like "new jazz", and a lot of the "old jazz" being submitted is far too "conservative" meaning too "classical jazz" jazz sounding, too "Stereotypical". Lately I'm into music more like this; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7TtytWwBOo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjH2EmWdSz4 I don't think it's a bad thing, just a fact of life. |
"Summer Madness" was one of my all time favorite tunes, Kool And The Gang was really cool; they reminded me of the mad summers when I was playing tennis. Somehow the tune projects the madness of youthful Summer nights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFt7JHwJeg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGDqUtVOWxg R I P Ronald Bell |
This evening I'm also kicking it with "Eddie Harris"; he was born in Chicago and was grooving on the "South side" during the times I've written about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsHtO_i4qzM This man has a most incredible discography; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDrH5urtCbQ "Theme In Search of a Movie" is the most beautiful; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HLA5adVGTI |
Currently, I'm in a "jazz lock-down" which is my normal state of being, not a "Covid lock-down". Right now, "Gene Harris" is keeping me company. He had an extensive run with "The Three Sounds" before recording on his own. Their album "Moods", recorded in 1960 was my favorite; it had such a beautiful cover. Here is "On Green Dolphin Street"; Gene hits the just right keys for this tune, it sets the mood for a perfect evening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GEgrFyCNYw "Tammy's Breeze" is my favorite on this album, I inhale the scintillating fragrance of Tammy when I hear it; sweet memories.make a good "lock-down" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v--G29uMrY&list=PL0q2VleZJVEmd4mbQJ9LgMkPTS_RV-67T&index=7 |
I've posted my memories of the Summer of 56 that I spent on the South side of Chicago with my jazz loving cousin many times, highlighting various aspects of that visit. I would like to post another aspect of that visit. I liked to go for a swim in Lake Michigan every day, but someday's it was way too cool; one dip in the water and you got chill bumps. My cousin liked to entertain in the evening, and he didn't have AC; he just opened a window and everything was fine. I don't even recall any noisy window fans. When I strolled Cottage Grove in the evenings, I needed a sport coat or a sweater. Sometime in the 80's, many people in Chicago died from heat stroke because they did not have AC. No one had AC in 56 because they didn't need it. Climate change has been happening for a long time, but no one called it that. |
Mingus is the most unique jazz artist ever that sounded good; all of those tunes were like no one else. I bought his album "Ah Um Mingus" in 60 just for the art work on the cover when I didn't even know who Mingus was at that time; funny thing, I've been listening to that album every since; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7hoX7golZI&list=PLiN-7mukU_REK9zBMvZoNERNvhovxnsE5 |
I hope it's OK to speak on another subject if it doesn't offend anyone. When I was in the 4th grade, I recall seeing a picture of a tree in a geography book that was so big there was a roadway running through it. I vowed to see those trees one day. I haven't seen them and now I believe they're burning down as a result of "climate change"; hence another post on Chicago in 56. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D3CD1mQ2AM |
Music takes me to places that I've never been, or places that I have been but just can't quite remember when. This music takes me to someplace not far from the river, between the hours of midnight and daylight when there's a misty light fog that makes the glowing neon beer signs kind of hazy; the kind of night that you might see a Mickey Spillane detective stepping out of the mist. Maybe that's a memory that never happened; music does things like that to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I7JXzsyDhI |
This is mellow deep in the pocket jazz, that sounded best between the hours of midnight and daylight at an out of the way nightclub. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kE1K6o2UfE That LP is on it's way to my collection |