The Frogman:
Thanks for the info. I was listening to Mingus' 'Tijuana Moods' this morning. A 2CD set. The entire CD #2 is just alternate takes of CD#1. Great music.
Cheers |
Who'd a thunk it?? He never strays far from Nawlins. This is about as close to the source as you can get. Great footage. Who the heck is, or rather was, Abram Wilson?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK2MLRlDWzo
Cheers |
Great post Learsfool. Except for your comments about my attitude, of course. But who is perfect among us?
If you don't know what to say or do, the Lord will always show the way.,
While watching the tennis matches last night, I was glancing thru the lastest copy of Gramophone. They have an ongoing article where prominent people in the Arts talk about their experiences with music and list music they could not live without.
This man is the director of a Museum in Oxford, England. His opening paragraph was this:
" In the matter of music, I am a true amateur. I love music, and it is in both the foreground and background of much of my life, but I do not read it(something I have always imagined for my retirement) or play an instrument (ditto). I simply get great pleasure and solace from music, "
Well said, and applies to the vast majority of music lovers.
Btw, the music he could not live without was:
MAHLER: 'Das Lied von der Erde' Vienna / Bruno Walter
One of my earliest classical purchases, but by Berlin / Giulini
Cheers
Frogman, where is the retraction? |
Recent Listens:
Ron Carter & Jim Hall -- TELEPHONE
Jimmy Smith -- BACK TO THE CHICKEN SHACK
Wynton Marsalis -- THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF WYNTON MARSALIS
Freddie Hubbard -- READY FOR FREDDIE
Got Pleasure and Solace from them all. Carter and Hall was the surprise. Didn't think that combination of instruments in duet would work. It did!
Cheers |
Jazz Aficionados:
I am listening to a CD by Monk entitled "Genius of Modern Music Vol Two"
There are 18 tracks. A lot for a Monk record. Four of the tunes are listed twice, with 'Alternate take' in parenthesis by the second listing. We are all familiar with this.
One tune, 'Sixteen', is listed twice also, but with the words 'First Take' and 'Second Take' in parenthesis besides them.
What is the difference between these 'takes'?
Cheers |
Also on Monk's 'Genius of Modern Music' 1 & 2.
Cheers |
I listened to this today:
Irakere -- THE BEST OF IRAKERE
Plenty of Latin brass vibrato and of course the incomparable Cuban percussion. Many of the future heavyweights of Cuban Jazz are here. With D'Rivera, Sandoval and Valdes on board, what's not to like. Best heard next to a dance floor.
Andrew Hill -- POINT OF DEPARTURE
I made it through 2 tracks today. An improvement, but I'm still not there yet.
Great lineup and they all seem to play well, and know what they were doing, I just didn't know.
Maynard Ferguson -- CONQUISTADOR
The purists and snobs of Jazz pan it, but I love it! Great flute work on 'Theme from Star Trek'.
Irakere and Ferguson were fun. Hill and Dolphy and company, were thinking too much.
Cheers |
***** I guarantee you that you can play me ANYTHING that Phil Woods ever did and after two measures, I would be able to tell you that it was Phil.******
Well, since I don't have anything by Woods, he is not on my 'Instant Recognition' list. Didn't even realize he was on the MJQ disc until I played it the other day.
He also appears on 'The Jazz Soul of Porgy & Bess'. How anyone could screw that up, is beyond me, but they managed.
No fault of Woods, he was just a member of the sax section. Much younger and slimmer. Lousy arrangements.
Cheers |
Today's Listen:
John Coltrane -- COLTRANE LIVE AT BIRDLAND
Great set. This was before he got in his Sunship and took off for Stellar Regions. Great version of Afro-Blue.
The recording had problems. Coltrane from the left speaker, Piano and bass inbetween and the drums from the right speaker! Sucks. But the music is exceptional.
Duke Ellington -- AND HIS MOTHER CALLED HIM BILL
Recorded in honor and memory of Billy Strayhorn. My favorite Ellington disc. The Ellington Band!! What an instrument!
Anyone interested in hearing great Sax playing should listen to this CD. Hodges on 'Blood Count'!! Strayhorn died about 6 months prior to this recording. He and Ellington were very close when it came to composing and arranging.
Very eloquent notes in the liner from Ellington, about Strayhorn. Great loss.
Doc Cheatham/Nicholas Payton -- DOC CHEATHAM & NICHOLAS PAYTON
Lazy down-home Nawlins style Jazz. Cheatham sings. He really should not. Nice relaxed playing by two guys who keep the flame alive. Mostly well known standards.
The Ellington and Coltrane are must haves.
Cheers |
Today's Listen:
Michel Legrand -- LEGRAND JAZZ
Jazz standards arranged by the Frenchman Michel Legrand. Great lineup.
Miles, Trane, Evans, Woods, Ben Webster and many more. Just by looking at the photos in the booklet, and reading the notes, it is obvious that this guy is full of himself!!
They came close to giving him credit for creating Jazz. Well, at least it seemed that way.
I will have to admit that I liked the arrangments. He managed to avoid sterlizing the music. And of course the playing was great.
Started off with the Thomas 'Fats' Waller tune 'The Jitterbug Waltz'. Always like to see the music of 'Fats' Waller represented. Speaking of underrated!
Some of the photos in the booklet show him apparently 'directing' the best players in Jazz. I hate that!
Sonny Clark -- SONNY'S CRIB
One of the better Blue Note era recordings. Excellent material and very cohesive playing. Trane and Donald Byrd on board.
A must have!
Phineas Newborn Jr -- THE GREAT JAZZ PIANO OF PHINEAS NEWBORN
This guy has great skill on the keyboards. Tunes by Bud Powell, Bobby Timmons, Miles, Rollins and Ellington. Leroy Vinnegar on Bass on half the tunes, Sam Jones on the other half.
I remember Vinnegar from Les McCann's 'Swiss Movement'. Nice set. If you like Newborn, this is one of his best.
Cheers |
*****The coolest video ever!*****
It could be!!!
Great atmosphere, singing and playing. The Band was awesome. I think I recognized everyone the camera zoomed in on. Just don't ask me to name them. Comes with age.
Good to see Ella. They are all gone now. :(
Frank looked amazingly like Herbert von Karajan did in his later years. After his, Karajan's, pompadour collapsed. :)
Good clip.
Cheers |
I will have to do a lot more listening to Bowie, before I can do anymore talking about him. I think I might like this guy. I dismissed the first clip sent by Acman3. It was not representative and obviously done in jest.
But the Cosby clip was not bad. He also played with a group led by a guy, that played trumpet with me in high school! So, he can't be all bad. :)
Frogman: A lot of the stuff you wrote about Bowie and players like him, in your last post, could apply to Mingus!! And in my humble opinion, no one, out ranks Mingus! So maybe Bowie is a person I need to hear more. I will put him on my list, right after Fats Naravvo.
Thanks for the time and effort.
Cheers |
Learsfool:
*****based on what I have heard here - he is merely using humor to pretend to be outside, which to me makes him very hypocritical if he is criticizing folks like Wynton. But this isn't about Wynton.*****
Well stated. Hypocritie is the perfect word. But this is not about Bowie or Marsalis. It's about what they each represent. I am sure he would have given anything to have had Wynton's career, playing the music Wynton plays.
*****this humor and theatricality is as far as he goes. He is a performer putting on an act, much like many pop artists do - his playing/music making ON ITS OWN would not be enough to make it in his case, despite his good timing. I would disagree that he is actually furthering the art of jazz music, hence my earlier comment that he is hypocritical to criticize others for not being so.******
He found a 'niche' where he could be more, than he would be, going up against, the Hubbards and Morgans of the music world. If you are a musician, you had better find a place, or change profession. Tiny Tim found his. So did Bowie.
****I think this is a case of style masquerading as substance.*****
True, but to be more exact, I would say it's trying to pass noise off as music. In fact, I see no reason to consider this music at all. And why is Jazz the dumping ground for these people? They could just as easily called it 'FOLK'.
Cheers |
The Frogman:
*****I suspect Bowie was deadly serious about what he played in that clip*****
OMG!!
Bowie: Read my post to Learsfool.
As far as the conflict between Wynton and other Jazz players, I think the wiki page did mention something about 833,000 dollars per, U.S., for the Lincoln Center gig. That's called cutting to the chase. All else is moot.
Cheers |
|
Lets all be careful when using the word "Cluture". Rap does not reflect American cluture, if that even exists. Rap reflects the depravity and spiritual poverty of inner city America. Whenever it is played / heard, it creates an aura of great sadness.
Cheers |
Todays playlist:
Roscoe Mithcell -- SOUND
(Lester Bowie on Trumpet)
I listened to this, more as an assignment or homework, than for any other reason.
Normally when I listen to music, sometimes my wife will shout from the living room, one of two things, "play such and such"(usually Brubeck) or "Turn it up".
Today she came into the room with a puzzled look on her face and asked "what's wrong?" She thought maybe the FM station was on the blink, or the CD player had malfunctioned. I said nope, that's the future of Jazz.
This is not to be critical of Bowie. It's not him, it's the 'music' they choose to play. I tried hard to 'get it'. I will concede that maybe it's just me. Perhaps it's all going over my head. If so, I will try to be content with my be-bopers.
I had to listen to Mingus and McCann afterwards, just to get all that pollution outta my head. Could not believe that I was still in the same 'genre'.
This is NOT a must have. This is NOT even an ought to have. When you see the statement 'not for everyone' in reviews, take heed and beware. But it is aptly named! That's what you get, sound!
Cheers |
Seems as if I misspelled 'culture'. Sorry.
Cheers |
The Frogman:
*****The Rite of Spring******
Fascinating! I think Lenny, as always, never forgot he was on camera. I wonder if the young Germans had ever seen the likes of him?
Very good insights into how an Orchestra prepares. I think the flute player was still under stress as they walked out for the performance. :)
I think this music almost requires a visual component. I looked, and I have no Stravinsky on CD. :( Several on LP. Any recomendations on Rite of Spring performances?
Thanks for the clips. Very educational.
Cheers |
Acman3:
A person can say 'good morning' and set off a Ruckus on this thread. And that's in spite of my efforts to have non-confrontational and polite discourse.
Cheers |
The Frogman:
The documentary on Stravinski was very interesting. My overall, and lasting impression, was one of sadness. Europe Sucks! Think of how his life would have been different if he had been born here.
One of the the biggest advantages the Masters, (mozart, beethoven, etc....), have over 20th century composers, is that, we will never see, or hear them. They will remain idealized in our minds forever. We will only 'know' them thru their music.
He did not come across as the most sympathetic of persons in the documentary. But, he did like Johnnie Walker!!
I have the 'The Rite of Spring' on LP, by Colin Davis conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra. That's the one with the naked, spray painted folks on the cover.
Thanks for the clips.
Cheers |
*****I hope his health is ok.*****
So do I. His last posts did not indicate he was having any problems. He did leave during a 'ruckus' period, so he may just be sick of me! :)
Cheers |
I read today that Stravinsky's, 'The Soldier's Tale', has Jazz elements or influence. Has anyone heard it, or have any comments?
Cheers |
I will be sure to have your post in front of me when I listen to 'The Soldier's Tale'. I noticed that there is a lot of narration in the piece.
The folks on Amazon have their favorite 'narrator'. hahahahaha Gilda Radner was right, 'There is always something'!
One of the CDs avalible has the Stravinsky, along with pieces by Schoenberg and Berg. Yikes!! This one is narrated by Sir John Gielgud.
Cheers
Cheers |
Albertporter:
Thanks for your recommendations.
I ordered the Soldier's Tale with John Gielgud, also a DG 'twofer' with Rite, Firebird and Petrushka.
The DG CD is conducted by Abbado,. who passed away recently.
Cheers |
The Frogman:
Thanks for your answer.
Life spans:
Mozart -- 35
Beethoven -- 57
Stravinsky -- 89
Now think about musical impact and output. And The Masters did not live in the age of hype / media, and the advantages that can bring, if a person is a darling of the press.
IMHO, Igor was an arrogant twerk.
Cheers |
Today's Playlist:
Bebop & Beyond -- PLAYS THELONIOUS MONK
It's Monk's Music! Nuff said.
Jazz Futures -- LIVE IN CONCERT
Good to see and hear 'Young lions' in action and playing real Jazz.
Players include: Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Christian McBride, Mark Whitfield, BENNY green, Marion Jordan, Tim Warfield and Carl Allen.
Various Artists -- THE BEST OF KEN BURNS JAZZ
This just one single CD. Takes us from Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton up through Miles, Coltrane and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Great selection of tunes.
Cheers |
Learsfool:
Once I get my Igor CDs, will I hear beautiful melodies?
Cheers. |
*****BTW, did you know that Bird wanted to study with Stravinsky?******
Are you trying to destory all of my idols in one night? :)
Cheers |
*****Rok, just curious, what do you base the "arrogant twerk" comment on? ******
From the youtube of him you sent earlier. Just came across that way to me. Nothing to do with music.
Well if he wrote more that LvB, he certainly did not have nearly the impact of Beethoven. But I will see soon enough. I have the Ballets and The Soldiers Tale on order.
I am not hating on the guy. It's just that I have NEVER read anything like that about Beethoven. But, I can't argue with both you and Learsfool. You guys should know. Could be that my reading list is inadequate.
The Media:
You will admit that the powers that be in the art world, went out of their way to support and praise all the Russians that escaped to the West. At least while the Reds were running Russia.
And part of that support was to 'ensure' that they were a success here. Sort of like the support 'West Berlin' got during the cold war. It was a welfare city, but boy did it look good! Esp in comparison to East Berlin.
Solzhenitsyn comes to mind. A person would think, reading his press, that he was the second coming of Hemingway! Same with most other 'defectors'.
We have no disagreement concerning Igor.
Cheers |
Today's Playlist:
Etta Jones -- DON'T GO TO STRANGERS
Throughly enjoyable CD. Jones is as good as anyone not named Ella. Excellent song selection and accompaniment.
Excellent recording quality.
And all this time, I thought 'Fine and Mellow' and 'All the Way', were owned by Billie Holiday and Little Jimmy Scott respectively. Maybe not.
Check it out!
Stravinsky -- THE SOLDIER'S TALE
I thought I would listen to what I 'assumed' would be 'noise', for a few minutes, before dinner. Turned out, I could not move for the entire hour the piece lasted!
Fascinating!! I could not leave it. The story is so irresistible. The Music and the story are perfectly matched. You cannot conceive of one, without the other.
The narrator on my version, was Sir John Gielgud. When it comes to voice, he is the master.
The Trumpet part was extremely difficult playing, but the Boston Symphony Chamber Players were up to the task.
I will listen to Firebird and / or Rite tomorrow.
Cheers |
Today's playlist:
Beethoven -- PIANO SONATAS
"Pathetique" "Moonlight" "Appassionata" / Alfred Brendel
From a master of Beethoven.
Beethoven -- SYMPHONY NO. 9
The Deutsche Kammerphilharmondie / Paavo Jarvi
Second Movement always reminds me of the NBC nightly news with Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. Hard to believe now.
Bohm still rules.
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown -- STANDING MY GROUND
La/Tx 'border' blues. Born in Louisiana, raised on the Texas side. Texas Blues is a distinctive style.
Clifton Chenier -- BOGALUSA BOOGIE
Le Blues De La Louisiane! Parlez-Vous ???
Like a little accordion and rubboard, and a whole lot of French in your blues? Check it out. Great cover photo.
Cheers |
****well, I am really glad you liked it; let's leave it at that****
What?
******GRRRRRRRRR*****
That comes under the heading of MESSING WITH THE FROGMAN :)
You have the memory of an elephant!!
I wasn't dissing Woods, just was never aware of him. Never came on my radar. Same as with Navarro. Hearing Woods on' MJQ with Friends' opened my eyes and ears. Just one of those moments. I wonder who my next 'discovery' will be.
Cheers |
Listened to Stravinky's 'Rite of Spring'. A person has to have seen, and know the ballet, to really appreicate this music.
It's interesting that the music tells you that you should be seeing something. You just know it.
Sort of like the Nutcracker / Swan Lake stuff. You listen to the music and you can recall the images. I will have to get the Ballet on DVD.
Stravinsky was murder on Trumpet / Brass players.
Cheers |
Today's Tidbit:
Fats Navarro's nickname was 'Fat Girl'. I would have thought those would have been fighting words!
Cheers |
Mitch4t:
I find these little details fascinating. Just like the details in the music.
Thanks for sharing
Cheers |
Today's Playlist:
Herbie Mann / Phil Woods -- BEYOND BROOKLYN
I have had this one for years. Never realized woods was on it, or more to the point, I did not reazlize his stature in Jazz.
Very enjoyable well played CD. Mann never seems to stray too far from Brazil even when it's not Brazilian music.
This set was recorded a few weeks before Mann died. The last tune, "Time After Time", was done for his wife. There is a nice photo of the two in the liner notes, taken immediately after the recording of "Time After Time".
"Blood Count" is among the tunes. Knowing the time of Mann's passing, and the story behind "Blood Count", gives the record a somber mood.
I have a lot of Mann on LP. From back in his 'Memphis Underground' days. I will have to get more on CD. This is my only one.
Woods is awesome as always. Beautiful playing. Esp on "Blood Count". Plays some Clarinet.
Walter Davis Jr. -- IN WALKED THELONIOUS
All of Monk's 'greatest hits' are here. Solo piano. A Mapleshade Production. Davis' playing can be summed up in one word, EMPHATIC!! Sounded as if he was striking the keys with hammers. He wanted to make sure we heard him.
Performance was good, but I prefer the real Monk, with a group. Otherwise I can't imagine Monk scaring the hell outta everyone in the group as they solo.
Cheers |
Today's Playlist:
Chano Dominguez -- HECHO a MANO
Interesting. Well played and the recording quality is awesome. Apparently this is an effort to merge Jazz and Flamenco.
Things are real Jazzy on two tunes. Bill Evans' "Turn off The Stars" and Monk's "Bemsha Swing". The other 10 tunes are composed by Chano Dominguez. Excellent piano, Spanish guitar and percussion.
The liner notes are of such detail, that only The Frogman could understand or appreciate them. The writer 'explains' what is going on. The music is enjoyable, but it did not grab me. Not a must have.
Randy Crawford -- BEST OF RANDY CRAWFORD
I have a few lps by her that include a lot of these tunes. This is Pop music at it's best.
Great selection of tunes. Includes, Street Life, Imagine, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Give me the Night, and Your Precious Love. All done in an outstanding manner.
This woman has an outstanding voice. Brings back a particular time in my musical journey.
She should be singing Jazz!! Check it out.
Cheers |
Music Lovers:
If you have Netflix, check out: THE LADY IN NUMBER 6
Cheers |
Acman3:
Nice tune. I would have liked it more (the video), if all the players had parts to play during the entire tune. The brass guys walking off while the sax soloed was sort of unseemly. IMHO!!!!!
These guys are getting old. I thought all my Jazz favorites just stopped aging as I have. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers |
Today I listened to:
Tito Puente and His Latin Ensemble -- SALSA MEETS JAZZ
featuring Phil Woods. Seems like over night this guy is everywhere!
I eventually ended up doing some reading on Cuban 'Son' music and Salsa.
Is the music played by The Buena Vista Social Club on their huge hit, 'Son'?
What American genre would be comparable to Son? Not in style, but place in the society's musical history.
Cheers |
Today's Playlist:
Keith Jarrett -- AT THE DEER HEAD INN
with/Peacock and Motian
The Inn is in his hometown of Allentown,PA and site of his first Jazz gig. This is 30 years later.
Not his usual quasi-classical recital type thing. Just Jazz. Great tunes and playing. The crowd adds to the ambiance.
Jarrett hums along as he plays, but it is not obtrusive at all. I think it's a positive. It's amazing how no matter how far out his solos get, the melody is still there. I love that. "Basin Street Blues" was my favorite.
Rachelle Ferrell -- FIRST INSTRUMENT
AWESOME!! Another 'discovery' that has been on my shelf forever. This is one you have to hear. The usual adjectives don't do it justice.
Good tune selection and outstanding support. Not a weak track or filler in sight.
On the last tune, 'Autumn Leaves', she is joined by Wayne Shorter, Michel Petrucciani and Stanely Clarke. On CD it was spellbinding, so I looked for a possible youtube of the performance. Here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u34fj0fdFDM
The CDs share two tunes. "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "You don't know what Love is". Comparing the two performances / interpretations just demostrates the unlimited potential of Jazz Improvisation.
Cheers |
Listened to these today, along with The Oscar Peterson Trio "LIVE AT THE BLUE NOTE".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiHS8Hf7Tb4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELno08Zg42g
Agree with the comments about Monty Alexander. I have Monty Alexander's "MY AMERICA".
Cheers
Cheers |
For Jazz Aficionados:
http://wreckhouse.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/ten-of-the-best-jazz-websites-on-the-internet/
Cheers |
The Frogman:
Thanks for the informative answer. I suspected it would be Country or Blues. Now I know.
Apparently, when I was dissing Woods, I didn't know who I was messing with! He ranks with the best.
All of you completely ignored my link of Rachelle Ferrell doing 'Autumn Leaves'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u34fj0fdFDM I can't get enough of it.
At 4:24, check out Petrucciani. Seems as if his expression is saying, " I hope this babe ain't going postal on us" I love it!!
Seems like Shorter also shares our OP's tailor. Just love this clip. You can love it, or think it's over the top, but you cannot ignore it!!
Cheers |
O-10,
I could not believe my eyes when I saw your post!! Welcome back!! You have been greatly missed.
I hope you will be able to post more often in the future.
Since I now know you will reading, I will now have to choose my words more carefully.
Of course I am happy you agree about the Ferrell clip. I received one of her CDs yesterday titled "Rachelle Ferrell". Along with one by Kenny Burrell, "Bluesy Burrell".
I will report when I have listened to them both.
Again, welcome back!
Cheers!! |
Since all music lovers are History enthusiast:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/04/british-pathe-uploads-85000-historical-videos-to-youtube-video/
Awesome resource. Recently released by British Pathe.
Cheers |
The Frogman:
I agree with all your commentary on Ferrell. I still love the clip, but I felt she was just passing thru.
Her vocal fireworks sort of reminded me of Patti LaBelle.
But I always feel a sense of awe and admiration when people put on performances like that. It takes guts, because there is always the chance it will fall flat and on deaf ears. She kept going untill she had them!
The scatting struck me as being a spontaneous outbrust. With Ella, you would have assumed the composer wrote it into the tune.
LULU: There is always a chance I will like it simply because Julia Migenes-Johnson is still in it. I have her doing CARMEN on DVD with Domingo. The cover art comes close to being for 'adults only'. Love it!
Cheers |
Learsfool:
What struck be about the Armstrong CDs was that they start off playing as an ensemble. Almost dixieland, and as more instruments are added, gradually Louis begins to stand out from the ensemble. The Jazz solo?
The female vocals from that era are wonderful also.
If I were into LPs today, I would be afraid to play them. Even back in the day, I only played them once, and that was as I taped them to RTR.
Cheers |
****I think she is at her best singing things like this:***
I tend to agree, but I could do without all the histrionics that passes for 'feeling' and 'soul' these days.
Cheers |
