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 pjw81563
@alexatpos I have a Bluray of Dianna Krall Live in Rio. When I’m in the right mood I watch it, maybe once or twice a year since I purchased it. My favorite Female vocalist is Sade Adu. I have all of her releases of live concerts either on DVD or Bluray. Sade’s natural vocals live, IMHO, have few equals of other female vocalists with Annie Lenox, of Eurythmics fame, a close second. Sade and Annie both started to gain national attention here in the USA and globally in the early to mid 80s and I have enjoyed both of them for 40 years now. What are your favorite contemporary female vocalists? On the subject of audio set up I have invested in a couple of highly recommended books here and plan on using Dirac Live in the near future now that I have a 7:2:2 set up (recently installed rear wall speakers and front and side height presence). Dirac is receiving a lot of attention with audiophiles. The Art of Digital Audio: Watkinson, John: 9780240515878: Amazon.com: Books
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In just under 24 hours from now, this thread will celebrate its 10 year anniversary. Its creator, Orpheus10, has not posted in a very long time. We all know he had a serious health problem and I fear the worst has occurred. That said, this thread has been a great resource for me since I started contributing almost 6 years ago. I have been posting often the last couple of months and in that time have noticed that many of the "regulars" have not been contributing for a couple months. Especially missed is the frogman- our resident professional musician, as well as pryso, alexatpos, mary_jo, mahgister and many more.
roc2id, the 2nd poster after the OP ten years ago, is still carrying the torch- have you called o10 recently?- and I think this thread can last another 10 years and more. Thats all I have to say for now and will post a song fitting the occasion.
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I suppose we should all accept that he is gone but his spirit will live on with his thread. I for one hope its still active when I pass on. |
@curiousjim I rally like that acoustic guitar rendition of Take Five. Very tasty! And I am happy you like Blue Mitchell's Blue Soul album. Mitchell recorded 6 albums for Riverside between 1959 and 1962 before switching over to Blue Note in 1963. All Music's Scott Yanow rated 5 of them at 4 stars while Michael G. Nastos, also from All Music rated Blue Soul at 4.5 stars. IMHO all 6 deserve the high ratings given to them and I have all 6 on CDs. All 7 records Mitchell recorded for the Blue Note label were also rated at least 4 stars. Only one, "Heads Up", was rated 3 stars, with 1964s "The Thing to Do" rated at All Music's highest mark at 5 stars. Mitchell was a great trumpet player and when credited as the leader for a recording session always used the cream of the crop with his backing personnel including, among many other greats: Benny Golson, Joe Henderson, Jimmy Heath and Junior Cook on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wynton Kelly and Andre Previn on piano, Paul Chambers and Sam Jones on bass, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones and Billy Higgins on drums. You cant go wrong with musicians like that playing well thought out arrangements. |
@alexatpos Those are great Victor Felman sessions. Thanks for posting. Drummer Stan Levy and bassist Scott LaFaro need no introduction. LaFaro went on to play bass in the Bill Evans Trio (the great Evans-LaFaro-Motian trio). Stan Levy is a great and under rated drummer who played with many of the greatest be boppers in the 40s. Levy was one of the few "white men" Miles Davis liked and a young Miles roomed in Levy's NYC apartment for weeks at a time while he was up and coming. Your second selection does not drop off one bit. Great jazz and great personnel. This Bossa Nova session with Feldman leading, is an under rated gem. Probably because it was overshadowed by the Getz/Gilberto sessions evan though Feldman released his album 4 years prior to the Getz/Gilberto collaborations. It has a great cover too. Do you have this on vinyl? If so how do you like the music and that great album cover?
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@ho249 I agree with Curious Jim. Etudes is a great album. Here is another by the same trio that is on my desert island list.
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Thanks @alexatpos for the Roy Ayers clip. Great vibes player and its too bad he went over to the "dark side" for good by the late 60s but the path he took was his chosen one and he was very successful. |
@phogdan Welcome to the JFA thread! A few of us listen to a lot of the new jazz artists including myself. One of the benefits is the recording studio/audio engineering is way better now then back in the day making the original source, be it digital or vinyl, superior (in most cases). I see Hromi is on your list. I have all of her CDs and saw her live twice. Her latest release, in 2021, titled Silver Lining Suite, features Hiromi with a string quartet sans drums/percussion. It is a new direction Hiromi took for this one session and really shows her virtuosity on the piano. Hiromi don’t get much love here but a few of your other choices get a lot of attention on JFA especially Wynton M. |
Interesting discussion on streaming. Which do you think is superior Qobuz or Tidal. They are both superior then spotify, which I, use and I might just subscribe to one of them. I have been using Spotify because I drive a semi and am on the road 8 - 12 hours a day and it is sufficient for the noisy atmosphere. |
Hey Alek how are? Glad to see you posting here again. I have a question about your Burmester 089 belt driven CD player. When it hit the market in 2010 it cost 30k. Knowing you I figured you puchased yours used for a fraction of the original cost. Having said that the belt must have failed by now being 13 years old. Did you or the previous owner replace it? Here is the 2010 stereophile review of the 089. |
I think the KBPM differs on Spotify - some songs are louder and more detailed depending on the source. But 90% plus sound just fine to me considering the atmosphere. And I dont use my phone via auxillary input on the truck stereo. Phone source then I use a JBL Party Box 710 laid up on my sleeper bunk in back and sounds really good and detailed. I can use the optional 3.5mm aux jack on the JBL or connect via blue tooth and I have not noticed any significant difference in quality between them. |
@pbogdan Spelled your name wrong got it right now check out the response I left you above post @ |
Will do |
A lot of people, when buying/listening to Joe Henderson music, typically concentrate on his first 5 albums recorded on the Blue Note label and rightly so as all 5 are masterpieces. However, Joe's output between 1970 through the late 90s are some of his best sessions. Experimentally stretching into many world influences, new takes on standards, civil rights movement themes and even a big band. Joe has turned into one of my favorite artists and, in the words of our OP, deserves repeated listenings constantly in our must listen rotation. Here are 2 of Joe's songs from his take on Gershwin's Porgy and Bess opera. Chaka Kahn vocals on 1st tune and Sting on the next
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I am big fan of Joey DeFrancesco as are a few others here. I believe there was a discussion about JD a few months ago. I never got a chance to see JD before he passed on last year and this is a regret. I have a copy of that Christian McBride Big Band CD and the bands rendition of Night Train is awesome as is the rest of the album. Interesting story of the origins of the song Night Train, of which jazz and R&B tenor sax great Jimmy Forrest made famous in 1951 with his signature solo over the 3 minute long groove head laid down by the rhythm section. Night Train (Jimmy Forrest composition) - Wikipedia
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@acman3 A few of Donald Byrd's albums, Royal Fush, Free Form, Blackjack and Slow Drag really showcase the talent of Billy Higgins
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@stuartk Thanks for posting Joanne Brackeen. I have to admit, I had never heard of her. JFA is my "guide to jazz" Found this and listened to the entire album. Brackeen is a great pianist, and, as @acman3 said, when you add great backing personnel, like Michael Brecker, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart you have great music! I enjoyed the album so much I went over to Discogs and purchased the CD. Another great example of the mastery of tenor titan Michael Brecker! Another tenor titan, Joe Henderson, live with Joanne Brackeen in 1986
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@alexatpos I think the seating capacity at Birdland, counting barstools and tables, is about 150 but I could be wrong. It was crowded that night so maybe more then 75 (I did not walk around counting lol) |
@curiousjim Thanks I had a great time. I used to go to at least 6 shows a year before the pandemic and this was my first show in 3 plus years.
Not too many jazz artists will ever have albums reach platinum sales status. |
Well @alexatpos what can I possibly add to that? I knew you prefer 2 channel stereo or mono when listening to music and also you prefer vinyl/analog over digital but did not know you are not a fan of home theater. I love my digital set up and have around 100 SACDs, DVD Audio, and Hi Res Blue ray music discs. Many are multi channel and getting a lot with atmos now as well. I love my "movie night" and the DSP with audio immersion experience thats on tap with my AVR. I still love 2 channel stereo and mono especially with my jazz music collection. I know its digital but I prefer a neutral and "uncolored" sound experience so tubes are not my thing.
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This URL cannot be automatically embedded (148) Herbie Hancock Cantaloupe Island / Live under the sky '91 - YouTube
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Hello Frog hope all is well. Duke Pearson was a lot more then just a great piano player. To state the obvious see Wiki article. Lol. I tried to imbed the following videos but JFA not responding. Back to posting links again!
Duke wrote this song, Tribute to Brownie, and the Cannonball Adderly Quintet recorded it on their Sophisticated Swing LP. Junior Mance on piano (148) Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Tribute to Brownie - YouTube Duke also wrote one of Grant Greens great recordings, the title track for the album Idle Moments and also played piano on the album session. (148) Idle Moments (Rudy Van Gelder Edition / Remastered 1999) - YouTube |