I doubt that there is no connection between Previn’s affinity for Shostakovich (and, of course, jazz) and Shostakovich’s own interest in jazz as a composer.
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 frogman
Please forgive the self quoting, but I think my previous comments do a fair job of setting up a backdrop for understanding the issue: **** Turn a metronome on....perfect time, but no feel. “Feel” is primarily where each player feels the pulse of music in relation to that potential absolutely perfect pulse. In real life music making there is, on either side (faster/slower) of those potentially “perfect” completely in control pulses, a certain amount of latitude before it sounds like simply bad rhythm. Where each player feels the pulse in relation to that potentially absolutely perfect pulse and how he is able to control and manipulate the subtle deviations from perfect (in either direction) is one of the most important things that determine HIS time feel. Some players play very behind the time and some very in front; and lots of in betweens. **** When a good band (any number of musicians in ANY genre) plays the musicians set up a collective pulse for the music. Some call it the beat, the pulse, the time, the rhythm, the groove; although “groove” is a qualitative thing which describes how well the musicians are able to set up that collective pulse as not everyone will have the same idea of what the EXACT tempo and feel of the music should be. It takes at least a moment of musical interaction for everyone to “see” (hear) where each other is coming from musically. In a good performance there is enough agreement that the performance sounds and feels good. Enough, because you inevitably also have some degree of disagreement. While professionalism and love of the art mandates that there be musical give and take, some players may have a musical personality that is more dominant than that of others. A good player knows how to make that difference add to the music in a positive way. When the leader of the group counts off the tune and the band comes in they start playing in the tempo that the leader counted off (or otherwise set up by playing). However, there is still that “latitude” on either side (slower/faster) of that tempo. Some will have a tendency to feel the beat ever so slightly ahead or behind that absolute tempo that the leader counted off. When a leader chooses a rhythm section he considers all that. He may want a drummer that takes charge and really drives the music forward by playing on the front side of the beat; or the bass player. This may give the piano player the freedom to be more relaxed or less obviously “rhythmic”. Some players are better at or are more willing to “bend” and compromise than others, but this may actually create a desirable kind of musical tension. This may all be the exact kind of seasoning that the leader or soloist likes best in his rhythmic soup. There is a tremendous amount of this kind of interplay that takes place. Tony Williams is a drummer that plays on the front side of the beat; tremendous forward motion in his playing: https://youtu.be/x_whk6m67VE Elvin Jones played more behind the beat. Here it is Jimmy Garrison that is the dominant time keeper and Jones has the freedom to play around Garrison’s bass pulse: https://youtu.be/td7RD6KLibU Two of my very favorite tenor players. Dexter Gordon was infamous for playing behind the collective beat of the rhythm section. It could create tremendous musical tension. A good thing; certainly a valid thing. Johnny Griffin played much more in front of the beat creating an overall more forward even lighter feeling in the music. Griffin’s solo starts @ 6:19. https://youtu.be/W9Cg9Ml3scg Cannonball Adderley was another player that played very on the front of the beat for that very “up” vibe that he had in his playing. This is obvious in his solo, but listen closely to the three horn players playing the melody at the top of this classic recording. On those single notes that are the melody one can hear how Cannonball often places them just a hair earlier (front side) than Miles does. That was his musical tendency and personality: https://youtu.be/k94zDsJ-JMU Some examples that came to mind and I hope this helps clarify. |
The subject of slow tempos and playing slowly came up recently in conversation with a friend. Tends to separate the great from the simply good: https://youtu.be/wsVsUkwvWco |
Nice review, pjw. Enjoyed the clips by this always interesting ensemble. Lester Bowie always surprises and makes me reconsider my preconceived notions about some of the “out” guys. Your comparison of the CTI sound compared to ECM’s is interesting; completely different production approaches. With a few exceptions, CTI’s has never really been my cup of tea even when I like the music. Highly stylized studio sound with lots of reverb whereas ECM’s is pristine with great refinement; in a way, not unlike classic tube sound compared to good solid state. Our MIA keeper of the traditionalist flame poster is a big fan of this record: https://youtu.be/7-WoFL3jCLc |
Great stuff, Alex and pjw! That wonderful Red Garland clip reminded me of this version. I have posted this at least twice before and it just doesn’t get old. Amazing vocal performance: https://youtu.be/q9DFB0TM1h0 Thanks for the info, pjw. |
Check out Bill Hardman (trumpet) on this! That’s one great player that slipped by us I think (acman3?) Rest of the band is not too shabby either ☺️: https://youtu.be/KKGBLjjy-hQ As leader: https://youtu.be/mkbQNLf70CY https://youtu.be/9bL-lNh-YbI |
Well, I was trying really hard to come up with a tactful way of pointing out that there are qwacks in every profession, but after re-reading the McCoy “review” and it’s source I am breathing a sigh of relief. I have known many music professors over the years and while some were better than others, none have been qwacks; although, I’m sure they are out there. I am relieved because the “reviewer” is not a professor at all; he is simply an idiot. The first hint was his misuse of the term “accords”. Huh?! While he tries real hard, the way he writes about music and musicians is not the way a knowledgeable music professor would. Sealing the deal is the simple fact that he never says he is a professor. He only comments about what he thinks music professors would think about McCoy’s playing and he is dead wrong with his assumptions. His comments about McCoy are ill-informed and mostly ridiculous; so, not much more to say about it. If he can’t hear the beauty and elegance (to use his term) in McCoy’s playing he is worse than an idiot: https://youtu.be/7toKjKtbeeI https://youtu.be/zu3aSjIOSyw |
The first user review for this clip. Love it: “A sweet Jobim then fed through the Tyner mangle. Goes in as “Wave; comes out as “Tsunami”. https://youtu.be/JF6KV2v4pqM With another tsunami: https://youtu.be/pG9UZwczSVg |
If McCoy is a tsunami, Bill Evans was a cool breeze at dawn. Both originals. https://youtu.be/QMyM6_Ygq60 Interesting about ”cartoon music”. We hear it now as quaint and humorous. It was the hip stuff back then. The new groundbreaking sound. |
Nice! Jacintha sings the original lyrics by Dick Rogers. Alternate lyrics have been written for the great melody. The most common alternate lyrics were written by “The Velvet Fog” , Mel Torme; with alternate title “Nocturne For The Blues”: https://youtu.be/ReBDKjLaRPw |
Schubert, great player, Brönner. Very nice sound and great chops. I like his playing a lot. On trumpet: https://youtu.be/GZasgJjfzrA |
They are simply emoting. As you know playing a musical instrument is a physical act and it’s natural to want to move with the music to one degree or another. I find that players in some European orchestras tend to “move” a little more than in American orchestras. Now, and not meaning to get too “Zen” about this. Some pieces of music just seem to flow more at a particular tempo; arguably (but probably) the tempo, or very close to the tempo, that the composer intended. One of the many little mysteries in music performance. Obviously, some conductors sometimes have different ideas on tempo. I would say that Barenboim pretty much nailed the tempo sweet spot and he really got those Berliners grooving to Tchaik’s waltz. Having said all that, “”Waltz of the Flowers”! C’mon! Who can resist the lilt of a good waltz? https://youtu.be/f2_VsYfl2KU That was a very young (pre-haircut) and very energized Gustavo Dudamel conducting for Pope Benedict (2006?) As I think you know, I prefer to not to talk too much about my personal professional experiences here, but this relates to Dudamel and the COVID situation discussed previously: This past March I was in the middle of several days of recording sessions with the NY Philharmonic for an upcoming Steven Spielberg film of Bernstein’s “West Side Story” scheduled to be released in January of 2021 when all the COVID sh$t really started to hit the fan. The final sessions had to be cancelled and the project delayed (?). Dudamel was the conductor (with haircut). I must say that the guy is a huge talent to reckon with and very nice guy. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCv8JuXLJXzqy788R77XZIFDLm8XkAVEz |
Today is the great Eric Dolphy’s birthday! Anyone feeling a little low today? (hope not): https://youtu.be/_sUCaT9tKpA |
Wonderful Paco de Lucia clip, pjw. Wonderful groove and Paco’s usual brilliance. Loved that. Nina’s conga player would have done well to listen to and learn from Paco’s amazing bongos player. Not exactly a fan of Amy Winehouse either, mary_jo, although she was one of the more interesting female pop voices to come around in a while. On the subject of tempo: while there is always a bit of wiggle room in either direction, it is often felt by players that sometimes a tune has THE perfect tempo at which things seem to “lock in”. Winehouse’s studio version of “You Know I’m No Good” gets it right even if it has that sterile studio sound. The live version is faster than the studio version and loses some of that nice “I’m No Good” feel. Considered by some to be the greatest bongos (and all Latin percussion) player: https://youtu.be/9Z6nAKIQyBg https://youtu.be/Zp0O_bhF-wo |
Cynthia Phelps is a monster musician and all-around lovely person. More on the subject of tempo and so my comment is not misunderstood. Tempo is simply how fast or how slow a tune is played and is a choice made by musicians which has nothing to do with whether it is a studio or a live recording. The slickness and “intervention” of a studio recording or the potentially looser and more raw quality in a live version is an entirely different issue. In the case of the two Winehouse clips I think that if the live band had played the tune at the slower tempo of the studio version combined with the looseness and less controlled feel of live it would have been best of all. Although subjective to a degree, certain tunes just seem to lock in at a certain tempo more so than at other tempos even when the difference is very subtle. I have a real soft spot for this record and I’m sure I have posted some of it before. One of the very first jazz records (well, it’s really a Brazilian bossa/samba record) I bought many years ago featuring the great Cannonball Adderley playing some beautifully lyrical and melodic improvisations: https://youtu.be/69uh2T1TtTY https://youtu.be/PA0G2Uz9tfo https://youtu.be/iudyMkulp-I |
Not meaning to belabor the point about the “perfect” tempo and being “locked in”, but.... Say what one will about Frank Sinatra, but although he was by no means my favorite singer his phrasing and feel for picking the right tempo were stellar. “Fly Me To The Moon” is a song that he practically owned. Compare the tempo of the Nashville granny’s version with Sinatra’s classic recording of the tune. Exactly the same! And locked in as Schubert points out. Coincidence? https://youtu.be/l7XPg-CacMs Too fast; not nearly as locked in: https://youtu.be/qVCgf6_M7i4 Ray Still!!! Anyone who wants to hear fantastic oboe playing should check out Chicago/Reiner “Rossini Overtures”. Amazing oboe playing. |
No argument intended, mary_jo. In a studio setting the tempo is “controlled” only when a “click track” is used; which is not always the case at all. Even then the tempo is a “choice” that is made. Taken a step further, good musicians will use the click track as a reference only and will play subtly “around” the mechanical “beat” that is heard in the headphones. It is true that a click track is used primarily on commercial and pop recordings. The vast majority of the classic jazz recordings that we have discussed here have been done in a studio and none used a click track; they were essentially “live” performances in a studio without an audience. The whole point of my comment was, as you said, that certain tunes work best at certain tempos. Can Krall nail it at a faster tempo? I don’t know about Krall “nailing” anything, but yes it could be done at a faster tempo. But... Believe it or not, I was on THE A train when I read your post and listened to Ella’s clip. Not sure about the meaning of it in this context. |
Keep posting mary_jo. Re Krall: Not a fan. I find her deliveries bland and pretty much the opposite of what I consider “nailing” a tune. Sorry, it was just a gratuitous dig. No point in getting on the Krall bashing bandwagon. Much more productive to discuss Sinatra who was undoubtedly a great singer. So is fillet a great cut of beef; but, give me sirloin any day. I agree with Schubert. For me, there was a quality in his singing (not nearly as much in a young Sinatra) that makes me feel like he felt he was doing the audience a favor by singing. The simple joy of singing of someone like Bennett is not there for me. Just me. https://youtu.be/kP1F7_G4Adc |
Agree completely. There is an expression used by musicians when speaking of a player’s sound and of certain equipment’s sound that says “it’s (he/she) got the smile in the sound”. For me, Bennett has the smile in his sound; a certain feeling of joy of singing that seems to come from the heart. Now, I certainly am not in a position to know what was in Sinatra’s heart, but whatever it was it seldom made me smile. I realize that “Body and Soul” is a song that speaks about loneliness, but still.... Moreover, and along the lines of Schubert’s story re Bennett/Aretha and Mary-Jo’s “controlled” studio environment comment, listen to Sinatra’s singing beginning around 3:30 and especially when he sings “surrender”. Terribly out of tune. No producer or md would have had the audacity to say, as is normal, “Hey, Frank, I think you’re a little flat; try it again”. Speaks volumes. |
Happy Fathers Day to all you fathers out there! I don’t think any Jazz father has gotten more attention in recent years than the recently passed Ellis Marsalis, father of the Marsalis brothers. Wynton in particular has gotten more attention than just about any other Jazz player in recent years; and deservedly so. They say “the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree”; and a fine tree it was! : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN8qlqOAlmHflliUZ3KzHucaZ9g7okVEH https://youtu.be/M7WFYZ1U0Yg |
Alex, I’m so offended! Kidding, of course 😊. As they say, that is is why we have chocolate and vanilla ice cream. It’s so interesting how certain art touches one person, but not another. Your description of Bennett’s singing as “light” is precisely how I would characterize Dean Martin. A couple more favorite Bennett: https://youtu.be/nsecJqW-wdg https://youtu.be/dzyCeul1Hvk |
Thanks for the Dean Martin clips, Alex. No question the guy could sing; just not my flavor of ice cream. I’m sure it’s no surprise to you by now that I don’t shy away from talking about these things and I certainly would not mind in the least hearing more of your thoughts. I find this kind of discussion interesting and for me it’s never cause to take offense when someone doesn’t share my tastes. Dean Martin was a “crooner”. That’s not a negative but a particular style that is more rooted in a Hollywood and Las Vegas sensibility; the “Rat Pack” thing. Now it’s my turn to ask that no one be offended, but in spite of the wonderful velvety quality in his voice, the way he slurs over some of the lyrics drives me a little nuts. I can’t help but feel that he has had one too many. For me, Bennett has, along with the joyful quality just bit of grit in his voice. Anyway, as I said, vanilla/chocolate. Speaking of “Rat Pack”, Las Vegas and bongos, this Rat Packer so fully embraced the entire Hollywood/Vegas thing that if I’m in the right mood I can actually enjoy his performances....some of them, anyway...for a minute 😊 https://youtu.be/VNNZan852tQ |
Alex, fantastic!!! Your post is a perfect example of the reason that these discussions can be so interesting. You are a very thoughtful music listener and I always appreciate your perspective. You wrote: **** First, let me just point out that English is not my native language, so I could have somewhat different perspective in general toward vocalists. Also, their (singers) cultural heritage might be viewed diferent, from our very different points of perception ( geographically and culturally) **** This is why I say fantastic. I think I can remember almost word for word a comment that I wrote and was going to include in my last post, but deleted it because I thought if might be misconstrued or misinterpreted: ***** Having said all that, I would add that as wonderful a notion as is “Music is the universal language”, I think it is true only up to a point. I think that a listener’s ethnic and cultural background plays into all this and influences the reaction to certain aspects of a performer’s musical personality. **** Engish is not my native language either, but my native language and cultural background are closer to that of Bennett. I find all this fascinating. Thanks for your further thoughts. |
Bill Evans was a classically trained pianist. His training was strictly classical as a young pianist and he graduated from a conservatory with a degree in piano performance. His admitted biggest classical music influence was the music of Gabriel Faure who was one of the earliest Impressionist composers. It is often stated that the influence of Ravel and Debussy, two other Impressionist compsosers, can be heard in his playing. Schubert’s comment about a possible Bartok influence is interesting and I agree. Bill Evan’s use of dissonance is closer to Bartok’s “edginess”. Sound familiar? https://youtu.be/X6BbTo9JaHs |
Gorgeous. I have never heard a non-native sing in Portuguese in such a convincing way. Amazing pitch. I have always loved Allyson’s singing and absence of affectation. Thanks for that! No comparison intended: https://youtu.be/1-g-mkBpnew |
Thanks for the reminder, Schubert. Speaking of Monk and Rubalcaba. A unique take on Monk:: https://youtu.be/6ofqYPjE0IU |
pjw, just listened to NIT. I think that the answer to the mystery re Kenny Clarke is simple. Wiki says Clarke and you correctly say it sounds like Blakey. You’re both correct. Blakey and Clarke are both playing on NIT; plus a percussionist (actually congas). whart, thanks for the nice post. Big Herbie fan here. I’ll check it out. |
He does hang in; and well. Phil Woods was just incredible. The ideas flowed with total ease; and it was always expected. In a way this made Charles McPherson’s solo the most interesting to me. Just the right amount of tension from that little bit of wondering whether he would pull off a particular line or not; and he always did. Interesting that only Jesse did the time honored and “collegial” thing of starting his solo by using material that the previous soloist (Bartz) ended with. Great clip! |
Davis twice is a good thing (great minds think alike 😊). Did somebody say soul? https://youtu.be/V323NXXd3ow |
That’s very funny. Davis sounds fabulous on Voyage. Love the sound. Was surprised he was using that Selmer metal mouthpiece on the clip with Woods. Very unwieldy style of mouthpiece; doesn’t allow a lot of agility in the playing, but unique sound some players like (sometimes). https://youtu.be/FoxBWLwxcdk |
I’ve listened to that Jesse Davis clip about ten times. Fantastic clip and I love great alto playing! Acman3 is right; “depends on what one is looking for in a solo”. Jesse Davis is a fantastic player, but to be compared to a giant like Phil Woods is a pretty tall order. Schubert makes a great observation. While I wouldn’t say that Davis is more melodic than the others, he does have a certain clarity in his sense of melody. He likes to take a short melodic snippet, transpose and repeat it and turn it upside down. Acman3 brings up another interesting point re the solo order. What I find fascinating about that solo order is that listening to those four players is like following the development of jazz from the post-Bird period to the present. Woods’ playing screams Bird while bringing his own somewhat more modern harmonic language and tone. His playing projects an amazing sense of confidence and maturity. McPherson takes it a step further into the future in overall approach. Bartz’ playing shows why Miles chose him for one of his electric bands. Davis takes things the farthest outside the harmonies of the tune and one can hear some obvious ”Coltranisms” in his solo. All great soloists. From the standpoint of technical command Woods couldn’t be touched. IMO. Thanks again for a fantastic clip, Schubert. https://youtu.be/448rUZ7BnjA |
About twenty years or so before he passed Phil Woods, suffering from emphisyma, switched to Yamaha altos, a much freer blowing horn than the Selmer he had played all his career. As always, there are no free rides. The Yamaha is less resistant and freer blowing, but doesn’t have the color in the tone that the Selmer has; sounds a little bleached out like in the Vayage clip. Classic, pre-Yamaha Phil Woods tone, 1974: https://youtu.be/t0DPCG_enHc Good analogy. To use another Classical analogy: I sometimes get tired of Woods’ effortlessness in his ideas and total command; I want to hear a little struggle. To me it’s like Richard Strauss operas. One asks oneself “how much dessert can one have?”. One impossibly gorgeous and perfect melody after another and it becomes too much. |
One of my desert island records. Classic. The line up is amazing. Featuring the great Freddie Hubbard and a great tenor player that we don’t mention much, George Coleman. https://youtu.be/VUnE_P6n1gU https://youtu.be/cs6rxYEvrns Freddie Hubbard was a bada&s; a master of thematic development in his solos. Like Jesse Davis, he loved to take a simple idea, use it and develop an entire solo around that idea. On this tune the idea is as simple as it gets, one note. Listen to the way he starts his solo with one note (F). Remembering the sound of that pitch one notices that he finishes many of his phrases with that very note; keeps coming back to it. Grounds things. Love it! https://youtu.be/oQ9V22hnYyQ |
Billy Higgins was fabulous. Great band. Schubert, maybe I misunderstood. What is it about Ron Carter’s playing that you don’t like? Vocal version of Herbie’s tune “Eye Of The Hurricane” by someone that Schubert likes. Personally, I think there have been but a handful of singers who could scat for longer than one chorus before deserving the hook; if that long. Like most of even the best ones, this one doesn’t quite make the changes the way a great instrumentalist can, but man can he swing! https://youtu.be/RTF6lJIsYHY Billy Higgins on another of my desert island records: https://youtu.be/7wcYrx4d3Jg |
Beautiful! Thanks. Great choice of tenor player given that it’s on an album “...Remembering John Coltrane”. I have never heard a better solo by the great Bob Berg, one of the best Coltrane disciples. He died tragically in a car accident only months after that was recorded. More poetry: https://youtu.be/CrvWtdBOQW8 (wish they’d had a better piano) |
**** Women - mostly pretty. **** Well, we knew that! 😊 I may have mentioned this at some point. My youngest son’s babysitter was the oldest daughter of a Croatian family that lived on our block. Some of the most wonderful and righteous people I have ever met (the girl is stunningly beautiful). The parents recently moved back to Croatia to their house in the country side. We have an open invitation to visit and hope to make it happen sometime. Sounds like a wonderful place. |