Damn, What Have You Done and The Worst Thing left me speechless...
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 mary_jo
p.s. orpheus ///As you already know Rok, I detest stylists who do vocal gymnastics when they are totally uncalled for, and on the wrong song./// Hate to say that I agree. I rarely judge any pro-musician since all of them did certain amount of effort just to perform (and usually they can do much more than it seems) and I appreciate that but in this case, the vocal decoration is over-sufficient. For my taste. To say more with less...a work of art. |
Would you like to learn to tango, Donna ? Right now ? I’m offering you my services...free of charge. What do you say? What do you say ? Ah...I think I’d be a little afraid. Of what ? Afraid of making a mistake. There are no mistakes in the tango, Donna, not like life. It’s simple. That’s what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, get all tangled up, just tango on. Why don’t you try ? Will you try it? All right. I’ll give it a try. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2zTd_YwTvo |
inna, could not open your last link, was this what you have posted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MudLLgbEDEY I like it and it reminds me of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFSK0ogeg4 |
After all music that I have recently posted and after your Zappa, I just have to post this. I think orpheus has recently posted it but I am not sure... Joe Henderson - Canyon Lady https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cnl7wF8YCI I guess all the roads lead to jazz my man... |
This "quarrel"...Fro, it’s like in the family. You do not choose them, "they chooses" you and even when they annoy you, you still stick with them. If we were in Italy (Sicily), we could call it "cosa nostra" (our thing). : )) Speaking of Sicily... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwHFbo76ll0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVne9WvVP40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wnk6uzloXs |
inna, I appreciate your attitude and I understand you. I witnessed this "quarrel" many times and wanted to react. Partly I agree with rok when he says something like "who are we to say/judge anything" - and this opinion stopped me for doing anything but partly I thought that something should be said from the rest of us. It is more stupid just to ignore it and pretend that nothing is going on. I follow this thread whenever I have the time to do so but on the other hand I do not follow it in detail ('cause you guys produce the jazz clips faster than an average bakery produces donuts per a day) so I cannot be familiar with all what is said between fro and orpheus. One has to be fully involved to understand. If nothing then out of respect for the both guys. But from what I can see, I have never seen fro making the first step in the quarrel (this is where I do not agree with rok). It was orpheus. Fro continued to be in the defensive mode and in my opinion, if somebody throw a stone on you, I am perfectly fine with the fact that you throw the stone (not bread like Jesus) on him back. Therefore, fro's reactions are justified. And frankly, I admire the guy and his patience. He obviously care about a jazz a lot (this is jazz thread after all) to put aside the personal things. As for orpheus, it is hard for me to say anything since I respect the guy. But whenever I see him provoking fro, I say to myself, oh my god, there he goes again. Then I remember that he is going through rough times so I let it go. Think about some jazz players, mildly would be to say that they had an awful behaviour, but you still like their music, don't you? So personal issues (if there are any) are to be let go (?) in order to put the jazz on the first place. If we would not do that, this thread would quickly fall apart. OK, say it as rok said and move on. And if nothing, I even think that now and then, such situations attracts people to follow this thread even more. People like to see blood. I can already see them watching and cheering. There is no biz like showbiz... But orpheus, with all due respect, take it easy man... So jazz... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP02sgYrHsw |
Following recent discussion and speaking of the musician’s performance, I was always wondering, can musicians devote themselves equally to the voice and to the instrument when playing and singing at the same time? And all that in their perfection? Will at some point the performance of the instrument "suffer" when the delivery gets stronger through their voice or vice versa? For instance, should a singer like Nina, let somebody else accompanied her on the piano in order to get the perfection out of the both performances? The result would be really - perfection in full, I mean that is logical. But then another question arises. Would she sing equally better when she uses her voice only and does not accompany herself on the piano in comparison with the previously mentioned combination? I mean, one man show gives you certain advantages. Whatever comes out is under your control and it gives you the huge amount of freedom in performing. At one point you can decide to play faster and to sing faster, you can decide to improvise, you can do whatever damn you want. |
(2) I like Nina. Regardless of the performing (im)perfection of each of her skill, she delivers good, at least to me. She has that what people tend to say these days, X-factor (I do not know what it means but it sounds damn good.). And that’s enough for my book. Nina. <3 Nina Simone - Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ckv6-yhnIY&app=desktop Thank you pryso for Nat King Cole. I was not aware (what a surprise, yes, I know) of his piano playing abilities. But did listen him singing. What a voice, man... Nat King Cole - Smile. Video - Charlie Chaplin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rkNBH5fbMk Nat has a smiling face so the song suits him well. : ) *** ///“Yeah, man, I know, it should be a half step higher; but I make more money when I play it that way”. /// This was indeed hysterical! |
(3) ///The acman rule: Write as few words as possible, but post as much music as possible./// !! : ))) But lately something is wrong. I can't see him anywhere around after he said that he was offended. Acman man, if it that was not me, tell me who that was. Rok mentioned once Minions. Well, if you need one, I will apply for it. Just come back, write as few words as possible, but post as much music as possible or write as much words as possible, but post as few music as possible (like me for instance). |
(1) Fro, thank you very much for your answer. But your announcements (every once a while) that you will actually post it was funny to me in the terms of the rhythm. I liked it. It was as if you were announcing something public – you make a speech and at crucial points there is a break time and you hear the drums, „bam“, „bam“. After the drums the speech continues. Instead of drums, I heard you saying, „I haven’t forgotten mary-jo“. ** Your thoughts on the subject are very interesting to me. Especially in the following part: ////*** For instance, should a singer like Nina, let somebody else accompanied her on the piano in order to get the perfection out of the both performances? **** I don’t think so. The end result would be very different. Again, depends on the performer and the strength and flexibility of each skill. While I don’t think Simone is one of these, some lesser performers may actually need to accompany themselves since their instrument can be seen as a crutch or musical security blanket; they might feel naked without it. The quality of the end result depends on having complete control of both. Listen to how perfectly in sinc the “dialogue” between the voice and piano is in Simone’s case. It is akin to a conversation between identical twins or old married couples; they can finish sentences for each other. This is not say that I think she is a fantastic piano player in absolute terms. I don’t; as evidenced in part by the fact that we don’t find recordings (any?) by other artists with Simone on piano. She was the perfect piano player FOR HER music. Conversely, many great jazz piano players are not necessarily great accompanists to singers. It is a specific skill./// This surely covers all. This is the answer. One cannot say more about it. I like the pancake part too but never tried it in such combination. I |
fro, (jazz is hard to follow) when measuring the bpm, the drummer is the band official’s metronome? It is over 200 at live version/Take five, right? This is not serious question, I was just playing with it on the mobile Metronome app (5/4 measure or..?). I am "sucker" for rhythm (crazy about it in every possible piece of music). I could listen Take five all day long. pjw81563, man, I heard "Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This" for the first time, long time after you. This song, if I am not mistaken, was her/Eurythmics breakthrough hit. Sadly, I neglected listenin’ Annie in her latest performances. Thanks to you, I will now correct that. |
When talking about Nina, I forgot to post this: Nina Simone with Emil Latimer - Black is the color of my true love’s hair https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWmCbEbMmeU And since I hear this song in my head when playing the above one, have to post it too: Cat Stevens - Lady D’Arbanville https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZP54bClDRw |
Good afternoon pjw81563, thank you for the song! Great artist, Annie. p.s. It's six hours of time difference, about 16 h at your place now, +6 here. This now reminds me of...(if there are any blondes here, I will kindly ask you to skip the post) Time difference A blonde called a telephone operator. Blonde: “Could you tell me the time difference between Singapore and London?” Operator: “Just a minute…” Blonde : “Thank you” puts down the phone *** |
Omg, for a long time I am trying to remember what was the name of the movie I saw long time ago. Bunch of folks dancing till they drop out. And this evening, there it is. On our national TV. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? From the movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMoGmOCaI3s Johnny Green and His Orchestra Easy come easy go Scott Walker - Easy Come, Easy Go From Wiki: The film’s soundtrack features numerous standards from the era. These include:
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orpheus Thank for your warm and colorful stories and for assigning me the role of an elegant woman with a hat. But just to make you smile and all in good fun of course. ; ) |
orpheus, I am not quite military type of the person but could not think of anything else that would be quite opposite to the flattering image of the elegant woman with a hat. ; ) However, this subject of women in army opens different subject of my interest. It is the case as rare as woman in army. Or I could be wrong? Women in jazz. Not women as singers but women as piano players, trombone players, guitar players, drummers... You're all welcome to post the suggestion. Thank you. |
orpheus man, you reminded me of a friend that I once had. Out of 10 words that I would tell to him, he would think that at least 5 of them were pointed against him in a certain way. He never asked me what I wanted to say nor he was interested in explanation. He just heard what he wanted to hear. Could not beat that. Similar here, luckily in a milder form. I wrote that I liked Rok’s posting and failed to emphasize that I liked your postings too? And you immediately felt bad? You are fast on the trigger. I haven’t commented Mary Lou ’cause I did not have enough time to listen her in peace. Left that for later listening. Besides, I do not have to like all the music that you post, do I? Some of the postings are more and some are less my cup of tea. Only maybe if Alex posts a telephone book claiming that it is good jazz, I will probably like it or will catch myself thinkin’ do I like it, but that’s another thing. Don’t say this to Alex. However, I do appreciate all the contributors here. Do I really have to say it out loud to make it real? Stay tuned, post some good jazz and relax man. I will be "silenzio stampa" for a while, ’cause have some things to do what will require lot’s of time and discipline from me. p.s. I promise that I will listen your Mary Lou |
O-10, I like the way you think. I do agree with you since I sense you are talking about human perception of the reality rather than Rok’s definition of reality from Cambridge Dictionary which is not wrong but simply does not fit this context. The problem of perception is presented way before, already with an old Plato and his Allegory of the Cave. Plato teaches us always to question that for what we think is real by presenting us the picture of the men in cave. Men who are deeply in the cave can only see shadows on the walls of a cave and they think of them to be REAL due to fact that they are not aware of or do not have any knowledge of any other world different from the one they are in. Besides "revealing’ one’s opinion on reality, Plato is also offering the stages of awareness one has to go through but to avoid longer post here, you can check on allegory also in wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave But I am quite sure you are already familiar with all this. Can’t help myself. I love philosophy. Moderators, this is about history of jazz. |
pjw, I found it very important, the link about Nina's voice. One does not have to necessarily adore Nina or vice versa to appreciate the overview. It gives you the insight in how someone's voice can be interpreted which is of great value to the ones who are interested in music. As for our resident Nina Simone lover, I think the same, either he did not notice it or did and was unimpressed. However, if I would like somebody's voice, no other opinion would stop me for liking. I simply like it, that's it. What is there to discuss or to debate? I like it, you do not like it. Say what you have to say (I may even learn something new) and move on... |
////In answer to your question “should we value Michel, due to his struggle, more?”. I would say, no. Artists want to be judged based on artistic merit, period./// Yes, fro, I do agree with you on this although I have difficulties separating artist’s personal life from the artist’s life on stage. The life that one leads, this leaves certain taste in my mouth, meaning I grow some thoughts about it in the process. It is hard to get rid of this when listening the one’s performance. When Michel plays, I know he suffers. Hard to ignore although he would want that from us. |
Purchased yesterday in the local store: Let’s get lost The Best of Chet Baker Sings https://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/chet-baker/the-best-of-chet-baker-sings/ Track listing
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Thank you fro! One for you, all in good fun of course... Two old friends meet after long time. The question is made: "What’s up?". The normal guy tells about job, house, wife, kids, dog, new car etc. The jazz trumpeter tells that he just released an album. - Oh, yes, I know, I bought it. - Oh, so it was you? |
pjw, I like when Chet sings but I like his trumpet more. To me, his trumpet is beyond his voice. I wish I could play it. The trumpet. I have watched the documentary but did not the movie Born To Be Blue. Definitely is on my list. I am sorry that you could not make it on LW set. Surely there will be another opportunity. All the best to your family. |
pryso, I am yet to discover Mingus. On my way to him I am still "stuck" with Chet, Miles, Coltrane, Evans, Getz, Burrell, Cannonball, Peppe, Desmond, Louis, Django, etc, etc...I do not know where to turn first, I am so much behind... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7FdnCHtLys Thank you for the link. |