Jazz for aficionados

Schubert, that's my favorite version of "Round Midnight".

Out of "all" the jazz musicians I can think of, I feel the closest to Grant Green's music. While I talked with him, and walked with him, my kinship with his music goes beyond that. Maybe we had similar life experiences in St. Louis?

No record exemplifies this anymore than "Feeling The Spirit";


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y-2y_lxkeM&list=PL9AF5C0F6DC1ADE26

Schubert, do you have a big Thanksgiving planned?


This is the first Thanksgiving since God knows when, that the celebration will not be at our home. That's an incredible amount of work, and I'm not up to it this year.


           

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNw8f02wuTo


   

Randy Weston's music is both emotional and intellectual; it's apparent he has studied not just the music but the ancient history of "The dark continent" as some writers like to call it.

For me, Africa is best viewed at the museum, that's where you will discover more than most people can believe.

Schubert, I know exactly what you mean about that energy of a dead fly; that's the price we pay for living too long, I got it to. But you're doing better than you were, meaning it's apparent that you have improved in other ways.

I have "mysteriously" improved since before cancer surgery when I was expecting to see the other side. Now after "chemotherapy", where even the doctor said; "Don't thank me, thank God", I'm still improving, so can you.

Most of all, I want you to know that we share the same ideals; the ideals of FDR, JFK, and MLK, and I will never quit fighting for those ideals. BTW, they all liked jazz.

You're getting better, and you will continue to get even better as time goes on because of your beliefs.

In order to build a house, you must first get an architect. JFK was the architect for LBJ’s actions.  All the men you mentioned were great men.   Today, we have corrupt  "Flim flam men" .

It's for certain "Randy Weston" is one pianist I have not explored enough.

The camels were very unruly on that "Caravan", but after they got going, it was one of the best Caravans; with a decidedly African character as a caravan crossing the mighty Sahara should have, plus, it had elements of mystery and intrigue. I give it 5 stars.

C Jam Blues; a real swinger for the bassist on that one.



He lived a long productive life, and as such, has a long discography that I will enjoy exploring.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpenHlO_D_Y


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sda6b_0Kiak


That music is as unique as the album cover.

Mary_Jo, I realize you are one Aficionado that I have neglected; I have an offering for you, I hope that you like it.



          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4A2ieV-5g4&list=PLBIiojdRsFPCa3fBiEbxRkPpUtaZYRzJ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SadOBfejuMQ

Pjw, I appreciate your concern; the music is listenable, but not deep enough to draw me in where I would want to hear it more than once, although I agree with the comments.

I'm hard to please in my old age, but thanks for the thought.

Thanks to you Rok, I'm going to give Randy Weston the attention he deserves.

Randy weaves jazz and African rhythms into such a complex fashion that jazz becomes one with the music of Africa; it becomes "Jafrican". Well anyway you get my drift.

After thoroughly establishing his jazz credentials, he traveled throughout Africa with a U.S. cultural delegation and toured Morocco, where he decided to settle, running his African Rhythms Club in Tangier for five years, from 1967 to 1972. He said in a 2015 interview: "We had everything in there from Chicago blues singers to singers from the Congo.... The whole idea was to trace African people wherever we are and what we do with music. (he lived there with his entire family)

"Blue Moses" is just one of the albums that resulted from that stay. The "Spirits of Our Ancestors" is another album that was influenced by that stay.



I am posting those two album for our listening pleasure;


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Ij_vCU3WM


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o7Ecfwrbzs&list=OLAK5uy_kD5pgH3UxFUeEraPzIjbhsu3DWm7d4jtc

If you really want to go to the African bush, you travel with Art Blakey. He even opens up with an African prayer, plus that he's got a real chief jammin with him by the name of "Chief Bey". This jam is as African as elephant horns, now you know that's authentic.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahBlJTNd8Xk&list=PLyHn3f7-9IUKa7Q8_Ja8H-WyX0brISR-U

Rok, while it's true that modern jazz has "0" connection to African music, the people who are primarily the creators of "modern jazz", are descendants of slaves who were forcefully taken from Africa; hence, they're curious about the "homeland".

I find mixing jazz with African rhythms is as sound as mixing peanut butter and jelly; they just go together.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dlJfdfW2b8

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndnvgBdPms0


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-fCt1nitmk

The first one sounded like St. Louis, the second one sounded like Harlem, and the last one sounded like "Narleans". What kind of prize do I win?

Everything anyone wants to know about "Thanksgiving" and a lot more;


      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

Corporate America, Wall Street, and the Central Banking System control everything and use the middle class as pawns in their chess game.


This must change.

Pjw, "At the Jazz Corner of the World, Vols. 1 & 2"; released in 1960: Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Merrit on bass, Bobby Timmons on Piano.



Track listing
Volume 1
"Hipsippy Blues" (Hank Mobley) - 9:26
"Justice" (Thelonious Monk) - 7:37
"The Theme" (Traditional) - 2:18
"Close Your Eyes" (Bernice Petkere) - 10:58
"Just Coolin'" (Mobley) - 8:11
Volume 2
"Chicken an' Dumplins" (Ray Bryant) - 7:26
"M & M" (Mobley) - 6:41
"Hi-Fly" (Randy Weston) - 8:00
"The Theme" (Traditional) - 9:13
"Art's Revelation" (Gildo Mahones) - 8:13
Recorded at Birdland in New York City on April 15, 1959
Personnel
Art Blakey – drums
Lee Morgan - trumpet
Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
Bobby Timmons – piano
Jymie Merritt – bass
Pee Wee Marquette - announcer



              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKukEVpK9Sc


              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mok1c0fPXno


              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNTYQGNDyaw



Those are my favorite cuts from that album.
 

Thank you Mary-Jo, I even have her compassion for those who are less fortunate.




One day I was talking to the smartest person I have ever met in my life, and I was going on and on, using the word "reality" a lot. He let me talk without interrupting, and after a silence, he responded; "Orpheus, there are many realities".

I was speaking as though there was some kind of undeniable reality that everyone should see, but his statement made a light come on and see that there are almost as many realities as there are people. There are far too many bleak realities in this country; no need to go to a village in Africa.

While I'm doing OK, there is an extreme excessive amount of "unnecessary" suffering in the richest country on the planet, and my "reality" will not allow me to forget that.

I hope my "reality" doesn't ruin anyone else's "reality".




Happy Thanksgiving!

What kind of government will torture you if you say it is evil?

Rok, I said "modern jazz", not dixieland, or swing.

Rok, apparently you done shot your wad in regard to the challenge. (I just had another slice of "cherry cheese cake" hope my diabetes knows it's a holiday and has taken the day off.)

Miles Dewey Davis is the only other person I know who had groups that might have been competitive to "The Messengers"

No one can be more thankful on this day than me; my oncologist (doctor that administers chemotherapy) told me I was cancer free. When I gave him thanks, he replied, "Don't thank me, thank God", and he was serious. I believe that if God gives a person life after being on deaths doorsteps, maybe God intends on guiding that person.



Back to the subject of jazz; I also believe that the "Jazz Messengers" produced the best groups and best music in the history of modern jazz.

In regard to the messengers; put up or shut up.

I say this at the risk of being shot at sunrise.

"Corporatocracy" is a recent term used to refer to an economic and political system controlled by corporations or corporate interests as opposed to one citizen one vote, which is a "Democracy"; the US maybe.
‎

Rok, nobody can ever accuse you of having a dirty mind, you got the cleanest brain of anybody I know; it has been thoroughly washed.

Why don't you send that "social security check" back to the government. Do you use "Medicare"?

Have you ever heard of a "Social Democracy"?

Well Rok, we got the rulers in Pyongyang, Beijing, Phnom Penh, Moscow, Hanoi and even Zagreb. I guess they're all communists, any "Socialists"? What about "labor unions"?  What about those who are considered to be in the "Radical left wing"?   What about those who are considered to be "Liberals"? What about your next door neighbor, have you checked on him?

Schubert, on this Thanksgiving day, you have done your part as a humanitarian by exposing how Washington DC, enabled the richest of the rich to rob the poorest of the poor. That money they gave to those corporations that were too big to fail, belonged to everyone.

In some ways these are the best of times; we have "youtube" and one another, although some of us are oceans apart, we can share our music as if we were in the same room. At this moment I'm listening to "Inflation Blues" submitted by Acman. It's funny how this was recorded in 1972 and it's even more current today.

Schubert submitted "Cubana Salsa Jazz Funk"; this is music that's most certainly good for what ails you, it answers the question as to why the Cuban people are so resilient (wish I could speak Spanish). If anyone thinks I'm going to feel animosity toward the Cuban people because they have a different form of government, they got the wrong dude.


Pjw submitted similar music, but his didn't have a pretty girl in it; maybe that's why it didn't look as good; oh, I meant sound as good, but I still like Pjw's music. Schubert's music compliments Pjw's music; my imagination sees the pretty girl dancing in Pjw's music now.


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYOORQKXyzQ


My sentiments exactly Mary-jo; Communism or Socialism are the reason "America" gives for F...ing with anybody, and everybody all over the planet; oh I forgot "Terrorism", not that you expressed those sentiments about America, but if other people want to run around in the rain naked, I don't see what that's got to do with us. The politicians spend the peoples money on everything except the people. BTW Rok I sing the national anthem and salute the flag every morning.

When people stuff crap down your throat every single solitary day, you have to vomit it back up; excuse me. BTW, I know it's worse in the Republic of the Congo.

This is the music I've been listening to;

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vTM98WL2Eg&list=RD9vTM98WL2Eg&start_radio=1&t=65

Rok, I don't know about 3rds and the only flat I know about is the one I use to live in; however, I know jazz, and this is boss.

Continuing in the lineage of Diz, Stitt, and Rollins that Mary_Jo began;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olbPGRfVeWQ

I have this double LP of Hank Crawford titled "The Atlantic Years" and it has certainly been stirring my soul;


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICjif3DvZgQ


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29bgadxaYS8

Rok, I haven't heard singing like that since I went to church with my Grandmother way back when; it was so sincere, they were calling on the Lord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgPNbfCKdog

Mary_Jo, here's an album you might like, it brought back memories for me;


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMFH29gywpI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW2aDwXO7Dg

This is one of the LP's I have by Lalo Schifrin;


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So5VuExvT4M&list=PL5Azqjkwcmyi_Rn6S6Zt0RTNh-pMPCR7h

Rok, I lived the Summer of 70 in a motel just off of Peachtree Street; was the Art Theater on Peachtree Street. I lived within sight of the Regency Hyatt house.


      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_Atlanta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnseiOJ2jGQ

Does anyone remember these TV themes?


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O20Sljxmy9M&list=PL_9DXMK-eanClSo0Vn-AOl67piFlJHxF8


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7cBXIVJCZI&list=OLAK5uy_n4EFSFbxeeqqNWPELLujuI_p2GwCU3s5U


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pTi9y9W4rc

It is also "historical fact" that Nigeria was the go to country for slaves; just put your order in and Nigeria would fill it, no order too big.

When was Sonny Rollins not in high esteem?

Frogman, nothing can compare to seeing, and hearing a great musician in a relatively small space perform.

I've had that experience exactly three times, and each one of them has stayed with me until this day.

Sometime it seems that the audience can somehow project something that causes the artists to perform way over their heads. (not in the case of Sonny Rollins, but what I am about to reveal)


I saw where this group was going to give a live free concert and went. It was an outdoor event on a perfect summer afternoon, and since this was a new group, I didn't expect so many people, but there we were, sitting on blankets in the grass.

These artists performed like they have never performed before or since. I know, because I bought their records, and none of those records compare to that outdoor event where they performed before an appreciative audience.

While you guys were listening to opera, I was listening to L Shankar and Caroline;


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r48n2dImHoY


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFb9-lik2cg


I have never figured out what Caroline is playing, but she's always on the stage with L. Shankar, who is one bad A on double violin. I've seen Caroline many times with L. Shankar playing something that I never could hear.

This is all connected to a story I'm about to tell you. There are two local musicians here in St. Louis who lead their own jazz groups. Everyone knows they've been ready for the big time since the 70's. I've gotten well acquainted with both of them, especially since I go wherever they are performing.

Although I talked to them separately, they both gave vague similar stories for not hitting the road and making it big. Not satisfied with what they were telling me, I talked to guys they grew up with who were really close. I discovered they both were married to really beautiful wives who they were not about to leave while they went on the road. I believe L. Shankar has solved that problem by having Caroline on stage with him playing some unknown instrument that I can never hear.



  (This has 6 parts, and I found all of them quite interesting)

"Satirical" would be one word, I can't think of another. That was before "Trane"; he was "El Numero Uno" on the tenor.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ST_MvaONLk


That tune is in a laid back groove, the kind you were in when just watching time go by while very slowly blowing smoke rings at your she person partner. (50 years ago)


                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x77wHBnofDc

Why couldn't "she partners" be satisfied in just being girl friends?


The title to that album cover should be "Sonny Rollins, the fastest tenor in the "midwest" will blow you away"

Mary_Jo, you posted some of my favorite songs. BTW if you liked that last album, here's another one; "Cory Daye-Cory And Me"


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNqiV6ESYlQ


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiRKkkHIvEA

I recall when I was a child, a family that performed "Carmen" in the small park close to where we lived at that time. They even named their beautiful daughter Carmen. She was older than me, but that didn't stop me from falling in love.

Do I like Carmen because of that experience; who knows? I can visualize her now, was she beautiful; never the less, on with my love for the music;


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ_HHRJf0xg


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd0FNpiBDyA


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1c2CRp56dg