Schubert I suspect Johnny cash is the best one stop shopping towards that end. More so than Bach even perhaps though hard to compare.
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 mapman
There are some rap/hip hop artists and tunes that I enjoy as much as anything else these days, at least in limited doses. A musical trend is a musical trend. The only difference is the magnitude/extent and the perspective from which you observe it, which has a lot to do with ones personal life experience. Music can be a great unifier. I find it all to be of interest. Disregard any specific genre completely and run the risk of missing perhaps an important part of the big picture. Or missing out on a good learning opportunity at a minimum. I find I enjoy music the most these days when I just listen and pay no attention to genre labels attached. Then there is culture and various levels of culture, including high culture. They all have something to say musically. That's part of what makes music so fascinating, at least for me. |
I'm sure Bolero could be programmed perfectly. Where's Mr. Synergy Larry Fast when you need him? He's just the guy for the task. |
KOB is kind of like the Sgt. Pepper of jazz, in regards to its influence on things to come. That does not make it the best, but it does make it good enough to have a major influence on others, which pretty much speaks for itself in terms of importance, which is easier to quantify than artistic merit, which is nearly impossible. |
Wagner was apparently controversial at a minimum in this regard based on various interpretations of his words, not based actions. So the case would not seem to be clear. I don't like his music much anyway so not a biggie for me. Many others did much worse. They weren't famous composers though. I can certainly understand how such things might affect ones musical preferences. How many artists are also saints though? I find it uplifting whenever one is able to create great or beautiful music. |
Nice post Learsfool. I like to think of music as both an educational and healing force. Personally, I don't think enjoyment of an artists music is equivalent to liking them as a person. But liking them as a person is no doubt a plus. My reaction in this case is to want to listen to more Wagner in probably a futile effort to try to understand the person better through his music, for better or for worse. |
Rok, My father who would have been in his 20s at the time of that concert falls into that category. He grew up poor and relatively uneducated though brought up on good ethics on a farm in rural Pennsylvania. Benny Goodman was the only jazz performer I recall him having an interest in. He was not a record buyer but did like music and had a record of that performance which was my first exposure to big band music as a kid in the 60's as I recall. |
Apples/oranges. Its impossible to quantify the recipe for success in any endeavor that requires a certain level of skill to undertake. That's why its an art not a science. For any theory that relates the two there is bound to be cases out there that disprove it. So not worth getting very worked up about really. But it is worth noting that the two do have one thing in common in that both rely on people in order to exist. At least so far..... |
I am fond of This One. |
Our roots certainly have an influence on how we are programmed to respond to things, but there is more to it than just that. You can teach a newer cat a few new tricks. more so usually than an older one, Usually only a few though. I've "programmed" myself to just listen to the music and ignore "genre" or other labels that might be attached, except as a means of categorizing after the fact. I find new music I like a lot everyday in all different genres. I am an older cat so not easy to teach metoo many new tricks but I have always been tuned into music, so that is not so hard. |
Yes thanks Schubert. Not sure why that posted twice. Agon glitch. I suppose. Btw did you ever get to try the ohms in your setup? They would seem a reasonable option to try. I saw a pair of used micro washes here the other day for 900 a pair. Lots of competition at that price point. Prices have gone up a it I the last year or so. |
I like to listen then read up on what I heard to try to understand it better. Squeeze pad controller for squeezebox is great for that. You can bring up a tab with links to multiple key Internet music information sources like Wikipedia and all music for artist track title and album. It adds to the experience. Sometimes knowing more about what is playing before hand helps to enjoy more but not required to like something or not when I hear it. Usually I like first then learn. Or dislike and same. It helps to know more about something you dislike. You might like it better next time. |
One of My Favorites A simple yet incredible performance. Impossible for anyone to listen to this and not be moved I would think. Is it jazz? |
Ghost soft machine was an early Canterbury rock group that was very influential to other later progressive rock groups. Caravan. Is one of my favorites that comes to mind. I was never big on soft machine themselves though. Kind of a psychedelic rock sound with a penchant for jazz like jamming. Some caravan had more outright jazz influences than others. Their album Waterloo lily is the main one that I think a jazz lover might take too. Great album. Soft machine predates bitches brew btw and I could guess that groups like soft machine were an influence on miles in the late sixties. |
Now is the best time for jazz. Lots of wonderful new talents snd recordings out there not mention many remasters and reissues of classics from over the years plus the originals as well. More than ever in essence. And most modern jazz recordings even sound very good in a different and non analogue way compared to those from the "golden age". It's all out there for the taking. Not to mention all the live stuff going on. Oh yeah and same applies to all music in general. It's the best time ever to be a music lover. The trend in jazz these days seems to to take it different directions as part of all the various world music avenues. Globalization of jazz per se. Another great contribution of the usa to world culture. Sure beats mtv. 😉 |
"Would it not be of infinitely more value to accept the fact that there is creativity taking place in any decade and any style?" Infinitely. That's why there are those things called "standards". It gives you a "standard" by which to compare contrast and most likely judge how two different artists perhaps from two totally different musical eras interpret and go about doing their thing differently in whatever way. All they have in common is most likely a popular song that remains popular to some extent because people continue to respond to it for whatever reason. In case anyone cares. Each generation of listeners will appreciate the artists of their era on their own terms or they will not appreciate them. But playing standards howver one might artistically chose to do it provides the only concrete way to compare diverse talents over the years. FWIW. It may not be worth anything to many, which is fine, but it is worth something to those who do care. There are so many ways to enjoy music. that's why so many people take the time to imbibe. |
So I wonder what new is going on in Jazz these days? Its always been an evolving form. World music influences, particularly Latin American seems to be more common these days. I am not up to speed and do wonder. jazz as a pure art form of its own seemed to "Jump the Shark" with a lot of the more Avantegarde forms of the late sixties and early seventies. Since then it seems more about mixing in elements of other music forms. Not a bad thing in my mind, but a lot different than Jazz in its pre-60s/70's heyday. |
One thing I notice in general is that pure music genres are harder than ever to define these days. There is a lot of mixing and matching and cross-pollination in newer music. Like many things, the US role in determining popular music trends seems less. There is a lot of things going on in many places in teh world musically and its easier than ever for one to plug in to that via Internet and music services. Few hard boundaries that really matter anymore. To me good music is good music. No doubt that we accumulate various attachments to music over our lives that hold special places for whatever reason. Its all quite fascinating really and there is more good music to listen to from all places both old and new these days than any of us will probably ever have enough time to discover. |
Its telling that there have been so many great blues singers over the years but its hard to say any are any greater or better than an original like Robert Johnson. If it happens, then its likely that what is being done is blues based but no longer purely the blues. The blues happens to be the great common denominator of a lot of music that has transpired since. |
John Wayne might be interpreted as "glorifying war" but I cannot find anything to indicate he was a draft dodger. To the contrary I read he sought entry to the Naval academy and was denied and was not draft eligible when Pearl Harbor happened due to age. Those with financial interest in him at the time might have actually provided some resistance but not Wayne himself. At least that's what I read who knows. Hitler and the Nazis used Wagner's musical legacy for propoganda purposes but I think it is controversial at best whether or not his views were much different from much of the publics during his time. One might easily argue that Wayne's persona and legacy was hijacked perhaps by others with agendas at various times over the years, but not sure I can blame him for that. BEing controversial, I suppose one can easily draw their own conclusions based on life experience. Agree totally with the Torme and Mozart comparison. Making enjoyable music seemed to be most effortless and natural for both. I am not a huge fan of either, nor do I hold any unique grudges against those two. |
Apples/Oranges in teh "pure" sense that is. Each has unique characteristics that distinguishes it from the other. No one player is likely to be the best at the things that exemplify each. The reality is that there are many "shades of grey" in-between that bridge the two, as well as other purer genres. Who is the best at each shade of grey? The plot thickens... That's what makes the world go round and help keep it interesting along the way I suppose. I'm still futilely trying to figure it all out. |