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.
orpheus10

Here’s another album I got from my pawn shop buddy: 

Charlie Byrd | For All We Know - Love Story recorded live at Basin Street West, San Francisco - 1971 Full Double Album

I was gonna post ’SONNY CLARK TRIO The 1960 Sessions w/ George Duvivier and Max Roach’ Full Double Album but that was already posted here some years ago by @orpheus10, I think?

@audio-b-dog

I used to have over 5000 CD’s. I ripped a bunch and just plain gave away a bunch, but I still have about 2500 left. A lot are old favorites like the Beatles and I have many that aren’t on Amazon and Qobuz (the two services I currently have).  So I’ll probably play a few hundred disks and then go back to streaming.  I really enjoy finding new to me music especially Jazz.  
 

All the best.

@tyray 

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ve been listening to a handful of other Jorge Ben albums already and a bunch of other MPB recordings. 

Perhaps hearing Clube Da Esquina first has ruined me for life. Nothing else I’ve heard (including by Milton) appeals to me by comparison.  

My hope was that C.D.E. would be a doorway into a whole new world of musical exploration like I experienced decades ago with Jazz but that’s not seeming to pan out. So much of what I’ve heard so far is what I call "terminally mellow", as if all the artists are stoned on a beach somewhere. I find this quite monotonous no matter how beautiful the melodies. 

Perhaps there are other genres of Brazilian music I might like that I simply haven't heard. 

@curiousjim, I have been pulling out a bunch of Brazilian CDs I forgot I had. I'm now listening to Selma Reis and Maris Monte. I listened to Jorge Ben yesterday, but my wife was home and I couldn't blast it, the way I think it needed to be. The recordings were made live in an arena and need to fill the hall.

A question has arisen, though. I don't know if any of these are really jazz. They sound more like Brazilian popular music. I have many Brazilian (French, African, etc.) recordings whose genre I've never tried to distinguish. I love Angelique Kidjo, but I'm not sure I'd call it jazz. It doesn't really matter when I'm listening. I like what I like, but for this forum, it might matter?

@stuartk, I think you need to take a couple things into consideration about what you like now and what you don't. First of all, hearing music live is a very different experience. There have been a number of artists I haven't liked until I hear them live.

Then, our tastes change as we age. I think the reason I continue to listen to Tania Maria and Flora Purim is because they are jazz. A lot of the other music I have from Brazil is popular music. And quite frankly, I grew up with American popular music, have been more exposed to it, so I like it better. Even though I took some exotic tours when I was younger, I have returned to Paul Simon, The Band, etc., when it comes to popular music. 

@stuartk, you are welcome. I know exactly how you feel about certain Brazilian music genres as it is a acquired taste. I felt the same way when I was first exposed to blues jazz, be and hard bop, Miles, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Parker and a host of others were hard core herion addicts and it was a complete shock to me as a young man trying to learn the essence of jazz.

I also think you listen to and know of far more about Brazilian music than you give yourself credit. For example you know what MPB is, were others may not. After hearing Clube Da Esquina has also ruined me and that is why I have described it as an OPUS, for sure. That’s also why I’ve tried to post here what I call Brazilian jazz, made by and for Brazilians other than the more Bossa Nova and MPB influenced tunes for the same reasons you state above. Unlike others, I don’t equate Bossa Nova to Jazz. I look at them as two different music mediums.

Brazil does have a very big beach culture but there are far more mediums of music in Brazil. In the states we have about 40 different types of music were as in Brazil they have about 60 different types of music. Brazil was founded about 100 years before Plymouth Rock so they’ve had much more time to develop their music culture.

I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Hermeto Pascoal. Miles Davis referred to Hermeto Pascoal as "one of the most important musicians on the planet". He also called him "the most impressive musician in the world," according to Red Bull Music Academy Daily. These accolades highlight Davis’s high regard for Pascoal’s musical talent and innovation. Maybe try and re-introduce yourself to his music.

I’ve actually seen a Candomble ceremony in Salvador, Bahia Brazil and other forms of Brazilian music up close and personal, being played by some masters of their craft so I have a very different outlook than just someone listening to an lp.

One thing I do know. This jazz for aficionados thread is a stunning depository of music unlike anything I’ve ever seen or heard before. I wouldn’t be surprised if this thread is Smithsonian worthy.