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.
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and his orchestra. 21 strong!
AFRICAN WALTZ
Riverside / Original Jazz Classics 1961 / 1993
Notes: "In the spring of 1961, the pop music world was treated to one of the rarest experiences--an instrumental record conceived and executed by Jazz musicians, climbing into the Top 40 on the Billboard chart of top-selling singles. That was "African Waltz," arranged by Ernie Wilkins for Cannonball Adderley and big band."
Nat Adderley(cornet), Donald Byrd(trumpet), Jerome Richardson(flute & tenor sax), Julian Adderley(alto sax), Horace Silver(piano), Paul Chambers(bass), Kenny Clarke(drums) Savoy / Atlantic Compilation 2CD set 1955 / 1995
Excellent account of the Adderley brothers journey from Florida to NYC. "We didn't know what the hell we were doing. We were just going to New York." Nat Adderley is talking about the summer of 1955, when he was 23 and his brother Julian was 26. They were on vacation, Nat from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Julian from his teaching job at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, where he was director of the band.
Notes: "One of the very earliest of Riverside's many noted on-the-job recordings. The limited technology of the fifties made such "live" efforts risky, but the vibrant energies of young stars-to-be like Donald Byrd, Elvin Jones, and Pepper Adams turn this session into a forceful example of the values of capturing the sound of Jazz in its natural habitat."
"All Day Long"; I could listen to this all day long, and think of any other activity I could be engaged in "All Day Long" while listening. Life is good, but it would be a lot better if I was 50 years younger.
This is the "creme de la creme"; it don't get no better than this, all these performers were at the top of their game. (mine wasn't too shabby either when I first heard this)
This begins with a drum roll by Blakey, and Kenny B strumming on his guitar, before Lou Donaldson comes out blasting on that sweet alto of his (I love that tone). Kenny B. comes back plunking that most distinctive guitar before the most illustrious Jimmy Smith takes over. (I could distinguish these musicians by the sound of their instruments alone before reading the cover, can you?
Here is one of the greatest jams ever in the history of jazz, and not only do you get to hear it, but you get to see it; these are giants of jazz all jamming together. What I like, is the way they look at one another with admiration;
Sometime when I listen to Nina's piano, it makes me want to go to church, not just any church, but one of those small white churches with the tall spire that's in the "boonies", where every body knows everybody else, and you can feel the love.
"Noodling" is a loose term that, when used in a musical context, usually means in short, noodling on any instrument is freestyle playing - where you explore seemingly random notes and rely more on trial and error and intuition than rigid musical systems and rules.
Frank Zappa had hundreds of compositions with noodling inserted within the melodic theme.
After reading this article for a second time, it's for certain that I saw and heard Richard Martin because I went to every last one of the clubs where he played.
Frogman, you probably treasure all your experiences of seeing our most famous jazz artists live, the same as me.
Living in New York, I'm sure you've seen more of the famous jazz musicians than I have, but here in St' Louis we have had some very good jazz musicians that I saw often and talked to. Miles was not a St. Louis jazz musician, the same as Grant Green was. Miles was a New York jazz musician.
As everyone knows, live music is so much more rewarding than recorded music. Local pianist (and organist) "Terry Williams" sounded as good as Horace Silver to me when I heard him, which was every weekend for awhile at one of the clubs here.
I always came to the club an hour before he went on, to talk jazz. He showed me a portfolio of photos where he played piano for the famous musicians we discuss when they came to town and needed a keyboard player.
I was looking for something about Terry when I stumbled on this. The irony is; I remember almost every body and everything, but for the life of me, I can not remember Richard Martin, maybe he had a nickname they didn't reveal, but my memory is not as good as it once was; never the less, this article brings back a ton of good memories.
O-10, not as familiar as I probably should be. Great player based on what I’ve heard. I heard him live once with Dexter Gordon and have him on a handful of records by Arthur Blythe and Curtis Lundy.
A friend gave me a stack of old jazz CDs, one by Ron Carter. Given the recent discussion of the duet with Bobby Hebb, I did a little searching and ran into this interview published by the Library of Congress:
orpheus10, thank you. No, I don't have it and in fact I have not heard it before. My collection is small, only what I really like and listen to a lot. You are right about dacs getting better. Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt sounds quite good and is great if you need music on the go.
I feel good this morning, my only thoughts are music, and I'm going to try and keep it that way. Here is some music that's new to me, and I hope you like it;
'State of the art' sound comes very low / early on the price ladder. Speaking of amplification, I would say around the mid-level ranges of Marantz, Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo etc.... All above this price range is hype, voodoo, delusion, exotic design and materials, exclusivity, or all of the above. All of which have zero to do with sound. The most important component remains, as always, the room.
For my purposes, State of the Art means just that, the best it can currently be done.
Analog: I agree, if you're out, stay out. I would add, if you're in, get out!!
Music is "subjective"; so I try to help people find what's right for them, and at the same time find what's right for me.
In regard to current events, "high end sound" is getting a lot cheaper, thanks to digital. I didn't say high end components, I said "high end sound". 20 years or more ago, those two were the same, but not anymore. Now you can get "high end sound" on a budget by purchasing one of the DACs that deliver a lot more than they did in the past.
"Analog" is still very expensive, that hasn't changed, and cheap analog is a complete waste of money. I'm saying all of this as a person who is deep into analog; however, when you compare the huge difference in cost, to a not so huge difference in sound quality, in my opinion, if you're in, stay in; however, if you're out, stay out.
Am I erroneously attributing this quote to you? Could be I'm mistaken and it originated with a different poster-- my now 65 year old brain certainly doesn't work like it used to!
I'm not the type to spend my time on the Forum fighting with others so I'll just say I don't happen to agree with that characterization of Jazz (whomever said it) and leave it at that.
One of my favorite pastimes watching ’Urban walkers’, guys who walk around major cities while holding video cameras. My favorite city is London, and quite often these guys pass by Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. Not very impressive from the outside, and not in a particularly nice area of the city. But, that may be the norm for Jazz clubs.
Sometimes I am not quite sure are you serious or just ironical but the truth is that you are probably both, lol.
I like the mixture, the way you say it, "could be this" but also "could be that". :--))
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