Having motivation problems this morning and am quietly listening to Paul Moer, The Contemporary Classics Of The Paul Moer Trio.
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.
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@jafant - RIP. An excerpt form a Les McCann obit "Les McCann, a jazz pianist and vocalist who was an early progenitor of the bluesy, crowd-pleasing style that came to be known as soul jazz, and who, although he released more than 50 albums, was best known for a happenstance hit from 1969, died on Friday in Los Angeles. He was 88." Another excerpt-"His family was a musical one; he, his four younger brothers and his sister all sang in the Shiloh Baptist Church choir. " The influence of church choirs and sacred music once again plays a role in a jazz musician's development. |
"By any chance did you get the new (2020 release) release of the 2 of them live at The Penthouse in 1962 titled OW! on vinyl? I purchased the CD the day it came out. The sonics on the CD are very good." I just purchased Ow! at my local CD re-saler. PB&J, indeed. Anyone want any Art Pepper with their New Years Day brunch? Pepper is playing with George Cables on piano, George Mraz and Elvin Jones on drums.
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Happy New Year! @acman3 Great "Lockjaw" selections. I like that live rendition of I'll Remember April a lot. Really swings. And Lock and Johnny Griffin always sound great in all of their "tenor battle" recordings. Them 2 went together like peanut butter and jelly! Lock was also known for his "edgy/gruff" tone. By any chance did you get the new (2020 release) release of the 2 of them live at The Penthouse in 1962 titled OW! on vinyl? I purchased the CD the day it came out. The sonics on the CD are very good.
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@pjw81563 -Love Illinois Jacquet's rendition! Thanks for sharing. Jo Jones' drumming sounds like the IRT going over the 125th St subway bridge, late at night. Danny Gatton is under appreciated. |
And here is a favorite tenor of mine who's tone always sounds "edgy" or "gruff" but I really like a lot of Willis Jackson's recording sessions especially all of the sessions with a very young Pat Martino on the guitar. Pat's solo starts at 4:40 and even then, as young as he was (I think he was 17 on this session but not sure), you can hear the virtuosity in his playing. I saw Pat live at Birdland in NYC a couple years before he passed and I am so glad I went to that show.
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That Viscounts rendition of Harlem Nocturn is new to me. Definitely a "gritty tone" on the sax. This is my "go to" rendition of the same tune. But then again I am mesmerized by almost anything Illinois Jacquet blows and the brief but mesmerizing trumpet solo by Roy Eldridge just makes this version that much better
That said, there are hundreds of renditions of Harlem Nocturn on record for us all to enjoy thanks to Earle Hagen. Here is Telecaster master Danny Gatton's rendition.
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@pjw81563 -that is interesting. I do like Jimmy Forest's grittier version. I didn't know there were so many to choose from :-) Forest's saxophone reminds me of the sax on this song-
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I am big fan of Joey DeFrancesco as are a few others here. I believe there was a discussion about JD a few months ago. I never got a chance to see JD before he passed on last year and this is a regret. I have a copy of that Christian McBride Big Band CD and the bands rendition of Night Train is awesome as is the rest of the album. Interesting story of the origins of the song Night Train, of which jazz and R&B tenor sax great Jimmy Forrest made famous in 1951 with his signature solo over the 3 minute long groove head laid down by the rhythm section. Night Train (Jimmy Forrest composition) - Wikipedia
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I’ve had a note laying around that I just found and all it said was “Egil Kapstad”. And when I looked him up, to my pleasant surprise, I found a couple of wonderful albums, Remembrance, Cherokee and a few not so wonderful albums! There is one other album I liked, Live At Molde Jazz. A solo album that’s well recorded. |
@pjw81563 -Smith's Foxy Lady is terrific. Thanks for sharing! @mahgister -Love the fat tone of a Hammond B3, also. Because of the posthumous CD /record releases, I find Hendrix's music inconsistent. Up to Band of Gypsys, when Hendrix is good, he's really good. The guitar solo from "Machine Gun" is incredible. |
I like Lonnie Smith ... But i must confess i like too much Hammond organ ... I dont know why ... It is illogical ...I could not discover why ...I can even discover many reasons why i must not like it so much ... But love and reasons dont partake the same house and dont have much to say to each other save acknowledging each other ... 😊 What strike me when i was 15 years old with the first Hendrix albums was the complete innovative sound and creative experience as no one ever seen before...No showmanship artificial, just a true guitar poet ...At this time i was listening mostly Bach and Choral music then i was not an easy customer ... 😁 |
In 1994, Hammond B3 master, The late Dr. Lonnie Smith, of whom I had the privilege of seeing live 10 plus times before he passed on 2 years ago, released 2 albums in 1994 comprised of studio improvisations on popular Jimi Hendrix songs. The albums are titled Purple Haze and Foxy Lady. John Abercrombie on guitar and Marvin "Smitty" Smith drums
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I have difficulty imagining Hendrix moving into harmonic territory that could accurately be described as Jazz but who knows? If I recall correctly, there was at least one session done with horns and he and Evans has spoken about a collaboration but I think it more likely that any additional harmonic complexity would’ve come from Evans in such a scenario.
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@curiousjim -Thank you. I have "The Individualism..." look at THAT band! I'll give your recommendation a listen. @acman3 -Going to give your recommendation a listen, also. Just throwing this question out here-if Hendrix had lived, would he have evolved into a jazz-rock musician? |
I dont know if they will be accessible in cd before i die , they just discovered 200 hours of recorded unknown session even with Oscar Peterson etc ....😁 I like his higher frequency tone... It sound marvellous on my system ...( especially with my new tube pre-amplifier) . If it sound fatiguing you have a problem with the gear synergy... 😁
Zoller was named among the 10 most underrated jazz guitarists in history by JazzTimes.
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How do we recognize a jazz master ? I dont know at the end save we cannot stop listening him ...
Ron Carter is well known...You dont need me to buy this album with him ... But the surprise is Attila Zoller playing guitar ... Borderline between ballad and adventure, a singing master ... The recording is top notch ....
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Armstrong for me is the embodiement of jazz... His voice , his trumpet playing , and his improvising joy ... I love Chet Baker but only Armstrong is jazz itself ... My impression never changed anyway my first jazz album was one with Armstrong ... ( the second was Al Hirt 😊).. His voice is almost an archetype manifested on earth ...
Other great jazz voices exist for sure ... I love Ella Fitzgerald ...Billie Holiday , Chet Baker etc ... No one exhude irresistible joy with irresistible rythm with trumpet and voice... I remember also Ray Charles who is with Armstrong no doubt for the same reason ...In a league of their own...
Thanks frogman and Happy christmas to you and your family ...🎄
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