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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Starting off the day with good music is like starting it with old friends; Curtis Fuller and Benny Golson are two of my best old friends, we go way back; their voices have such a comforting sound. Curtis Fuller with the "Jazztet"; this is the original "Killer Joe", the one I played on the jukebox while sitting on a high bar stool waiting for company. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u23Etcb-L9M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr7wcGmh12A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8ku2vRJ7rU Enjoy the music. |
Beautiful clips, O-10; thanks. That Art Blakey clip is particularly beautiful. Lee Morgan sounds amazing and even though he doesn't solo, Benny Golson's accompanying lines are a model of tastefulness. Has anyone seen the new documentary movie about Lee Morgan yet? Supposed to be great and at the top of my list: http://m.imdb.com/title/tt4170344/plotsummary?ref_=m_tt_ov_pl |
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Schubert, A couple that come immediately to mind: The must have box set: Art Tatum "The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fj7Ny6lx5w One of my favorite piano players and one who doesn’t get enough attention: Hank Jones "Solo Piano" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RK9QEL07sck I find Keith Jarrett to be a bit of an acquired taste and depending on my mood I sometimes can’t stand his playing and other times I think it is the greatest thing on earth: Keith Jarrett "The Melody At Night With You". https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLRtmaGr16fz0YRAFCzOww_42cM-IiysdX&v=a9RnH9YQ5-w |
OK thanks frog, I’ll order the Pablo . To confess a heresy as memory just kicked in , when I was just starting to listen to jazz a bit my favorite player was Sir Roland Hanna . Forgot about him . Hank Jones was beyond doubt a great artist from a family of same , but in my ignorance and tired brain I like more "sparse" players . |
Thought or another one, Schubert. Can't think of a more "sparse" piano player than Monk. Unique player with a quirky time feel and overall approach which may or may not appeal to you, Genius, imo. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6H6DjPBFOo |
Here is an interesting composition Sir Roland Hanna has chosen to display his talents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVXvNaMC3FI |
Interesting and beautiful; very poetic. Thanks. That trio was the rhythm section for the great Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. The Village Vanguard in NYC was (and still is) their home base. That would have to have been sometime around 1975. Very swinging rhythm section. Check out Pepper Adams on this. Smoking!: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1e-q25bk3UI |
Great post O-10 ! thanks. Great bass player, I never heard of as well. Going down the You Tubes clips to me the perfect play was Hanna on" I Didn't Know What Time it Was" off his "This Must be Love" album ! Frogman , beyond doubt Monk is what you say he is .. But a casual listener like myself lacks the technical knowledge of a highly trained musician like yourself that enables you to see the beauty that can only escape me . I would guess you understand the way Monk bends notes on adjacent keys in a manner that just frustrates me. I would have liked to hear him play Chopin . |
Here is a link to an article on something we have discussed quite a bit here: http://arbanmethod.com/wyntons-twelve-ways-to-practice/ |
A person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content, are Internet trolls. Learsfool's comment is a cleverly disguised "troll" comment, that will not go unnoticed by me, the person who the comment is intended to inflame, and it has served it's purpose. Learsfool's comment was related to a hardbop jazz musician who lived in my apartment with me in the summer of 69. Although I had been an ardent fan of his for 6 years before he moved into my apartment, he jammed like he never jammed before in his entire life that summer; his music was even new to me. Maybe some of you know about "Center Stage" under the Arch in St. Louis on the 4th of July; that's where he wowed the crowd, but I can find no record of this, nor was any of the music he was playing at that time recorded. One of the aficionado's referred to my friend as that giant imaginary rabbit "Harvey"; since I can not prove his music, that's fine with me; but I will tell you more about my "imaginary" friend. He got dressed in the morning, the same as we all get dressed, but he put on something real hip and cool, without ever thinking about it. His conversation was "hip and cool", without ever giving it one iota of a thought; maybe that's because he had been a "jazz musician", who has played with so many other jazz musicians we love, for all of his adult life. He performed three nights a week, and I functioned as his chauffeur. I was spell bound at each hard bop performance, and so was the crowd. There was one club that only opened up when they had "hard bop" jazz artists on stage, and he wowed that audience as much as he did me. Not one time did he ever ask, "What I thought about his performance"; but there was no need. We talked after his performances about his life as a professional jazz musician till daylight. (I was on sick leave at the time) The controversy arose when I stated that he never practiced when he was living with me. It would have been very hard for him to practice if he wanted to, but I don't recall any need or desire to practice since he was performing three times a week. I understand him now better than I understood him then; people don't like to tell you when they know the end is near, and their life is coming to a close; they just want to get away from you and do it their way. |
Listened to this today. Wonderful and very elegant playing. With the exception of "Lover Man", not an album of standards, but of blues originals. His playing may be more to your liking, Schubert. https://youtu.be/TuVqhA9fpOE |
Thanks for the Ray Bryant heads up frog, very much a player I could listen to all day, love how "organic" his runs etc seem, so many guys throw in off the wall stuff, to me often seems like just because they can. I have a BAD habit of overlooking the obvious because they are popular, like Chick Corea for starters . |
It was recently pointed out by Schubert what a great player George Mraz is. Amazing ability to ground the rhythm section and with unusually beautiful bass tone and intonation. Has always been a favorite. This is a favorite record that he plays on. Beautiful time feel through out and Pepper Adams is, as always, a master storyteller. Mraz sounds fabulous. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tOCZddFI1tU https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8PjvxET91U https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LlDMfIjB8Ps |
Sir Roland Hanna is a jazz pianist I know very little about and I'm not sure I have him in my collection. The reason I'm mentioning him is because he never left the realm of "modern jazz", but still progressed in a way that others said couldn't be done, or they couldn't do it; they had to leap into some new almost unrecognizable musical universe. There has been so much music created in the realm of "modern jazz" that we don't know about; I subscribed to 3 different Hi Fi Mags, and CD Review, and I didn't know about all of it. I primarily relied on my buddies to bring me up to date on new music; but there was a jazz explosion when more music was created than most could acquire. Rok, this Bud's for you; it's our kind of music, the music that progressed from the "Giants of Jazz" who were in Nica's book "3 wishes." https://www.amazon.com/Live-Village-Vanguard-Konitz-Quartet/dp/B00YBX3VU8 Enjoy the music. |
Hi Orpheus - I have deliberately refrained from joining the arguments here the last several months, though I have read it all. I am done arguing with people here. I was very surprised, therefore, that you actually called me a "troll." Please explain to me, if you can, how my post with the link to Wynton's article fits that description in any way. I was merely posting something germane to previous discussions here, that I thought people would be interested in. The post was not directed at anyone on this board in particular, and was most certainly not intended as a comment on you or your friend. You are trying to read something into it that is simply not there, and I hope you can look at it again and understand that. Peace. |
Read up on Marz , real name is Jiri- a Moravian and Graduate of Prague Conservatory. IF there is a more musical people on this planet than Moravians I don’t know about them . My immediate reaction to his playing was he was very well educated in all phases of music and resides in the very upper echelon of players . As well as being a alum of the great Prague school also was given a scholarship to Berklee when he came to USA . If Amazon has 20 of his CD’s I’m buying them all ! |
Made me think of a recording from Red Mitchell and Bill Mays called "Two of a Kind". There are no Youtube clips, so this will have to represent that recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuFCEa95gvo |
Nice clips! **** Amazing how he makes the best better ! **** Interesting comment. Some players have the ability to raise the overall level of the players around them. This is a quality that, when present, is usually most obvious coming from horn or piano players and usually less obvious when from a bass player. There is a saying among musicians that: "things happen from the bottom up"; iow, as that silly pop song says, and no matter what genre: "Its all about that bass". If the bass is out of tune, it’s ALL going to be out of tune. If the bass’ time feel is not happening, it’s ALL going to sound like a mess. So strong is Mraz’ musical contribution and musical "grip" that everyone’s level is lifted. Another favorite with Mraz: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XfU3cLoldng (Getz, Kenny Barron, Mraz, Victor Lewis) |
Have several Albums of Roland Hanna, think that this album is the best known to wide audience (he plays as sideman) Jim Hall 'Concierto' https://youtu.be/iD6k2E61ABY |
Mraz lets the note "ring" longer than most bass players which is a big part of what gives him that beautiful singing tone. As a result there is more connection of the notes in a bass line. That could definitely result in what you describe. Of course, we would then have to identify what "slips" you refer to. What I am talking about is when a player's musical "purpose" is so strong, and this has nothing to do with he loudly he plays, that it forces the other players to rise to the occasion; sometimes to levels not possible with lesser players. |
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Interesting article about Lee Morgan https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/04/03/search-for-the-new-land/ |
Very interesting article, Alex. Thanks for that and I am looking forward to seeing the film. Almost too difficult to absorb just how much "life" some of these great artists experienced; and, sometimes didn't. Along with the great art so much of it was disfuncional, dark and even unethical; and, sobering as it may be, perhaps that was part of what made the art so great. Ain’t life interesting?! I like the article author’s writing style and this is a great description of Morgan’s style that perfectly describes my take on Morgan’s playing; the "strut" and the "story"!: **His sound was bright, brash, and sassy: like James Brown’s early work, it had the seductively strutting arrogance of youth. Morgan was a funky, down-home player, with a penchant for “smeared,” dirty notes, but he was also a subtle and calculating musical thinker who constructed his solos as if they were stories. ** No fireworks, just great storytelling: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xlAwFV0clcM |
Thank you Alex for a very good story. I will try to get back with an extended comment. Coincidentally, my favorite tune by Lee, is "Search for The New Land" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDfkkRa1VA8 |
True crimes of passion are the most unpremeditated forms of murder to ever occur, and neither party is 100% innocent or guilty; the bereaved or the perpetrator of the murder. If the deceased had just thought about the "volatility" of true love before he took those last minute actions that caused his demise, he would not have died at that moment. For the perpetrator of the murder, it's all a bad dream, they don't even know what happened; there was either a gun, or a knife handy that instantly found it's way to her lovers heart. While in the case of Helen Morgan, she had absolutely no intention of killing Lee Morgan, he died from loss of blood. The same passion that takes people to heaven can also take them to hell. After it's all over, someone has to take responsibility for the corpse; we can not simply explain it away by saying, "She was consumed by the passion of the moment, and had no idea what she was doing; it was the passion that made her do it, but that is precisely what happened. I think when this is truly the case, those people should be let free; they are even more grieved than anyone, because no one loved the deceased more than they. As much as I like the albums by Lee Morgan that I have, from here going forward, I'll focus on his solo's that gave other artists hit records. Enjoy the music. |
The laws of love and life supersede all the laws of man, and if you are not aware of them, especially at a young age, you can wake up in an early grave. "I love you, I will kill you"; believe those words. "we", or at the very least, "I" have been led to believe some crazy jealous woman who was 12 years older than Lee Morgan murdered him. The truth; all woman in love are jealous, she was 12 years older than Lee is also true. What was not revealed was the fact that she was the "Queen Bee"; certain unwritten actions had been taken over a period of years that gave her that title. The Queen Bee must be given the same respect as you would give your lawful wife. "Slugs" was her hive, because that's where "her" man was playing. To bring another woman into the "Queen Bee's" hive was a very bad idea, and then to exasperate a very bad idea with a show of bravado by throwing her out, turned out to be a fatal idea. But remember, he bought her the pistol for her protection; she might not have used it if it had not fallen out of the coat pocket when he threw her out. Mitigating factors; five inches of snow, plus it has been alleged that emergency people were afraid of that particular neighborhood; that's why he bled to death. I'm not a New Yorker, I don't know. "I love you, I will kill you"; one must respect the passion of true love; failure to do so can be fatal. "After she shot him, she said to herself; "This had to be a dream"; that's the nature of a crime of passion, "a bad dream in slow motion". Most geezers can't even remember passion, or much else, but when I forget the passion of young love, I'm already dead, and I hope you can find somebody to bury me. |
No reflection on how I feel about the content of your post, O-10; but, that was perhaps your best post here. It read like a good jazz solo; but, I digress. I hope that you are, ultimately, not one who is capable of pulling the trigger. The flaw in your argument for clemency for the Queen Bee is that those who are, in fact, capable of pulling the trigger are too self-absoberd to deserve clemency. Their "love" is not what it should be...selfless. Imo. Not sure that his solo on this recording is what "gave (Coltrane) a hit record", but Lee Morgan sounds amazing on this; a real classic: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1GrP6thz-k |