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

@pjw81563 

I think Elvin and Tony Williams were more innovators as both of them had unique styles that they innovated first and other drummers follow/copy to this day. 

Yes -- this is how I think about them as well. 

I'll look forward to hearing more from you on this topic. 

@stuartk 

That is a quote from Miles Davis. I think Elvin and Tony Williams were more innovators as both of them had unique styles that they innovated first and other drummers follow/copy to this day. 

I think Miles was talking about comping and harmonic telepathy as well as keeping time. 

When I have time I will elaborate more.

@curiousjim

Speaking of A. Farmer, are you familiar with this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G5quNRGnCE&list=OLAK5uy_nnE2EwWUyJwoXr_u6ToaLz56ptYbNZlso

The same group recorded the "Something to Live For" album, dedicated to B. Strayhorn. Here is the title track (the full album is not available in full on Youtube):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiqhOBDfo8U

@pjw81563

Miles is also on record stating that Philly Joe was just as good on the kit as Tony Williams and Elvin Jones.

 

That’s quite an endorsement! I’m curious: would you say Philly Joe was as innovative as Williams and Jones, or more of a peer in terms of technique?

 

@curiousjim I came across the "Crossings" album while searching for more recordings that featured Red Garland and Philly Joe Jones. 

To my surprise, after the two of them stopped working in the Miles Davis Quartet, they would only record together again just a few times throughout the rest of their careers. Its a shame as they were so "in sync" with each other.

Miles Davis is on record saying that Philly Joe, Red Garland, and Paul Chambers were one of the greatest rhythm sections he ever worked with.

Garland went on to record a lot of albums as a leader but used Art Taylor on drums predominantly after his stint with Miles Davis. Art Taylor was no slouch himself but I prefer philly Joe Jones's comping, solos, and brush playing, as well as his superb sense of keeping time.

Miles is also on record stating that Philly Joe was just as good on the kit as Tony Williams and Elvin Jones.

I'm stating the obvious saying this book is only for drummers but a friend of mine, himself a drummer, mentioned this book to me and the quote I took from the only review on Amazon says a lot about Philly Joe.

Philly-ism: A Unique Analysis with Video of Philly Joe Jones' Rudimental Approach to Soloing: Carman, Tim: 9788350100946: Amazon.com: Books

 If you're a drummer who wants to approach the art of drumming with feel and purpose, this is the book for you. 

I could not find "Crossings" on Spotify either so I ordered the CD on Discogs.

 

@pjw81563 

I looked for Red,Philly & Ron album, Crossings on Amazon and Qobuz and couldn’t find it.

I’m bummed.

Art Farmer this morning, but I’ll be listening to Paul Chambers,   Bass on top, by days end. Thanks for the suggestion @alexatpos .

@curiousjim Listen to Chamber’s ’Bass on top’ album...

 

’Speaking’ of ’Frogman’s rule’,... here is a debut album of Nancy Harrow. It is recorded in 1961. with a quite strong line up. She did not lead lead album until 1978 (except one lesser known from 1968, quote from ’All music’)

 

I sometimes think of selling my turntable and records and go to streaming only, the world at my fingertips, Then I come across records like Gil Mele’s " Waterbirds", which never made it to CD and will be forgotten in history.

I’m keeping my records and buying even more till my daughter ships me off.

The Claes Corona Trio,  American Standards.

Another album I can tap my toe to.

As unknown as Gil Melle ...

And certainly not less creative is Jan Johansson a Swedish legendary jazz pianist in his country ...

He dies at 37 years old in 1968 ....

The 11 albums i listened to are creative and completely unique ...

Try this one but i must confess they are all interesting :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3XVE-Wzwjk&list=OLAK5uy_lCP4HYEp4BA-GJf8e6_EH343qqFJ_70O8

 

Jazz after the war stay not just  a specialized genre from America but became little by little   a musical universal new larger encompassing  language ... As interesting as classical ....

 

 

 

@mahgister

It seems frogman hit hard another time with someone i did not know but is very interesting musically ... Thanks ...

I agree.

This one is mesmerizing and i dont like electronica generally  ...

I’d have preferred a less distorted guitar tone on the "Waterbirds" recording.

J. McLaughlin didn’t employ his Mahavishnu O. guitar tone on "In A Silent Way" and for good reason. Needless to say, others will disagree.

Started the day with Dylan Cramer and after All Night Long, I switched to Sonny Criss starting with This Is Criss.

It seems frogman hit hard another time with someone i did not know but is very interesting musically ... Thanks ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd4Ukl6snFM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61sM-8M0no4

 

This one is mesmerizing and i dont like electronica generally  ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsF5Nb-QjF0

 

@curiousjim 

Glad you're enjoying him!

Personally, I think he's underrated but then, I'm biased ;o)

 

Here’s a musician who certainly deserves to not be forgotten by today’s Jazz listeners, as he seems to have been. Not only a terrific baritone saxophonist, but he also had a successful career as a film and TV series composer (He also designed the cover art for several well known Jazz lps).  Who has heard of Gil Melle?

 

@stuartk 

Until today, I had no idea how right you are about Stanley Cowell. I’ve been listening to his albums since 10am and haven’t found one I didn’t like. Listening to Angel Eyes now. It’s just the man and his piano.  Perfect dinner music.

Post removed 

Me i am truly enjoying Blue Mitchell sound ...

I dont have this one thanks ...

Philly Joe with a great group of personnel including Pepper Adams, Blue Mitchell, Julian Preister, Sonny Clark and Jimmy Garrison and, here’s an "obscure player", tenor Bill Baron Jr., the older brother of the great pianist Kenny Baron

Philly Joe with a great group of personnel including Pepper Adams, Blue Mitchell, Julian Preister, Sonny Clark and Jimmy Garrison and, here's an "obscure player", tenor Bill Baron Jr., the older brother of the great pianist Kenny Baron

 

Another Red Garland / Philly Joe Jones trio with Ron Carter on bass instead of Paul Chambers. The telepathy between Garland and Jones is still evident over 20 years after their middle/late 50s recording sessions.

Fast forward to the 15:50 mark for some excellent Red & Philly Joe exchanges!

 

I have been enjoying my "jazz on Sunday mornings" for over 3 hours now.

Louis Hayes also plays drums on this great Horace Silver album, of which the 9th edition of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings

places the album among its suggested "Core Collection" of essential recordings, saying that it exemplifies Silver’s "virtues as pianist, composer and leader".

 

Lastly, as time marched on many of the supposedly “obscure” players posted weren’t that obscure at all.

This drummer fits into this quoted category. A drummer, Louis Hayes, 86 years old and still with us, that is obscure to most but not us jazz aficionados. Hayes played on many of the great Cannonball Adderley session throughout the 60s.

From a Cannonball 1960 live recording titled The Cannonball Adderley Quintet Live in San Francisco we can hear how talented Hayes, then just 23 years old, was on the kit.

Cannonball’s intro announcement for the song Bohemia After Dark,

"Now we’re gonna give our drummer, Louis Hayes, a spotlight in a tune by Oscar Pettiford called Bohemia After Dark"

lets us know the treat we’re going to get by Louis Hayes’s drum exchanges and solo in the tune. From the album and also 2 awesome live videos of the same tune.

 

 

 

The drummers on all three albums I presented, Philly Joe Jones, Jimmy Cobb, and Art Blakey represent three of the greatest drummers in jazz history.

The same could be said about the bass players, Paul Chambers on the Miles Davis sessions, and Sam Jones on Cannaonball’s.

All four pianists as well represent the greatest in jazz, Red Garland on Milestones, Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly (1 track, Freddie Freeloader ) on KOB, and Hank Jones on Somethin’ Else.

This song, from the album Milestones, features just the rhythm section as Miles and Cannonball "laid out" making this 1 track a trio recording. IMHO, it is one of the greatest trio recordings ever made. I love the exchanges between pianist Red Garland and bassist Paul Chambers starting at the 2:50 mark, followed by Garland and drummer Philly Joe exchanges for the remainder of the song.

 

I can’t imagine ever being “bored” with the existing supply of great recordings by great players.

I can definitely agree with this statement. And before I started to use Spotify to give a "test listen" I purchased a lot of CDs that I wished I had not.

If an artist is relatively new, or an older/obscure artist that for whatever reason I was not aware of, I can listen to them first and then spend my hard earned money if I like the artist and his or her artistry.

Been listening to the great Julian Edwin Adderley a lot lately, and "Cannonball" fits into @frogman the category of great recordings by great players in the quote.

These 3 albums should be in every jazz aficionados library. Cannonball was "canonized" by the time he played on all three. And the rest of the personnel on all three,

 

Canonized:

treat or regard as being above reproach or of great significance:

"he has been canonized by his fans"

 

 

I must say that i am not a musician...

I cannot evaluate jazz players as well and as precisely and historically as erudite as frogman ...

As he said there is no rule...

Most geniuses are known in all human fields ...

But unrecognized geniuses by all save a few who knows them exist ...

Roger Boscovitch is no less genius than Newton but he was very less known...

Gesualdo in music is a genius on par with many more well known others ... his genius is more visible today ... Only Monteverdi can exceed him with his creativity ... And only Bach can rival Monteverdi in genius anyway...But if we forgot who is the better, Gesualdo is unique in all musical history ...

And in the short history of jazz which is now an earth global affair, many names deserve to be more well known who are not so well known in North America...

One thing is sure, music moves us and the way music moves us at the end obey no rules and sometimes some music moves us more than it moves many others ...

Music at the end is a personal affair more than a cultural race to win a prize...

We cannot love all musical geniuses at the same level for each one of them ...We obey our heart and our heart is unjust or unwise he does not need any reason to love ...

I discovered long time ago that i love musicians more than the musical language because each musician give its interpretation in its own unique way ... Understanding each musician is an ideal position , i am not qualified nor able to do it ... I love too much some to be fair and balanced ... It is why i appreciate frogman judgment so much ...

 

 

 

 

That’s right, “The Frogman’s First Law”.  As far as (my?) Second Law” goes, well……..😊

Actually, it’s "The Frogman’s First Law"

His second law is "Rok2id is the most knowledgeable Jazz aficianado in the whole world." For some reason, it is not quoted as often as his first law. Could that be because the first law is in effect? Makes a body wonder.

 

Cheers

I like clarity, especially when my comments are being (mis)represented. So, to be clear:

The term “The Frogman’s rule” was coined by Rok2id in response (in part) to an ongoing “debate” here about the possible reasons that some musicians are not as well known as others. I would not be so self centered as to make a “rule” for anyone else but myself. As further background, there was a suggestion made AT THE TIME that it was usually some sort of injustice at play. The “starving genius artist” myth. I disagreed and wrote that the reason was OFTEN (not always) that the artistry of the musician in question was usually not on the level of better known artists and that when one considers the reality of the music business (and it is precisely that), that lesser artists will not receive as much attention via bookings, recordings contracts and record sales. I stand by that assertion. However, and I said it then, there have been examples of artists deserving of wider recognition who did not receive that recognition for a variety of reasons, usually personal: drug use, difficult to work with, etc.

Alex has often posted obscure artists and, FOR ME, several (not all, and I said it at the time) simply weren’t on a level that interested me when one considers the vast number of recordings available by truly great players. Personally, I can’t imagine ever being “bored” with the existing supply of great recordings by great players. And I’m not talking about the greatest of the great either. Not every really good tenor player, for instance, is on the level of a Coltrane, or Rollins, but still rewarding to listen to….obviously. However, there are many levels below that and it gets to the point when one (I) says “what’s the point?”. Just to have something different? Even if it’s mediocre? Worse yet, NOT different, but totally derivative. No thanks .

Lastly, as time marched on many of the supposedly “obscure” players posted weren’t that obscure at all. For instance, look at recent posts. Howard McGhee and Eddie Harris, obscure?! I don’t think so.

Anyway, this subject would arise in discussion one way or another over the years and the term “Frogman’s rule” stuck, somehow. I’ve never used it myself. I hope this clarifies things somewhat and Happy Holidays to all.

 

@alexatpos 

I'd say both Guides have their strengths and weaknesses.Without question, the All Music is more complete. 

Thanks for explaining the Frogman rule. 

If we only listened to the best of the best we'd grow bored, eventually, no? 

 

@stuartk , well, since I have started posting here, I have tryed to introduce fellow members to some long forgotten artists and hopefully I menaged to do so.In the same time I have always wondered why some of them never made it, in terms of recognition, at least, even to their contemporaries, nevermind the enthusiasts from the present. Now, there comes the Frogman, who basically said (not in so few words and no so blunt) that reason being so is that those guys were never so ’good’ to be ’recognised’ at first place. So, there were some questions and discussions raised about it, but between the ’old’ posters that remained as colloquial expression (often with mild irony) when some of the artists of that ’type’ were mentioned...

I am aware of Penguin guide, but ’All music’ seemed to be more complete, back than when I got it and later I have just continued to use it....

Ok, last one for today, dont want to bore any accidental visitors with so out of fashion music, aldo often I wonder why there are so many views of these pages and yet so few posters? But, anyway...

Bobby Troup 'Bobby swings tenderly' from 1957.

 

For everyone that enjoyed previous Eddie Harris album, here is another one. In fact, it was released as a follow up to 'Exodus in jazz'. 

 

Eddie Harris 'Mighty like a rose'

 

Lots of been written about Howard McGhee, his 'Maggies back in town' album is one of my favourites, this one, earlier,  is not bad either.

Howard McGhee 'Dusty blue' from 1960.

 

 

I do not use pc audio or any streamers, so when I search for new music, I stick to the old fashioned way of ’digging’ via ’All music guide to jazz’ book and later ytube for preview listening, if there are any clips. I really should thank some of the posters there, for time and effort and for sharing their music..

However, (for me) its getting harder to find music ( ’nos’) that I really consider ’exceptional’,perhaps the reason lies in ’Frogman’s rule’

Anyway, here are some of the albums that I bought recently, not essential music, but still good ones, perhaps some might find them to their liking.

In random order:

 

Les McCann live album from Village Vanguard 1967, here under 'I am in love title, but  sometimes is also issued as 'How's your mother' title. I have the latter one

 

 

It’s a Sonny Clark Trio morning here.

With Max Roach on the Drums and George Duvivier on the Bass.