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
Orpheus, your ’shoes’ story reminded me on this verse...

....’When I die, bury me in straight laced shoes,
A box backed suit and a Stetson hat
Put a 20 dollar gold piece on my watch chain;
So the boys’ll know I died standin’ pat...
Speaking of Mingus, here's another.  This time including Jimmy Knepper, a trombone player not mentioned much these days but included on a significant number of great albums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7CoJEyiSfE

And o10, just for you a comparison including Pepper, and yes I like it too -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIu87qCZnJ4

PS - I have three pair of tassel loafers.  Does that make me "cool"? ;^)

Pryso that makes you super cool, and you got good taste in music.

I don't have Pepper Adams plays Charles Mingus; that will have to be corrected.

Jimmy Knepper is tops in Mingus book.
I guess I don’t pass muster in the “cool” department; tassel loafers I don’t have 😎

Still on the subject of baritone players, here’s a little known (outside of Europe) player from Sweden with a lovely lyrical sound and clearly inspired by the West Coast “school”:

lhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLCWqyLAqOgKgrrZXpzOyjlyV0_L2dLBwx&v=xvdpVq86uYk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLCWqyLAqOgKgrrZXpzOyjlyV0_L2dLBwx&params=OAFIAVgX&v=-571Uy...

From the West Coast,  known mostly as a clarinetist, but also a fine baritonist:

Jimmy Giuffre
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=au8CklgN9Q8

Another little known (anymore) West Coast guy:

Bob Gordon
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2gly8M-ps6U
(with Clifford Brown)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kcdNss9Z5_4



Great clip!  I first heard Sahib Shihab on this record from the great Phil Woods which features his very formidable composing/arranging skills:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL55774CEA75D0E052&v=8_ILn8GDVts
Nice clips, O-10.

More record release mystery/confusion. I have to assume that there are contractual issues by way of transfer of ownership of the masters that allows this sort of thing; or, perhaps in our age of streaming, simple hanky-panky that goes under the radar of the lawyers.

The YouTube clip suggests that “Four Altos” was a Sahib Shihab session; it wasn’t. The leader (and arranger) of the session was Phil Woods with Sahib Shihab (this time playing alto) one of three additional alto players; hence the title “Four Altos”.  The second clip “Whisper Not” is not from the album “Four Altos” at all, but from a Benny Golson record that Shihab played on.  Even the artwork was copied (sort of). This is the original lp cover which I’ve owned for many years; notice the order of the names as shown on the cover:

http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/four-altos/

Regardless, interesting record featuring four Charlie Parker disciples, the most notable being Phil Woods and Gene Quill. Sahib Shihab also sounds very good, although I think his voice on baritone is more distinctive. Gene Quill is one of the unsung heroes of the alto. He and Phil Woods co-led a quintet which recorded a few sessions (this one with the addition of Sol Schindler, another popular baritonist of that era):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Id5WQ0D9jdA
"Wikipedia" doesn't even show 'Whisper Not' on the album; you're right once again.

I heard Gene Quill on an album that does not show up in is discography; it might have been just a solo on this one cut, but it was memorable.
aaugh!!!!!!!!   Real Jazz Lovers, of Real Jazz, can only take so much!!  Stop It!

Cheers

Hey Rok, you and Lazarus have a lot in common; you're the only people to come back from the dead.

If you left because you wanted to be missed, you achieved your objective; I missed you.

In case you haven't forgotten,you're primarily responsible for this thread, you urged me to start it, and I said if you want a thread like that, start it yourself, but at that time you didn't have the confidence; so much for history.

Tell us how have you been, and how was your vacation in "The Med" (that's short for Mediterranean)
***** Tell us how have you been, and how was your vacation in "The Med" (that's short for Mediterranean)*****

I am, and have been, just fine.   How about you?   I did go on a sojourn around that area.   I was on a quest,  like the Knights looking for the Holy Grail.   Only I was looking for the origins of Jazz.   Went all over Africa.   No Luck.  Finally a Guru in India told me to try searching in Mississippi.   WTF!!!!

 Cheers



Frogman, that's just what I needed; I remember when that was on the jukebox in my favorite bistro.

It's impossible to feel bad when listening to this music; I'm going to have the doctor give me an injection of "Boogie Juice"!


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75-gcaA850g&index=4&list=PL90_ln5l--TIS8EjQnjnzGDMJieQjMxCZ


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqxU8xxRmwM
'Motherless Child' and 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' seem to be two of the most popular tunes of those genres to be played by Jazz musicians.   Two of those that I have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv5c9jvfIPE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2M8gg-TNsc

Cheers




Rok, that was one of the most soulfull and saddest versions of that song I've heard

Rok, maybe you don't know about it but I'm in pain a lot of the time, and can't post; the worst part about this is doctors can't find what's wrong and I'm tired of going to doctors. Money going south, plus travel and waiting in office time.

My options are: become a junky, or endure some pain; there's a "pain management clinic" down the street, AKA, "legal drug clinic". I've seen too many junky's, and I know there is no turning back; not a good option, but those are the options for someone in severe pain.


On a brighter note, I'm going to post some music by someone you inquired about.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khyNZ2VVpF8&list=PLT2uvoeu6IwHDv969SMKwQVR1BKVAl3s8


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwen5Pw0by8


Here's a vocal comparison;


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


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVwxSfdam8c
o10, thanks for the Bley link.  I wasn't familiar with that recording, but I like it.

And while I had to also listen to "Ring Christmas Bells", your link reminded me of this brief Monk piece not associated with Christmas -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gew5sD4CIY
O-10:

Sorry to hear about your health problems.   You are right in thinking that sometimes the Pain killers are worst than the pain.  I have been fortunate so far concerning illness and pain.  I did have a kidney stone problem once, and they gave me some of that oxy-whatever.    Never again.   I pray you get better soon.

Pain is normally a big  help to  Doctors  when they diagnose medical problems.    Are you going to the VA?

Cheers


Love this woman.   She has won more Broadway Tony Awards than anyone in history!!   Coulda, shoulda been a Jazz diva.  Amazing voice, so effortlessly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCY8GpCNEh0
Good thing(for ella), we have already crowned Ella, The Queen of Jazz.

Cheers



Audra McDonald is a fantastic singer.  Like you say, fantastic voice and so effortless; classically trained and flawless in many ways.  I love her singing and she definitely qualifies for diva status....cabaret/Broadway diva that is and probably the best of them.  Different kind of singer from the great jazz divas like Ella, however.  What she does best even Ella couldn't do.  Likewise, what a great jazz singer can do with a certain swing feel and swagger, not to mention scat singing, MacDonald can't do.  Nice clip, btw.  

What she does best, imo:

https://youtu.be/4J5gXGlkC3g


Rok, here are some emerging jazz stars; "Charnee Wade" really does it on "Offering" singing the music of Gil Scott Heron, and here we see the emerging musicians behind her.

I want to thank Acman for introducing me to this.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuTUs3XK3SY
O-10:
Charnee Wade:

The clip was just OK.  The fact that there are young people trying to play instruments instead of shouting crude vulgar language over stolen music is in itself encouraging.   The question I had was whether the Girls on Vibes and Sax could really play.    They didn't show much on the clip, esp the vibe player.

I like this clip better.   It actually seems to be Jazz.   The girl on Sax can play.   Still emerging as you said, but puts a smile on my face and pride inside.  I will give all my moral support to any young person with a horn.   Not so sure about Miss Charnee.   There's not that much talking in Jazz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re49mKF88Ck

Cheers

Rok, I liked the link I presented much better. Although the girl on sax wasn't "Trane", she's working on it.

Charenee Wade is putting Gil Scott Heron's words to music. (to call Gil Scott Heron a Rapper is an insult, he was a "social commentater") Since I consider his words quite relevant, and I thought she gave a jazzy presentation it went over quite well with me; I liked the way the bass kept it all together, although the recorded CD is much more polished.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE-CQ3pEoMw

Pryso, they praise the recording quality of this album, and as you can see, it's on the ECM label. They like the music too.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9m-4gyjiaA
Thanks o10, I enjoyed that. I’d read the review in Stereophile of the "Small Town" album and was curious. This was an interesting video, I noted posted by ECM, apparently on a turntable shot outside so the cloud reflections could be captured.  But who are "they"?

Here is another tune from that album but this one is the studio version from the source acman3 posted -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1meUGGtYzo

Quite different from the brassy Bassey version we’re all familiar with. ;^)
Nice Frisell clips all; thanks.  Love Bill Frisell; one of the most ecclectic jazz musicians today.  We have discussed musicians’ “tone” a few times and Frisell has one of the most, perhaps the most, distinctive tone of all jazz guitar players whose respective tones tend to be more alike than most other jazz instruments.  Really sophisticated harmonic sense and a swing feel that owes a lot to his interest in other genres; not as obviously “swingy”. 

Some of my favorite Frisell is his work with the Paul Motian trio.  This is a really interesting take on Monk’s classic “Misterioso”:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YaY1GVeHqKw

Another interesting record; this time as leader and on which he really cuts loose on a couple of the cuts sounding less “dreamy” than usual:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tIL1vHcpwH8

Pryso, DOL's 180gm Catalogue has a lot of good looking LP's, but I don't know much about "audiophile" LP's or how to evaluate them; my LP's are mostly the originals. I would like your input.


                https://www.discogs.com/label/466581-DOL
Hi o10,

I’m not familiar with DOL, in fact never heard of it before. I did note from the link you provided they are from Russia and apparently they are all bootlegs. I would avoid them based simply on that. Plus some of the user comments below the listing were not very positive.

Due to my age and having been buying jazz LPs for so long, the majority of my collection are original releases. And most of those were bought new. In later years when I began infilling albums I missed I’ve been very careful about condition for used purchases -- clean, flat, scratchless.

In the past 10 years I have bought a few reissues, mostly of things I didn’t own, sometimes after giving up on finding clean used copies.

My position may be somewhat controversial but I do not buy new reissues to get remastered or reengineered versions. Whenever I’ve been able to compare an original against a reissue most times I prefer the original. That of course assumes the original plays quietly.  I judge my records by 1) the performance, 2) condition of the LP, and 3) the quality of the recording itself.  After #1 there is little separation between 2 and 3.

I’ve always been somewhat anal about record handling. ;^) My first stereo included a Dual changer, but I always used the short spindle and never stacked the records. Also from the beginning it was "fingers off" the groove area and records were stored vertical and dry in their sleeves and jackets. When less expensive cleaning machines than the Monks hit the market I bought a Nitty Gritty, replaced a few years later by a VPI. My reward for all that is playing 50 year old LPs that are still quiet.

Sorry, that’s a long response to a short question.

Pryso, I want to thank you for that long response, and detailed answer. You have given me an example to follow, almost anyway.

In the recent past, I haven't sought records in a big way, I just settled for the CD; but after enjoying the beauty of my upgraded rig, I won't settle for anything else but vinyl.

Since I'm often in pain, shopping at record stores is impossible, that means I have to order everything. Although that might cost more, I have no other option if I'm going to get the best records.

I would appreciate your comments on what to order by mail?

There are so many boss "old" records I haven't heard, that I don't think I can live long enough to hear them all, and they always sound better than new records because I can relate; for example, here's Joe Morello doing "Take Five" from his album Standard time.



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-744pFNJkUg


This guy got a different way with drums.


o10,

As many have expressed here, we are sorry for the condition you face.  Hopefully when you can sit down to enjoy favorite music, that carries you away to a place where the pain(s) is forgotten.

I won't speak against mail order buying, I've never done that for used records.  But a couple of times I've been disappointed with new LPs that arrived warped. :^(

Fortunately I live in a large enough city where there are several used record stores and frequent yard/garage sales, although I no longer do the latter.  The real treat is to drive to LA and visit Amoeba.  But not everyone has that option.

My suggestion for you is to visit Vinyl Asylum and do a search for "used records".  If that doesn't turn up enough recommended sellers then post your own question there.  I believe that will reach more hobbyists than this Music site.