Finally getting my speakers replaced! So my original speakers are boxed up and waiting for the truck with my new speakers.
So I’m going through withdraws!
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.
30,874 responses Add your response
I already had many albums of Desmond with Hall and it is amazing indeed .... I love him because it remind me of the human singing voice and stay always minimalistic to be such as a speaking or singing voice and sound nothing as the Brecker super human mastery of the instrument....It remind me of the complete different way Chet Baker sing or speak only most of the times with absolute minimalistic voicing versus Miles masterful exploratory playing ...
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@frogman That Desmond/Hall duo is really good. And that "dry martini" tone will always be recognizable in just a few notes. This Evans/Hall session gets repeated listening's in my desert island rotation. Great dialog here as well. Telepathy in motion.
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@alexatpos Watched all of the Zawinul clips. Very creative and engaging music. If I remember correctly you really don't care for this type of music anymore and much prefer the Milt Jackson recording subsequently posted. I wonder have you had the chance to hear this recording, and if so, how is the sound quality?
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When asked how he got that distinctive sound, Paul Desmond replied that he “tried to sound like a dry martini”. Amazing relaxed lyricism with none of the urgency of Brecker. Jim Hall !!! https://youtu.be/DS51jwmqpO4?si=pXv_bwonhgkVL-pB (3:21 always puts a smile on my face. Check out the dialogue between Desmond and Hall at 6:02 to the end): |
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In the meantime...album that i got just recently...'This release contains the complete recordings made by a unique quintet led by Milt Jackson and Ray Brown, on vibes and bass respectively, and featuring Monty Alexander on piano, Teddy Edwards on tenor sax, and Dick Berk on drums. The session was taped live at the celebrated club Shelly’s Manne- Hole in August of 1969 'Thats the way it is' |
I had an opportunity to see M.Brecker quartet live in 1998, on jazz festival in my hometown. Funny thing is that he started to play in 2 am (yes, 2 hours after midnight) in local theater house. I am quite certain that it was filmed by national tv house, but other than seeing it on tv news after the show, never saw the material on ytube or elsewhere. However, next year, among others, Zawinul and Weather Report played there too and some of that footage is on ytube. Here it is, if anyone is interested... https://youtu.be/DUPBq4tyxfM?feature=shared https://youtu.be/vNOnWbSj4_E?feature=shared https://youtu.be/JQvvWQEX0IM?feature=shared Jean Paul Bourelly from the same occason and on the same stage,,,the footage is quite raw... https://youtu.be/SLo6GjVxaQk?feature=shared
Also, saw McCoy Tyner, Abbey Lincoln, Randy Weston, Ray Charles among others, all in my hometown (remeber pinching myself few times just to be sure that I am not dreaming) Believe that all those concerts were filmed by national tv and those tapes are probably somewhere in some basement... |
I am happy if i repaid you for your enlightened recommendations that impacted me a lot , among others Pat Martino and Micharl Brecker... Sometimes it takes an explanation to understand why we must listen a musician in particular... You are able to do so because of your musician experience to explain why we must hear someone twice more than once ... It help us all... Thanks ...
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Fabulous! Can’t thank you enough, mahgister, as I was not aware of this recording. My favorite drummer (well, maybe Tony Williams…maybe not). Darnett Garrett!!!! No point in commenting on Brecker, Gene Perla on bass caused me to think of the recordings of the great Elvin Jones, Gene Perla, piano-less band with a front line of two tenor players. Two great post-Coltrane tenor players, Dave Liebman and Steve Grossman. Not always “easy” stuff to listen to, but very earthy, raw and soulful. https://youtu.be/zz4DTvGgpT0?si=4zgrv5WWOc3_sduT
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Amazing good jazz : "The truth" with Elvin Jones and Michael Brecker and Eubanks on trombone ,Darren Barrett trumpet and another sax with Brecker...
A sax god exactly as frogman said... It is not a Brecker album mostly even if he plays a part but the album is more than just interesting... So.... I am doubly amazed by Brecker and this Jones album... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxC7EhPnsuo&list=PLaw8u3Tc5UT6oi_-M6FiuHvmIAEz-u_th
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Dont be envious! I exagerated the numbers as i wish them to be ... 😉 And anyway listen to frogman advices, he is a musician and he knows what he talk about ... Me i just begun to understand jazz a bit... i am retired and i had anything else to do...😁
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"Spectrum" album seems very good to me...Thanks ... More easy listening than the magic Brecker...I love Brecker .... I will like Mintzer it seems ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhKcML1Lpsc&list=OLAK5uy_mZB0UKS1f3KHax1t6v_9DurQPc9l8TJ90 i cannot listen Brecker albums when reading on the net , but i can listen relaxing big band this way... i listen music 6 hours each day.... 😁 i listen half of the time more attentively known favorites, the other half is devoted to new one in a more relaxed ways... 2,160 hours in one year.. 1080 hours for new albums... it takes roughly 1000 new albums a year for my novelties appetite and explorations... Guess why i am not interesting by most useless gear upgrades ? Guess why i came in this thread ? 😊 |
Bob Mintzer is a remarkably talented musician. Great tenor player and equally great composer/orchestrator. His playing style is similar to Brecker’s, but more measured and restrained with less fire than Brecker. Very logical, the way that his writing is. He was a fixture in the NY scene around the same time as Brecker where he led and recorded his big band for many years. He moved to LA around the time that international demand as arranger took off. He writes and conducts regularly for the great WDR big band in Cologne, Germany as well as leading his LA big band.
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Exploring the Grolnick playings with Brecker i discovered Bob Mintzer another sax master playing with Brecker at least in one album ...Mintzer cannot rival brecker for sure, i did not heard someone who can , but he recorded many big band album... What frogman think about him and his duet with Brecker ? Too much good music to discover the same week for me.... it is way better to buy 10,000 bucks of music than a new dac.... especially if the one you own is already good as in my case... My two cents for a lost audiophile in the jazz thread.. ... 😊 |
@frogman and all, Does anyone know what happened to the Documentary? I for one would be interested in seeing it. |
To Ravi Coltrane, the son of jazz legend John Coltrane, Brecker's ability to improvise effectively in a variety of styles had a lot to do with timing. "Michael came out during a time when there were all these strands of music happening," Coltrane says. "Funk, rock and soul music — he found a way to make his sound work within all those genres." Coltrane knew Brecker as a friend, as well as a major influence. "I began studying the saxophone in the '80s, and there were a few modern-day saxophone players that most people focused on," Coltrane says. "For those followers of Michael, it demanded another caliber of focus and study." |
Remember the non profit RIF (reading is fundamental) Organization. I remember the commercials on USA TV 50 years ago when I was 10. The organizations mission was that all children should be able to read. 50 years later Home | RIF.org Watching documentaries and music videos is ok but if you really want to learn about a particular person, place or thing reading is the best way. Read reviews first to make sure the author has done proper research using primary sources. Schools still teach our children to read and write but at home this is not encouraged by the majority of households. By 10 years old most kids have a PC, smart phone and a TV in their bedrooms. I know a lot of adults that simply refuse to read. I will continue with my book recommendations from time to time in the hope that maybe one of you will read at least one book about your favorite jazz artists. Rant over. Re; Michael Brecker Just listened to his Pilgrimage album. It truly is a masterpiece. I just ordered this and I cant wait to "dive in" |
Thanks for the link frogman
I will add this as complement.. Michael Brecker: A Quiet Genius of Immense Importancehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUFdzxcZhwg and also this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6UsTFQMCPA
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For anyone interested in learning about Michael Brecker the man and what he went through at the end of his life: https://lovehopestrength.org/susan-brecker-continues-jazz-musician-husbands-legacy-of-help/ |
This Michael Brecker album will make your candle supper at the dessert moment with a digestive liquor an amazing hour... It is not the most original Brecker album probably, just classic jazz, but this musician finger/brain gestures flow as calming water on stressed feet...Brecker play more effortlessly than any other sax player i ever listened to, this is why HE NEVER DID TOO MUCH FOR MAKING AN IMPRESSION as many others do but he manage to stay creative and surprizing in his phrases without overdoing anything ... Charlie Haden play with Brecker : american dreams... Trumpet is no more my favorite Jazz instrument with piano... Sax enter my heart not only my brain or body now... Brecker is without rival exactly as frogman said it was... It is unbelievable if we dont listen to him because there is very great sax players for me already... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1k1dKriNws&list=PLvxWibFr0wiIAsj0hIMVXe51d_PqcmOZ6
I am torn between American dreams and "cityscapes" With Ogerman...😊 Absolute mastery of Brecker here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2m7_06jbXo&list=PL0hWpfLjtwxRrrhkMSbsZUEyrXwDz9HRd We must buy the two albums...listen on youtube before doing so, especially cityscape which is not jazz style i will buy usually but Brecker sound divine here... |
Pat Martino and Michael Brecker had something in common in their own personal world.. I dont know how to say it or describe it... They play going on with their own effortless FLUID "pulse" leading in their wake the others musicians but without letting them aside or down... A feat some other geniuses playing more lonely lost in their world did not do so well ... Thats my impression...I discovered these 2 musicians i did not know with frogman recommendation... They are insanely good technically and musical...
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All great artists. A young Wynton, Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson stand out. Did you ever catch Steps Ahead? Btw I really like Branford Marsalis' Tenor playing. Not quite a virtuoso as Brecker but he was great at the post bop straight ahead jazz idiom. Have you heard his take on A Love Supreme? This is a favorite blu ray video of mine. A Love Supreme, Pt. 1: Acknowledgement - YouTube
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Thanks for the reply @frogman While I’m not a fan of YouTube’s sound quality and commercials, it’s absolutely amazing how much is out there! |
Plus 1 @mahgister Get a copy of the book "Clawing at the Limits of Cool". It details the synergy between the contrasting phrasing and improvisations of Miles and Coltrane and how they both inspired each other. Also details "the rhythm section" as they were named on an album by Art Pepper. Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section which is considered a "core album" for jazz aficionados. Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section - Wikipedia Miles thought that: Joe Chambers was as good on the bass as Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford... Philly Joe Jones was a junkie drummer but I liked the way he played... Red Garland use of block chords was perfect for what I wanted... Art Pepper (Usa, 1957) - Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section - YouTube 1 If I Were A Bell by Miles Davis from ’Relaxin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet’ - YouTube Miles Davis Cookin (Full Album) - YouTube Steamin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet - MIles Davis Quintet - (Full 1989 Reissue) - YouTube Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet - Miles Davis Quintet - (Full Album) - YouTube
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