John Coltrane
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 A recommendation of a later Don Friedman recording- Waltz For Debby( hybrid sacd) .Contains 4 Friedman originals and 6 standards. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozKBrs_s6E This track is on the cd but this video is a different version http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xRFrzx6FdHw |
frogman I have always liked Dexter Gordon's music and feel his style is very distinctive. The way he plays slightly behind the beat with a deep tone sets him apart from other tenor players. I can usually identify him after hearing 8-16 measures of a song. I have a question which is two-part: what musicians influenced him coming up as a young player ( I am assuming C Parker is one) and which players has he influenced who came up after him. I read somewhere that Sonny Rollins was influenced by him but in a Rollins interview I have he cited Coleman Hawkins as a big influence. But I was listening to "Moritat" ( Mack The Knife) from Saxophone Colossus and thought I heard Dexter's influence. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EcOnhR5zkXs |
Not many live footage of Grant Green is there to be seen, so hope you all will like this one....trio, from 1969, apperently never broadcasted on tv ...' This footage was recorded for French TV but was never broadcast. It is uncut and unedited ..Filmed in France - looks like The Olympia in Paris to me - with Larry Ridley on bass and Don Lamond on drums.'.... https://youtu.be/OdFYaK_nUCs |
nsp, I agree about Dexter’s distinctive style; he has always been a favorite. He has always been known for having a very relaxed and “on the backside of the beat” style. What I referred to previously was what happened toward the end of his career when the effects of all the years of drug use seemed to take over. The same way that any person’s unique idiosyncharsies (not just musical) are often magnified by drug and acohol abuse, Dexter’s musical idiosynchrasies were magnified to the extent that he would seem to be playing to an entirely different beat than the rhythm section; far from “slightly”. Still, one of the greats. In answer to your question, Dexter’s main influences were Lester Young, Gene Ammons and Marshall Royal who was lead alto in the saxophone section of Lionel Hampton’s band that Dexter spent a lot of time with. As an influence himself, Dexter’s most notable was John Coltrane. A lot of similarities in their big wide open tone with edge which was a big departure from the softer edged tone of the swing tenor players. |
Nice article, acman3. Thanks. And great clip! Dexter was also known for being a prolific “quoter” of other tunes in his solos sometimes for humorous effect. I counted at least four in his solo in that clip including his often quoted “Mona Lisa” and “Here Comes The Bride”. I hear the Lockjaw connection. Great clip, Alex. |
frogman Thanks! i would have never thought of Ammons and I don't know M Royal. "Relaxed" is a very good term to describe Dexter. And may I add a seemingly endless fountain of original ideas. Dexter is not my go-to tenor player for that era ( that would be Rollins, Henderson, Getz , Coltrane ) but every so often I pull out a Blue Note or Steeplechase by him , and sit back and enjoy the ride. It is too bad about his drug use I will have more to say on that subject later. Nice cut acman3 posted and you are right there were 4 quotesby Dexter. I had to listen twice because the 1st quote happended at the beginning of his solo at about :57 sec.. |
alexatpos great find of that 1969 clip of Grant Green. He was really the top player in the 60's IMO. Speaking of guitarists does anyone like John Scofield? For many years I disregarded him for having too much of a "rock" sound unlike my favorite jazz guitar players-- Green, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass. But in the last year or so I have come back around to listening to his albums and have a new appreciation for his work. Nobody I can think of gets the sound out of an electric guitar like he does. It reminds me of the early work of my favorite guitar player, Larry Coryell. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nFvz_JHOors from album Quiet with orchestrations by Scofield http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3yHOFgKc94s http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B3MdTjUlcsQ |
This doesn’t happen too often. Check out the included clip: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/08/lost-1963-john-coltrane-album-discovered |
frogman Could be a good find but I have most of the impulse albums from that period except Duke Ellington meets John Coltrane which I would buy before this." Nature Boy" with no solos? The cut included sounds like a lot of his output from that period. This might be a session which he or impulse didn't want to release at the time. |
quiet and mellow for a sunday: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3yHOFgKc94s Rollins http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v7PU7e6ZJe4 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eXFaJpb-reg |
Thought I'd drop in while i'm listening to a recent acquisition. An amazingly well preserved 1957 press - The Incomparable Earl "fatha"Hines. In the 3 for $10 bin. It's a "greatest hits" compilation with cuts that likely were on 78's originally. Tough finding tunes from the album https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=Awr46ufCdB1b.HoALd.5mWRH;_ylu=X3oDMTByZWc0dGJtBHNlYwN... That cool table isn't mine...it's the only cut I could find on the album! My copy however is quieter. Playing with a new cart on the table. Straight ahead, swingin music from a different time. Instrumental stuff is timeless. |
Everyone is in that Kind of Blue mode, not John Coltrane. WoW! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0TZGvFv0Ew Super exited to hear the "new " Coltrane! |
acman, not to sound contrarian but for any artist as popular as Coltrane I wonder why a recording would be held back and not issued? Could it have been that Coltrane himself was not satisfied with it? Or someone at Impulse was disappointed? Contract issues? From what I read it was not lost, 'Trane himself had a copy of the tape. It seems he had enough clout to push for a release if he wanted to. And yet we hunger for more from favorite musicians after they are gone. So there can be a ready market for "anything" that has a delayed release. Maybe we'll be lucky and it is an unheard masterpiece. I admit I do enjoy the Monk/Coltrane concert recording discovered a couple of years ago, so not all "newly discovered" tapes are second rate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgq_QZ74VI0 Listening will tell all. ;^) |
I too am very excited about hearing this new record. I understand why there may be some skepticism about the importance of this recording. However, I have a different take; hence my excitement. Much of my thinking is based on conjecture, but....... I cannot believe that ANY recording by Trane with THAT quartet can possibly be second rate. The one clip that I have heard is anything but second rate. Every reference that I have read mentions that the master tape was “lost”, and all the commentary by musicians who have heard it in its entirely are positive. I believe that it is entirely possible that the master tape was lost for the following reasons that a little sleuthing (I love this stuff) suggest might be possible: - From 1962 to 1964 Trane recorded 14 (!) records; all but two as a leader. A lot of records. - From 1962 to 1964 “Impulse” Records released 133 (!!!!) recordings. - Yes, Trane had a copy of the master tape. However, it was not in his possession; he had given it to his wife. Importantly, and I think this may be the key, the record was made in 1963...the same year that he and his wife separated. He moved out and moved in with Alice before he and Naima were divorced. Anyone who has been in a similar situation knows how chaotic it can be. To me, it’s completely plausible that a record label (and artist) could “lose” a recording. Looking forward to hearing it; the proof is in the listening. |
frog, thanks for your expansion on the potential quality/importance of this recording and possible reasons for it being "lost". Under those circumstances I might guess he gave the tape(s) to Naima before they separated. With the typical chaos that involves I can’t imagine him doing that afterwards. Still, most jazz musicians, even Miles, were not making big $ in the early ’60s. So it would seem reasonable that Trane would have wanted everything released which he approved. Plus the sidemen from that recording would have no doubt ask about a release since it meant some money to them too. So even in the confusion of his personal/marital life at the time it is difficult for me to believe Coltrane simply forgot about it. And more importantly, what bearing did his personal life have on Impulse and their normal production for new release and distribution? But all that is conjecture now and has little bearing about today’s worth and appreciation for this new release. As I said before, the listening will now tell all. |
A lot of recordings came out much later than recorded due to over saturation. Blue Note released a lot of Albums much later than recorded. I remember when I would purchase every Wynton Marsalis recording as they came out. From 1989 - 1992 Wynton put out 15 recordings. Bought a few during, but much less after that. |
First, Happy Father’s Day to any jazz loving Dads out there! pryso, sometimes we forget that great artists are people too just like all of us and are subject to forgetfulness and other similar issues just as we all are. I would be willing to bet that this “lost” Trane recording is not the only one out there that has been forgotten about. Musicians would often (and still do) go into the studio and lay down tracks that would eventually find their way onto record releases without prior concrete plans to do so; or would go into the studio to rehearse and the engineer would simply roll the tape. No big money to be sure, but those guys were very busy; not just recording, but with tours and other live performances. The truth is that most (not all) jazz artists were notorious for being disorganized with their business dealings. Re my comments re the record label: Impulse was a relatively small record label with very limited resources. The more records they released, the more that their limited resources were taxed and the more likely that a tape might be lost. Much more unlikely that, as with a label like Columbia, would they have an archivist on staff. So.... You may find this of interest: http://www.billholland.net/words/Labels%20Strive%20to%20Rectify%20Past%20Archival%20Problems.pdf |
jafant You recently mentioned Chick Corea's birthday!! http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pb5NEC_2Svk http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nr-QwptUcA |
Big band VAO doing Duke Ellington: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ9INVXojgQ http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sUndlGF6Bpg |
Thanks acman. I have a couple Galper LPs but have not played either one for some time. I don't hear him on my favored jazz FM station and also don't recall any references here since I've been following you aficionados. Out of sight out of mind I guess. Also I don't recall ever hearing Cannonball perform "Hey fool" but it seems easily identified as one of his numbers. Here they are together - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUJCj6UNPwg |
I will give some gems that most would not consider the obvious choices: Harold Vick - Steppin' Out. I'm a big fan of Grant Green's and his playing on this is superb, as is the rest of the supporting rhythm section. Al Cohn & Zoot Sims - Body & Soul. Not sure they made a better record together. Jimmy Raney - Live in Tokyo. Widely acknowledged as some of his best improvisations. Killer rhythm section. Albert Ayler - Vibrations. Can't lose with Albert and Don in the front line. Sonny Clark Trio - Time Sessions reissue on vinyl. Sumptuous trio with George Duvivier and Max Roach. Rahsaan Roland Kirk - The inflated Tear. Deeply moving with some of his most enduring compositions. Album feels conceptual, which must be somewhat attributed to Joel Dorn, whom I worked with and who must be shouted on this one. |
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Thanks Igoler! Will have to check your choices out. I believe Frogman played this earlier but still awesome ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIqLJmlQQNM |
Igoler, I realized I had that Sonny Clark. The SACD has Duvivier way back in the mix. He is still a little far back in the Tidal recording. Is the bass better on vinyl? Always loved Sonny Clark on that recording though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fSZm5z4v20 |
Thanks, acman3 for that clip again. The genius of Roland Kirk. Great list igoler. You mention Harold Vick. That’s a player that often goes under the radar. Really good and very soulful player. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AYs2dBEbgNE https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_JQlKNwqJJA&index=6&list=PLuNKqVjSQHn25uxDFNU5W9J9tZzYzKXUu&am... |
Hello all. Long time (very busy). I have missed many pages but read this one. Love Dexter Gordon. My favorite tune of his is the song "Tanya" from the LP "One Flight Up." I have a dozen Albums of RR.Kirk. Rahsaan was an underappreciated genius with the circular breathing and very intellectual as well. Another favorite of mine is Woody Shaw. I have all of his recordings (that I was able to obtain). I have a question for all. If there was only one or two Jack Teagarden discs you could get which would they be? |