I am ashamed to say that i had no Michael Brecker albums...
But if the person who recommended me Pat Martino recommend him with all the members i like also i will certainly go looking for him...
😊
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
Thanks for "checking in". I always appreciate your contributions. I know how much you like Michael Brecker, and I believe you once posted here on JFA that he is your favorite tenor post Coltrane/Rollins/Henderson. I have been listening to Brecker so much lately and I am beginning to understand why you hold him in such high regard. |
Gadd and Erskine are both great drummers. Different styles as you say, pjw. Personally, I find Erskine’s playing more to my liking with Steps. Just enough feel-good looseness and not so relentlessly metronomic as Gadd. Good example: https://youtu.be/dLE_IBg9abk?si=x9QnCxAiBFxDF7E Don Gronick: |
Thanks for the Grolnick recommendations. I had already contemplated creating a Don Grolnick playlist on Spotify and after listening to your suggestions and "Smokin' in the Pit" by Steps Ahead (I believe Grolnick's only date with Steps) I have done so. Spotify did not have "Weaver of Dreams" but the complete album is on You Tube. Grolnick was definitely a gifted musician and yet another struck down by cancer at a young age. I have been listening to Steps Ahead and vibrophonist Mike Mainieri along with Michael Brecker exclusively but Grolnick will join that list as well. Its interesting comparing the first 2 drummers in "Steps Ahead", Steve Gadd and Peter Erskine. Both are consensus picks on any list of "best drummers" but their styles/influences are different. Both ventured into other genres but were rooted the jazz tradition of drums (masterful use of the ride symbol in keeping time). Listening to "The Complete London Concert" Grolnick album now |
Another pairing of Grolnick and both Breckers -- Don Grolnick's "Weaver of Dreams" re-released as a 2 cd set with Grolnick's "Night Town" -- both excellent, showcasing Grolnick's distinctive writing executed by two killer bands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDSgV3F8WyI
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@acman3 Been listening extensively to this playlist for over a week now. Michael Brecker’s brilliance on the tenor is on another level. Steps Ahead - playlist by Paul Irishman | Spotify Vibraphonist Mike Mainieri’s rhythm laying down extended grooves is something that I have never heard on this level before from Hutcherson, Jackson, Lionel Hampton or Gary Burton. (to be fair they played in a different context). Mainieri broke in with Buddy Rich in the late 50s and I plan on listening to his earlier sessions. Here is a couple With Rich Mainieri’s debut album. At age 25, after making his bones with Rich, he already had his own unique style on the vibes. Bassist Eddie Gomez is also outstanding on the acoustic bass. On this Gomez album, Gomez’ Steps Ahead partners, drummer Steve Gadd and Michael Brecker back him, resulting in some excellent music. Eddie Gomez,Michael Brecker,Steve Gadd,Masahiko Satoh play Puccini’s Walk from Mezgo 1985 - YouTube Btw, fwiw Steps Ahead has only made one album without Brecker. They are joined by the WDR Big Band on this 2016 album titled "Steppin' Out"
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I am like you... Zorn is not all for my taste but it is a creative mind... I did exactly what you plan to do and the few albums i love a lot pay me well for my search... When i will be done with Jamie Saft exploration i must go with the Breckers brothers... 😊
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I can relate; there are many Jazz vocalists but like you, there are only a few that really move me. |
I found all but 2 of the total of 32 "Book of Angels" sessions on Spotify. I found all of the Masada live sessions as well. I dont love all things Zorn. Far from it. But I plan on listening to all of it and selecting individual songs to keep. |
Are you referring to the Brecker Brothers Band or Steps Ahead? Breckers "debut" album was released more then a decade after his studio and live collaborations with "Steps" , his brother Randy and others. It was a great "debut" with backing musicians Pat Metheny, Kenny Kirkland, Charlie Haden, and Jack DeJohnette. |
I will stop here for Jamie Saft i already said enough... He is no less creative than Zorn... My 5 th albums is stellar also, a tribute to Bob Dylan ( a folk singer i like ) ...And Saft must pick the best audio engineer there is for each album because the sound quality is over average way much...... ( i prefer jazz albums with no singers by the way and i made exceptions only for Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald voices or Chet Baker or Billie Holiday...In this album of Saft "Trouble" there few songs part where the singers are very good but even very good i prefer music and no voice in my jazz, i dont know why because i like classical singer or Indian and Persian and sufi singers etc then for this only reason this 5th album is not my best but the singers are top notch , it is not a critic of the singers at all only a reflection about my own lack or limitations or obsession i dont know ) By the way Saft is a pianist but often take the Hammond organ to new creative level... In my next life i dont come here if i am not born musician ( a gifted one ) 😁 When i was young i was envious of gifted mathematicians, now i am envious of musicians... 😊 I am less egotistical... And anyway i begin to understand that music encompass mathematic not the reverse which idea surprize me a lot because i tought the reverse all my life...
«Music is mathematic with a moving body and a free will »Anonymus poet |
I had not slept well and i listen music soon this morning .. 😁 Incredibly i just begun my fifth album of the genius Jamie Saft... I did not even bother to finish my listening to say that he score a fifth home run on all factors , sound recording is top notch another time , including a sax genius i did not know with him ...
Hidden Corners album ... Sorry i dont have any youtube for it... https://www.amazon.ca/Hidden-Corners-Jamie-Saft-Quartet/dp/B07S8GFFNF Finishing the album right now with one track to come i can confirm my opinion... 😊
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Another score for Jamie Saft with i dont know whom sound engineer name but all his albums are well recorded... Saft creativity after my 4th albums is astonishing... How to sound like nobody else in trio with piano or hammond ?
Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow, Bobby Previte - 8. Blue Shuffle (The New Standard, 2014https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZwxVQI5F6Y The name of the mixer genius or sound engineer is here i think : Here the translation of an anonymus german customer opinion on Amazon with whom i concur : «
The rare event for me 😁 is that among these 4 different albums i have no idea which one is the best and which one i prefer at all... Amazing musician Jamie Saft... |
Speaking of the Brecker brothers... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc2x_WEUUKo&list=PL3TNkr0VCexwBIVEzh6T6Aj6_7GM5gcXs
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Here a more classical style post bebop album of Jamie Saft quartet ... A great musician ...Some of his albums are not free jazz...😊 Then i like this one as much as the Book of angels vol.1 Astaroth with his trio.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yR8HOh9qVY
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Any recommendation is an invitation not an obligation... We are all different... I discovered great jazz here and it is why i also sometimes post my suggestion... If one suggestion hit the target and make only one people happy as i was with few discoveries others here recommended i will be happy... Each time i recommend an album i try also to explain why in few words... 😊 |
Now here is some really good music that you can definitely describe as jazz. The band is called "Steps Ahead". From Wiki The group arose out of spontaneous sessions at Seventh Avenue South, a jazz club in New York City owned by saxophonist Michael Brecker and trumpeter brother Randy Brecker.[2] The first three albums were released under the name Steps, later changed to Steps Ahead, on Nippon Columbia in Japan, starting with the debut live album Smokin' in the Pit (1980), followed by Step By Step (1981) and Paradox (1982). I listened to the live album "Smokin' in the Pit" in its entirety last night and it is what I would call "a keeper". Check out the personnel! Michael Brecker (arguably the best tenor player alive 1975 - 2007), and Steve Gadd, often placed on the list of "best drummers" on drums, Michael Mainiary on vibes, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Don Grolnick on piano. The last 3 musicians are all excellent as well. All of them are superlative as soloists and there is great cohesiveness and "feel" among the band when playing as a whole. I will be listening to them a lot more! |
@mahgister Great post, thank you! I hadn't heard of Klezmer music before this very moment. More to learn. Also, your last 4 sentences hit home.
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This John Zorn CD I bought years ago and had mixed feelings about it and a few other Zorn CDs I purchased. It goes without saying that if you are having mixed feelings (or second thoughts) about an artist, you will stop spending your hard earned money on him/her. Voodoo • Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet (spotify.com) Fast forward to when I happily started using Spotify and could listen to an album before buying it and I can now explore Zorn freely and pick and choose songs I like. I just put together this John Zorn Book Of Angels playlist I titled John Zorn 1 BOA (book of angels). It comprises the first 8 BOA sessions in chapter "1". When time permits I plan to make 3 more chapters covering all of the BOA sessions to give a listen. John Zorn 1 BOA - playlist by Paul Irishman | Spotify I listened to BOA Vol. 1 in its entirety and it is by no means "chaotic noise" Some of the songs were quite enjoyable. However if you like to use genres for music/artists I would not call Book of Angels Volume 1 "Astaroth" jazz. I do not know what genre I would call it. Maybe abstract music? world music?
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John Zorn is a genius for sure... his series of 32 albums "the books of angels" is completely astounding Klezmer- fusion jazz in a creative way... Forget it if you dont enjoy non classical jazz... Anyway it is costly to buy 32 albums... myself i dont like them all for sure but they are many treasures... Description of the 32 albums here : https://johnzornresource.com/book-of-angels
I will put Zorn spiritual jazz with Sun Ra cosmic jazz and some other completely original creators as the spiritual jazz series albums especially with Japanese musicians..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNv2RxjsbWA&t=441s Jazz/ Klezmer/ fusion at his peak... an example : Bar Kokhba Sextet - Lucifer (Book of Angels Vol 10)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNFh2FsJp8o now this other album as you can see is completely different : John Zorn - Marc Ribot – Asmodeus (Book Of Angels Volume 7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAZv11A-DpI
This first album though is one of my best one :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53YGLrK1JzA&list=PLec18SnEW_3wv53gH3Af3vo26CxFaIN2s
By the way i dont like klezmer nor fusion in general or in particular but as i already said we must make many exceptions in life and about our tastes criteria when we encounter musical geniuses... I dont listen music styles or genres now so much but more the musicians as interpreters or creators ... Then no style or genre is out of my collection anymore... What is music ? It is what musicians do first and last .... Nothing else...Nevermind the language they use , it is about what they do with it... Music is a gesture of all the body with or without instruments ...The basis is time, timing and rythm...
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Came upon a new release from John Zorn, entitled "Homenaje a Remedios Varo" (Como se dice en ingles = "Tribute to Remedios Varo"). Here's a track: https://youtu.be/mmdYRnKlxgE?si=hmTrtOLdoFzQUm1v The guitarist is Julian Lage. The whole album is on Spotify. I had never encountered John Zorn before; he seems to be a renaissance man.
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From Brozman to Tingvall -- quite a contrast! This is pleasant enough but there’s something a bit too smooth about it, for my taste. I know -- first I complain about too much dissonance; now, it’s too much consonance. What can I say? I'm finding it increasingly challenging to find music I really like, at this point.
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We are in the same boat... My small active speakers cost me 100 bucks 12 years ago... My Nos battery dac was bidded 20 bucks on Ebay... Nobody could believe that my sound is audiophile...😊 my headphone were vintage one paid 100 bucks ...my most costly component is a Sansui alpha paid 300 bucks 7 years ago and created 35 years ago...His 100 watts serve well my headphone .. 😁😉 😊 We love too much buying music ...
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I spent Four hours working on my computer today. The computer is plugged into a 25 year old receiver that is using a pair of small bookshelve speakers that are at least 30 years old. As a near field system, it sounds great! If your system makes you happy and my system makes me happy, that’s all that matters! |
I just recently bought a copy of the new release, "Lightning Dreams" by Rob Mazurek - Exploding Star Orchestra. Very creative stuff. Borders on avant-garde at times (some may consider it fully avant-garde). A 9 piece ensemble, with Mazurek on trumpet. Craig Taborn, one of the best current keyboardists, is a standout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea8iorT2TDY
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