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.
Don't be sorry Inna, I was just testing your "jazz tolerance". Yusef Lateef and "Sister Mamie" has been one of my favorites for ages. According to me, if that's your opinion of that tune, which incorporates some of the Eastern rhythms you like, jazz is just not your thing, but I'm only one individual. Would any other Aficionados like to weigh in on this debate; how do you rate this tune; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE65pr0JoHA |
frogman, Here is the Duane Allman article about KOB Author, critic, and musician Robert Palmer, wrote these liner notes in one of the many re-issues of the Miles Davis classic Kind Of Blue: Blues fans probably know Palmer best as the author of the fine book, "Deep Blues." But he was a broader music critic and writer and a musician himself. He told a little story in his liner notes for a "Kind of Blue" reissue that I thought said a great deal about music, about blues and about great musicians. Here's what Palmer said Duane Allman told him about the album: Playing gigs at the Fillmore East during the sixties made it easier for you to get in and catch other bands, even if tickets were sold out. As a young saxophonist in a rock band, I played there several times and attended numerous concerts; the one group I never missed (unless I had to be on the road) was the Allman Brothers Band. More specifically, I went to see their guitarist, Duane Allman, the only "rock" guitarist I had heard up to that point who could solo on a one-chord vamp for as long as half an hour or more, and not only avoid boring you but keep you absolutely riveted. Duane was a rare melodist and a dedicated student of music who was never evasive about the sources of his inspiration. "You know," he told me one night after soaring for hours on wings of lyrical song, "that kind of playing comes from Miles and Coltrane, and particularly Kind Of Blue. I've listened to that album so many times that for the past couple of years, I haven't hardly listened to anything else." |
Maybe my first encounter with Jazz. I was away at college, my first night away from home, in the band dorm, and some hot shot trumpet players from Memphis, played this tune all night, or so it seemed, on their record player. We became great friends. I have loved / hated it every since. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKNZqM0d-xo Cheers |
Today's Listen: If you want The Blues done right, you want them dome by The Duke. Or Basie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV9AksDEh18 The Duke had the best sax players. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNzJIfcDRGk Ray Nance on Trumpet and Violin!!! wtf! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLrC-BZiFuA Cheers |
Have not heard this ones in ages. The cover art does not do the musical performances justice. If she was an actress, we would marvel at her range. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVq3wHtqio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DdnCC4xmig Cheers |
Since this is a musical contest, and not a beauty contest, Dee Dee wins. I have never heard those two songs sung with more emotion. I know she looks foxier on this album, but I have my eyes closed when I listen; consequently, she always looks foxy to me, because I see with my ears. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEFHBKLsbxc |
pjw, The Allmans were my favorite rock band all through HS and beyond. Their love of Jazz was one of the most intriguing things in Allman lore and their sound reflected it. Interesting that KOB was a favorite record, but not surprising since it was KOB that opened the door to modal improvisation for many Jazz players. The whole idea of modal improvisation was to free the player from the constraints of complicated chord changes and allow extended improvisation over a single chord; precisely what Plant describes about Duane’s playing. Great Jeff Beck clip. One of the most expressive players on any instrument. One of those players who could say so much with a single note. Check out his playing on this; a model of simplicity when some other player would be playing a million notes (just ignore Barack’s bad rhythm in his “grooving”. Who woulda thunk?): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fALdOkf_eCM |
Dee Dee sounds good on ”All Blues”; but a little too much affectation for me. In my book this is the one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iOwgPEQbgkQ |
If there’s one very important (and, yes, influential....extremely) player who hasn’t gotten enough attention here it has got to be Lester Young: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHj9uNZOgk&list=PL4ypuAMic-GhO9negHTY3ZNPjMXL6ZQaO&index=2&am... |
Great clips. Love Betty Carter! Very unusual singer. A favorite record with a favorite piano player who we sadly lost recently. Killer rhythm section: https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr6i6H4_tzQV5C3cBrcCHqArLJmQBlgy- |
Hah! Memories. Great tune. With Duane and a 21 (!) year old Greg Allman. Not at all bad for a bunch of young Southern boys: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=szdKx9O31A0 |
frogman, Its funny how they came up with a rock genre "southern rock" for bands like the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ect, But the first really great rock band from down south was, IMHO, the Allman Brothers. All of their records were firmly rooted in the blues especially their first album in which you shared that link. I had that album on vinyl, then cassette, and now CD. My favorite from that recording session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK_5cJpM06k Now I have pretty much everything they ever recorded on CD. The one I listen to the most is my SACD double disc Live At The Fillmore East. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSuoW8MTbZY |
Speaking of wealth of riches, more riches. We’ve heard Pres with Oscar Peterson and Pres with Nat Cole. Here he is with another great piano player who has gotten short shrift here, the great Teddy Wilson: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tDesCGeGLL4 Quiz time: The clip starts with four seconds of some other music. Who can identify it? |
The Quiz: I am clueless. Questions to The Frogman: Why didn't she come back in after the trumpet solo. Seems like something is missing. Part of the tune left off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnshBIuu97Q Cheers |
pjw... ///Duane was a rare melodist and a dedicated student of music who was never evasive about the sources of his inspiration. "You know," he told me one night after soaring for hours on wings of lyrical song, "that kind of playing comes from Miles and Coltrane, and particularly Kind Of Blue. I've listened to that album so many times that for the past couple of years, I haven't hardly listened to anything else." /// You see, he is also listening only Miles and Coltraine. Somebody say something now against people who listen Majls and Koltrajn only... : ) |
///mary-jo, in America, pronounced "Merica", the vast majority of people are total morons when it comes to politics, and they bandy about words like "Socialism", and "Communism" without a clue as to the actual definition of the words. We "Mericans" have been taught those are bad words, by the people in Washington, and we always believe what the people in Washington DC tell us. That's why they can rob us and loot the treasury; by the way, they punish snitches like me; maybe that's why the citizens choose to stay dumb./// Orpheus, have nothing to add. The same here. |
Ding, ding, ding!!! We have a winn....! Well, almost. mary_jo is correct; it is Miles. Excellent! However, the question was who can identify the music; not just the player? Aside from the sound of Miles’ trumpet, the music and the way it was recorded has a very distinctive vibe which was an immediate giveaway for me. Hint 1: That music was recorded somewhere geographically closer to mary_jo’s stomping grounds than to the USA. Hint 2: “5th floor, ladies’ lingerie!” 😊 |
Today, I've been groovin on "Jimmy Smith" organ, and it's easy for me to imagine being on the set, because in my town, so many house bands are based around the organ. This is one of his grooviest jams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YpKGKF7_XY |
**** Why didn’t she come back in after the trumpet solo. Seems like something is missing. Part of the tune left off. **** I get what you mean, but it’s simple; it’s the chosen arrangement. Dealer’s choice, so to speak. I suppose we’re used to having a vocalist sing to the end of the arrangement, but that is certainly not always the case. She sings the song (lyrics) in its entirety; there is no more to the lyrics than what she sings. For her to sing again after the trumpet solo would mean she would have to repeat some of what she already sang, or write new lyrics; not a good option in either case. In fact, they used the old Count Basie arrangement with the addition of an extended trumpet solo toward the end. THAT is probably why you had the reaction that something was missing. The trumpet solos for several choruses followed by the band’s final ensemble statement to finish the tune which makes it all seem like an eternity since the vocalist last sang. This is Basie’s original recording of the same arrangement, but without the long trumpet solo at the end; we don’t miss the vocalist nearly as much: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WEua4jhCBRo Hope that was enough “agenda” for you 😊 |
acman, that "Basie's Blues" was a great example that he could play fast, yet still seem so relaxed while doing it. That tribute to Buddy Guy amazed me. Hope this is not narrow thinking but I associate the blues with a smaller setting where the performer is basically "confiding" their troubles with the audience. A smoky room with small tables and an actual bar seems right. And yet Heart and Beck pulled it off in that big auditorium! All you had to do was watch Guy's face to confirm that. In general, lots of great posts lately, keep it up guys and gals. |
We have a (co)winner! pryso, that’s it! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4tT-55ZzI I think Beth Hart is great. Soulful, and very sexy! Glad you enjoyed that. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bOQ07fVVDJQ |
More from Kennedy Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEQO4_6O38M Check that conductor. Is anyone responding to him? Love the dress. Cheers |
Fabulous. Probably my favorite diva. Check out her Schubert lieder. How’s this for sounding and looking gorgeous? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_IzI0vn8egw |
Today's Listen: Oliver Nelson -- SCREAMIN' THE BLUES When Eric Dolphy came in, I just started laughing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apo2Md6NRw0 Altos at twenty paces? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vts6PSsMibY Cheers |