frogman
Thanks for the recommendations I will search them out. Will probably start with later recordings although Iwould agree his earlier work before his physical demise may indeed be better. At least now I have a starting point to examine the work of a major swing era player who influenced many. One of my books lists no fewer than 23 players he influenced including: Parker, Zoot Sims, Konitz,Warne Marsh, Getz,Kamuca,etc.
Thanks for the link/cuts on Mal Waldron. I am in process of watching the doc. Iam a huge fan with large disc collection of his . Will have more to say this week.
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frogman I'm definitely ordering that book.
mary_jo I listen to jazz all by my lonesome. Other then the ballads, my wife thinks of it as "noise"
nsp, Any book recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
alex, I received your email and replied as well.
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Thanks all who posted Lester Young recommendations/links. For those who dig multi channel SACD's there is a new quad mix of Bitches Brew. I believe it is the first ever multi channel mix of that fantastic album. It is a Japanese pressing released on 8 August 2018. Mine is on the way. I suggest, if you like multi channel formats, you order it ASAP before they run out of stock and the ridiculous price gouging starts. I am going to listen to it this Friday night in its entirety and give an honest review here for those on the fence about buying it. You can purchase it direct from CD Japan here: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICJ-10008 |
If Charles Mingus had been working in the 19th Century, he would have composed symphonies comparable to Beethoven. Complex multi-tiered compositions that remain approachable and engaging. Pure genius.
Despite being over played and much covered, the iconic "Kind of Blue" remains one of the best 20th century Jazz sessions ever recorded, tape hiss and all. |
pjw3 book recommendations :Jazz Styles History and Analysis by Mark C. Gridley . Exvellent now in 11th edition . An accompanying cd set can be purchased. Has a music an alysis section in rear of book geared to musicians but simple enough for non-musicians.Jazz: A Listeners Guide by James McCalla. Excellent book go es b ack to th e beginning with lots of music selections to s pecifically analyze.Listening to Jazz by Jerry CokerXlent book for the non- musician
All available on amazon
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PrysoIt's been a long tine since I've seen Round Midnight. I renember enjoying it a lot and I have a copy of the soundtrack ,also quite good. I think the main character i s a composite of several jazz figures.I remember reading the character was also based on Bud Powell.Another jazz movie I enjoyed recently is "Sweet Love Bitter" a little known 60's film, the main character based on Charlie Parker. The soundtrack is moody and was composed by Mal Waldron. A realistic portrait of th e"jazz life" .
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pjwI have a dedicated 2 channe l stereo system, no surround sound. Is there any enhancenent this quad version can provide in sound over standard stereo version on my system? considering how much instrumentation there is on this disc, a mult ilayered version seems interesting.
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Motown-lI can't compare Charles Mingus music to Beethoven as I am not a classical fan and don't have any experience listening to that genre. I do most certainly agree with Mingus desribed as an immense talent who wrote unique multi-layered compositions whose music did not fit the usual descriptions of jazz at that time ( bop,hard bop,cool, soul jazz,etc.). His music defied category yet ,as you say , was acessiblle and also commanded your attention to listen on a deeper level.Mingus also demanded the most from his musicians and pushed & prodded them to higher levels.
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frogman, a new one on me, yesterday in my car I heard both a saxophone and a clarinet quartet play the Grieg" Hall of the Mountain King" one after the other . Sounded very good !Sadly , station did not mention who they were .
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Schubert, I would be interested in learning who the Quartets were should you learn their identity, thanks. Saxophone quartet is fairly common as you know and a great sound; fantastic playing Bach transcriptions. Clarinet quartet much less well known, but a surprising amount of literature for it. Don’t know this group, but they sound pretty good. One of the most popular works written for clarinet quartet. Not the usual 2 sopranos, alto and bass, but three sopranos and bass instead: https://youtu.be/z2FiupE-xYU |
Yes Alex, that is a classic. |
Classic, indeed. Awesome record and one of the first three jazz records I ever bought. While in High School I had just been introduced to Jazz by a young teacher with Billy Cobham’s jazz/fusion “Spectrum”. I went to the local Sam Goody’s (I’m showing my age) and bought that record, Maynard Ferguson’s “McArthur Park” and Duke’s “Money Jungle”. Truth is it took me another couple of years to understand and appreciate “Money Jungle” which was serious jazz and neither Rock/Jazz Fusion nor “commercial” Big Band jazz. Some interesting reading about that record: https://www.allaboutjazz.com/deconstructing-money-jungle-duke-ellington-by-graham-e-peterson.php?wid... |
frogmanI have always enjoyed the playing of Booker Ervin, especially with Charles Mingus. I can understand you saying you didn't like his playing initially. He has a very strong tone which to me can border on being harsh to the ear. Somewhat similar to my perception of Jackie McLean on alto, whose tone is strong and I used to perceive as harsh. But both of these players tones make their music very distinctive and they are instantly recognizable.
The two albums you posted also show Ervin's great ability t o tell a story, especially on the songs "Cry Me Not, "A Day To Mourn"& " uranus", and also a sensitivity in his playing despite the strong tone.
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I found one recently I really like. “Flip Philips Revisited” The sonics on the copy I have are excellent. (1965 EVE Records STLP 1035).
-Bryan
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Duke and John together, this remindes me of Billy Strayhorn; Duke’s friend and right arm, left arm and all the eyes in the back of his head... I sincerely admire Billy for having the strength, back in the 1940s (!) to be openly gay. Man, even today that is hell of a thing, one can do. I can only imagine what he was going through. People should be able to love whoever they want. Besides, two men together is quite a pretty sight. I love this song very much. Billy as the composer, Duke, John (again) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J0ZpJMQjDo |
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pjwI am shocked!! Roy was too young. Wonder if it was sudden or did he gave a heart condition ? Wiki said it was cardiac arrest. Ever see him in c oncert?
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To resume the short series of jokes involving jazz musicians, I just thought of this one, one of my favorites.
It was from a comic strip panel of a Viking war ship. The leader announces to the rowers, "I have good news and bad news."
"The good news is we're going to the Bahamas." The rowers cheers.
"The bad news is Buddy Rich will be our drummer!"
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I am sorry to hear about Roy Hargrove. |
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I love jazz, have for years...unlike seemingly 90% of everybody else including nearly everybody I know except fellow musicians who at least claim to like "some of it." Oh well...example: I was at a guitar talk-concert thing at a famous Lexington MA guitar store, and asked a few attendees if they’d seen a recent concert at a nearby (in Lexington) concert venue the previous Tuesday...at some sort of Scottish Right Masonic Temple and Museum (!) I’d not known about until the concert. Nice concert hall by the way. In any case, none of the people I talked to at the guitar shop thing had even heard about the show (maybe if I’d asked more people)...a world class mind blowing dual piano show with Vijay Iyer and Dr. Lewis Porter. Cost 20 bucks...maybe one of the top 3 acoustic piano shows I’ve seen, or the best ever maybe...I think Vijay is possibly one of the greatest musicians who’s ever lived, period. (Porter is also real, real good) Maybe 75 people at the show? Man...there should have been 10 thousand...I’m still dazed from the show, or from cough medicine maybe, but hey...that’s the way it is. |
My hometown has roughly about 200 000 people and has 2 shopping malls, with cinemas and evrything that comes with it.
In the same time, the town cinemas has all closed but one one, not counting the small ’boutique’ cinema that plays ’serious’ movies.
So, the other day, went to the cinema in a town (I prefer not to go to the malls) and was the only person that bought the ticket for 9pm.projection.
Offered to come next day, so that staff does not need to wait for me, but the guy that rips the tickets said that he will gladly watch the movie too.
Funny, even the open sport courts are not filled with children, but with older guys plaing soccer or basketball while younger generations are too busy with their smartphones, I guess...
So, it might not be only the lack of interest for culture, jazz or sport, or education in general, it just might be the complete shift in social behaviour...for better or worst, I guess we cant judge... |
wolf_garcia & alex ...what’s the difference between a rock musician and a jazz musician? The rock musician plays 3 chords for 1000 people, the jazz musician plays 1000 chords for 3 people. And that’s the way it is. As for the complete change in social behaviour. It’s for worst, probably. Other people might disagree. One more song from Billy... Lush Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7bGtR_ETJE |
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I can't resist posting here today about two things (I have always been "lurking" here every so often catching up on the thread).
First, RIP Roy Hargrove. The trumpet world and the jazz world have lost another one way too early. Got to hear him live a few different times.
Second, there are some good book recommendations here lately. I wanted to add my standard recommendation to anyone who wants to appreciate the music they listen to more, no matter what style/genre it is. This is the composer Aaron Copland's famous book, What To Listen For In Music. The examples are mostly from the classical world, but it applies to any and all types of music. It would be a good starting place or at least supplement to the good books mentioned here specifically about jazz. |
mary_jo
Very funny joke but sadly all too true. I have witnessed this personally where jazz musicians play to maybe 10 people and 6 of them are eating dinner and talking to each other not paying attention to the excellent music being played. shameful.
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nsp, that's pure disrespect. Sad to watch.
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thank you acman, I like it very much ~
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