It just occurred to me that I myself may be the punk, by calling out Wynton when he is not here to defend himself... 😊 I like and respect Jack Sheldon!! After surviving a stroke, he continued playing left handed. Great musicians pull out nice tasteful imaginative runs... what miss they have developed!! George Benson blowing up chromatic runs whenever he feels like it.... I love you all!!
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.
31,733 responses Add your response
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Jack Sheldon!!! Now, there’s a trumpet player who has remained under the radar here. Actually, I think I posted one clip he played on early in the history of this thread. Swinging West Coast player who many of my generation heard in the house band for the Merv Griffin TV show of yesteryear; could sing also. Glad to see a retraction of Wynton as “punk” (Btw, good to see you here Isochronism). While I have never been a big fan of Wynton as a particularly interesting jazz player I don’t think that his importance as a figure in the overall scheme of the Jazz scene can be overstated. He (and Brandford) came along when, correctly or not, the general feeling among many Jazz lovers was that “Jazz is dead”. The brothers and the wave of “young lions” that they ushered in served to bring new life to the music and, most importantly in Wynton’s case, increased public awareness of the music and it’s history. Wynton’s public persona, huge ego and all, has probably done more to bring new listeners to Jazz than anyone else in the last 30+ years. While I agree that AS IMPROVISERS Branford is probably the most talented in the family, Wynton’s other talents as band leader, educator and promoter of the music (particularly its roots) do far more for the music than any lasting contribution that Brandford will make as a saxophone stylist. Don’t get me wrong, I like Brandford’s playing a lot, but will his legacy as a mostly derivative stylist be as long lasting and influential as Wynton’s legacy in other areas will be? No way! I also think that for the purposes of discussions like this it’s important to make a distinction between “jazz player” and “instrumentalist” (trumpet player). Branford is more interesting (“better”) jazz player. As an instrumentalist, Wynton’s trumpet playing is close to as good as it gets. He is a pretty amazing trumpet virtuoso. Btw, Schubert, thanks for the Branford “Dance OTET” clip. I had not heard that and I liked it a lot. Great stuff! |
It ain't a good thing .https://youtu.be/Omd9_FJnerY |
Thanks for “Hymn For The Fallen”; always an extremely thought provoking day today. On a lighter note: https://youtu.be/gmVNhgrKnxY (Not very “limited” at all. I think most here would agree) |
Rokid2, "Just as I was about to anoint Lee Morgan King of Jazz trumpet, I put 'Sketches of Spain' by Miles Davis in the player. Order is now restored. I sat there mesmerized. One of Miles' Best ever." Great collaboration with Gil Evans and one of my favorites but if I'm not mistaken, Miles mostly plays the flugelhorn on this album. J.Chip |
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Yes, I do believe he was talking about young and dumb, but the young encompasses many things, Strength, agility, speed, and Dumb is basically the same as brave, just a different side of the coin. Are you dumb or brave to get out of your foxhole and attack? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA-Uc6mjX6c |
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The guy who made this passed in 2016 at 67 .As one the Greatest American Standards everybody and his brother has done this piece , I would not even guess who did the best etc . However the rhythm of this is really nice to my hears .https://youtu.be/xpYibfCLYWU If Jazz ever does die , perish the thought , the last concert will be in Tokyo . |
schubertThanks for posting "Hymn to the Fallen" on Memorial Day. I always like to spend a little time on that day reflecting on those who have participated in wars to keep this country free. I wish after having so many wars and conflicts there we could have a world more at peace but I don't believe this will happen.Sorry about being a little behind in response posting but I've been a little busy. |
schubertThis clip features Eddie Daniels on clarinet and karolinaS. , the saxophonist you previously posted with the WDR band.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2q2GFjhGaw |
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Great clip nsp , Karolina plays flute and clarinet as well and just about as well as saxophone . I couldn’t find any WDR records myself .Daniels is elegance itself , magnificent player ! As to free , US was never in danger of being invaded and if you mean speech, all people in developed countries say what ever they please whenever they please . Most Europeans are far more outspoken than most Americans . The cost of all wars and Defence bills like this years 700 billion$$$ is a far greater danger to us than any "enemy " . |
Wynton’s quintet with the Sachal Jazz Ensemble which is comprised of Pakistani players. The flutist puts on a dazzling display on this percussion heavy song written by Duke Ellington. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e85wO8rsCoQ And a very interesting eastern influenced take on Take Five. (No pun intended) from the same group https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO_tC99prRs And one never would mention my friend "Sweet Papa" Lou Donaldson as a composer arranger on the level of the Duke or Dave Brubeck but their version of Lou's "Blues Walk" is outstanding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOkD_TsKUJo All of the above was at the jazz in Marciac 2013. American musicians and Pakistani musicians playing together while young men from both countries were killing each other in the Middle East. |
Great clip indeed, nsp! Thanks for that. **** Daniels is elegance itself , magnificent player ! **** Perfect description, Schubert. Karolina sounds great as well with a beautifully constructed solo over a difficult harmonic progression and with a lovely modern sound. The art of woodwind doubling places very unique and difficult demands on players and few have been able to do it at a level that is equally high on all the instruments. Eddie Daniels took it to a level probably higher than anyone else. He has been a legend among woodwind players for decades and since he was just a kid from Brooklyn. He was the idol of countless woodwind players on the NYC scene before gaining international fame. Amazing virtuoso on saxophones, clarinets and flutes. A style as an improviser that some have described as a little calculated and sterile. I disagree. As an instrumentalist and particularly on clarinet he is incredible. Elegant, beautifully refined and distinctive sound with mind boggling technique on an instrument that many saxophone players jokingly refer to as “the misery stick” because of its difficulty. Eddie on tenor: https://youtu.be/nXFsL0leb2g https://youtu.be/hE8inh5yy_A On flute: https://youtu.be/Wv2Q2ivSA1A |
Great info frogman ! So much help . The only woodwind guy alive I can think of offhand in Daniels class ,which is really knowing what beauty is , is Heinz Holliger . I’ve heard live great players like Martin Frost ,Richard Stolzman and SabineMeyer but I don’t think even they have opened the curtain of sheer beauty that Daniels has . The last thing he is is calculated , those saying so are projecting what they do . My personal opinion is the more you play with others from other countries with other languages and cultures the better you get .And vice-versa . |
81563, one of the best posts ever .All praise to Wynton for doing it and you for bringing it to us ! Nothing but good can come of things like this both for the world and guys playing . For frogperson , nothing to it .https://youtu.be/8AzV_Sz-oYw |
frogman thanks for the Daniels links. I will look into getting some of his recordings. Here is Another NY hometown (Utica) sax player. He sticks to the tenor though and sometimes the soprano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9ER-J2vKBI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBRRgtMN4yg This one in an "international group" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN2GYBrER6I |
Well, I guess it will be hard for anybody to post an album more ’international’ than this.... ’United Notions’ album by Toshiko Akiyoshi from 1958. The pianist is joined by an all-star group that includes either cornetist Nat Adderley or trumpeter Doc Severinson, clarinetist/alto saxophonist Rolf Kühn, flutist/tenor saxophonist/baritone saxophonist Bobby Jaspar, guitarist Rene Thomas, bassist John Drew, and drummer Bert Dahlander. https://youtu.be/42PH5qlYYqQ https://youtu.be/fLLWa1vt_KM https://youtu.be/b1XOm1Nlvdg https://youtu.be/uJYd1ahoEPs https://youtu.be/QdNUiYQQ7us |
alex those are great links. All the songs are from the United Notions LP so it seems. I might pick up that disc. Thanks The history of Japan is so complex I have read many books from the shogunate/Tokogawa Shogunate era through to the "westernization" of Japan then onto their aggressive military based expansionism society of 1920 - 1945. And after their countries devastating destruction after WW2 their extraordinary accomplishments that followed and their adoption of America’s game - baseball, and America’s music - Jazz. Almost every jazz show I attend in NYC, 1/3 of the audience are Japanese |
81563, well known fact that the most insightful people in the world are born between Utica and Syracuse . An Onondaga Sachem told me the power line of the world runs under that 50 mile strip . Japanese think in terms of the group . Only need to know that other Japanese will be there and they are happy Not a bad thing ,just makes them love Jazz even more than just for the music . |
pjw I found another dr. Lonnie Liston Smith trio CD with John Abercrombie which I had overlooked. It's called afro blue and all of the songs were either written by John Coltrane or associated with him except for one original by dr. Lonnie Liston Smith. It's a really good jam session with great solos especially from dr. Smith. The sound is also excellent as well as the Sound StageSearched on YouTube several times for ciips to post but could not find anything |
schubert thanks for posting thanks for posting Trish clowes. I listened to the entire album and liked everything except for one vocal cut. Unique approach to the music neither inside or outside but walking a fine line between both. I like her approach to the group concept and her soloing. each song seems to have an air of mystery to it. I cannot I cannot find any WDR big band recordings on CD with Karolina Strassmeyer in the band. Damn would like something in my collection. Love her sound on sax. |
nsp, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Lonnie Liston Smith are two people. Both play the Hammond B 3 but the Dr. is the more well known of the two. The Dr. playing a My Favorite Things live .I have the studio disc Afro Blue but I could not find any of the songs off the studio version on You Tube either. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEzsTgL_VYw Lonnie Liston Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Xz87WGa0c |
Leon Redbone was out of any genre but was a figure in American Music .Just passed , RIP Leon .https://youtu.be/F6d1-k2p1Ck |
pjwThanks for the clarification i didn't mean to merge two artists into one. Lonnie Liston Smith playing acoustic piano on that first Lonnie Liston Smith playing acoustic piano on that first cut Sun Beams was great. I found another Trio album led by Pat Metheny this time with Billy Higgins on drums: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol33IdtDL4Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUzJRf72aYg |
schubertHere's another version of "Autumn Leaves" done by an Asian pianist I believe it's only 17 years old at the time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-cmd2-Q6w0 Jazz is alive and well in Japan and has been for quite some time. Some jazz fttom one if my favorite japanese artists Masahiko Togashi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbXDNowLhbU |
nsp, here is a entire album of Togashi with one of the" modern" American piano artists Paul Bley , the only jazz master I knew personally . Nice guy , may he RIP . No video but I think you can tell who is whom . https://youtu.be/ZatzCyZibMg?list=RDZatzCyZibMg This is my favorite Togashi , to my hears very Japanese . https://youtu.be/0sUUlOv0ZFI |
Thank you so much for that little jewel shining in the summer sun acman3 !Made my day, no my week . Teared me up . Bley could play anything and though he was respected in jazz circles IMO he never really"caught on" with public not because he was SO original, but because he was nothing but original . He had a huge historical knowledge of all forms of music and drank heavily from that well with a glass that was all his own . |
schubertI have that Bley Duo cd with togashi. it gets a lot of play on my stereo system. I really like Bley he was an original thinker carved -out his own style in the late 50s and 60s. he did not go the way of Bill Evans Style. his approach to playing was quite original as he did not go down that well worn path that other Jazz pianists followed.But he could and did play inside as well as anybody when he wanted to.A true original and marvelous Talent. |
pjw thanks for posting J. R.Monterose. as a jazz critic said he is the best sax player you have never heard. This guy really flew under the radar for his career from what I read. He said he was influenced by Coltrane and Rollins but he is not derivative. He has a voice all his own and his solos are always interesting.I think I only have two albums with him one as the leader he recorded for Blue Note and the other when he was in Charles Mingus group. I need to search out some of his available music to add to my collection. If you have any ideas let me know. |
schubertFor many years the only LP By Masahiko Togashi that I owned was Spiritual Nature. I was captivated by his ability to write for a large group and the Asian influence he brought to the music. Then I came across the piano trio album Jazz Spirits Trio and continue to purchase music by him until I have close to 50 albums and CDs of his in my collection. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8FPMz_cl5Q |
nsp, I have these two recordings with J.R. Monterose on ts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000001P4H/?coliid=I1N7XSVOQEN7IQ&colid=2MJEFFF7AFXNS&psc=0 https://www.amazon.com/Round-About-Midnight-Cafe-Bohemia/dp/B00005UOKS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ZFREUQHQ0LDD&... |
Just in case somebody overlooked it, Chet Baker and Paul Bley, album 'Diane' from 1985. Its a really beautiful one https://youtu.be/skSx-ECpzmw |
Thanks all for the great Paul Bley! I truly appreciate it as I am almost embarrassed to admit that I was only marginally familiar with this great player’s music. I have pretty much immersed myself in his recordings over the last couple of days. That “If I Should Lose You” is possibly the most beautiful version of the tune I have heard. Thanks, Alex! Listening to the clips posted I kept thinking Keith Jarrett, Keith Jarrett. Keith Jarrett, but without the hard to explain annoying quality that causes me to have a love-hate feeling about Jarrett’s playing. VERY similar emphasis and way with motivic development, but without the pretense that I often hear in Jarrett’s playing. I came across these comments in a review of Bley’s “Footloose” by Ethan Iverson (critic and pianist in The Bad Plus trio): **** Because it was the first album with Bley at full power, it’s possible that Footloose! is Bley’s most influential recording. It certainly made a big impression on certain pianists the time: Most famously, Keith Jarrett has never denied his debt to Bley and Footloose! in particular. This natural progression is somewhat controversial. Insiders commonly snark that Jarrett should give Bley royalties, and perhaps Bley himself is a bit bitter about how Jarrett became such a superstar using some of the tools Bley invented. After hearing Jarrett’s 2000 free jazz release Inside Out, Bley joked to me that “Now, after all these years, Keith has finally figured out how to sound exactly like I did in 1964.” **** https://youtu.be/-h4i9JjfFXA Very wide scope. As Schubert pointed out, he covered a lot of ground: https://youtu.be/w3xaFqyKSpo |