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.
Well, I was trying really hard to come up with a tactful way of pointing out that there are qwacks in every profession, but after re-reading the McCoy “review” and it’s source I am breathing a sigh of relief. I have known many music professors over the years and while some were better than others, none have been qwacks; although, I’m sure they are out there. I am relieved because the “reviewer” is not a professor at all; he is simply an idiot. The first hint was his misuse of the term “accords”. Huh?! While he tries real hard, the way he writes about music and musicians is not the way a knowledgeable music professor would. Sealing the deal is the simple fact that he never says he is a professor. He only comments about what he thinks music professors would think about McCoy’s playing and he is dead wrong with his assumptions.
His comments about McCoy are ill-informed and mostly ridiculous; so, not much more to say about it. If he can’t hear the beauty and elegance (to use his term) in McCoy’s playing he is worse than an idiot:
I just read this rather scathing review of McCoy Tyner’s piano playing. I was shocked to put it mildly. Once again, the virtuosity vs. "soul/feeling/depth" is brought into play. I happen to think Tyner, although no Bill Evans, is a very good pianist. I enjoy his solos and his accompaniment and interplay on all of the Coltrane Impulse sessions are wonderful to me. How anyone can claim to know what musician has more heart and soul in his/her playing of any instrument or vocals is something I will never wrap my head around. Everyone listens and hears things differently and is entitled to their opinion. A trained classical music professor, who claims to be this wizard of music, who can rightfully review which singer/player exhibits more heart and soul then others is, to me, like the great Oz behind the curtain. A bigot and absorbed in his/her own opinions that disregards anything else. I pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!!
Here is the review. I would appreciate any input on this from all the contributors here. And a few by those with experience in the musical field are welcome as well HINT - frogman!
The following is quoted from the review of the McCoy Tyner live at the Village Vanguard LP:
Among all my Jazz-CD’s - and there are many of them - this is by far the worst and disappointing one. And yet it is quite revealing. Many Jazz fans and critical reviewers celebrate Tyner as the best Jazz pianist alive. Although I have a huge respect for the musical quality of most Jazz, this shows me that the classic listeners and reviewers are musically just more educated and sophisticated than those in Jazz. Yes, there might be no Jazz pianist in history which has been more virtous than Tyner, and none which is technically better.
But as any classical educated piano professor will tell you, virtuosity makes no good pianist. And thats totally the case for Tyner. If I listen to his recordings, its always the same - huge accord clusterings, incredible fast playing, but no feel for the music, no elegance whatsoever and no interesting development or experimenting. His solos are really boring.
Just listen to Naima, one of the greatest pieces in Jazz. Start with the original Coltrane recording, the wonderful piano in it (NOT Tyner!), the feel for the music. Then listen to Breckers solo on the 2003 Directions in Music recording, playing an incredible interpretation of it, and then go to Tyners interpretation. Imagine how Bill Evans would play it. Then you have to stop this CD after 2 minutes. Its just terrible. Large parts he plays in fortissimo, with his usual style. I can’t believe how bad it is. The same is true for Crescent and all the other pieces.
Or listen to "After the rain". That is pure pop-kitsch at worst, with accords and harmonics I would expect on a MTV-music award show, but not on a Jazz-CD. Even Norah Jones is pure experimentation against it!
The question then remains: Why was he part of one of the greatest Jazz-quartets? I went back to all Coltrane CD’s including him. I can only say he was at the right place at the right time. His playing really does fit to Coltrane, all the fury, the virtuosity, the aggresive improvisation over one scale, but without Coltrane, he is just bad and totally lost. And indeed, the worst Coltrane pieces are those where Tyner has an extended solo, such as in "Afro-Blue" on "One up, one down". There you hear all his strict limitations in terms of harmony and developing an interesting solo.
I certainly am not trying to insult anyone here. I agree that sustained slower notes and rythm can be more taxing on players. I don't, however, prescribe to the belief that less is more. Depends on the mood I am in and who is playing what I am listening to.
One of my favorite blues guitarist's Roy Buchanan is a great example of a player who can pull off both beautifully. He is my favorite "pure Telecaster" player.
Another great one for the "slower is better" or "slower is harder to play" crowd. A true master of his instrument can play both hard and fast and slow and smooth..... JMHO
nsp, I have listened to a few songs of Places and Spaces and passed on it. Black Byrd, Electric Byrd, Fancy Free and Ethiopian Knights, are my favorite 70's Byrd.
Ethiopian Knights has these 2 long funk/soul/jazz jams that I really like:
pjw I have Blackjack on vinyl and also free form , live at the half note cafe , byrd in flght, fuego on vinyl. Blackjack and Mustang have the same frontline Byrd , Sonny Redd on alto, H Mobley on tenor . Walter Booker on bass plays on both . Blackjack has Cedar Walton on piano and B Higgins on drums whereas Mustang features McCoy Tyner on piano and Freddie Waits on drums. I hope to purchase 5 more Blue Notes by Byrd on lp. If you like Byrd's 70's output you might like the Places and Spaces lp.
AlexYour C Baker post "I'm A Fool To Want You" was great . Thanks for the link to the cd . I will be buying it . I listened to the samples to be sure as I am not always a fan of his singing but never tire of his trumpet playing.
Acman, this is the cover music from one yougoslavian tv series (about the ww2) from 1974. Translation would be kind of ’ The Expendables’... You can clearly hear the original influences....
acman man, that Witch Hunt is very good. Have you noticed that DirtyHarri published it? Lol.
~ ~ The song ’If I give my heart to you’ refuses to leave the music department of my head.
This morning I found the parody lyrics of the same song: 'If i give my heart to you, i’ll have none and you’ll have two.' This sounds good. More real. : )
I have Catwalk and Royal Flush but after hearing that song I will be adding Mustang to my collection. From his Blue Note label recordings I have
Off To The Races Bird In Hand Fuego Live at the Half Note Café volumes 1 and 2 (a favorite) Byrd In Flight The Cat Walk Royal Flush Free Form A New Perspective Slow Drag Fancy Free Ethiopian Knights ( a favorite) Black Byrd Electric Byrd
pjwI need to buy "Mustang", "Catwalk" and "Royal Flush" to add mire D Byrd to my collection. Thanks for posting AEOC. I have very little in my collection always seem to favor othe r avant garde artists over them.This group walked a fine line between tradition and avant garde always keeping it original and interesting."Dreaming of the Master " was great especially L Bowie's soloing several times over the groove created by the group.love his tone and style. unlike other avant garde trumpeters who spit out a continuous stream of notes Bowie plays melodic .Charlie M did remind me of Mingus in many ways: the writing , the bass solo in the middl e, the veering off into playing outside later in the song. Obviously the song title is an homage to Mingus. I wonder if any of AEOC played with Mingus or were they too young?
I lik ed cut "Ja" at beginning and end not so much the reggae section. Will listen to the other cut from Full Force over the weekend.
Agree with you nsp, "I'm a Fool to Want You" is absolutely great but demanding in so many ways. I am glad to hear that you play piano. ... Miriam and Dizzy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lHuWuh7rHQ
frogman"I'm a Fool to Want You" excellent ballad playing. I don't recall too many jazz artists in my collection covering this song, it's great, especially for singers. My submission of a D Byrd ballad i like mostly because i play it on pIano occasionally:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxyA-sKt_d0 "I Only Have Eyes For You" strange c over for a jazz band but well done I like it. Nothing beats the original IMO.
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