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.
The "hippest" is never the most popular, which is why KOB is the most popular; it's just not as "jazzy" AKA hip as "Somethin Else". Only the true connoisseurs of jazz can make such distinctions.
Miles did what sidemen do on records, he played great solos, but it was Cannonballs music.
Compare "Love For Sale" on SE, and the same tune on Miles record.
Miles's sounds like Miles, not Cannonball; it's much different, even when he's playing the solos on both tunes; that was Cannonball's music on Cannonball's album.
Want to share a few albums that I have been enjoying lately.
Idrees Suleiman, John Coltrane,.. : Interplay (MQA recording)
Ornette Coleman: The Atlantic Years (recent MQA release)
Anna Maria Jopek: Minione (collaboration with Rubalcaba), Haiku
The Suleiman and Coleman MQA recordings are incredible: the texture of the
different instruments and really each note is audible. The playing is vivid and
creative. Lonely Woman, the well known first track on the Coleman compilation, is evocative and
moving.
Anna Maria Jopek is a contemporary Polish singer who has a beautiful and intimate voice and makes interesting, creative, and
downright sexy music.
Art Pepper live at the Village Vanguard with Elvin Jones, George Cables, and George Mraz....If you can’t play this tune, the bible of jazz, and play the crap out of it....don’t play!....**Cherokee**
O-10, this is a little like the “what is West Coast Jazz and what is East Coast Jazz” issue in that there is a lot more nuance to the situation than is taken into account when discussing it.
Miles was already someone of tremendous stature (and tremendous ego). Already twenty four records as leader. Cannonball was a newcomer and SIDEMAN in MILES’ band. Then there are the facts presented by pryso re the particulars of the material. Add to all this the fact that the producer has a tremendous influence in how it all goes down and it is easy to see that, at most, it was a collaboration. I would bet anything (and many others agree) that this power dynamic (which exists in all projects like this one) was much more slanted toward Miles than anyone else. “Leader”, “boss”, “sideman”, whatever; Miles had much more than the typical sideman influence on that record. And much of the feeling of the music reflects this.
As far as the merits of SE vs KOB goes, I won’t get into a debate about that again. There is so much written about the importance of KOB in the history and evolution of jazz that it seems silly to debate it. SE was a great record. KOB was a game changer. I am not surprised that in some “circles KOB was barely considered an also ran”; time stands still for some listeners.
"Somethin Else" was definitely boss in 59, because it was popular before KOB had been released; it came out in 58, while KOB came out in 59; that's why KOB wasn't even considered until later.
Frogman, the music had a Cannonball "feel" to it, not a Miles Davis feel; that's because Cannonball was the leader on that set, not Miles. While he had some dynamite solos, as a sideman, he was not the leader on that album. If he had been, it would have been an entirely different album.
pryso, you’re exactly right re “Somethin’ Else”. That record has long been considered by some to really be a Miles session. There was a debate here a while back about the relative merits of it vs KOB. SE is a great record with a lot of fantastic playing. I can definitely understand why someone might prefer it’s overall fairly conservative style, but it wasn’t the game changer that KOB was. As concerns their relative importance in the history of jazz KOB wins hand down. Still, it is interesting to me that Cannonball’s very upbeat playing feels even more at home on SE than on KOB’s modal tunes with their more introspective vibe and the company of Coltrane’s more modern and “edgier” harmonic language. On KOB, as great as he sounds, Cannonball sometimes sounds to me a little bit like the odd man out.
o10, your sidemen comment is spot on. That is one of the reasons I enjoy many of my older favorite LPs again and again, I continue finding nuances not noticed in an initial playing.
Also, while I greatly enjoy "Somethin' Else", I'm sure there was more to the story of how Cannonball was credited as the leader. Some contract arrangement with Blue Note? Consider this comment from Wiki, "The album was recorded during Adderley's membership in theMiles Davis Sextetof 1958, and is one of the few post-1955 appearances of Miles Davis as asideman. Indeed, Davis plays several of the first solos, composed the bluesy title track and, according to the liner notes, chose most of the material." That doesn't sound like Miles was a sideman to me. ;^)
Still, that should be on most everyone's top jazz albums list.
Also, Dakota's "Cry Me A River" sounds like it came from a Bond soundtrack, not that's theres anything wrong with that.
Pryso, I'm in precisely the same boat, but I enjoy and appreciate the sidemen on my favorite discs so much more; for example on "Somethin Else", by Cannonball, I hear Hank Jones on piano more, of course you can't miss Miles and Cannonball.
o10, "we have so many gems in our collections that we forget to play some of them until reminded". I agree.
And that is a reason I'm beginning to cull my entire music collection. But for me that exercise relates to my age. I really can't imagine listening to everything I own at this point in my life, particularly when the favorites continue to get multiple plays. That's not a complaint. I'm grateful to own so many discs I enjoy.
But a downside to this site for me is hearing so many other wonderful examples I'd enjoy too if I had them. But if I'm really going to reduce the collection then I must remain disciplined. All you younger folks be thankful you (likely) have more time to enjoy new finds.
nsp, your observations about the two versions of “Everything Happens To Me” are very good. As concerns the arrangements, instrumentation, form and general feel they are very accurate and I agree. My one correction would be that it is actually sixteenth (not eighth) notes that Desmond uses almost exclusively, while Woods also plays lines of thirtysecond notes like he does at 3:22-3:28 which gives his playing a generally more aggressive and busier feeling eventhough the tempo of his version is actually slower than Desmond’s.
frogman Thanks your explanation on Pepper makes sense. The guy was there and observed him . Musicians who play together know the strong points and weakness of others around them. i wanted to weigh in on the 2 cuts of "Everthing Happens To Me" East Coast /West Coast. I would also like your input. The obvious main difference is the tone of Desmond vs. Woods. Desmond has a much lighter tone giving a lighter texture to the music. Also the Desmond cut is spare in instrumentation with no piano and no comping accompaning the soloist. This leaves the sound quieter. The arrangement of the head intro is different.Desmond takes the first a section ,then is backed by Elliot in the second A section. Then Elliiot takes the B section and the closing A section alone . Woods make an opening statement before stating the theme alone . Another difference I perceived was Desmond playing seems to stick to no more than eighth notes which gives his solo a different feel than Woods who I think at certain times uses sixteenth notes? This gives Desmonds solo a more relaxed feel I think. Just wondering what you thought of my impressions.
pryso Thanks for the BB clips. I have the Monk at Town Hall on vinyl but not the other and will purchase a copy. Actually I will check my inventory first I may have that Monk title on cd. I had a G Mulligan Concert Band lp and stupidly sold it. I hope his BB stuff is still available. Ihave that G Evans and "Into The Hot" another excellent Evans lp form that period. Here are 2 I don't have and should: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TazGJWKNnow
Lou was great to see live. As you know he was at first a big disciple of Charlie Parker as were a lot of sax players. In the 60’s Lou started to get into a blues- soul/gospel funky type jazz and his stuck with that since. Every time I saw him live he played a tune called "Whiskey Drinking Woman". He would joke around with the audience before, during, and after that song.
Mike Francesa, the sports talk jockey on NBC NY used to answer calls from Lou all the time concerning sports.
pjw Enjoyed your Lou Donaldson story. I have spoken to band members between sets on occasion but only in the audience, not backstage. Nice to hear how friendly Lou was to you. I would have loved to have sat and talked boxing with him , I'm a big fan. The credit on that Basie cut goes to acman3 , not me.
rok, I expect that meant Juilliard students are expected to study classical composers, not Monk. ;^)
acman, thanks for the additions. I almost included something from Ellis but decided I’d offered enough. But also to paraphrase that Mexican beer (cerveza) commercial, I don’t always enjoy big band, but when I do I listen to Basie!
pjw, on another audio site I have a different moniker -- M3 lover. I receive occasional questions about that, assuming it relates to a performance automobile or German camera. But that is an audio site so I chose a musical reference -- three of my favorite jazz artists: Miles, Monk, and Mingus. I later considered I should have used M4 so I could have included Mulligan, but it was too late. So o10, you know why I linked the same Mulligan album. Anyway, I likely have 25-30 Monk albums, mostly on vinyl. I even have an original poster from a Monk concert I attended in Honolulu in 1965. Yes, I’m a fan boy!
"pjw, more Monk arranged by Overton? Hope you have this one then" No I have 15 Monk discs all with quartets or quintets and 5 live small group sessions as well.
I added those Monk big band sessions to my bucket list of discs to buy.
frogman, "enjoyed the story re Lou Donalson. And like his playing a lot. Nice clip with the little talked about Tommy Turrentine, brother of Stanley. I like the other alto player you met that night also"
Thanks, unfortunately I think Lou’s age finally caught up with him. I’ve not seen him live since 2015.
orpheus10, "pjw, I liked your story about Lou Donaldson, he was my first favorite jazz artist, and I have been following him every since; he also likes to play with some of my other favorite artists; like Baby Face Willette and Grant Green."
Thanks Orpheus. Lou’s getting old as I mentioned above as I think he hit the 90 mark in age and has not been playing live in recent years. He loves to be a comedian in between songs and I always enjoyed seeing him perform. I pray his health is ok as I pray for you as well.
I liked the Monk piece a lot. I own a lot of Monk recordings but not that one. One of the commenters below the video is a musician and gave a link to a piece he wrote. I think its really a nice piece of work. Here is the comment and link:
The man who arranged these marvelous arrangements is Hall Overton who was also my teacher at the Juilliard School which of course I am highly grateful for. I however had to study Bartok and Stravinsky and not Monk. He instead inspired me to write this piece. click on link then click "go to site"
"But he still sounds to me more like a rock drummer than a jazz drummer."
I agree. However his 3 biggest influences and idols were Art Blakey, Max Roach, and Elvin Jones.On the duet he does with Blakey his expression says it all. It was like a dream come true for him. Of the 3 influences he does sound more like Blakey then Jones or Roach. Blakey has a tendency to "pound aggressively" on the skins as does Baker but Baker tries to "break the skins" on almost every session whereas Blakey occasionally sounds this way and has a softer touch and feel which meshes better in the jazz genre.
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