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.
Pryso, that music you submitted was a real treat for me, I have very little West Coast in my collection, and most certainly not the best.
West Coast came and went very fast. One must have the ability to go back in time to when it was current to thoroughly enjoy it. Instead of "Hippies", the people of that genre were called "Beatniks"; it's like almost everything happened in the late 50's and ended in the very early 60's, that's a short life span.
My favorite was "Bud Shank", him and Bob Cooper made albums together. This was my favorite album by Bud Shank, I still have it, but it's too scratched to consider.
Pjw, I saw the movie when it came out, and that is one of the best examples of West Coast jazz. Maybe I can find something to compete with that.
As I stated before, the best examples were movie sound tracks. Since the black and white movies were forgettable, I may not have any luck finding the soundtracks.
o10, I don’t agree that black and white films were necessarily forgettable. The list of great ones is long, beginning with one which many consider the best movie of all time -- "Citizen Kane". But I’m a movie buff as well as jazz aficionado.
Back to the subject at hand, movie soundtracks, how about this B&W film example, scored and performed by Duke Ellington. For those not aware it was based on a true story and filmed on location in the UP of Michigan. So not West Coast. ;^)
Just buy the 4 disc box set "Shelly Manne & His Men" Live at the Blackhawk. It is a great representation of West Coast Jazz and one of my favorite albums in my collection
The complete 4 disc box set was just reissued last year. I would jump on it now for the 20 bucks before its OOP.
I have the original 4 disc set released many years back and then it was selling for astronomical prices a couple years later when it was OOP. I am sure this latest reissue used the same masters that my set has and the sonics are great. This box set is a "must have" for any jazz aficionado.
"The West Coast Sound" volume 1 by Shelly Manne is another in my collection that I consider a "must have" for a jazz aficionado and one of the finest examples of West Coast Jazz. If you cant find it on Amazon try discogs. Here is the All music review:
Apparently I have been grossly misunderstood; is it my fault or yours. Let us examine the sentence where the trolley jumped the tracks.
"As I stated before, the best examples were movie sound tracks. Since the black and white movies were forgettable, I may not have any luck finding the soundtracks."
The black and white movies were "B" movies and I don't recall a single one of them, but the soundtracks were fantastic.
Now how pryso interpreted that as "all" black and white movies are forgettable, I don't know? Never the less, moving right along.
My all time favorite movie happens to be "black and white"; "The Third Man".
BTW pryso, I was trying to illustrate the black leotards that were quite the fashion statement at that time for ladies who had the required figure, and the link stated "cheese cake".
Orpheus, somehow I cant split a soundtrack from a movie. If its a good film, I will certainly notice the music, but I cant remeber any soundtrack from a movie that I did not like
On the Blackhawk box set it states it is the entire 5 volume set on 4 discs which could be easily done since LP's were usually 20 -25 minutes per side and each of the 4 discs can contain up to 80 minutes of recordings
I will look into it further but the 4 disc set for 20 bucks is a steal.
rok , I am well aware of what Legion did in Indo-China . Saw a lot of destroyed French gear with my own eyes . My Pathfinders slept inside a huge old abandoned French Mansion miles OUT SIDE the 1st Cav perimeter if we had a mission next day because there were Vietnam eyes in side it that knew North from South . My idea , I got a pat on the back for it , the Major that patted it would have got a Bronze . That’s life . Also, Legion is just an integrated Division of the French Army and has everything the rest of that well trained and equipped Army has . A close Brig. General friend of mine was in A'gan several times and told me the Legionaires were the best commo guys of anybody . Reason , same as two-thousand years ago, DISCIPLINE !!!
I stated in my post the sonics are very good on the Blackhawk box set. As a matter of fact buy the box set for 20 dollars and if you think its "compressed" (its not) then I will buy it from you at the original cost and I will pay shipping as well.
I must have overlooked your Anita o'Day posts. She had an incredible voice with impeccable timing and no "showing off" just class personified even while having on and off substance abuse problems
Alex, the year is 1959, the place is Lackland AFB; it's not like you look in the paper and see what's on; it's like you and your jazz running buddy decide how to spend "offduty" time. The movies are a place to go, who cares what's on; it costs next to nothing (base movie theater). By word of mouth, someone said this movie had a boss soundtrack, let's check it out.
The West Coast happened to be where they made movies, and it also happened to be where that type of jazz originated in that time frame. Movies had to have some type of music; that meant they had to have musicians. When these musicians were given the chance to strut their stuff, that's what they did.
These were not blockbuster movies, they were grade "B" black and white movies. Rok, chime in here and let these people know what going to the base movie theater is about, and what movies you saw that you can't remember seeing.
There is something about Grant Green's music that resonates with my sub-conscious; when I hear his music, I hear St. Louis when I was young, when St. Louis was St. Louis. When I freely roamed a fascinating city where you could find like minded people whose company you enjoyed.
Grant Green belonged to St. Louis before he belonged to the world, he was one of us before he ever recorded his first LP. Unlike Miles Davis, who left early, and went to New York, and never came back, they had a hard time getting Grant Green to leave. We heard Grant at various small local lounges before he was famous, and it wasn't like he was playing to entertain us, but he was playing his music for Grant Green, and we were there enjoying the music he was playing for himself.
As I listen to this music, my mind is flooded with images of nights enjoying Grants music with friends in our most special lounge where Grant appeared professionally on the weekends, and sometime in the middle of the week he dropped in. This lounge was like his home away from home. I recall one such off night, when he came in and just played to himself while we listened; he played awhile and left. That was in 1959, just before I went into the Air Force.
Obviously ,Your personal life effects what you like in Music . I will buy anything made by anybody if it its something I heard with my late wife . rok, were you serious about that pop junk ?
While not written specifically for Christmas this is one you hear a lot this time of year in praise of God here in USA's ground zero of choir music . This IMO is the most profound single religious piece ever written by an American.The Belgium choir sounds like they were shot down from heaven just for this recording ! https://youtu.be/fRL447oDId4?t=6
In Jazz parlance “blowing” is soloing/mprovising, Obviously, the literal meaning refers to blowing air (into a horn), but in Jazz when a piano, guitar, bass player, or even drummer plays a solo he is also “blowing”. A “blowing session” is a session in which the emphasis is the soloing with less emphasis on the compositions or attempt at any particularly interesting arrangement, One usually hears a basic, even generic, reading of the melody (usually standards) and then everyone “blows” usually extended solos. One could say that the music is usually characterized by a looser, even more causal, vibe; the players are having fun.
That is one of my favorite Cannonball recordings. He kills on that record with Milt Jackson. An interesting (for me) personal story: In the summer of 1975 (was about to start college) I was in a record store in Miami, Fla with a short stack of records under my arm. The local Jazz radio station was playing and the DJ announced that Cannonball had just died. That record was one of the five or six under my arm.
Another of the records under my arm, and on the subject of West Coast players, one of my favorite West Coast saxophone players. A very swinging player that goes under the radar way too often:
Btw, the above third and fourth clips in particular, would never be referred to as “blowing sessions”. Characteristic of much of West Coast Jazz there is an emphasis on interesting, sometimes intricate, arrangements and compositions.
Speaking of West Coast Jazz, Pryso’s “cheesecake” and Rok’s love of great album covers (more Herb Geller”:
If your going to listen to pop Christmas songs , you might as well listen to the best songs , sung by the most powerful male choir in history .Sad to say , many of these men died in a plane crash . On Christmas Day ! https://youtu.be/MOqPOrngccM Try as they might Stalin and Company never killed the Christian Heart of Mother Russia and the Saints of Orthodox Christianity , the oldest branch of Christianity , who died for it .
In the off chance that someone has not heard Barber’s original composition that he later arranged for choir, here it is. Similar pacing from one of the best orchestral string sections ever (often played too cloyingly slow):
frogman , Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said " Love they Enemy " . Perhaps the hardest thing to do, but there it is . I talked to many Russian Soldiers in Berlin , they were friendly , polite and the same thing I was , A soldier .
o10, you simply said "Since the black and white movies were forgettable", I couldn't guess you intended only the B films. I just took you at your word. And my response to cheesecake was made for the title of the clip, nothing you said, so that was just FYI in fun.
Regarding your 12/9 post with the two jazz soundtrack film lists, I missed it initially. I have some of those albums and a few of the DVDs. Interesting there is not that much overlap between the two lists, until the #1 at least. But bottom line, I fully agree that much great music, jazz and otherwise, comes from soundtracks. In fact one of my friends contends the best classical music currently written is found in film scores.
I completely agree, and a great lesson. Did I somehow give the impression that I felt otherwise? My comment had nothing to do with....well, you know. Great choir!
Frog , who was the conductor on your Philly clip ? Never heard them so totally wonderful , perfect tempo. Could be just the Barber , in my hears he is the greatest American composer period . Almost got in a fight at a concert once when a "born again " nut was saying no gay man could write religious music . And I always walk away from one . The Adagio is the un-official National Anthem , go to with every tragedy . If I was running things it would be the official one .Love is better than bombs .
No sweat . Internet is not human , we humans use inflection as the real meaning of what we say .
*****
rok, were you serious about that pop junk ?*****
As you implied, we are all victims ... errrr... I mean products of our upbringing. Mine was Southern and Baptist. Where the line between the Church music and secular music is very, very, very thin.
Maybe you missed it Pryso, but that specific clip has been discussed. That's the only version of "Sweet Georgia Brown" that I like, it's not my favorite tune.
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