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.
Keegiam, ‘nuff said indeed. You posted two of my very favorite records from possibly, if forced to pick, my favorite Jazz musician and thought by many to be the greatest living Jazz composer. Shorter is a true icon who is thankfully still with us.
Can’t disagree Re that Wynton Kelly cut. Except for Shorter, they sound as if they are phoning it in. Happens. Wynton Kelly was clearly highly regarded by many of the greats. Who am I to argue; but, not the most inspired playing on that record.
Some of my favorite playing from Shorter is from the (for me) the greatest Jazz quintet of all time, Miles’ 60’s Qt. with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. A couple more favorite Wayne Shorter records as a leader. Both these tunes (especially “Footprints”) have become modern Jazz standards:
Weather Report was a great band; arguably the greatest Fusion band ever. One of the most interesting things about Shorter to me is how his playing got more and more minimalist through the years. Still highly emotionally charged, but fewer and fewer notes played to the point that one single note could say it all. Shorter’s first (I think) solo recording post-Weather Report is an interesting record if one likes that WR fusion sound. Sonics wise it’s a real sleeper. Original sealed copies of the LP are readily available on the ‘bay for little money.
schubert I was not aware of
Allison Neale and I like her playing. New jazz I have said before and I will say again jazz is alive and well.
Peter Bernstein, who is on that
Allison Neale album, I have seen live a couple times and he is a great jazz guitarist. I have many of his albums as a leader and also a sideman.
Weather Report What is there to say? excellent group. I have all of their releases. There is a 4 CD set titled "The Legendary Live Live Tapes 1978 - 1981" released in 2015 that I highly recommend to WR fans.
frogman that Wayne Shorter "Atlantis" album is ok for his post 1980 releases I like this one as well. "Highlife" 1995 release.
I was at the following concert in 2013. I am happy I got a chance to see one of the great legends of jazz live. I never saw Sonny Rollins when he was still performing live and I regret it. Seeing Shorter made me feel a little better. 80th birthday tour:
pjw, there is too much work to do and I am f**** workaholic, sometimes do not know how to stop.
I too wonder where rok is, I do not have any other contact with him besides through postings here, like you, so have no idea what is going on. I think 0-10 should know more...?
Rok was the first to post on a thread that I initiated about three weeks ago. The thread was simply a clip of Wynton Marsalis playing solo a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace“ and speaking about the history of the song. What he spoke about was not about Jazz, but simply what, to me, was an inspirational message. Well, let’s just say that after Rok’s post the thread took a left. I deleted the thread because it was going down a road totally different than what was my intention. I too hope he is well and hope he chimes in. What I can tell you from that post is that Rok is still Rok 😊
Rok2id, a.k.a. the world's foremost Jazz authority, is just fine. Just catching up on my listening of real Jazz, while you folks were engaged in posting primitive noise makers.
Recent purchases:
Complete Monk on Prestige Just Coolin' -- Blakey Ella and Duke at the
Côte d'Azur Rejoice - Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela
All recommended. I don't think Ella and Duke were recorded at The
Côte d'Azur
at the same time. Dishonest, and they did the same trick with Ella and Pops.
Again Weather Report's "Black Market" leads us to music that is more local and authentic, if not as beautifully performed as Shorter and Hancock could do.
Beginning in the 1960s, Fela Kuti pioneered his own unique style of music called "Afrobeat." Rebelling against oppressive regimes through his music came at a heavy cost. Kuti was arrested 200 times and endured numerous beatings, but continued to write political lyrics, producing 50 albums before he died on August 2, 1997, in Lagos, Nigeria."
Jazz is capable of going in many directions at the same time; just pick your preference and go with it. I like what they've been doing in the UK as well as some of the things going on here.
Taj Mahal in 1968: "Some people think you have to be Blind Lester Crawdad and come up the river from New Orleans and into Chicago to cut two sides, the Man hears it, says 'Pretty good, give us the publishing and we'll see what we can do!' – they think you have to go through that to play good blues. But, you know, it's not indigenous to a time or place, the music is indigenous to the people. Now, I could play a tune just exactly like Robert Johnson, but what would be the point of that?
In regard to Taj Mahal's point, the blues is a feeling that is felt at sometime or another by all human beings; even Native Americans in the middle of the Amazon Jungle. The music called "The Blues" is how they express it. Maybe, African Americans living in the Mississippi Delta had the deepest Blues for the longest time, which is why they played the Blues that's most well known.
I think that Taj Mahal’s point is that The Blues can be a lot of different things; some of which are stereotypes and nothing more. Blues don’t have to be about pain and sadness.
"There’s two kinds of blues. There’s happy blues and there’s sad blues." - Billie Holiday
"I can smell the whiskey wine and beer". In my miss spent youth, I listened to the blues live in the blues clubs, every weekend. This is the man I listened to live more than any other artist I can think of. Where ever he played, the place was packed with fans of the female persuasion; always a good place to be.
Somehow this cut is always fresh, even though it's old. That's because those great musicians were so fresh when they recorded this, and thanks to new vinyl, they will stay that way.
Curtis Fuller's trombone is smoking on this cut. I don't even know who "Kenny Drew" is, but I just became a fan. Paul Chambers is laying down his usual heavy bass lines, and at the end we hear Lee Morgan, who was only 19. Is it any wonder that this album will forever be on the top 10 list.
The music always sounds so much better to me when I can time travel to back when it was new. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on the point of view) not everyone is so old. Evidently the music still sounds good to younger people because they buy it.
A piano player who definitely qualifies for Alex’s list of players deserving wider recognition....here, at least, Great player whose name doesn’t come up very often, but was highly regarded by many of the greats. Dolo Coker recorded six records or so as a leader later in his career and was the piano player of choice on many other leaders’ records.
The fact has come to my attention that we have almost slighted one of the most eminent pianists of modern jazz, and that is "Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver" (September 2, 1928 – June 18, 2014) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, particularly in the hard bop style that he helped pioneer in the 1950's.
With that introduction, that's not needed for most of us, I will begin to explore some of his most famous works. "Senor Blues", one of his most played compositions, is where I'll begin.
Nice, grey9hound! First heard Ronnie Earl at the Great Woods Amphitheater in MA years ago when he was a member of the band Roomful of Blues. Good player! Thanks.
This is as deep in the pocket jazz as you can get; if it was cognac, it would be "Courvoisier XO" or Hennessy Master Blender's Selection No. 3. That's what jazz Connoisseurs sip when auditioning 5 star jazz on their 5 star rigs.
Well, O-10, out of respect for you as the OP, I offer a sincere apology and will remove the post. Admittedly “edgy”, as they say, it was posted in humor only; something sorely lacking these days. Silly me, I thought you and/or others might get a chuckle. Personally, I find that SNL skit very funny in the context of the times. Kind of like Jazz, actually. Context. Anyway, in case anyone is curious, my offense was to post a rather “classic” SNL skit of “The Ladies Man”. “Most disgusting”? Where does one go from there? No offense intended. Cheers.
Following up on the great blues posts, there's something irresistible about R.L. Burnside laying it down in his hill country back yard. Back to basics.
Awesome, R.L. Burnside, Keegiam! Amazing how much groove one person can produce. Loved it!
Just listened to this. Probably my favorite Miles record. I don’t think there has been a band that has reached quite this level of telepathic interplay and connection as this one. Tony Williams!!!
Thank you for that link Keegiam; it was so much more than what I have on record, it was very enjoyable, plus it's also one of my favorite tunes by Horace Silver.
BTW, he was a distinguished musician who lived a distinguished life. Once he found himself in the midst of a bunch of junky musicians, in an organization that I shall not mention and he left.
Now that I have mentioned the "unmentionable", I will continue. I have known some junky musicians personally, and I want to clear up a popular misconception; none of them ever thought that dope helped them play better; they couldn't play when they needed it, they couldn't play when they had too much, the fact that they were extraordinary musicians had nothing to do with the dope; read "Bird's" biography.
Dope is only a big deal when a musician is using it, and their use is the same as any other junky's use; why they use it? You will have get that answer from psychiatrists.
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