Zorn: avant garde instrumentalist/composer. Jus sayin’.
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.
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Not saying smaller is better, but it was so enjoyable to watch and hear. Clam and relaxing, not the usual. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFjQ77ol2DI&t=46s Cheers |
Messiah: Lovely! Very nice; and I agree. The supersized orchestra thing didn’t happen until after his death. Go figure. Check out this performance. A little “bigger”, but still has airiness and agility. https://youtu.be/JH3T6YwwU9s |
For me, one of THE great solos in all of recorded Jazz. Putting style differences aside, when he was in his prime Dexter Gordon was as good as anyone has been on the tenor. I love his attitude on this and the solo is a model of thematic development. Amazing what a great player can do with one note. Astounding! Classic record. https://youtu.be/TYGKqTib0A8 |
Yes, Great solo! This started playing after your video stopped. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUOivCL5imA |
Thanks for these fantastic
Dexter cuts. Their different flavors played back-to-back really show his mastery. While listening and reading, I became curious (yeah, I know, after all these years). How did it become the convention to list jazz sidemen in this order: Piano, Bass, Drums? Opinions? Of course that usually changes
when the leader is a pianist, bassist or drummer (there I go again). But if I had been a sideman drummer,
being listed last might have eventually bugged me. Even the YT credits for Art Blakey’s recordings
vary on this. “Moanin’” (the OP’s
original choice when launching the thread) has him last, while “A Night in
Tunisia” has him first. Is it because the tendency is for rhythm instruments to be added added last when groups (or compositions) expanded from duets to trios
to quartets, etc.? Does it stem from Western orchestral traditions? Is it because melody has priority? |
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Today's Listen: Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington -- THE COMPLETE SESSIONS Imagine a Jazz Sextet in which three of the players are Armstrong, Ellington and Barney Bigard!!! Got to be a law. Also with / Trummy Young(trombone), Mort Herbert(bass), Danny Barcelona(drums) duke's place * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt1zw81ZbTs i'm just a lucky so and so https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDIkQVgtShw mood indigo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN6usjgA61M the mooche https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyTfgNY0kVM it don't mean a thing ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JGp0AzTeiM And 12 more!!! Cheers * 'C-jam blues' when played without lyrics ** message for all noise makers and their minions |
Keegiam, because 1. the piano is the most important and most versatile in the context of a Jazz ensemble. It is the harmony instrument (guitar could be as well) and can also function as a rhythm instrument. 2. the bass acts as a timekeeper and, in a sense, can fill the musical role that the drums can. Also, while it usually doesn’t play chords, it outlines the harmony with its single note bass lines. 3. Drums typically only play time and while obviously very important, it could be said that it is the least essential instrument. Those are the traditional roles of the three instruments. Think about how many recordings there are of a soloist with piano (or guitar) and bass. Or, soloist and just piano. Or, even soloist and just bass. Not too many of soloist (including piano soloist) and just drums, no bass. Looked at from a different angle, one of the ultimate challenges for a horn improviser is playing in a piano-less trio (just bass and drums). No harmonic underpinning. So, it is particularly challenging to improvise in a way that clearly outlines the harmony. No hiding; no room for bs. The recently discussed Sonny Rollins was one of the first and few to have the b@!!s to record in that setting. When the drummer is the leader, his name is usually listed first. Sometimes, the leader (no matter the instrument, including drums), as a show of deference and respect for his sidemen (especially when they are high profile players), will want his name listed last. |
’This very obscure set by the Don Cunningham Quartet (drummer) was originally sold only at the St. Louis Playboy Club at the time of its release in 1965 and only 500 copies of the original Lp were made. The four players are obscure but music is interesting’ ’Something for everyone’ from 1965. https://youtu.be/uOV64BL5vr8 https://youtu.be/42EwChByDtw https://youtu.be/WYt6k_CB6tM https://youtu.be/e-5JqOZEAIk Frogman, of course, thanks for ’classic’ explanations. I was hoping that maybe others will join, but perhaps its quiter on thread without such discussions . |
The good stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3ZELvekzY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA44kLu_VB0 Cheers |
Alex, I went to that club in 65 and 66. The name "Don Cunningham" sounds so familiar but I still can't quite put it together, There were several real nice clubs that I went to in the same vicinity as the Playboy Club, and if he played there, he probably played some of those clubs as well. I like his music, and it sounds familiar. During that time I almost never listened to music in my apartment, I was always on the go. While listening to his music, I can almost see myself at a "Downtown Club" called "The Upstream", which is another club he probably would have played. I looked him up, and he played "The Dark Side" in Gaslight Square, an area with a lot of entertainment that I frequented; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslight_Square,_St._Louis Here's another group that played "The Dark Side"; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtyTjhfbdAg Alex you always come up with the winners from the past; a past that I have fond memories of. Thank you. |
Orpheus, you are welcome, pleasure is all mine (when I find some of this 'lost' albums or playes) I wonder if they come up on roon too (joking) ...and, its very nice when you add some story details to music, the 'picture' becomes more complete Here is another less mentioned player. The title of album seams appropriate. Kenny Drew 'Home is where soul is' from 1979. https://youtu.be/iQHGbZN8noQ https://youtu.be/7bmIAarl3aM https://youtu.be/GkUnwmMBBW8 |
This thread is all over the place. Some of the posts remind me of one of the episodes on the old Dating Game TV show. The bachelorette asked one of the bachelors who his favorite jazz musician was. After a few second pause he answered, "Chubby Checker." The audience went crazy with laughter, as did the TV host. She smiled knowingly and went on. "Bachelor #2, same question." He paused even longer and then said, "I'll have to agree with the other bachelor. Definitely Chubby Checker." I could join you jazz academics and further attempt to intellectualize the medium, but I prefer to listen, enjoy, and feel the music rather than to talk about it. Isn't that really what it's all about? |
Coincidentally, Kenny Drew has been posted a fair amount recently. And about time! Alex is correct, not enough Kenny Drew. Wonderful player. Don Cunningham is an entirely different kind of player and deserving of a different kind of consideration. Alex, you neglected to point out that he is a multi instrumentalist who is more than a drummer. In fact, he doesn’t play drums at all on the first two clips. He plays vibes on them. He also plays alto saxophone on one of the other clips. Unfortunately, he is a bit of a “jack of all trades; master of none”, IMO. Personally, I think that while he is strongest on vibes, his actual playing is unimpressive overall. Saxophone is not his thing. However, conceptually there is a certain charm about the record and enjoyable up to a certain point. It is not surprising that he worked out of Las Vegas for part of his career. There is a “crowd pleasing”/show biz vibe about it, For me, that record is enjoyable conceptually, but not so much in execution. I find his playing, especially on saxophone, to be undeveloped and not on the level of some of the other players in the band, especially his piano player; not to mention Kenny Drew. My reaction and, as always, hopIng that there is room for honest disagreement. |
@frogman Stahp spying on me through the internets! I was just listening to that Sonny Rollins pianoless trio album last night, and also added a couple of Dexter Gordon records to my library last night. @alexatpos https://i.imgur.com/l02Iz7W.png |
Makes perfect sense. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lyw96J0BQdoL09mxZ8fVgBm5AOwGE2ucY Cheers |
Today's Listen: Louis Armstrong / Oscar Peterson -- LOUIS ARMSTRONG MEETS OSCAR PETERSON with / Herb Ellis(guitar), Ray Brown(bass), Louis Bellson(drums). blues in the night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzlrftoLIgY you go to my head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpUMq7Dtah4 makin' whoopee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CUXRiebq78 lets fall in love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6Y0wORPzI8 Tri-fold cardboard packaging. They deserve better. Notes require electron microscope. Oh well. Cheers |
Fabulous! “Let’s Fall in Love” is a gem. Sleeper contribution: Louie Bellson. Check out his brush work. Amazing. Talk about deserving more attention! Peterson is his usual brilliant self. My one complaint about the record is that I feel that the piano, the rhythm section in general, could have been mixed a little hotter. The focus is Louis being very upfront and I think the music would have been better served if they had been treated a little closer to equals. |
Today's Listen: Count Basie -- COUNT BASIE AT NEWPORT with / Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young, Jo Jones, Illinois Jacquet, Roy Eldridge There have been some great Jazz moments at Newport over the years. This is one of them. Recorded in 1957. boogie woogie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEWE8lsZ8nw evenin' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqPob_ShZEo one o'clock jump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFhq7eBiQCY swingin' at newport https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coCbbTdoHeY blee blop blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTZAH7vE__Q Cheers |
Robert Shaw: The goto person for all things choral. hacia belen va un borrico https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxVgUulaSGE mary had a baby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jMnpoOS9-o Cheers |
Since Rok got me in the mood for Louis and Ella (and wherever that leads): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcuG7fzy5H0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxrws7omOHQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGfeCe0DHtI Light-hearted performances from the Golden Era: Eartha Kitt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeRSqekHh1g Fats Waller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSNPpssruFY |
Great stuff, esp Waller and Ella with Duke and Pops. The sound of Ed Sullivan’s voice made me cringe. I remember back in the day when his show was the hottest thing on Sunday night TV. Back in the days of three networks only. I remember when the Beatles and Elvis were on his show, he seemed to visually scold the young girls who were in the audience, when they screamed. Elvis even had to tone down his hip gyrations in the name of ’decency’. I remember thinking then, just who does this guy think he is? Apparently a King Maker in NYC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI_MjxTUjGE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoMbeDhG9fU Cheers |
The PaTRAM Institute Choir has put out a few excellent records in the Orthodox tradition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwdqlXf-oSo Most of what's on YT seems to be their Male Choir, which, while still awfully good, I don't like as well as mixed voices. |
Today's Listen: Louis Armstrong -- LOUIS ARMSTRONG VOL 6: ST LOUIS BLUES Recorded 1929-1930. That's 90 years ago folks. The only aficionado around during this time was our beloved OP. In the beginning, Pops said, let there be light, and there was Jazz. i ain't got no nobody https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Ycfn4ntf0 st louis blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1GX2lTVJII blue, turning grey over you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCdhm2izARA body and soul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpGZBr-RYK8 Cheers |
Alex, I first heard "Blue Funk" in 1959, but not until you pointed it out, did I realize the contribution "Skeeter Best" made. I heard it, but I didn't identify what I heard. That's my favorite tune on that album, but since it's by Ray Charles and Milt Jackson, I just never identified "Skeeter Best" although I heard him playing my favorite part on my favorite tune. That tune is so much more than just music, it conveys something that's totally incomprehensible to most people who don't have an urban origination; South Side of Chicago, North Side of St. Louis, or other urban areas that existed once upon a time. It's kind of like you have to have sung the song, in order to be able to comprehend the song. What "Blue Funk" conveys goes farther than what any words or picture could convey; that's why it's a real mystery to me, how is it that you have so much music of this nature; as an example, all of those Chicago musicians? |
Orpheus, I can only answer with a phrase 'blues is everywhere' ha,ha... Here is another guitar player that you might like, different style, different period, but still, somebody that I would like to hear performing in some small and packed club. Mel Brown 'Chicken Fat' from 1967. https://youtu.be/nHaKJjBNhvo https://youtu.be/nU989rTlPOg https://youtu.be/dcATkrmfivM https://youtu.be/dcATkrmfivM |
Mel Brown is more into "Blues" and the only Blues player I liked was Albert King; that's because I saw him live every weekend for about a year or longer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyVhBfIFbiQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SP5JHLqXM8 |