Now that's singing ! Great.
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.
31,555 responses Add your response
Here is a National Anthem you might approve the singing of . Or Hate if you are a rocker . https://youtu.be/SCpTbIlKOZw?t=1 |
| Post removed |
Today’s Listen: Lester Young -- LESTER YOUNG IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 1956, vol 2 Recorded live at Olivia’s Patio Lounge. Vol 2 of Four volumes. House trio backing. It shows. Not the most balanced recording. But, it’s Lester! lester leaps in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgbCjn5hsuY i’m confessin’(that I love you) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UijfTz195rY jumpin’ with symphony sid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KhbeP7Mv_8 lullabye of birdland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrdYnd51ZFo Cheers Notes: "Bill Potts who led the accompanying trio, coaxed, cajoled, and bribed the great tenor into letting him record much of the engagement for private use." Private use???? So how does it end up on records 24 years later?? Long after Young's death. Makes a body wonder. |
I went to the grocery, and bought everything I'm not supposed to eat according to my doctor, but he doesn't know how good it tastes; lucky for him I didn't buy everything I'm not supposed to drink. I seem to find "mainstream jazz" somewhat boring, consequently I'm still with Billy Bang, and others; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVJMOpIHBgc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uuSaOZg8hI One of my fantasies is to have a lady who looks just like this lady to sing this song to me; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY0fuEfBmD4 Another fantasy I have is to go to that "Secret Place" with Patty Austin; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aswdhf4vom4 |
Back to some basics? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meC4pmw5u84&list=RDjSRdQgidCHY&index=14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLLu5pjWthQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD44rPsZp0w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p6JPZf8c8g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMl4awXqYV8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX7TA3ezjHc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0Cg7hCwOc |
Mary has been silent. Probably gone to Andalucia and lost herself in flamenco. Not a bad thing to lose oneself in. Orpheus10, if you are going to eat the forbidden foods just eat very little, your doctor might be right. I like your fantasy, mine usually go in the direction of the Middle East. But I appreciate other kinds too. |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDtFK-_3v0k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xQRfBqq60k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow5ZaQ10zxk For Flamenco fans, would that be you Mary_jo? |
Today's Listen: Phineas Newborn Jr -- HARLEM BLUES with / Ray Brown(bass), Elvin Jones(drums) Notes: Newborn's first recording after a decade of inactivity. Nice synopsis of each tune and why it was included. Recorded 1969 harlem blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is5k0JNw5HQ ray's idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIqip_b0_W8 sweet and lovely https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAmSLyOjsJk cookin' at the continental https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQsxlI1Mdo0 cookin' Cheers |
Somebody mention Andalusia and Flamenco? Big Flamenco fan here. I actually can’t say what I would like more, to play it or to dance on it, that long till I feel the taste of sweat coming down my face with my wet clothes sticking to my body and my heart rate increased. To play or to dance for hours. Quite different feeling than with my love for Jazz. Flamenco captures, Jazz liberates. Both needed, wild and calm waters. La Rumba is absolutely fantastic. |
Mary_jo, since childhood I have been captivated by Flamenco and Gypsy music in the movies; I find the thought of you in a tight Flamenco dress dancing until you feel the taste of sweat coming down your face and wet clothes sticking to your body quite scintillating; this picture causes my heart rate to increase. |
Rok, I've spent most of my life in our major cities, but never been to Harlem. Harlem has often been pictured as the ultimate personification of Africana America, and I'm sure it was, once upon a time. The arts, a combination of gospel and jazz probably made this so; Harlem blues is a combination of Gospel and Jazz. Phineas was born in Tennessee (the south) and it's apparent he was influenced by Southern Gospel (it's impossible not to be influenced when you have heard it live, like he did, many times) From 1956, when he was a young man, he began to perform in Harlem, and these two influences are reflected in his music. I thank you for a marvelous contribution. |
Orpheus10, that was New Age flamenco, this is the authentic one. No one can dance like Cristina Hoyos, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTVqfCPq_CE&list=FLHAEL8Iwz684WaGFx1rQchA&index=121&ab_c... |
Mary, watch the film Carmen by Carlos Saura if you already haven't. This is a short piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siz4Cjp6nmk&list=FLHAEL8Iwz684WaGFx1rQchA&index=24&ab_ch... |
I think I like my Flamenco best when it's served with some hot and spicy Tango.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWCmubP5h9c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uQNkFmgyzI |
I like this one; the older gentleman with the sensuous younger lady, realizes he does not have too many Tangos left, consequently, he must make the most of each and every Tango. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tir5_m6E4lc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOagc0YQSp0 |
OK, Jazz aficionados help me understand some of the older jazz recordings. To give you a background my all time favorite is Coltrane Blue Train, absolutely love it, fabulous recording. When I listed to some of the other older jazz recordings, while the artist and music is great the recording bothers me because it is so heavy in left and right channel with nothing in the middle for sound stage. Recordings like Blue Train have a wide soundstage well laid out. Others have sax and piano coming from the left speaker and drums coming from the right and nothing in between. Is this typical of the late 50's early 60's? |
OK, Jazz aficionados help me understand some of the older jazz recordings. To give you a background my all time favorite is Coltrane Blue Train, absolutely love it, fabulous recording. Blue Train was recorded/engineered at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio at his Englewood Cliffs (Hackensack NJ) recording studio for the Blue Note record label. This was the only recording Coltrane did at Blue Note as a leader. The bulk of his early work was recorded for Prestige and Atlantic and his famous quartet of the early 6o’s on the Impulse label. This might have something to do with what you are pertaining to. I happen to like the way Van Gelder recorded. From Wiki: Van Gelder was secretive about his recording methods, leaving fans and critics to speculate about his techniques. He would go as far as to move microphones when bands were being photographed in the studio.[19] His recording techniques are often admired by his fans for their transparency, warmth and presence. |
I think PWJ nailed it. When stereo was new some recording engineers got it, and some did not. I often wondered, what were they thinking. Let's put Sonny on the left by himself, and the bass and drums on the right, so they can really hear what Sonny's doing. Obviously, they had ideas other than live music as a goal. |
Some engineers set the groups up as they would normally appear on stage in a live performance, then miked from an appropriate distance that would approximate a good audience seating position in hopes of recreating the soundstage. It could be done both ways, but there are plenty of convincing recordings out there besides Van Gelder's (don't get me wrong - he was the best). I remember listening to Coltrane on "So What?" (recording engineer Fred Plaut) imaged about 8 feet in front of me, near dead center, on a friend's tube-driven Magneplanars. Similarly, there are plenty of live recordings out there with remarkable placements of the players to the left, center and right. Part of the issue is often the imaging quality of one's home set-up and where the sweet spot is. |
I always like to look at this list, as it is compiled from the top 10 recordings from a much larger list of reviewers. This year it is 148 reviewers. Then, you can click on any of the 148 reviewers and see their individual lists. https://www.npr.org/2021/01/14/956649529/2020-best-jazz-albums-critics-poll |
Today's Listen: Allen Toussaint -- THE BRIGHT MISSISSIPPI Excellent Packaging. Excellent recording. Recorded 2008. Nonsuch Label. egyptian fantasy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlifDYDUuHI st james infirmary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdZcU4SniIc west end blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcPsgMa74Lk bright mississippi (monk is monk, even in Nawlin's) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCHddHp8OAw long, long journey (Toussaint on vocals) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkSlStHxyPA Cheers |
According to "Wicki"; The Tango is a partner dance, and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. It was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries, in neighborhoods which had predominantly African descendants. The tango is the result of a combination of Rioplatense Candombe celebrations, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Argentinean Milonga. The tango was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons with music. That's some hot stuff, maybe too hot for some Aficionados; never the less, moving right along to the music, let us listen to Jesse Cook; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2SJf1J-LHA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrVm9wKXi38 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrVm9wKXi38 |
Inna is quite right. Argentinian tango has no relation to Flamenco. Flamenco Tangos (always in the plural, although it does not refer to more than one) is one of five or six different styles of Flamenco, each characterized by different rhythms, tempo, where the accents in the music are placed and structure. Confusing, but there it is 😊. |
I can hear the ancient spirits talking to me, if I could only understand what their saying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kZhNkezeEo |
This is a useful article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_(flamenco) You will find tango mentioned in one of the subsections. BTW in Spanish "compas" covers meanings such as beat, bar, tempo, and time signature. |